Announcements

To ensure that all students have the best opportunity to learn and thrive, Washington University School of Medicine is again sponsoring its annual school supply drive to benefit Adams Elementary School in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood.

Mark A. Newcomb has been named director of public markets for the Washington University in St. Louis Investment Management Co., announced Kimberly G. Walker, the university’s chief investment officer. Newcomb previously invested the public markets portfolio for the University of Texas Investment Management Co. Newcomb’s appointment is effective Monday, Aug. 1.

University College — the adult, evening and continuing education division in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis — will host a Preview Night at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, in Holmes Lounge in Ridgley Hall on the university’s Danforth Campus. Preview Night will feature speakers who will discuss class and program offerings, admissions requirements and financial aid.

The Office of Sustainability has published a 2010-11 Sustainability Annual Report at wustl.edu/sustain to help keep the university community updated on its progress toward implementing goals outlined in the university’s 2010 Strategic Plan for Environmentally Sustainable Operations.

Olin Library will host a “Sundaes (and Other Treats) in the Library” event Wednesday, July 13, and Thursday, Aug. 4, to help WUSTL faculty and staff members discover or rediscover the services and resources available to them at University Libraries.

The summer months can be quiet at Washington University, but construction crews are hard at work throughout the Danforth and Medical campuses renovating and building to create new and better places to work, study, teach and live.

Missouri in July is hot, hot, hot, but not as hot as Ritmo Caliente, one of St. Louis’ premier Latin jazz-fusion bands. On July 7, Ritmo Caliente will launch Washington University’s annual Jazz in July series with a free performance. Sponsored as part of the larger Jazz at Holmes series, Jazz in July will feature four local ensembles performing Thursday evenings throughout the month in the cool, coffeehouse-style setting of Holmes Lounge. 

WUSTL’s Summer School in Arts & Sciences will present a film series celebrating Frankenstein movies, “It’s Alive! A Celebration of Frankenstein Films,” this June and July. Each film will be introduced by a WUSTL scholar specializing in the genres of cinematic horror and literary monsters. All screenings are free and open to the public.

Umrath Hall will close June 20 for a complete renovation of the interior of the building and a new roof and roofing structure. It is scheduled to reopen in June 2012.

The Gateway Festival Orchestra will launch its 48th season of free Sunday-evening concerts July 10 with Various Variations, a program exploring the use of variations by a handful of composers from the Baroque period through the 20th century. Subsequent performances will take place July 17, 24 and 31.