As a current alumni, former undergrad student and employee of the University of Washington, Seattle I must admit my love for the UW is quite unique. I am a Black-American first generation college student who originally began at this institution fresh out of Garfield High School in 1971. I chose to cling to my original black identity and heritage at all cost while attending this white oriented and contolled academy! "Not a good mix it proved!" Thirty years later I finished with the class of 2001 or the first graduating class of the 21st Century. A proud accomplishment even if it is not by traditional academic standards.
I say this because the doctoral thesis in which I self-launched revealed through carefully diagnosed research that when this institution was founded back in 1861 a person of my race would have been killed for getting caught with a book. Based on this premised theory I was able to launch an in-depth research study into the impact that this had on Blacks today. My findings were astonishing even though they were and remain very controversial in the minds of many supporters of Jim Crow era in the United States. This goes without fault or blame to anyone in order to usher in a healing and fresh start for everyone.
In conclusion I am grateful to the University of Washington and former Mayor and Dean of the School of Architecture for facilitating my readmission into this fine academy and proving me with both employment and access to resources in order to makes sense out of "The Black Plight In America," a new research related Internet radio talk show spin-off also. This is not to go without mentioning the educational environment provided even though it was user unfriendly to and for me most of the time. This remains so to this day with unsettled degree accreditation. I am told the academy has been known to grant what is called a Posthumous degree which might favor me moreso than the prescribed academic Ph.D. for which I much desired. For this and much more I love the UW very much!
Dell Patterson
Architecture Major & Geography Minor
Class of 2001 - "wDp Job Well Done 2001"
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