2025 Immersion Weekend: Highlights & Impact

August marks one of our favorite GSBA Scholarship & Education Fund traditions — Immersion Weekend. This annual two-day retreat unites new and returning GSBA scholars for skill-building workshops, resource exploration, and genuine connection, all designed to expand not only their professional development but also their sense of belonging in the GSBA community.

Day One: Tours, Panels, and Policy Insights

Fred Hutch Campus Tour

Friday kicked off the weekend with a tour of GSBA member Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Here, as we toured the campus, we also learned more about their strides in HIV and cancer research and the vast number of career pathways they provide. Fred Hutch welcomed scholars with a diverse panel of staff — a research nurse, a marketing manager, a dietician, and their policy advisor — offering firsthand insight into how their roles intersect and what it’s like to work at a major research institution.

Matt Landers, Fred Hutch Policy Advisor, talks to scholars to prep them for their tour

2025's new scholars pose in front of a welcome sign at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Advocacy Workshop at MOHAI

When we were done at Fred Hutch, scholars and staff made our way around the water to MOHAI. After a quick lunch break, President and CEO, Ilona Lohrey, welcomed this year’s cohort with some inspiring words. This was followed by an informative workshop in navigating advocacy from GSBA Policy Counsel & Government Relations Manager, Gabriel Neuman, GSBA Lobbyist, Katie Kolan, and Abigail Leong of Fuse Washington.

As one scholar so clearly expressed, “If you want to make change, you need to present your ideas in a way that is capable of doing that.” The insights shared with scholars were a powerful reminder of the key tools needed to create an impact story within our current political environment.

Katie and Gabe talk Advocacy and Washington State policymaking with scholars

Day Two: Learning, Resources, and Connection

Queer Sex Ed Workshop

Saturday brought back a scholar favorite, Queer Sex Ed, facilitated by GSBA member Living Earth Sex Ed. This workshop is designed to supplement health education that centers LGBTQ+ folks as the norm, not something that scholars generally experience in their classrooms or doctor’s offices.

Immersion Weekend Resource Fair

We also instated a new staple to Immersion Weekend, a resource fair! One of the benefits of being a scholarship fund attached a chamber of commerce is the ability to convene and connect GSBA scholars to the LGBTQ+ & allied professional community. GSBA volunteers and business members joined us for an afternoon of resume review and resource sharing, allowing scholars opportunity to gain invaluable insight into not only what opportunities exist but also how they can best present themselves in professional spaces.

GSBA member, Lydia Brewer Photography, does headshots during the resource fair.

Scholars explore the resource fair.

A Special Evening Celebration: Seattle Reign Pride Night

An additional bonus to Immersion Weekend was a special invitation to attend Pride Night with the Seattle Reign FC. Here, scholars were treated to box seats, a visit from general manager Lesle Gallimore, and a picture on the field at the end of the game. One scholar called it “the highlight of my year” and loved sharing the experience with fellow scholars.

GSBA Scholars at the Seattle Reign Pride Game

With Gratitude

We are incredibly grateful for the support from our hosts – Silver Cloud Hotel South Lake Union, Museum of History and Industry, and thinkspace Seattle, in addition to our sponsors—pwc, Salesforce and DoorDash – and most importantly, the dedication of GSBA staff and volunteers.

It is all these contributions that make Immersion Weekend happen, creating space for our scholars to focus on learning, growing, and making the connections that will shape their futures.

What Scholars Had to Say

“I really enjoyed meeting other scholars and just hanging out with like-minded, open-minded people. I felt so safe and comfortable being myself.”

“I think Immersion Weekend really helped me see all the opportunities the scholarship provides and how I can apply its resources to my own passions, job, education, etc.”

“Meeting others like me, it reminds me that I’m not alone.”

Help Us Spread the Word

The GSBA Scholarship application for the 2026-27 cohort opens on October 11, Coming Out Day!

Learn More

GSBA Scholarship applications open October 11 (Coming Out Day)

Thank You to Our Sponsors & Hosts

Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, scholars were able to attend the weekend at no cost — making these connections and career opportunities truly accessible.