Husky 100: Hybrid MBA Student, Amanda Tatum

Name: Amanda Tatum
Hometown: Richmond, VA
Award: Husky 100 

Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Arts, International Studies, University of South Carolina
Graduate Degree: Masters of Business Administration, University of Washington- Foster School of Business

Husky 100

Each year, the Husky 100 recognizes 100 undergraduate and graduate students from the UW Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma campuses in all areas of study who are making the most of their time at the UW. Amanda was honored with this title for the 2021 – she stood out among the 1,729 nominations.

I am grateful to have organized alongside my peers in the past year to speak out against racial injustice, highlight the role we have to play as current and future business leaders, and chip away where we could in reforming our own institution.

I am passionate about creating connections and fostering a sense of belonging for all, and while I doubted my own belonging when I was accepted to UW’s Foster School of Business, I recognize now that this has been exactly where I am meant to be.

-Amanda Tatum, Class of 2021

Meet Amanda Tatum

During spring of her first year, Amanda was pivotal in starting what would become the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusive) Committee. She helped facilitate conversations via Zoom with her classmates on racism in our world, systems, and institutions. They hosted these conversations throughout the summer and have now nearly hit one year since forming the JEDI committee. During winter and spring quarters, JEDI shared resources each week to encourage learning and growth around DEI. Additionally, Amanda served as the student representative at internal meetings to help select DEI speakers.

At the start of her second year of the program, Amanda received multiple nominations to serve on the inaugural Student Council.  When selecting what role she should fill, the staff struggled because we knew she could add value in so many different areas and ways. In the end, the staff created a position for her, Vice Chair. During her tenure, she has shown up with incredible energy, emotional intelligence, and made connections across the Foster School, between silo-ed programs that did not exist before. 

When the new center (Product Management Center) at the Foster School was formed earlier this school year, the founding faculty member and Career Management Director turned to Amanda. She advised on content for the upcoming Inclusive Product Management Summit (the first PM summit of its kind to be offered by Foster).

Amanda has created incredible change- through pushing herself and then giving back to the school. Amanda has grown and evolved during the program, but what’s unique is that she has made that happen for the program too– being a crucial piece of so many “firsts.” The Hybrid MBA Program and the Foster School have benefited greatly from Amanda’s time as a student; we are better because of the impact she’s made.