Service First, the university’s largest annual community service project, will be held Saturday, Sept. 4. More than 1,200 freshmen are expected this year to go out into the St. Louis-area community to participate in a variety of projects and begin their college experience on a positive note. FULL STORY

URL: http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/21089.aspx

School of Medicine researchers have received a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to better understand the link between fetal heart decreases during labor and brain damage to newborns. The scientists will compare fetal heart rate patterns to neonatal outcomes in 7,000 term deliveries. FULL STORY

URL: http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/21044.aspx

With top GMAT scores and outstanding GPAs, the Olin MBA Class of 2014 has broken virtually every relevant admissions metric in the school’s history, says Evan Bouffides, assistant dean and director of MBA admissions and financial aid. The class met for the first time in August to participate in Olin’s GO! orientation program. FULL STORY

URL: http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/21085.aspx

Researchers in the Department of Biology in Arts & Sciences conducted a study on the battle between an invasive plant and a native plant on the coast of California and how it is affecting wildlife in the area. Findings were released in the August issue of Ecology.  FULL STORY

URL: http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/21005.aspx

• 5 p.m. Kemper Art Museum Spotlight Talk on Alberto Burri’s “Gran Ferro M1.” Karen Butler, asst. curator. In conjunction with special exhibition “Gesture, Scrape, Combine, Calculate: Postwar Abstraction from the Permanent Collection.” Kemper Art Museum. (314) 935-4523.

• Cupples II Hall closed for one year. Cupples II Hall on the Danforth Campus closed Aug. 27 and will not reopen until Aug. 26, 2011. Both the interior and exterior of the building are undergoing renovation. Cupples II will be completely closed to public access during this time.

• Volleyball, men’s soccer open season today. The NCAA Division III defending national champion volleyball team opens its 2010 season today, hosting Greenville College and Harris-Stowe State University in a dual match doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the WU Field House. The men’s soccer team, meanwhile, also opens tonight at 7 p.m. at Francis Field against Webster University.