Author: Diane Toroian Keaggy

Entering college, Haley Allen knew she wanted to join ROTC so she could be an officer in the U.S. Army. But an ROTC trip Tanzania sparked a passion for Swahili and East African culture and history. She graduates this month with a degree in international studies and hopes to serve in Africa after completing helicopter training at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

More than 230 students from the St. Louis region will launch their balsa wood gliders at the 11th annual Boeing Engineering Challenge at Washington University. The competition follows months of designing, building and testing at elementary, middle and high schools across the region, where Boeing engineers have volunteered as mentors.

The Office of Sustainability launched RESET, an innovative new program that provides students real-world experience in renewable energy, one of the fastest-growing sectors in the U.S. economy. Students from a range of disciplines have studied the engineering, policy and business aspects of installing solar power on the South 40.

Cities are both a leading cause and victim of global climate change, but they also hold great promise. In the first installment of Class Acts, a series celebrating the Class of 2019, seniors Marissa Lerner and Alexis Vidaurreta share their optimism and respective visions for cities that protect people and resources.

Arriving via Corvette convertible, Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton and Risa Zwerling Wrighton snapped selfies with students, enjoyed performances from student dance troupes and joined the members of Dance Marathon on stage to do “The Dancellor.”

Thurtene, the nation’s oldest and largest student-run carnival, returns to Washington University in St. Louis this weekend. Hours are  4 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 12, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14. The carnival is located next to historic Francis Field near the corner of Forsyth and Big Bend boulevards. Admission is free.

The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded a $226,392 grant to Washington University Libraries’ Film & Media Archive to fund the “Eyes on the Prize II” Interview Digitization and Dissemination Project.

The Washington University community will celebrate the leadership and legacy of Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton and his wife, Risa Zwerling Wrighton, at Wrightonpalooza, a festival featuring live music, student performances, games and free food from St. Louis’ best food trucks. The festival runs from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, April 8, on Mudd Field.

Washington University in St. Louis has been named a Women in the Workplace honoree by the Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis for creating a workplace where women can thrive.

In celebration of Major League Baseball’s Opening Day, Washington University students and faculty look at the statistics, physics, business and cultural significance of America’s pastime.