Dear Washington: Kaylene Pang
Women's Soccer
6/7/2021
Dear Washington,
These past four years have been the best journey. Coming into UW as a freshman, I had very superficial goals for my college experience. My goals as a freshman were so simple: I wanted to get playing time, do well in school, and meet some people. As I progressed throughout my UW journey and got more accustomed to the environment, I stretched those goals beyond what I ever thought was possible.
When I joined the UW soccer team, I just hoped for a few minutes of playing time here and there. I eventually became a three-year starter, All-Pac-12 player, and helped return the team to the Sweet Sixteen. I progressed beyond my simple goal of just wanting to play and instead wanted to just become a better teammate. Holding a captain role in my last year, I truly began to understand what it means to be team-first and to prioritize something beyond myself, a skill which I am sure I will carry with me beyond UW.
My simple goal of just doing well in school expanded into also taking on extracurriculars and community work. I wanted to explore activities outside of class and get real hands-on experiences. In addition to excelling in a competitive, male-dominated major that is Mechanical Engineering, as a sophomore I got involved in a research lab. I researched how to diagnose prostate cancer with 3D light-sheet microscopy, won 3 scholarship grants for my work, and presented at a national conference. In the early stages of the COVID year, I also sought out an internship at a medical device startup and became a drop-in math tutor. Holding a part-time job for 3 years, in addition to the commitments of a Division I soccer player and full-time student, is not easy, and I am so proud of how I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone to gain these invaluable experiences.
I also did not expect to form the relationships that I did after my 4 years at UW. From the athletics side, the support staff has been incredible since day one at making me feel supported throughout my college journey, and I know that these relationships will continue even after I leave. I am so appreciative of my Mechanical Engineering community who I spent countless hours working with, whether it be TAs and professors at office hours, classmates who helped me with assignments, or the advisors who helped me manage to graduate in 4 years while navigating my soccer commitments. Also, the sense of community that I gained from my research lab and tutoring was amazing, and I really enjoyed feeling connected to parts of the UW community outside of athletics. Lastly, the relationships that I formed with my teammates are so special and I am forever grateful for Washington for making these relationships possible.
While I am sad to be leaving UW, I am taking so much with me. Because of UW, I became more confident in myself as a driven, determined, and strong woman, and I feel prepared going into this next stage of my life. I am so proud of how much I accomplished and developed and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Go Dawgs forever!
Kaylene Pang
Women’s Soccer
Class of 2021