Author: Diane Toroian Keaggy

Good teachers make for engaged students and stable schools. That’s why Washington University is partnering with the St. Louis Teacher Residency program to address two of the most vexing problems facing high-needs schools: teacher turnover and teacher quality.

The 2018 African Film Festival at Washington University in St. Louis will not feature any movies about Wakanda, the fictional setting of the blockbuster “Black Panther.” But it will showcase Nigeria, Senegal and the Congo. The free festival runs March 23-25.

Washington University in St. Louis junior Sarah Small can’t wire a socket or install a toilet. But this spring break, she will be part of a team of 16 students from the university’s Habitat for Humanity chapter building a home in Georgia. Small will capture the experience on the university’s Instagram account.

Uncle Joe’s, Washington University in St. Louis’ confidential peer counseling and resource center, recorded 44 percent more interactions with students in fall 2017 compared to fall 2016. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Week, Uncle Joe’s co-directors share their mission and how they respond to emerging concerns.

James Kolker, university architect and associate vice chancellor at Washington University in St. Louis, has been elevated to the College of Fellows in the American Institute of Architects, an honor bestowed on only about 3 percent of the organization’s 90,000 members.

The first cohort of Sustainability Leadership awardees was recognized at the Green Carpet Awards ceremony last month.

Washington University in St. Louis faculty, staff and students are mourning the death of Katrina Banks, administrative coordinator for the Office of Undergraduate Research and a student in University College in Arts & Sciences. She was 31.

Facebook tells its team to “move fast and break things.” Washington University computer science student Grace Egbo did just that, crashing the company’s internal site during her summer internship.

Hawthorn InvestiGirls tutors go beyond homework help at Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls. Their strategy is part of the ongoing effort to bring a rigorous STEM-focused education to women of color, a population that is underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

In an effort to decrease missed appointments, Habif Health and Wellness Center at Washington University in St. Louis is encouraging students to sign up for text message appointment reminders.