Author: Diane Toroian Keaggy

Washington University in St. Louis graduate student Andrea Karl found herself thrust into the national spotlight this month at the St. Louis GO! Marathon when an imposter at the finish line denied Karl her first-place accolades. She got to recreate the finish at Busch Stadium. Karl is working towards a PhD in molecular genetics and genomics in the Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) at the School of Medicine. DBBS is in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Junior Kevin Hays has set a new record for standard Rubik’s Cubes solved while underwater: eight. Hays beat the previous record of five while sitting in a dunk tank April 19 on the Washington University in St. Louis campus at the annual Thurtene Carnival. The attempt took two minutes and five seconds.

Kevin Hays, a junior at Washington University in St. Louis and a Rubik’s Cube champion, will attempt to break a Guinness World Record at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at the annual Thurtene Carnival, the nation’s oldest and largest student-run carnival. Hays, from the bottom of a see-through dunk tank, will attempt to break the world record for most Rubik’s Cubes solved underwater. Thurtene Carnival runs from April 17-19 on Brookings Drive on the Danforth Campus.

The 13th Relay For Life, the annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society at Washington University in St. Louis, begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 11 and runs through 6 a.m. Sunday, April 12. Highlights include performances from Mama’s Pot Roast, WU Sauce and the Stereotypes, and games such as tug of war, Twister and dodgeball. In the past 12 years, Relay For Life has raised $2 million for cancer research and support. 

​Washington University in St. Louis students, faculty and staff are invited to learn more about the work of the Ferguson Commission and to share their perspectives about St. Louis’ challenges at “The Future of Our Region,” a town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, at the Emerson Auditorium in Knight Hall. The event will feature four Ferguson Commission members, including Rose Windmiller, assistant vice chancellor for government and community relations.

PB&Joy, the annual universitywide food drive, runs from April 2-14. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to donate nonperishable, kid-friendly foods or to make a financial donation to Operation Food Search. Drop-off spots are available across the Danforth, Medical, North and West campuses.

Music industry insiders, including Sean Douglas, songwriter and 2005 alum, shared advice with Washington University students during a March 27 panel discussion “Making It in the Music Industry” at the Danforth University Center.

​Since the quiet phase of the campaign began in 2009, some 39 percent of Washington University’s faculty and staff – nearly 5,000 employees so far – have contributed $33.4 million to the campaign. That money helps to fund scholarships, supports academic and scientific initiatives, advances learning and enhances facilities.

Washington University in St. Louis graduate and “Wiggle” hitmaker Sean Douglas will be among the music industry insiders who will speak at “Making It in the Music Industry: A Panel Discussion with Music Professionals.” The event is at 3 p.m. Friday, March 27, in the Danforth University Center, Room 234.

The Student Entrepreneurial Program (StEP) at Washington University in St. Louis kicks off its speaker program at 5 p.m. Monday, March 23, with entrepreneurial brothers Andrew and Matthew Brimer. Andrew Brimer (right), a 2013 graduate of Washington University, runs Sparo Labs. His brother, Matthew, operates a company called General Assembly in New York. The event takes place in Room 276 of the Danforth University Center and is free and open to the public.