Sueli Gwiazdowski ’24: A Strong Voice for Equity & Peace
Inspired by the experiences and grit of her mother, a Brazilian woman of color, as well as her own experiences navigating the educational system with a disability, Sueli Gwiazdowski has known advocacy and the law would be a part of her future from a young age. She honed her speaking skills as a member of Whitman’s Debate and Forensics Team and founded Whitman’s first affinity group for students with disabilities. She was recognized for relentlessly serving as a resource to uplift diversity, equity and inclusion across campus. Her advocacy has included fighting for education rights, disability law, equal housing and against police brutally. She says peacebuilding is her life’s work and she’s committed to building a better world.
“Developing my skills here at Whitman gave me the platform and resources to speak on, think about and persuasively articulate the policy questions our generation is challenged with confronting. My Whitman education enabled me to engage in the meaningful dialogues and debates that I believe are necessary to make change and build peaceful futures.
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Sueli’s Pathway
2020 | Transferred to Whitman
from Walla Walla Community College
2020 | Joined the Debate and Forensics Team
2020 | Founded the Disability and Difference Community (DISCO),
a student-run committee dedicated to promoting awareness and inclusivity for individuals with diverse abilities
2021 | Joined the ASWC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
2021 | Interned with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights,
2021 | Completed a fellowship with The Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and Innovation
at Loyola Marymount University
2022 | Worked as a Peer Tutor
in Whitman’s Center for Writing and Speaking
2022 | Interned for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy
with the American Association of People with Disabilities in Washington, D.C.
2022–2023 | Served as a Student Representative to Whitman’s Board of Trustees
2022–2024 | Served as a Student Representative on the Campus Accessibility Committee
2022–2024 | Worked as a Student Research Assistant
for Lydia McDermott, Associate Professor of Rhetoric, Writing and Public Discourse
2023 | Served as the Delta Gamma Chapter President
2023 | Received the Inclusive Excellence in Service Award
2023 | Worked as a Legislative Intern for Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan
with the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute in Washington, D.C.
2024 | Named James C. Gaither Junior Fellow of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace,
2024 | Named Washington State Champion in After Dinner Speaking
in addition to national finals awards in Congressional Debate
May 2024 | Graduated from Whitman summa cum laude and with honors
with a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric, Writing & Public Discourse
2024 | Worked as a District and Legislative Intern for Rep. Mike Levin of California,
honing in on nuclear policy
2024 | Began her yearlong fellowship with the Carnegie Nuclear Policy Program
in Washington, D.C., before she pursues a joint-degree law program in Security Studies
“All of the internship and fellowship experiences I've participated in over the past four years have pushed and enabled me to pursue a career in changemaking and peacebuilding at the caliber that I think is necessary to make enduring change for disenfranchised people.
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Upward Pathways. Our alumni’s diverse student experiences and career paths showcase the transformative power of a Whitman education. Find other Upward Pathways.