UW Student Research Projects

This page is a space to present the hard work and projects of UW students involved in the Doorway Project. Both undergraduate and graduate students play an important role in making this project successful at the University of Washington, as well as out in the larger U District community. 

UW Honors Program Collaboration

Vicky Lawson, Professor of Geography and Director of the UW Honors Program, taught a class on understanding the sources of poverty and houselessness in Seattle. We believe students learn best by collaborating with community partners who are working on important projects. With this in mind students from the Honors College worked on a collaborative zine with young people from the Doorway Project and other unhoused young people from the U District. Below is the zine, enjoy!

Undergraduate Service learning Projects

Through the Community Engagement & Leadership Education (CELE) Center, the Doorway Project worked with an undergraduate community-based intern (UCBI), Emma Mancano, from January through June 2024. Below is the final project poster showcasing her reflections on her time at Doorway.

In partnership with the Carlson Leadership + Public Service Center, the Doorway Project worked with two undergraduate community-based interns, Sam Fredman and Mika Phillips, from January through May 2018. They each helped plan, organize and implement each aspect of the Doorway Project, as well as work on their own presentation for our May 4th Community Workshop. Each of their final project posters are shown below.

Throughout her work with the Doorway Project, Sam has been focused on community engagement with various stakeholders and leaders in the University District. Through consolidating information on existing resources, relationship building with service providers, and analyzing gaps in service provision, she was able to highlight the unique needs of the community and the capacity of the Doorway Project to intervene. This presentation highlights her work with the service providers and the successful events Doorway has hosted thus far. 

Mika's role in this project has been invaluable. Since she began in January, she has been unafraid to ask the big questions about the goals of this project, and has helped bring us into sharper focus. Her research above includes an examination of longitudinal data provided by the University of Washington Police Department on rates of issued trespassing violations on campus. It is important to recognize these long-term trends so that the University can remain a space for all in the Seattle community that is both welcome and safe. 

honors Nursing Research

This past year, three Senior students at the University of Washington School of Nursing did their Honors research project with us, focusing their work on in-depth interviews and digital storytelling methods. Below you'll find their posters, as well as a brief  'elevator speech' which explains their work. 

From Moriah Ortega:

Moriah's role in the project focused on conducting Digital Storytelling interviews, which were later turned into short videos. For her honor's project, she interviewed Doorway Project members, Noah Weatherton and Sam Fredman, as a self-reflective pilot phase which asked them to explain how this project has shaped their views on youth homelessness. See Moriah's first video below!

From Ann Nguyen and Nina Cole:

"Our role in the project was to conduct qualitative research in the form of in-depth, semi-structured interviews with homeless youth in order to determine what kinds of qualities and services homeless youth would like to see incorporated into The Doorway Cafe. Such a client-informed space would add to its usability and connectedness with its clientele.

To date, we completed 15 interviews. The major themes we pulled from interviews are summarized in the table: wifi, bathrooms, electrical outlets, social service provider information, early and late operating hours, no age limit, free food and coffee, and both private and social seating options. Currently, there is no such space in the University District that offers all these amenities. Future interviews will continue to guide the establishment of The Doorway Cafe and help to end youth homelessness in the University District."