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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. 

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.

View 2011 Commencement-related news releases, background on honorary degree recipients and a gallery of feature stories on some of our most interesting graduates. Commencement day coverage includes a celebratory slide show and a story on the speech by Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel.

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.

Washington University School of Medicine faculty and staff are invited to Hudlin Park for the School of Medicine’s Employee Appreciation Lunch June 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  This year’s event also will include information about the health aspects of walking.

Traffic around Washington University in St. Louis will be very heavy the morning of Friday, May 20, due to the university’s annual Commencement ceremony. Some 15,000 people will attend the ceremony, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Traffic backups should be anticipated on streets near the university, especially Forsyth, Big Bend, Forest Park Parkway and Skinker. Drivers who normally take those routes to work may want to consider an alternative on Friday morning or take Metro.

Friday marks a new beginning for members of the Class of 2011. Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton will confer degrees at the 150th Commencement ceremony, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 20, in Brookings Quadrangle on the Danforth Campus.

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.

Seethu Seetharaman, PhD, W. Patrick McGinnis Professor of Marketing at Olin Business School will speak May 17 in Kansas City about marketing in the digital age.