Author: Diane Toroian Keaggy

LaTanya Buck, director of the Center for Diversity & Inclusion at Washington University in St. Louis, has been named a 2016 Young Leader awardee by the St. Louis American Foundation.

Akeda Hosten, a senior in the School of Engineering & Applied Science at Washington University, talks about why the annual Black Anthology matters and how songwriting is a little bit like engineering. The Black Anthology production “woke” is Feb. 12-13 at Edison Theatre on the Danforth Campus.

Members of Synapse, Washington University’s neuroscience club, are helping local high school students prepare for the annual St. Louis Area Brain Bee, Saturday, Feb. 13, at McDonnell Hall. “The Brain Bee is a competition but it’s not about being competitive. It’s about getting more people excited about this fast-growing field,” says junior Smruti Rath.

Civic Scholar Kierstan Carter wanted to change St. Louis by connecting high school students with community leaders. But when that idea flopped, Carter moved on to Plan B: changing herself.

Traditional Chinese sword dancing debuts this weekend at the annual Lunar New Year Festival at Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. “The swords only look dangerous,” says junior Sarah Lin, noting the dance’s combination of grace and power.

Washington University Libraries received $150,000 from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to digitize and reassemble the unaired interview outtakes from the seminal series “Eyes on the Prize.”

Evolution educators continue to face resistance from parents, lawmakers and school boards. And a recent Pew Research Center survey on science and society shows that one-third of the population denies evolution. The Institute of School Partnership, through Darwin Day and other programs, help K-12 teachers bring this core concept to their classrooms.

During her long career, Alfreda Brown has had many jobs and titles but only one goal — to help others realize their potential. As the longtime director of the Career Center, she helped students discover employment paths ​that matched their passions. Today, as a human resources consultant, she helps university staff members build their careers.​

The 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Celebration at Washington University in St. Louis will recognize members of the St. Louis and university community who continue to advance King’s message through service and leadership. Jason Purnell, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School, will deliver the keynote address at the event that begins at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, in Graham Chapel.

​In response to the Ferguson Commission’s call to improve college access, Washington University in St. Louis has launched the College Readiness and Pipeline Initiative. Leah Merrifield, in her newly appointed role as associate vice chancellor for community engagement and St. Louis college readiness initiatives, will lead the university’s efforts.