Meet Your Counselor

Wyatt George, Admissions Counselor

B.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, University of Washington Tacoma, 2018

Hometown: Gig Harbor, WA

Favorite place/thing to do in Tacoma: I love going to Point Defiance - there really is so much to do in that area. You can enjoy a walk through the park, or visit the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. Owen Beach is a great place to enjoy a summer day, and you can walk to Point Ruston for dinner and a movie to cap it off. As a history buff, Fort Nisqually is also a really cool spot to visit. 

What was your favorite class in college: I really enjoyed many of my classes at UW Tacoma, but one of my favorites was The American Presidency. It was a fascinating course - we analyzed and discussed the growth of executive power in federal government, the effects of a president's personality on the position and how they affect the economy. 

What do you think makes UW Tacoma special? UW Tacoma is special for many reasons, but the greatest part about it to me is the wonderful sense of community around campus. The smaller size of most classes means students have a much better opportunity to get to know their peers and professors. As a former transfer student from a larger school, this made a huge difference in finding the support I needed to excel academically. The campus itself is incredible as well. The historical buildings that house many of the classes here root the campus in Tacoma's past while exhibiting a sense of its promising future. These aspects really combine to make UW Tacoma special place. 

Erynn Littlefield, Admissions Counselor

B.A. in Psychology, Minor in Criminal Justice, University of Washington Tacoma

Hometown: Federal Way, WA

Favorite place in Tacoma: Point Ruston is my favorite place to visit in Tacoma, it is so beautiful and quickly growing. There is so much to do, like renting the bikes and riding down the waterfront, grabbing a quick bite to eat at the many restaurant's over there, or a picnic on the grass.

Favorite class in college: I love psychology and it is hard for me to pick just one class that was my favorite at UW Tacoma. My favorite classes were Biopsychology, where we discovered how our biology plays into who we are and our psyche, Child Development was a favorite of mine because we were able to go and intern at a local daycare and observe the things we were learning in class, in real time. Lastly, Sports Psychology was great because I am a sporty person and it was fun learning and understanding how being active affects the brain.

What makes UW Tacoma special? I think what makes UW Tacoma special is that there is really a place for everyone here. As a person of color it means a great deal to me to see people like me in all types of spaces, especially in leadership roles. It doesn't matter what you look like, it's about who you are inside. I feel like I belong here and I hope you do too. Go Dawgs!

Daniel Enbysk, Adult and Returner Recruitment Specialist

M.A. Political Science, Portland State University 2003

Hometown: Portland, Oregon

Favorite place in Tacoma: I enjoy hiking and taking walks around the local parks. The loop around Chambers Bay Regional Park is my go to when I want to get my steps in!  

Favorite class in college: My favorite class while pursing my M.A. in Political Science was Philosophy of Social Science. It was intensely challenging, but a solid theoretical foundation to methodological substantive ethical questions in the social sciences. I'm currently enrolled in a Ph D. program at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, CA, studying Mythological Studies with an emphasis in Depth Psychology. My favorite class so far has been Approaches to the Study of Myth where I wrote a paper on the novel Riddley Walker: Trickster Mythology, Trickster Epistemology.

What makes UW Tacoma special? I find a lot of similarities between UW Tacoma and my alma mater, Portland State University. Both are urban, downtown campuses at the city’s core. There is an energy and a vibrancy here that I remember well and access to Tacoma’s growing arts and culture scene – an inspirational place to study and learn!

John Langston, Assistant Director of Recruitment/Veterans Liaison

B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology, Eastern Oregon University, 2016

M.A. in Communications and Leadership, Gonzaga University, 2019

Hometown: Delray Beach, Florida

Favorite place/thing to do in Tacoma: Camp Colvos Pizza Company. I love a good pizza slice. Campus Colvos has some of the best slices in Tacoma.

What was your favorite class in college: Women, Communication, Leadership

What do you think makes UW Tacoma special: UW Tacoma is continuously growing. You can instantly feel the community and those who are ready to support and help students achieve their goals both academically and professionally. UW Tacoma is diverse and inclusive and offers students opportunities to further their goals and success.

john oversees our admissions counselors.  He works closely with high school counselors and community colleges.

Brian Burhenn, Pierce College-to-UW Tacoma Transfer Advisor

B.A. in History/Political Science, Vanguard University of Southern California, 2007

M.A. in Teaching,  Seattle Pacific University, 2015

Hometown: Auburn, WA

Favorite place/thing to do in Tacoma: Whether it's sitting by the water at Narrows Brewing on a sunny day or around the fire put in the snow at Camp Colvos, I love visiting all of the different breweries around town and learning the history of brewing in Tacoma. UW Tacoma sits adjacent to the historic Brewery District, now home to 5 local breweries. 

What was your favorite class in college: Constitutional Law. We studied the Supreme Court and some of their major rulings while evaluating different styles of interpretation of the Constitution from the various justices over the course of the history of the Court. We also looked at current cases being argued before the Court. We got to write our own case briefs and then as a class were split up as either advocates for the Petitioners or the Respondents or as Justices of the Supreme Court and held our own oral arguments in class.

What do you think makes UW Tacoma special: UW Tacoma is special because of its connection to the history of our area and its continued commitment to being an urban serving university. Most of our buildings on campus are in old historical buildings and the school has done a great job of maintaining the knowledge of that history. We are also located in the heart of downtown Tacoma, so it's great having this vibrant little community and campus tucked into this area where we can build great connections to the local community around us. 

Brian works with transfer, international and Running Start students who attend Pierce College. 

Isaias Nunez, Admissions Counselor

B.A. Criminal Justice,  2013

Hometown: Fairfield, CA

Favorite place/thing to do in Tacoma: My favorite activity in Tacoma is spending time at Point Defiance Park, particularly visiting the Japanese Garden. With its Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Japanese Cherry Trees, and Crab Apples, the garden exudes a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. 

What was your favorite class in college: While in my undergrad at Gonzaga University, I really enjoyed Research Methods!  In this course I learned how to conduct social research, I learned how to Design, Conduct, and Analyze projects using surveys, interviews, and observation.

What do you think makes UW Tacoma special? Small class sizes and a low student-to-faculty ratio enables students to build strong relationships with their teachers and provide opportunities for undergraduate research.

Peter Vleck, Tacoma Community College-to-UWT Transfer Advisor

B.A. in History, University of Puget Sound, 2013

Hometown: Olympia, WA

Favorite place/thing to do in Tacoma: Rainiers games in the summer and breakfast burritos from Memo's.

What was your favorite class in college: US Foreign Policy

What do you think makes UW Tacoma special: A beautiful campus in the heart of Tacoma, and the fact that it's a diverse, accessible institution that truly serves the people of the South Puget Sound.