Academic Support Programs

Our People

Contact Information

Email

Instagram

Facebook

Professional Staff

Ryan Burt, He/Him

Ryan Burt, He/Him

Director
(206) 685-5347

About me

Hi there! I was born and raised in Eastern Washington before moving to our lovely Emerald City to study at the University of Washington. The UW was big, but I was lucky to have friendly professors and inviting programs that made me feel connected and at home. For me that is a great goal for us in Academic Support Programs: to make every student feel supported and at home.  

I loved my undergraduate experience, where I studied English and the Comparative History of Ideas, and decided to continue my studies. In graduate school, I spent a lot of time thinking about how American universities can better welcome a diverse student population and offer classes that reflect an equally diverse curriculum.  Graduate school was difficult, but truly rewarding. In 2008 I received my PhD in the English Department at the UW.  

Over the years I have studied in Italy and Spain and taught for two years at a large public university in Southern Morocco. As I know how exhilarating, mind-opening and challenging it can be to live and learn in a country and culture that is not your own, I am grateful to be part of a team in Academic Support Programs committed to helping our students from all corners of the world succeed.  

Outside of school I love playing and listening to all kinds of music (I’m a drummer), checking out art, cooking, and getting into the beautiful Washington State out-of-doors. I love hanging with my family and friends.  After seeing some amazing parts of the world, I can say that Seattle is one of my favorite places to be.  

Please come visit me in ASP and let me know how I can help you at the University of Washington!

Alli Botelho, She/Her

Alli Botelho, She/Her

Assistant Director
206-543-5755

About me

Growing up I was born and raised on the island of Oahu, Hawai’i which taught me about the values of community and family. From a young age, I learned so much from the community around me and strive to bring a compassionate heart everywhere I go.

I decided to move to Seattle to pursue higher education and learn from a new community of people. I went to Seattle Pacific University (SPU) where I studied psychology and learned about subject areas that I was passionate about. My college experience taught me that in order to be successful in higher education, I needed the community of people around me. From being involved on campus in many different organizations that sparked my passions in sharing my culture, service, and event planning, I learned about the field of Student Affairs.

From there, I decided to continue my educational pursuit at Seattle University where I graduated with a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Student Development Administration. During my time in the program, I had the opportunity to intern with Academic Support Programs. I am thankful to continue working with ASP and support the Academic Success Coaching Program. I continuously learn and am inspired by our peer Academic Success Coaches who work to support students and create intentional spaces for students at UW. 

I value community, collaboration, and compassion where I believe that each person has their own strengths and that working together to achieve our goals truly makes a difference. In my free time, I love spending time with family and friends, trying new food places, watching tv shows, and working on new art projects. 

Please feel free to reach out, and let me know what I can do to best support you at the University of Washington! 

Jessica Simon, She/Her

Jessica Simon, She/Her

CLUE Program Manager

About me

Hi! I grew up on the east coast and then moved to California to study bioengineering at UC San Diego. During undergrad, I worked as a Supplemental Instruction Leader and Tutor at the Teaching and Learning Commons. I focused mostly on calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra, but I occasionally tutored chemistry and physics when needed. 

After graduating, I immediately drove up the coast to Seattle to begin graduate school at UW.  I spent the first 2 years focusing on taking classes and research, but I realized that I missed education and working with students. I graduated from UW in 2024 and am excited to be working with CLUE in a more permanant role.

In my role at Academic Support Programs, I support the entire CLUE team and work closely with our Subject Lead Tutors. Stop by if you want to chat or have any questions!

Success Coaches

Natalia, She/Her

Natalia, She/Her

Senior, Community, Environment, and Planning

Project areas

795751032

I'm excited about

I love going to museums, watching old movies, reading, journaling, playing the uke, and watching the sunset.

Ask me about

As an immigrant and a first-generation college student, my transition to university was challenging. I struggled to picture myself getting through not only my first quarter but also my first year. However, I was determined to give my best effort to succeed. I learned many valuable lessons during that initial period that I wish someone had shared with me beforehand. This is why I've become an academic success coach. My goal is to support you on your journey in any way I can and to remind you that, regardless of who you are and where you come from, you can thrive here!

Notable academic challenge

During my first year at UW I found it challenging to balance school, work, and being far away from home. I struggled with imposter syndrome and self-doubt. To overcome these obstacles, I decided to get more involved on campus, connecting with smaller communities of like-minded individuals who understood what I was going through. Additionally, maintaining a structured morning and night routine played a crucial role in keeping me grounded. It's often the small daily habits, like making your bed every morning, that can truly make a difference in our lives.

