Office of Admissions, WWU

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Your Admissions Team

Our team of Admissions Counselors is here to answer your questions and provide assistance. Need tips on how to create the perfect application? Want to know what the Admissions Committee looks at when admitting students? Get to know your counselors!

Jibran Ahmed
Admissions Counselor Phone: (360) 650-2381 Email: jibran.ahmed@wwu.edu College Major: Biocultural Anthropology, Psychology minor I serve: King, Pierce Counties / Multicultural Outreach
I came to Western in 2009 as a transfer student. Moving away from home to attend a university was a challenge for me and my family. However, when I stepped on campus I was greeted by some of the most welcoming and supportive people I had ever met. The small class sizes and welcoming professors provided me with ample opportunities to get hands on experience outside of the classroom. In my first quarter I connected with a professor and was able to do research studying crayfish in the department of Behavioral Neuroscience in my very first year!

I found my support at the Ethnic Student Center through club activities and various academic and social support networks. I also found my own connection with Western through poetry events on campus that provided safe spaces for students to share their own experiences. I loved it so much I ended up performing on stage with my own music group!

From doing Undergraduate research to performing as an artist at concerts, I’ve done it all! Western really does give you the freedom to explore and create your own path inside and outside of the classroom. I graduated in 2012 and now, as an admissions counselor, I have the opportunity to show students just how much Western has to offer!
Azucena Cuevas
Admissions and Financial Aid Counselor Phone: (360) 650-4686 Email: azucena.cuevas@wwu.edu College Major: Interdisciplinary Studies: Social Science I serve: Central and Eastern Washington areas including Yakima, Tri-Cities, Walla Walla, Mosses Lake, and Spokane
I came to work for Western in 2012 relocating from Central Washington. I am the second in my family of 7 to attend a 4-year University, so transitioning into college was tough. Yet more challenging was the fact that I was a nontraditional student. With a family of my own and living off campus. I had many roles: student, parent, employee, and community participant on campus. This was challenging, however not impossible.

Today I’m excited to be part of the exceptional family of counselors here at Western Washington University and to be able to provide students with information, encouragement, and the means to seek resources that may not necessarily be readily available to them. I look forward to serving an amazing student population here at Western Washington University. “Go Vikings”!
Jo Golden
Campus Visit Experience Manager Phone: (360) 650-2494 Email: jo.golden@wwu.edu College Major: English - Creative Writing Emphasis
I grew up overseas in Korea and Singapore before moving to Vancouver, WA to attend high school. I thought I wanted to go to school in Seattle or California, but after visiting different college campuses I fell in love with Western and Bellingham.

I was unsure of what I wanted to study but soon realized I wanted to pursue writing, with the help and encouragement of an amazing professor. Western helped me step out of my comfort zone and gave me incredible experiences I would not have had otherwise. I was a crew coxswain, a youth leader, was able to travel, and got involved in a couple clubs on campus. After graduating I spent some time working in a marketing office at a hotel, had the opportunity to be published in several magazines, and worked in higher education for five years (which I loved more than writing!). I’m excited to have the chance to work with students and help them find what they are really passionate about – and pursue things they didn’t think they would.
Leslie Gonzalez
Admissions Counselor Phone: (360) 650-4462 Email: leslie.gonzalez@wwu.edu College Major: General Studies (Minors in Anthropology and Sociology) I serve: King, Pierce, Snohomish, Skagit Counties and King/Pierce Community Colleges
My parents immigrated to the states from Mexico in their teens and growing up I had a very cultural upbringing both in my home and my hometown of Kent, Washington. I remember my first day of kindergarten at Park Orchard Elementary (Go Pandas!) I was not alone in saying goodbye to my parents in a different language. When I graduated from Kentwood High School in 2005 (Go Conks!), I began my first quarter at Green River Community College (Go Gators!). At first, I only wanted an AA Degree but that all changed when I visited a friend at Western! I fell in love with the beautiful campus and the welcoming atmosphere that I immediately felt. In 2008 I transferred to Western (Go Vikings!) with the intent to pursue a Recreation Degree but that all changed as soon as I got here. The great thing about Western is that it gives you the freedom to create your own degree which is exactly what I did with my General Studies Major. Every quarter at Western I realized how diversity is more than skin color, culture and languages. On campus, I was surrounded by Western students, but we each lived our lives uniquely and the university has over 250+ clubs/activities to prove how our interests vary. I graduated from Western Spring 2012 and did not want to leave! As a Western Admissions Counselor I look forward to informing students about what Western has to offer.
Kiersten Horton
Assistant Director of Admissions Phone: (360) 650-4448 Email: kiersten.horton@wwu.edu College Major: Bachelors of Science in Sports Sciences with minors in coaching and business from Ohio University; Masters in Higher Education with an emphasis in Sports Management from Washington State University
Upon arriving in Bellingham for the first time I distinctly remember marveling at the beautiful setting and thinking that I never wanted to leave this wonderland. And remaining grounded in the ‘Ham is just what I have done! Since arriving here seven years ago I have continued to play, explore and gain new appreciation for all of the adventures that the city of Bellingham has to offer. In fact, I have had such a great time hiking, skiing and snow shoeing here that I named my golden retriever Lady Baker after Whatcom County’s very own Mt. Baker.

