Showing Up
Ellen Ferguson, 鈥�78, recipient of the 2025 Gates Volunteer Service Award, is a lifelong learner and relationship builder with deep Husky connections.
By Malavika Jagannathan
Visitors to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture often see Ellen Ferguson, 鈥�78, leading tours or stopping by to say hello on her way to a campus event. Even if they haven鈥檛, they鈥檝e felt her impact.
鈥淲hen you talk about the Burke, there isn鈥檛 a single person who doesn鈥檛 mention Ellen,鈥� note Sarah Gonzalez and Gabriela Chavarria, the Burke鈥檚 interim and former executive directors. 鈥淎nd when you talk about Ellen, there isn鈥檛 a single person who doesn鈥檛 mention the Burke.鈥�
Since she stepped into the museum as a graduate student in 1975, Ferguson has worn many hats: educator, volunteer, board member, development director and co-chair of the Campaign for the New Burke. Both through her family鈥檚 foundation and in her own name, this third-generation Husky has also championed and supported causes across the University鈥檚 three campuses, including w菨色菨b蕯altx史 鈥� Intellectual House, the School of Public Health, University Libraries & 91探花Press and many more.
This year, the 91探花 Foundation is honoring Ferguson with the Gates Volunteer Service Award, recognizing her lifetime of philanthropic giving, volunteerism and impact.
The following conversation with Ferguson has been edited for style and length.
Tell us about your family鈥檚 connections to the UW.
The ties go back quite far. My grandfather George, a young engineer, was involved in the creation of Frosh Pond [later to become Drumheller Fountain]. My grandmother Ruth, an artist, attended the 91探花when it was downtown. I grew up in a Husky household. Both my parents attended the UW, and visiting campus was just part of life.
When did you fall in love with museums?
I鈥檓 an only kid who traveled a lot with my parents when I was young. I would ride around on my dad鈥檚 shoulders at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu 鈥� one of my favorite museums and similar to the Burke. The Bishop鈥檚 original wing is spectacular, and it was just a magical experience.
How did that early experience lead to a graduate degree in museology at the UW?
My mother was an anthropology major and loved her classes. I had an inherent curiosity about humans, cultures, and the similarities and differences in how people are impacted by their landscapes. Anthropology and archaeology weren鈥檛 quite the direction for me, but I had a fantastic 91探花counselor who told me about this great new master鈥檚 program in museum studies, knowing it鈥檇 bring my interests together 鈥� and to a profession that embodied those interests.
And that turned out to be the case. I had a significant mentor in Professor James Nason (Comanche), curator at the Burke and founder of the museum studies program. And we鈥檇 take classes with Bill Holm, the world-famous scholar on Northwest Coast Native art and curator at the Burke. He also became a mentor and friend.
You were the Burke鈥檚 first development director and later co-chaired the $100 million Campaign for the New Burke. Tell us about that campaign鈥檚 vision.
The average visitor sees less than 5% of any museum. The Burke has 16 million artifacts and specimens, but people saw the tiniest fraction due to space. Our most popular event was when members were invited to visit the collections and meet curators and graduate students doing research. People just loved it. [Then鈥揺xecutive director] Julie Stein had a vision of turning the Burke inside out, bringing the behind-the-scenes work out front, so visitors could see and understand as much as possible. It was such a dynamic idea.
鈥淓llen鈥檚 community-first mindset, rooted in humility, exemplifies the kind of philanthropy that equitably supports causes with direct, meaningful impacts on the lives of American Indian, Alaska Native and underrepresented community members. She consistently centers the community鈥檚 needs above her own recognition.鈥�
Rickey Hall
Vice President for Minority Affairs & Diversity
University Diversity Officer
How did supporters 鈥� and the state of Washington 鈥� get behind that vision?
We began a concerted effort to expand our base. Many early supporters already knew the Burke and were excited by what it could be. We formed the Burke Museum Association, our outreach arm, to bring friends closer to the museum. And every week during the legislative session, my colleagues and I would meet in the Burke parking lot at 5:30 a.m. to drive to Olympia to attend Heritage Caucus meetings and meet with legislators. We鈥檇 bring artifacts from every district in the state. It began to build exponentially.
How has that vision been fulfilled now that the new Burke is open?
We鈥檝e really stepped into the role of a leading museum, not only locally but nationally. I see kids come through who are wowed by it. People of every age and from all over the world come. One goal was to show so much that people would visit frequently 鈥� and that鈥檚 happening. They鈥檙e watching someone preparing fossils in the paleontology lab, and they want to come back to see how far along they are.
I鈥檝e been associated with the Burke for 50 years, and the consciousness on how we work with communities whose objects we鈥檙e going to care for has changed. We were thinking of a new museum for 20 years, and I鈥檓 glad it took that long, because this is a much better museum 鈥� one that鈥檚 accessible to all and tells the stories of everyone.
You鈥檝e supported the campaign for w菨色菨b蕯altx史 鈥� Intellectual House, a gathering space for Native students, staff and faculty. What drew you to this project?
Education is a great equalizer. The 91探花is a fantastic university, but it鈥檚 daunting for any incoming first-year student. I love the idea of more Native students being able to attend and feel they have a home here. Intellectual House is a tremendous addition to campus. I鈥檓 deeply appreciative of the tribes who have supported it and am looking forward to the next phase of the project.
What spurred you and your parents to start the Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation in 1987?
My dad and mother supported individual causes in smaller ways. I learned about family foundations through the Burke and suggested it to my parents as a way to support the community we care so much about. It turned out we enjoyed doing it together. Our foundation鈥檚 mission 鈥� supporting natural preservation and cultural heritage 鈥� sounds like the Burke鈥檚 mission for good reason. My dad was 鈥渕ister natural history guy鈥� who climbed every mountain in the Olympics. My mom went to summer camps in Montana, where she got to know Native families. Though my parents have passed, we had so much in common, it鈥檚 easy to know what they鈥檇 want.
What would you advise people who want to support the 91探花but aren鈥檛 sure where to begin?
The 91探花is an incredible force of good, and there is literally something for everyone. Whatever you care about, it鈥檚 happening here. Start with baby steps, like sitting in on classes, then meeting that professor or students. Be willing to do any task and be helpful. I often think about good advice I received early on from respected community leaders: 鈥淚f you want to be involved in our communities, you’ve got to keep showing up and build trust over time.鈥� So start wherever is comfortable, find your place 鈥� and show up.
About the Gates Volunteer Service Award
One of the most distinguished honors given by the 91探花and the 91探花Foundation, the Gates Volunteer Service Award is presented annually to people whose time, service and philanthropy have shaped the University鈥檚 path 鈥� and who encourage others to do the same.
The award was named in 2002 for the singular vision and generosity of the William H. Gates family, whose commitment of volunteer service, time and philanthropy continue to advance the work of the 91探花in profound and enduring ways.