‘A dream come true’: three local students awarded UW presidential scholarship

Mon., March 2, 2026

With their moms looking on, Lewis and Clark High School seniors Josephine Corbin, left, and Claire Poulsen explore the gift boxes containing their UW Presidential Scholarship awards on Friday at a surprise announcement at the school. Each student receives a $10,000 annual scholarship, renewable for four years. Only about a dozen of the awards are given out each year. (Jesse Tinsley/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)

By Emily White emilyw@spokesman.com (509) 459-5444

Three students – two from Lewis and Clark High School and one from Gonzaga Preparatory School – were ushered into rooms filled with family and friends who were waiting to surprise them.

Friday morning, seniors Josephine Corbin, Claire Poulsen and Nehemiah Areta received the University of Washington’s Presidential Scholarship, which awards students $10,000 per academic year. Gonzaga Prep’s Areta was the first surprised with the scholarship that day.

Undergraduate tuition for two semesters at UW is around $13,406, according to the university website.

Every year, UW surprises around a dozen Washington seniors with the scholarship. The university accepts around 43% of the Washington students who apply.

“I’m just happy I got in to UW,” Corbin said, still shaking from the surprise. “I knew I would end up in the right place for me. The hard work that I put in, I knew that I would be rewarded for it in the end.”

Corbin’s father, Currie, beamed with pride as his daughter opened the scholarship box, which contained letters from the university president and purple swag from the school.

“Josephine is an exceptional person. She’s really dedicated her teenage life to be involved and give back to the community,” Currie Corbin said.

Corbin had health complications when she was born and was treated at local hospitals, such as Spokane Children’s Hospital, growing up. She’s now a patient ambassador at Shriner’s Children’s Hospital.

“When she’s not at home studying, she’s out there speaking on behalf of patients and being an advocate for patients,” Currie said.

Poulsen and her mother, Alison, wiped tears from their eyes .

“She has been such a delightful child to raise and has always known her mind,” Alison said.

Erik Poulsen, who adopted Claire after her father passed away, couldn’t hide his pride either.

“She came into my life when she was four. … I could not be more proud,” he said. “This is a huge life changer for our whole family. It’s a dream come true.”

Poulsen transferred to Lewis and Clark from Freeman High School in Rockford. She started attending school in Freeman School District in first grade, and transferred to Lewis and Clark because she wanted a bigger academic environment.

Poulsen will be majoring in political science at UW. She has been involved with the Legislative Youth Council, which works directly under the lieutenant governor doing community out reach, and learning about lobbying and bill writing. Poulsen was one of two students who were involved in that council from the state’s East Side and was the youngest person on it.

“I just acted like a sponge, sucking up all the information I could,” she said.

Now Poulsen is the chair of the Chase Youth Commission, which works with the Spokane City Council.

She’s always wanted to attend UW because of her dad, who taught a class there in the past.

“I always thought it would be kind of cool to take the class he used to teach, as a full circle moment,” Poulsen said.