Author: Diane Toroian Keaggy

The George and Carol Bauer Leaders Academy celebrated WashU leaders and organizations making a difference on campus and in the community at the annual Excellence in Leadership Awards, held April 17 in Risa Commons.

Night Off is exactly that — a break for parents, run by WashU student volunteers, and an opportunity for children on the autism spectrum to make new friends.

Gaelen Clayton has spent a large part of her four years at WashU thinking about goals — setting them academically and scoring them as a midfielder for the women’s soccer team, which just won the Division III national championship. 

Platoon leader for Gateway Army ROTC Battalion. Residential advisor in Brookings Residential College. Rural peer ambassador for the Office of Admissions. Senior Andrew Rudolph has worn many hats — and uniforms — on campus.

A Gephardt Institute Civic Scholar, St. Louis Fellow and WashU Votes co-chair, graduating senior Amelia Letson has spent the past four years promoting voter education, researching progressive policy and increasing civic engagement on campus.

Can a self-described wallflower be a leader? Absolutely, says Shana Brooks, who is set to earn her undergraduate degree in political science from WashU’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies. 

Jeremiah “Jay” Truel co-founded StreetMedSTL, a nonprofit that sends interdisciplinary physicians to encampments and shelters to provide medical care, support and illness-prevention strategies. Since it began in 2022, StreetMedSTL has treated more than 1,000 patients. Truel soon will earn a medical degree from WashU Medicine.

The Class of 2025 Class Acts say the leadership lessons they have learned through their coursework, co-curricular activities and pre-professional experiences have prepared them to be better scientists, policymakers, artists and community members. Chancellor Andrew D. Martin has positioned WashU to be the nation’s premier university for developing leaders of character and conviction. 

WashU engineer Marcus Foston regularly hosts middle school students to learn about cutting-edge science. It’s part of WashU’s immersive “Researcher for a Day” program.

The jobs outlook for new grads looks much more uncertain as federal layoffs, hiring freezes and new tariffs ripple across the economy. Still, WashU’s Norma Guerra Gaier said there are concrete steps graduating students can take today to stand out in this competitive job market.