making a
difference STORIES AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE UW FOUNDATION
From Rockets to Roads Dean Chahim always dreamed of building rockets. And when he was accepted into the UW College of Engineering, he felt he’d taken one giant leap toward making that dream a reality. But at an Engineers Without Borders conference
Dean is double-majoring in development studies and civil
sponsored by the UW, Dean learned of an opportunity to
engineering with a focus on the link between water resources
travel to Bolivia to help repair rural roads. “We worked on
and equity. He is now volunteering with the Northwest
the only road to markets, clinics and schools,” says the UW
Justice Project. “There’s a lot of bacteria and nitrates in wells
junior. “We were helping, but I realized our repairs would
near Yakima, and this creates serious health hazards, so
only last so long. And I thought, I could design rockets — but
we’ll be going door to door to get the word out,” Dean says.
why, when we can’t even apply simple technologies to make
“These wells primarily affect low-income Latinos — and they
life better for people?”
are not always aware of the problems or remedies.”
Dean changed his focus from rockets to international
The opportunity to directly help people, whether in South
development and managed the Bolivia roads project’s second
America or Eastern Washington, is one of the things Dean
phase. A Mary Gates Leadership Scholarship allowed him to
loves about the UW. “No amount of study can prepare you
research development organizations in Nicaragua. There his
for actually working with people — it’s amazingly powerful,
perspective shifted again. “I didn’t want to restrict myself to
and it has changed me tremendously.”
going abroad. Change also needs to happen here at home.”
MAKE a DIFFERENCE TODAY Do your part to help students like Dean reach their dreams. Learn how at uwfoundation.org.
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ABOVE: Junior Dean Chahim, far left, working with community members in Bolivia to improve a washed-out road. Dean, who's volunteering near Yakima this summer to raise awareness about dirty wells, was working with the UW chapter of Engineers Without Borders.