Doctoral student Chiao-Yu Wu and undergraduate Leo Freedman have been selected as members of the 2026 Husky 100. Awarded to undergraduate and graduate students making the most of their UW education in and out of the classroom, the honor is bestowed upon students who’ve been highly engaged in their communities while completing their degree studies.
The School of Music honorees were selected from among 734 applicants from 72 unique majors (and double majors) and graduate degree programs from across the UW’s Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma campuses.
Freedman, graduating in June 2026 with bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and Ethnomusicology and a minor in Environmental Studies, is already incorporating the skills and knowledge gained as a UW student working in the Ethnomusicology Archives and making his own field recordings and soundscapes that explore intriguing possibilities for application in a variety of settings from cultural archiving to dementia care. “Music often serves as a powerful tool for fostering belonging and uplifting voices, he says, “whether through research into music-based memory care, the creation of place-based soundscapes, stewarding the UW Ethnomusicology Archives or performing in the U District with my band.”
Freedman’s supervisor at the Ethnomusicology Archives, curator John Vallier, speaks highly of Freedman’s engagement in his studies and related activities that have enhanced his UW education. “In his role as an UW Ethnomusicology Archives Specialist, Leo consistently embodies the values UW strives to project: intellectual curiosity, respect for cultural diversity, and a deep commitment to public service," he wrote in recommending Freedman for the Husky 100. "Our Archives serve a global community of researchers, artists, and students, and he approaches this responsibility with professionalism, care, and genuine enthusiasm for connecting people to knowledge. He brings an exceptional work ethic and a good-natured, can-do attitude to every task, whether assisting with the accessibility of fragile archival materials or spearheading the restructuring of the physical Archives space. What stands out most is his ability to understand the human impact of this work: he recognizes that archives are not just collections, but living records of communities, identities, and histories."
Chiao-Yu Wu, a student of Robin McCabe graduating in June 2026 with a doctoral degree in piano performance, has been an active and prolific member of the School of Music and greater Seattle music communities as performer, educator and collaborative pianist. She, too, speaks of music as a “powerful tool for connection, healing, and community.” “Through teaching, performing with university and community ensembles, and bringing music into hospitals, senior communities, and multicultural spaces, I use my artistry to support and uplift others,” she says. “I am honored to be recognized as a Husky 100 for integrating performance, mentorship, and service to share music in ways that foster empathy, belonging and cultural connection.”
“Chiao-Yu is already a splendid and highly visible ‘spokesperson’ for the UW, performing regularly throughout our region as a solo and collaborative musician,” Professor McCabe wrote in her letter of recommendation. “Her performances are fortified by sensitivity, flair, and a passion for communicating love and reverence for music to the listener…. At the core of her goals is her mission to use music as both a ‘healer’ and a ‘connector’ in our lives. With this in mind, Chiao-Yu currently participates as a pianist in multiple activities in the Northwest region: UW Symphony, La Chorale Francophone de Seattle, and Seattle Taiwanese Choirs, to name a few. She is regularly sought after as a collaborative partner in chamber music involving violin, cello, viola, and even a member of the U.S. Navy Band! People simply love to make music with her.”
Members of the Husky 100 were honored at an on-campus ceremony on May 5. They hail from 16 U.S. states and 13 countries including Ghana, the United Kingdom, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Taiwan and China. Nearly half are Washington residents, coming from Seattle, Bellingham, Spokane, Prosser, Olympia, Warden, and other in-state locales.
Congratulations, Chiao-Yu and Leo!