Author: Neil Schoenherr

Students celebrate First Friday, the annual campus celebration marking the end of the first week of classes, by sliding down a giant inflatable slide in the Village Sept. 3. Other First Friday events around campus included free donuts and ice cream, an appearance by comedian Seth Meyers of Saturday Night Live, a dance party, games and more.

Looking to kick the semester off right by doing something good for the community? Volunteer to donate blood during the first of four university-wide blood drives to be held this year. The drive will take place Sept. 14 at eight different locations on the Danforth, Medical and West campuses.

Born and raised in Chicago, Carol Camp Yeakey, PhD, knew from an early age that cities would play a commanding role in her life.

Marshall Klimasewiski (far right), director of the Writing Program in Arts & Sciences, leads a lively discussion in Eliot Hall Aug. 30 of The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the Freshman Reading Program book for this year.

Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton leads the procession into Convocation Aug. 26 in the Athletic Complex. Convocation marks the annual WUSTL welcome to all new students and their families and is the only time the Class of 2014 will be together as a group until its Commencement. Following Convocation, all in attendance were invited to join the chancellor’s procession to Brookings Quadrangle for entertainment and Ted Drewes frozen custard.

Service First, the university’s largest annual community service project, will be held Saturday, Sept. 4. More than 1,200 freshmen, along with a group of seniors, will help ready 12 St. Louis area schools for the upcoming year.

A delightfully pleasant 80-degree day set the tone for a smooth, efficient freshman move-in day Aug. 26. A record-number 1,633 freshmen moved into the residence halls on the South 40, assisted by students like sophomore Melany Lopez. Classes for the 2010 fall semester begin Tuesday, Aug. 31.

Members of the Class of 2014 and new transfer and exchange students are arriving on campus and will be welcomed with a variety of activities during New Student Orientation, Aug. 26-30. New students will have the opportunity to try the new Bear’s Den dining facility, attend open houses, see the football team in action and connect with other new students and with members of the university community.

More than 1,400 Washington University freshmen will move into the South 40 residence halls on Thursday, Aug. 26.