Your gifts build student-athletes for life
Volleyball player Destiny Julye and football player Jeff Lindquist came to Washington for the chance to play the sports they loved and something even more meaningful — the opportunity to become a part of a community that cares deeply about its student-athletes.
Their gratitude was showcased at the Tyee Club’s annual Donor Appreciation Scholarship Dinner.
“When the coaches sat down with me and my dad to talk about my character and what they felt I could bring to the team beyond my athletic ability, that’s what sealed the deal,” Destiny, a sophomore, told the crowd. “I decided to come to Washington for the community it represented — the other girls on the team, the coaches and staff, the culture and the values that are exemplified in the phrase ‘who we are is why we win.’”
For Jeff, who was recruited as a quarterback but didn’t let a shift to tight end quell his loyalty to the Huskies, the UW “offered me the best combination of athletics, academics and community.”
“As Coach Pete likes to say, life is Plan A. Football is Plan B,” said the 2016 Foster School of Business graduate, who earned a final GPA of 3.5. “By supporting scholarships, you are giving each and every one of us the chance to have a great Plan A.”
Winning — on the field and in life — was a theme shared by Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen and Football Head Coach Chris Petersen.
“You are supporting the development of the young men and women in this room and their becoming the best versions of themselves — not just for themselves but so they can go out into our community and our society and contribute back,” Jennifer told donors.
Coach Pete praised the crowd as “one of the big reasons I came here.”
“The thing that surprised me most about coming to Washington was that the support was what I hoped it would be — at the games, in academics, the Tyee Club, the scholarship donors,” explained Coach Pete. “We have so many people who want to change lives.”
His “built for life” philosophy encourages his young football players to rely on what makes them great at their sport — accountability, hard work, toughness, integrity, loyalty — to grow into great men, husbands and fathers.
“We can be a championship, best-in-the-country football program with all the wonderful support we have here,” Coach Petersen said. “We’re going to play good football, but we also want to play well at life.”
Father-daughter bond builds Husky legacy
When unranked Washington beat No. 8 Stanford in a rare Thursday evening football game on Sept. 27, 2012, Kerry Sawyer knew her father was cheering louder than any other fan — even though he had passed away on the exact same date 10 years before.
“My brother, sister and I cried tears of joy in the stands. We celebrated my dad’s life, the team and this unlikely victory — just like my father would have wanted,” recalls Kerry, who began attending Husky games with her dad when she was small enough to fit under a ticket turnstile.
It was one of countless Husky memories tied to Glenn Sawyer, who created a legacy of support that proudly lives on in Kerry and her siblings, Lisa and Ryan (all UW grads).
“Opening day of Husky Football was like Christmas day for my dad and he shared that passion with us,” says Kerry. “I love everything about the game today — the energy, the enthusiasm of the fans and student-athletes, the competition. It brings back all the positive memories of my father.”
When Glenn founded Toyota of Puyallup, his purple and gold passion spurred him to become one of the original Dawg Dealers — a program that donates cars to Husky coaches and staff. He became friends with many of the coaches, who came to the Sawyer home for dinnertime discussions with the whole family.
Kerry took over the company when her father passed away. Today, she continues his legacy with the Dawg Dealers and has developed her own close relationships with UW Athletics staff. She’s also been inspired to expand her support by establishing a scholarship endowment and by serving on the Tyee Board of Advisors.
“I wanted to leave my own legacy while also honoring my father and making a bigger impact on these young men’s lives,” she explains. “My core values, the values of my business and the values that Coach Pete instills with his ‘built for life’ philosophy are closely aligned. There’s never been a more promising time for us all to increase our level of support for our Huskies.”
When you establish a full or partial endowment— a perpetually ongoing source of financial support — you make a game-changing difference for your Huskies. Contact us at 206.543.2234 or gamechanger@uw.edu to learn more.
