The University of Washington, Bothell held its 19th commencement ceremony June 13 at the Hec Edmundson Pavilion, Bank of America Arena, UW-Seattle.
During the ceremony, the institution awarded more than 800 bachelor’s and master’s degrees and recognized students receiving their Washington state teaching certificates. Additionally, it honored its student-commencement speaker, Xheni Diko (who was also awarded a Chancellor’s Medal); President’s Medalist, Donna Oved; and Chancellor’s Medalist, Jose Santos Rodriguez.
• Xheni was chosen for this honor because of her community service work as the 2009-10 president of the Associated Students of the University of Washington, Bothell.
Xheni, originally from Albania, and now a Monroe resident, has the distinction of being UW-Bothell’s first freshman as her application was the first accepted for admission when the campus began admitting freshmen in 2006.
Says Xheni, “UW-Bothell was the only college I applied to because it was exactly what I was looking for: a small school with a big name.”
Xheni graduated cum laude with her bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary studies with an option in global studies and a minor in human rights. Post-graduation, Xheni intends to attend law school and one day hopes to work for the U.S. Department of State.
• Oved graduated magna cum laude with her bachelor of arts in business administration with an option in accounting.
Originally from Israel, Oved spent her early career as a member of the United States Navy working in information technology, stationed both nationally and overseas. After retiring from the service, she set her sights on higher education, enrolling in UW-Bothell’s highly competitive business program. As a student, Oved not only compiled an impressive academic record (graduating with a 3.95 grade-point average), but also a wealth of experiences including an internship at The Boeing Company and part-time employment in the UW-Bothell career center.
• Rodriguez graduated with his bachelor of arts in business administration with an option in accounting. He received this honor for his academic and personal achievement.
For Rodriguez, this degree is 20 years in the making, a journey that took him from his native El Salvador to the United States. Along the way, he mastered the English language and successfully achieved two associates degrees from Everett Community College before transferring to UW-Bothell.
He graduated with a 3.62 GPA, is a member of the Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society and is the first in his family to achieve a degree in higher education.
