Campus & Community

Two members of the WashU community have been selected for Focus St. Louis’ fall 2026 Women In Leadership cohort.

Stefani Weeden-Smith, a veteran St. Louis community engagement strategist, has been appointed assistant director of community engagement in the Office for Socially Engaged Practice in WashU’s Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts.

Four students will serve as delegates to the WashU Board of Trustees for the 2026-27 academic year. Student delegates serve as non-voting participants in board meetings for a one-year term, providing a student perspective. 

Provost Mark D. West has appointed a 13-member search committee to identify candidates for the position of dean of the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis.

Vincent Mellnick, MD, has been named senior vice chair and division director of academic practice and Malak Itani, MD, has been named section chief of abdominal imaging. Both are faculty members in WashU Medicine Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology.

During the 2026 fiscal year, a number of faculty members at Washington University in St. Louis were promoted from associate professor with tenure to full professor.

The Danforth Staff Council at WashU has added new members and elected its executive officers for the new academic year. 

Aaron F. Bobick, dean of the McKelvey School of Engineering and the James M. McKelvey Professor at Washington University in St. Louis, will conclude his deanship on June 30, after successfully serving the university for 12 years in his role, Chancellor Andrew D. Martin announced.

WashU has begun the search for its next executive vice chancellor and chief financial officer. David J. Gray, the current executive vice chancellor for finance, will complete his service in 2027.

Amy Bantle has been appointed as WashU’s vice chancellor for marketing and communications and chief marketing and communications officer, announced Chancellor Andrew D. Martin. Her appointment began Aug. 4.