One of the things I appreciate most about WWU is the community. There is always a smiling face to greet you or a friend who is interested in catching up with you for coffee. After relocating from a state other than Washington, having that friendly outreach really helped me feel welcomed on campus.
Zach Neuhaus
Admissions Counselor Phone: (360) 650-4764 Email: zachary.neuhaus@wwu.edu College Major: Political Science I serve: Oregon, Southwest Washington, International Fairs
I am a Washington State native who came to Western in 2005 due to Western’s reputation of academic excellence and the beauty of Bellingham, WA. While at Western I was involved in the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society, Model UN, Model EU, the Activities Council, and the Political Science Association, where I served as President.

I also worked as a Teaching Assistant and a Research Assistant. As a Teaching Assistant, I focused on helping students understand the relationship between legal institutions and society, and as a Research Assistant my focus was on US Counterterrorism policy and how America has cooperated with other countries. During my Senior year at Western, I was recruited by faculty members to write an Honors Thesis. My research was on the history of Pakistan, Pakistan’s relationship with the US, and the implications for foreign policy and theoretical perspectives stemming from Pakistan’s role in the world.

After graduating in 2008, I taught English at an all-girls middle school in the Republic of Korea. While overseas I also took the opportunity to visit China, Japan, and the Philippines. Returning in 2009, I decided to accept a job as a Campaign Manager for the 2010 election. After winning that election, I was very excited to return to Western, this time as an Admissions Counselor.
Robel Paguio
AmeriCorps | Washington Campus Compact | Retention Project Coordinator / Admissions Advisor / HANDS Coordinator Phone: (360) 650-7946 Email: robel.paguio@wwu.edu College Major: Psychology (Minor in Business Administration) I serve: Whatcom and Skagit County
I came to Western in 2008 after graduating from Olympic High School in Bremerton, WA. I was the first in my family to move away from home and attend a 4-year University, so transitioning into college was tough. Fortunately, the tight community and welcoming environment that I heard was so characteristic of Western and the city of Bellingham made it easier for me to feel more at home. The Ethnic Student Center on campus also played a huge role in finding my place in the community and served as my home away from home. Through the Ethnic Student Center, I was able to take on various leadership roles, develop professional skills, ignite my passion for diversity and social justice, and explore my identity as a student of color. While at Western, I also played intramural sports, coordinated two dance groups, served on multiple AS councils, and worked as a lab research assistant in the Psychology department. Our research focused on the benefits of actively confronting prejudice.

Western provided me with limitless opportunities as well as the freedom to create my own path for growth and exploration. I’m excited to be able to provide students with the information and resources that may not necessarily be available to them in order for them to have access to the same sort of opportunities that I had.
Matt Stokes
Admissions Counselor Phone: (360) 650-3441 Email: matthew.stokes@wwu.edu College Major: Environmental Studies & Elementary Education I serve: Colorado, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho
As a 2006 graduate from Marysville-Pilchuck High School, when I searched for what university fit best, Western was too natural. A University surrounded by endless recreational opportunity, with a community on campus and off to get you there, I couldn’t have asked for more. The academic reputation gave me a vision to pursue and the faculty and staff gave me a platform to take a dream to a global reality.

I am now an avid hiker, cyclist, paddler, and skier – taking every chance to experience all the North Cascades and Bellingham Bay has to offer. Western allowed me to meet and work with people from nearly everywhere, giving me friends and colleagues on almost every continent of the world. From teaching summer classes at Western, Environmental ethics courses in Yellowstone and leading international education trips to Costa Rica, I couldn’t have imagined gaining anything else from my experience at Western.
Colin Watrin
Admissions Counselor Phone: (360) 650-7950 Email: colin.watrin@wwu.edu College Major: Communications & Sociology I serve: California, Arizona, Nevada, and Independent and Private Schools in Washington's King and Pierce Counties and Islands
When I came to Western as a transfer student in 2007, I was seeking a college environment that provided a welcoming community as well as challenging new opportunities. Western and Bellingham lived up to their strong reputation for providing these and much more during my time as a student.

I found my niche at Western in the world of student leadership opportunities where I worked as an Orientation Student Advisor and Campus Tour Guide. Western allowed me to pursue my passion for working with people inside and outside of the classroom as an Instructor Assistant for public speaking classes and through research on educational theory with the Sociology Department. My passion for involvement and leadership eventually led me to run for student government where I served as the Associated Students President. My experiences allowed me to travel the country, meet with lawmakers, negotiate contracts and budgets for student programs, and play a positive role in shaping the community around me.

I am excited to continue working with the Western community through the Admissions Office to help students discover where their Western experience can lead them.