Yonas, He/Him

Yonas, He/Him

Senior, Education, Communities, and Organizations (ECO), Law, Societies, & Justice (LSJ), and Sociology

Project areas

792397445

I'm excited about

I enjoy playing competitive soccer and watching the Priemer league. I also enjoy reading historical books as-well watching documentaries on historical figures.

Ask me about

I am a first generation student, born and raised in Eritrea. I am passionate about learning deconstructing historic racism towards minorities, In the future I hope with my work ethic, passion, and wanting to build a better world I can help lead a change.   

Notable academic challenge

Everyone experiences challenges in different forms. My Academic challenge comes in the form of failing Math 124 my first quarter at the UW. However, we must not let failures keep us retained so one thing I learned was to simply retake the class and try your absolute best.

CLUE Tutors: Biology

Ryan, Biology, he/him

Ryan, Biology, he/him

Graduate Student, Medicinal Chemistry

I've taken

Equivalent of CHEM 162, 237, 312, 530, 531, 532

Ask me about

Trail running and playing classical piano!

Notable academic challenge

The weekly problem sets in CHEM 530 (Advanced Physical Organic Chemistry) required both creativity and a deep knowledge of organic reaction mechanisms. By working on them with my peers, however, I gained an appreciation for collaborative problem solving that I hope to share with fellow students while at CLUE.

Joel, Biology, he/him

Joel, Biology, he/him

Senior, Biochemistry, Minor:Japanese

I've taken

Bio 180 and 200

Ask me about

Reading, Cooking, Playing Music

Notable academic challenge

Time-management

Ethan, Biology, he/him

Ethan, Biology, he/him

Junior, Bioengineering

I'm excited about

Reading, running, sailing, bouldering, D&D, video games

I've taken

Bio 180, 200, and 220

Notable academic challenge

Struggling to get help when I need it in larger classes (looking at you Phys 122)

CLUE Tutors: Chemistry

Ryan, Chemistry, he/him

Ryan, Chemistry, he/him

Graduate Student, Medicinal Chemistry

I've taken

Equivalent of CHEM 162, 237, 312, 530, 531, 532

Ask me about

Trail running and playing classical piano!

Notable academic challenge

The weekly problem sets in CHEM 530 (Advanced Physical Organic Chemistry) required both creativity and a deep knowledge of organic reaction mechanisms. By working on them with my peers, however, I gained an appreciation for collaborative problem solving that I hope to share with fellow students while at CLUE.

Joel, Chemistry, he/him

Joel, Chemistry, he/him

Senior, Biochemistry, Minor:Japanese

I've taken

General chemistry, organic chemistry, 241, 242, 452, 453

Ask me about

Reading, Cooking, Playing Music

Notable academic challenge

Time-management

Ethan, Chemistry, he/him

Ethan, Chemistry, he/him

Sophomore, Bioengineering

I'm excited about

Reading, running, sailing, bouldering, D&D, video games

I've taken

General chemistry, organic chemistry, 241, 242

Notable academic challenge

Struggling to get help when I need it in larger classes (looking at you Phys 122)

CLUE Tutors: Computer Science

Alicja, Computer Science, she/her

Alicja, Computer Science, she/her

Junior, Electrical & Computer Engineering

I've taken

CSE 373, CSE 414

Ask me about

Swimming, playing video games, getting boba, reading

Notable academic challenge

In my freshman year, I made the mistake of thinking I didn't have to put time outside of class to learn the material. The first couple round of midterms made me realize I made careless mistakes that I would not have made if I spent extra time to really understand all the concepts. After this rough period, I adapted a new study routine that prepares me for all my exams.

CLUE Tutors: Math

Hemkesh, Math, he/him

Hemkesh, Math, he/him

Junior, Computer Engineering

I've taken

MATH 206, 207, 300

Ask me about

Keyboards, Computers, Reading

Notable academic challenge

I would say it has been the transition into higher level CS courses where I was surprised by the difficulty increase and time commitment I needed, but near the end I was able to settle in a bit more.

