Students Change the Institution for the Better

I grew up in Eden Prairie, Minn., and I’m Midwestern to my core. When it came time to look at colleges, I knew I wanted to be in a place where I could explore — ideally near mountains, the water, and in a small community where I’d actually know my professors. After applying to Puget Sound, I was invited to apply for the Lillis Scholarship. I remember flying in for the interview, seeing the Sound, looking at the mountains, and thinking, “I belong here.” But I would not have gone to Puget Sound if not for the scholarship.

And I’m so glad I did. I played Ultimate Frisbee at Puget Sound, which immediately brought me into a community. I met the people who are still my best friends. I also got the opportunity to do so many different things: trips with Puget Sound Outdoors; being a Passages leader; taking scuba, mountaineering, and sailing classes; and being a Peer Ally to provide a safe place for survivors of sexual violence. By exploring outside and connecting with my peers, I got to feel part of a really special place.

I started college thinking I would be a doctor or do international development. But on the last day of linear algebra my freshman year, my professor stopped me and encouraged me to continue in math. Later, at a department party on Pi Day (March 14), I told him I’d decided to major in math. He set his pie down, shook my hand, and said: “Welcome to the department.” I then explored abstract math, infinity, and the shape of space.

I also loved my classes in politics and government. I still think about the things I learned and the humanity my professors brought to the topics. It was in those classes that I realized my passion for the rule of law. I didn’t want to let math go, and I didn’t have to choose. I double majored in math and comparative politics with an emphasis in global development. I got to pursue what interested me. And I loved being in an environment where professors offered the structure and opportunity to be curious alongside my classmates.

After graduation, I had too many ideas of what to do next. While working as a personal assistant for a family that started the largest family law firm in the Pacific Northwest, I thought about sexual assault advocacy and realized I could do good work in family law.

I later worked in waste management in Antarctica before going to Georgetown University, earning my law degree and a master’s in national security concentrating in terrorism and sub-state violence. After graduating, I worked at a nonprofit providing free legal representation to clients in immigration and family law. I currently clerk for a federal judge and am looking forward to a career in pursuit of justice and public service.

As I pay back my student loans for law school, I am immensely grateful for the Lillis Scholarship. The scholarship provided a level of freedom in thinking about what to do with my life. Lead expeditions in the backcountry? Be a crazed mathematician writing a proof on a chalkboard? Pursue international development? Advocate for survivors of sexual assault? Practice law? By not having to worry about student loans, the Lillis Scholarship gave me room to pursue what I’m most passionate about. Everything I gained from Puget Sound is a direct result of the generosity of Chuck Lillis P’05 and Gwen Lillis P’05. The tangible economic help is life changing. But more importantly, their kindness and genuine care for us is an example of the best parts of humanity.

Growing up in Denver, my dream was to go out of state for college. I had the Pacific Northwest in mind, but as a family, we weren’t in a position to cover the full cost of college — let alone out of state. It was understood that I’d have to pave my own way. 

When my father and I took a road trip to visit some colleges, Puget Sound really stood out. I was drawn to the liberal arts and the campus community felt electric. Reflecting on that first visit, I realize I’d tuned into Puget Sound’s secret sauce and what I’ve always said is the best (albeit sometimes challenging!) part of campus is that you cannot be anonymous. Students, staff, and faculty genuinely care for one another and actively seek to cultivate community. As former President Ronald Thomas would say: Puget Sound felt like “home” from the jump. I knew I had to figure out how to get to UPS.

When I got back to Denver, I was a man on a mission. I worked my butt off writing essays and applied for well over 50 scholarships. My wonderful English teacher at the time, Mr. Feld, was along for the ride. He helped review and edit nearly every essay I submitted. Just when I thought I was finished, I was invited to apply for the Matelich Scholarship. I got to work. A couple of days later, feeling proud of my writing, I sat down with Mr. Feld for one last read- through. He didn’t make it through the second paragraph before setting it face down on the desk and sighing. “Jensen, this simply isn’t good. You need to write it again.” I was gutted, but he knew how high the stakes were. More importantly, he knew I could do better. It turned out to be one of the most important teaching moments of my life. I wrote it again, and this time, I wrote from the heart. Thankfully, it led to my being selected for the scholarship.

When I started college, I was immediately drawn to majoring in international political economy. I also pursued a second major in business administration through the Business Leadership Program and a minor in Spanish. The dual-major approach was fascinating as I knew I wanted to do mission-based work, but I also understood that speaking the language of business can help catalyze change. I loved the idea of straddling both worlds. I learned even more outside the classroom. I was deeply involved in several clubs and activities, both on campus and in
Tacoma. I had the chance to do field research in both Chile and Spain, and I formed lifelong relationships with my peers, staff, faculty, and Tacoma community members.

After graduation, I moved back to Denver and got offered a job doing research on state-funded climate programs. Eight-and-a-half years later, I’m still working for the same team, now at a company called National Energy Improvement Fund (NEIF), which is a B Corp that has developed some of the most innovative and successful energy efficiency and electrification energy financing programs in the nation in partnership with states, green banks, and energy utilities. 

