Campus & Community

Biologist Rachel Penczykowski, in WashU Arts & Sciences, is an expert in infectious disease in plants. She conducts much of her research in the field — rural farmland, urban parks and, on this sunny day, a garden bed at Jackson Park Elementary School in the University City School District.

Thirteen graduates of the School of Continuing & Professional Studies Prison Education Project received their degrees May 28 during a commencement ceremony held at the Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Vandalia, Mo.

Ten teachers from across the St. Louis region will partner with WashU faculty for the 2026 Summer Teacher Researcher Program. Administered by the university’s Institute for School Partnership (ISP), the program provides teachers an opportunity to participate in faculty research and develop lessons for their classrooms.

Live Near Your Work, WashU’s innovative forgivable home loan program, is expanding its footprint of eligible neighborhoods to include downtown and portions of south St. Louis, north St. Louis and north St. Louis County. 

The WashU Brown School’s Social System Design Lab has received a $75,000 Spencer Foundation grant to study pathways from high school to careers in St. Louis. 

Washington University in St. Louis is formally partnering with St. Louis to expand environmental monitoring and public health research in city neighborhoods affected by the devastating May 16, 2025, tornado.

WashU Night at the Ballpark will be Aug. 30, when the Cardinals face the Pittsburgh Pirates. Each ticket will include a hot dog and soda at the game.

WashU Serves has released volunteer dates and locations for Service Saturdays through 2026. These community volunteer days are open to WashU faculty, staff, students, alumni and all other community members.

The AT&T Digital Navigation Program, a free program offered through the WashU Institute for School Partnership, helped about 50 local educators learn how to use the right tools the right way.

The Riverfront Times print editions from 1977–2013 are now available to researchers at WashU Libraries’ Department of Special Collections. WashU curators undertook the project to ensure a valuable local history resource is preserved and usable by researchers.