Author: Leslie Gibson McCarthy

WUSTL has many initiatives in place to ensure that the university is diverting as much waste as possible — from batteries to food to used cooking oil — from the landfill.To help keep the university community updated on the recycling efforts of the university and its partners, the Recycling Committee and Office of Sustainability have partnered to develop a summary of WUSTL’s many recycling initiatives, including single-stream recycling and RecycleMania. The facts sheet is posted on wustl.edu/initiatives/sustain and can be found by visiting wustl.edu/initiatives/sustain/recycling.html.“We hope that this will be a helpful resource as we continue to develop the university’s recycling infrastructure and make our campuses and community greener places,” says Deborah Howard, interim director of sustainability.For more information, e-mail sustainability@wustl.edu.

Washington University students, faculty and staff can show their commitment to sustainability by taking the WUSTL Sustainability Pledge at SustainabilityPledge.wustl.edu. The pledge asks those who sign it to live more sustainably at their workplace, school and home by reducing personal energy consumption, producing less waste, conserving resources and recycling. The pledge contains 24 points and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Those who take the pledge will receive an e-mail containing their pledge responses and a link to download an e-mail signature that community members can include in e-mails to show support for sustainable living. For more information about the Sustainability Pledge, email sustainability@wustl.edu.

Junior Dan Davis captured the 110-meter hurdle national championship May 28 to highlight the final day of competition for the men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams at the 2011 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. Other updates: Claire Voris named academic all-American and men’s tennis finishes third in national tournament.

Each year at Commencement, the Washington University in St. Louis Record presents its annual Gallery of Outstanding Graduates.

Bolstering its emphasis on interdisciplinary efforts, Washington University will offer five new courses rooted in a partnership between two or more schools. In tandem with the growing trend of cross-collaboration in research and the professional arena, the Office of the Provost created its Cross-School Interdisciplinary Teaching Grants Program in 2010. The first of those grants was announced last month.

Planning one of the best-attended senior weeks doesn’t appear, at first glance, to be a major initiative to bridge cultural and racial divides, but to organizer and Senior Class President Alex Kiles, it is. Kiles, who will deliver the student speech at the 150th Commencement May 20, says that one of his missions since a pivotal experience in high school is to help people find common ground.

Seniors enjoyed an entire week of fun in the days leading up toward Commencement, including the Chancellor’s Dinner at America’s Center Ballroom May 16, where 1,200 seniors enjoyed a reception, dinner, and awards ceremony before attending the Senior Gala. Other events of Senior Week included a “spooning” world record attempt; a freshman floor reunion, a float trip and a bus trip to a winery.

The bravery of a lone cellist who faced down snipers to play in the streets of war-torn Bosnia as an honor to the dead will be the tale incoming students read before they begin classes this fall at Washington University in St. Louis. Steven Galloway’s The Cellist of Sarajevo, a book that renders vivid snapshots of the human side of war, is the selection for the annual First-Year Reading Program.

In a new tradition, 66 flags representing the home countries of graduating students were hung this week on January, Ridgley and Duncker halls in preparation for Washington University’s 150th Commencement Ceremony in Brookings Quadrangle this Friday. Hanging the flags of (from left) Indonesia, Iran, Israel and Italy are Larry D. Turnbough and Tony Knickmeyer, mechanics in WUSTL Maintenance Operations. 

Christine Diepenbrock (left), president of WUSTL’s Latino Youth Tutoring/Mentoring Programs and Rachel Mandelbaum, a tutor in the programs, attended the St. Louis Public Schools Community Education Council’s 43rd Annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony May 6 at Vashon High School. Diepenbrock accepted on behalf of the Latino Youth Tutoring/Mentoring Programs the St. Louis Public Schools Award for Outstanding Community Partners 2011.