Skip To Main Content

Color1 BG Container

District Nav

Landing Nav

Flash Forward Alumni Spotlight: Austin Bass '17

  • Alumni Spotlight
Flash Forward Alumni Spotlight: Austin Bass '17
Flash Forward Alumni Spotlight: Dana Austin Bass '17

Building His Future, One Design at a Time

“Stay curious. Try new things. Meet people. If you find something you love, support it with discipline and keep moving forward, even when challenges show up.” 

Dana Austin Bass

Todd Beamer High School, Class of 2017
University of Washington, Class of 2022

From the time he roamed the halls of Panther Lake Elementary, sharing fun facts about skyscrapers, Dana "Austin" Bass always had a mind for design. He carried that curiosity with him to Illahee Middle School and Todd Beamer High School, where he found a community that nurtured both his creativity and his confidence. 

“I usually had great relationships with my teachers, which made learning more enjoyable and helped me stay focused on my studies," Austin shared. "I looked forward to school every day because of my teachers and coaches, friends and classmates, and the staff who made FWPS such a supportive place.” 

At Beamer, Austin stayed involved in as much as he could through track and field, cross country, percussion ensemble, ping pong club, and even basketball. Athletics taught him the perseverance and goal-setting that would become essential throughout his life. In the classroom, classes like Drafting, Interior Design, and AP courses helped him explore what would become his future career. More than anything, it was the people who believed in him and pushed him to grow. “The most important thing anyone did for me was believe in me,” he shared. Though he noted it would be impossible to name everyone, he mentioned teachers like Mr. Snowden, Mrs. Ware, Coach Williams, Coach Ortega, and Ms. Lee, along with supportive teammates, were an incredible influence in his journey. 

After graduating in 2017, Austin attended the University of Washington, where he majored in Architecture and Real Estate with a minor in Urban Design and Planning. He dove into college life: joining architecture clubs, building full-scale design projects, volunteering with Sound Foundations NW, and completing internships, including one that started through a chance conversation at the UW gym. Those experiences helped him understand that great design is about more than buildings  it’s about creating spaces that serve people and strengthen communities. 

Today, Austin is an Architectural Designer at a residential architecture firm, where he drafts remodels and additions, monitors project progress through site visits, meets with clients, and helps turn ideas into homes families can enjoy. What he loves most is seeing his drawings come to life and watching months of design work become something real and meaningful. 

Looking ahead, Austin hopes to become a licensed architect and earn his LEED Accredited Professional certification, deepening his focus on sustainable, community-centered design. And he wants FWPS students to know that success isn’t about having everything figured out from the start. 

“Stay curious. Try new things. Meet people. If you find something you love, support it with discipline and keep moving forward, even when challenges show up.” 

Austin’s story shows what’s possible when curiosity is encouraged, hard work is valued, and young people are surrounded by a community that believes in them. 

To read more alumni stories, visit www.fwps.org/AlumniSpotlight. 

Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to LinkedInShare to PinterestShare to EmailPrint this page