Author: Leslie Gibson McCarthy

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.

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. 

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.

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.

Earning a master’s of business administration degree from Olin Business School is challenging. Having your education interrupted to serve your country in Iraq makes that challenge even more insurmountable. But Hugh Tychsen has met the obstacles head on, and will receive his MBA at the May 20 Commencement.

In the graphics art world, Natalie Sklobovskaya is that rare commodity — a triple threat. Sklobovskaya is not only a driven illustrator, but she also enjoys computer programing, writing and playing music, and creating websites. Those talents enable a nice collision of creativity that have allowed her to draw comics, animate them, score a soundtrack and upload them to a website she designed.She’ll graduate May 20 with a double major in communication design and computer science.

Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal, PhD, was on hand as 17 members of the Gateway Battalion, St. Louis’ Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) based at Washington University, were commissioned as new Army officers. The class of 17 cadets from area universities, including seven from WUSTL, received their two gold bars and took an oath of office during the 93rd annual Gateway Battalion Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony, held May 13 at Tisch Commons in the Danforth University Center. 

Chike Croslin, a graduating Arts & Sciences senior at Washington University in St. Louis, has received the Alumni and Friends of the London School of Economics Scholarship for 2011-12. The academic merit scholarship, given annually to an American citizen or permanent resident of the United States, covers full tuition fees for one year of graduate study at the London School of Economics. Croslin, a political science major with a minor in institutional social analysis, both in Arts & Sciences, will graduate from WUSTL May 20.