Author: Michael Smick

Thurtene Carnival drew thousands of revelers to Washington University in St. Louis to enjoy rides, shows and food. The student-run carnival benefited local charity TASK, or Team Activities for Special Kids.

The Forsyth pedestrian and cycling path will get new signage this spring. The new markings, applied directly on the path, will improve legibility and safety, says Andrew Heaslet, alternative transportation coordinator.

Celebration Weekend starts today and runs through Saturday, April 12. About 600 students and their families will tour campus, meet current students and faculty, learn more about research and academic opportunities and enjoy performances from a variety of multicultural groups.

In an American Academy of Arts & Sciences report called “The Heart of the Matter,” the academy argues that the humanities and social sciences are necessary for a vibrant, competitive and secure nation. This is not the usual argument for the humanities, and that’s a good thing, according to WUSTL Provost Holden Thorp, PhD. He will give the annual Phi Beta Kappa/Sigma Xi lecture on April 17, titled “From Salesman to Hamletmachine: The Need for the Humanities.”

Employees and students are encouraged to try different forms of alternative transportation to campus during Car-free Month. Events include free bike tune-ups, a self-guided Metro scavenger hunt to the South Grand neighborhood and the  inaugural Bikes in Bowles Block Party

Scallion pancakes, Strange donuts and deep-fried anything are among many delicacies to be dished out on campus this weekend during Thurtene, the nation’s oldest and largest student-run carnival. Rides, games and student performances will add to the fun.

Participants light the luminaries April 5 during the Relay For Life of Washington University in St. Louis. Relay for Life is a 12-hour event held at Francis Field annually. More then 1,500 participants form teams of 8-15 people and raise awareness and support for the American Cancer Society with the goal of finding a cure for cancer in our lifetime.

Growing up in the segregated South, Associate University Librarian Virginia Toliver was banned from her local library. But her school library opened her up to a world beyond Mississippi. She donates to WUSTL to build a stronger Olin Library.

The goal of the campus PB&Joy food drive is to help feed 135,000 hungry children. Campus Kitchen, which boasts 275 WUSTL student volunteers and serves 2,250 meals annually, is one of many organizations that depends on Operation Food Search.

Bob Harris wanted to help people living in poverty who had an entrepreneurial streak, so he donated $20,000 of his money to individuals he found on the micro loan financing website, Kiva.org. Then he set out to meet them. Then he wrote a book about them. Harris will talk about his philanthropy and his travels for the Skandalaris Cenetr for Entrepreneurial Studies’ YouthBridge lecture on April 10.