I continue to use the skills and lessons learned at Puget Sound. Most notably, I value that Puget Sound creates intrinsically motivated critical thinkers and problem solvers. I cherish my time on campus and am beyond thankful for receiving the Matelich Scholarship, which made it all possible. As I once told George Matelich ’78 and Susan Matelich: This is a gift that will continue to bear fruit throughout my life. I’m so grateful that this scholarship exists and that so many students have benefited from it, both before and after my time at Puget Sound.

I grew up in Tacoma and have a younger sister who is nine, an older sister who is 26, and a twin sister named Kevoni (Neely ’25). We went to Mason Middle School, which is very close to the UPS campus. It was interesting to have a college in our school’s backyard. 

We grew up playing softball, and I did a lot of leadership things in high school. I was always very busy. My parents are also very hard-working. My mom is a nighttime foreman at a bakery in Seattle, and my dad is an engineer and commutes to Federal Way. They did anything they could to make our lives better. I always knew I was going to go to college — that was something my parents made very clear! 

They didn’t attend college, so it was a bit of a daunting process for them to navigate. My older sister went to University of Washington and got a lot of scholarships, but she was really into science. I wasn’t sure what my options would be. I’d been on free or reduced lunch in high school, which meant I could apply to college without having to pay application fees. I applied to four schools: Penn State, Arizona State, Washington State, and Puget Sound. After receiving financial information on UPS, it felt like a better and easier opportunity. We made a family decision for me to stay in Tacoma and shoulder the financial burden of school.

I was part of a cool program called First Year Inside for local and/or first-generation college students. It allowed students to arrive on campus two weeks early and also to receive free books. My room wasn’t unpacked. My roommate hadn’t moved in yet. I didn’t know what was going on! But the program gave me the opportunity to get more comfortable on campus. It was during this time I got a call saying I’d been awarded the Neukom Scholarship: a gift of $55,000 per year. I said, “What?!” I remember thinking, “I’m the luckiest girl ever.” But I’d also put in a lot of hard work and effort to get there. 

The scholarship was like a breath. “Ahhh...OK. I can do this.” If I’d had to get a job, which I’d planned to, I wouldn’t have been able to do cheerleading without constantly worrying about money. My twin sister Kevoni also attended Puget Sound, and we joined Alpha Phi together. I also became Panhellenic president. I couldn’t imagine my life would get even busier in college, but somehow it did! I ended up getting a 4.0 my freshman year and went on to earn a double major in business and African American studies. Today, I am planning to go to medical school and become an OB-GYN. I want to help reduce the terrible mortality rates among Black mothers, which are largely
preventable. I am going to be the first doctor in my family. A Black, female doctor! What is better than that?

I’m a first-generation college student from the East Bay of Northern California, from a small town called San Pablo. I found out about the Posse Scholarship in high school through a program called Magis, which supports students from minoritized backgrounds and/or lower socioeconomic statuses and provides resources to help first-gen students get into college.

Posse is a really cool system because it has different hubs around the U.S. that select around 10 students within a cohort system to attend a certain school together each academic year. From the moment we were selected until we got to the UPS campus, we had weekly meetings. This really helped me build friendships before we even started school. The curriculum also addressed a lot of important topics — from managing a budget during college to how we identify culturally on campuses that have been traditionally mostly-white institutions. It’s like being part of a really special family. 

In high school, I was involved in a lot of social-justice causes, advocacy, and campus ministry. I think I have pretty good interpersonal skills. I really like talking to people! This led me to run for ASUPS president my junior year — and I got elected. It’s very important to bring students from diverse backgrounds to our campus because we have unique sets of experiences to share with each other. We also have different sets of skills that allow us to find our unique places within the school and really excel in them. I think that’s a huge benefit to scholarship programs that are structured like Posse. 

I wasn’t 100 percent sure, but I had a feeling I’d go into the sciences. I started out as a natural sciences/biology major, then pivoted to biochemistry after taking and really enjoying my chemistry classes. I felt like I couldn’t choose between the two! Now, I am in my senior year and I’m sticking with biochemistry. I’ve thought about doing med school after graduation; I’m also debating a Ph.D. program. Is my main goal to practice medicine and/or have a career doing research? I’m still deciding. Regardless, I really love serving my community. My parents immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala, so I’m lucky to be bilingual. I have been volunteering at the Tacoma Neighborhood Clinic during college. We get a lot of patients who speak only Spanish. It really speeds up the process for their treatment to have a native speaker on site to help instead of relying on a third-party translator. Being able to serve them is truly a bonus to the work. 

I had originally never considered going to college out of state. It simply wasn’t a possibility for our family. My mom is a full-time babysitter, and my dad primarily does house painting for work, so I had been planning to attend — and had gotten into — what was then my dream school: UC Davis. But I gave all of that up for the opportunity to attend Puget Sound through the Posse Scholarship. It was the best decision I ever made.