Kamiar, Math, he/him

Kamiar, Math, he/him

Senior, Mechanical Engineering

I've taken

MATH 207, 208, 224

Ask me about

Playing guitar, watching movies, and hiking

Notable academic challenge

The notable academic challenge I faced during packed and busy quarters was time management. I had to plan and dedicate adequate time to excel in my classes, participate in the social groups I was part of, and ensure I had enough time to rest and refresh to avoid exhaustion.

Sriram, Math, he/him

Sriram, Math, he/him

Graduate/Professional Student, Mechanical Engineering

Ask me about

Badminton, Photography

Notable academic challenge

Time management and focusing for long hours.

CLUE Tutors: Physics

Lauren, Physics, she/her

Lauren, Physics, she/her

Junior, Physics, Applied Math minor

I've taken

PHYS 224, 225, 227, 228, 322 

Ask me about

Baking, hiking, pottery, reading

Notable academic challenge

PHYS 123 was the first real college physics class where I was learning brand new material. When I got to the first midterm, I realized that I hadn't learned any of the material very well and had to relearn everything in a few days. After that, I spent time adjusting my note taking and studying habits, and made sure to find out about all the resources available to me.

Sriram, Physics, he/him

Sriram, Physics, he/him

Graduate/Professional Student, Mechanical Engineering

Ask me about

Badminton, Photography

Notable academic challenge

Time management and focusing for long hours.

Kamiar, Physics, he/him

Kamiar, Physics, he/him

Senior, Mechanical Engineering

I've taken

PHYS 121, 122, 123

Ask me about

Playing guitar, watching movies, and hiking

Notable academic challenge

The notable academic challenge I faced during packed and busy quarters was time management. I had to plan and dedicate adequate time to excel in my classes, participate in the social groups I was part of, and ensure I had enough time to rest and refresh to avoid exhaustion.

CLUE Tutors: Writing Center

Hayley, Writing, she/her

Hayley, Writing, she/her

Junior, Linguistics, Data Science, Music

I've taken

ENGL 289, ENGL 298, LING 461, LING 462, LING 203, COM 200, SOC 225, SOC 360

Ask me about

I love listening to music, making Spotify playlists, memorizing lyrics, and obsessing over film scores and soundtracks! I also enjoy spending time outdoors, building legos, singing, doing puzzles, going to concerts, being around kids, taking pictures, analyzing movies, and hanging out with friends. I'm looking forward to meeting new people this year!

Notable academic challenge

In high school and coming into college, I struggled with narrowing down my chosen career path, being interested in and involved with both humanities/social science and STEM related fields, courses, extracurriculars, etc. It was difficult to confine myself to one area of study and commit to a binary that could not encapsulate everything I wanted to do. This made it harder to focus on one specific aspect to pursue. However, college is the best time to expand and explore, as well as take advantage of all of the outlets and opportunities we have available, and so with the help of campus resources, I have been able to embrace the dichotomy and manage taking all the classes I want to. The versatility of my various programs allows me to feel like I am tackling more subjects pertinent to me without spreading myself too thin to still maintain a good balance with the rest of college life!

Maya, Writing, she/her

Maya, Writing, she/her

Junior, Music and Law Societies & Justice (LSJ)

I'm excited about

I love listening to music and discovering new songs and artists! If you have any recommendations, please let me know! I also love traveling, shopping, and meeting people.

I've taken

LSJ 200, LSJ 322, POL S 201, POL S 368, LSJ 377, LSJ 375

Notable academic challenge

After high school, I was convinced I was going to work in the medical field. However, after taking an introductory chemistry class, I realized I didn't want to continue on the pre-med track. I then decided to register for LSJ 200, and that served as a catalyst for my interest in law, criminal justice, and human rights. I took POL S 368 and LSJ 377, and both of those classes only solidified my interest in the law, societies, and justice departments. I am now double majoring in music and LSJ, and I'm excited to see where this takes me!

Yoojin, Writing, she/her

Yoojin, Writing, she/her

Graduate/Professional Student, Linguistics

I'm excited about

I like to explore coffee shops, play piano, watch movies, and spend time with family and friends!

Notable academic challenge

Writing was my worst enemy for a long time--I was a second language speaker of English and essay writing was almost fearful for me. But in high school, I took AP Language and Composition and AP Literature to strengthen my weaknesses. Doing so forever changed my attitude towards writing. With the right organizational skills and motivated mindset, writing became so much approachable and somewhat enjoyable! Eventually it became one of my strong suits and here I am in a Ph.D. program, writing all the time!