Author: Deb Parker

Washington University’s next campuswide blood drive will take place Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, at eight locations throughout all WUSTL campuses and at a variety of times to accommodate busy schedules. Collection also is taking place Jan. 30 on the Medical Campus.

Sleep may be priority No. 1 for many college students who are finishing finals and returning home for winter break. Advisers from the Career Center at Washington University in St. Louis suggest students use the time, not only to recharge, but to reflect and self-evaluate. The extended break is an ideal time to think about options, update resumes, network and put career plans into action.

Faculty Fellows in the South 40 recently hosted holiday parties for their student neighbors. Freshman Matt Burkhardt (left) visits with Ian MacMullen, PhD, assistant professor of political science in Arts & Sciences. MacMullen and his wife, Lola Fayanju, MD, research fellow in the WUSTL Department of Surgery, co-hosted the party in their Gregg House residence. Faculty Fellows help integrate academic and residential life by living in the residential colleges with students for three-year stints.

With the holidays right around the corner, many parents are scanning the latest “recommended toy” lists as they make their final purchases. An education expert at Washington University in St. Louis says that, while educational toys are a fine idea, children receive the most benefit when their parents play with them and engage them in their new gifts. R. Keith Sawyer, PhD, associate professor of education in Arts & Sciences, offers advice to parents worried about making the right toy choices for their children.

Career Center advisers are encouraging students to make the most of the upcoming holiday break. The extended time off is a great chance to network and put plans into action, they say. Students are urged to self-evaluate, review their interests and options and update their resumes with recent experiences and new skills. 

Nominations are due Jan. 19 for the fourth annual James M. Holobaugh Honors. Campus Life and the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) Advisory Board will be hosting the Holobaugh Honors Ceremony at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Holmes Lounge, Ridgley Hall.

WUSTL is partnering with the St. Louis Winter Outreach Team to help the homeless. On winter nights when the temperature is predicted to drop below 20 degrees, the volunteer teams meet, drive around the city looking for those at risk, and offer blanket, coats – or transportation to those willing to go to a shelter. There are a number of ways WUSTL community members can get involved — from collecting coats or blankets to volunteering in a shelter.

WUSTL co-founder William Greenleaf Eliot  (played by Jeffery Matthews, professor of practice in the Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences) celebrated his 200th birthday Dec. 5 with students in the William Greenleaf Eliot Residential College. Former Chancellor Wiiliam H. Danforth also joined in the fun, as he and ‘Eliot’ talked about what it means to be a university leader and how the role has changed.

Student groups collaborated to raise campus awareness of World AIDS Day Thursday, Dec. 1. The students held red balloons and formed the shape of a ribbon on Mudd Field. This was just one of several events that took place throughout the day.

WUSTL students and administrators recently hosted representatives from 20 national fraternity/sorority offices, as well as student leaders from 13 Greek chapters across the country. The give-and-take was an opportunity to talk about issues in Greek life and ensure that the WUSTL Greek community continues to prosper.