Newsroom Stories

Graduating senior Justin Xu, in Arts & Sciences, is clear about two things: his passion for community service and his pursuit of a medical career. If his leadership at WashU is any indication, he will achieve both goals and much more.

Can a self-described wallflower be a leader? Absolutely, says Shana Brooks, who is set to earn her undergraduate degree in political science from WashU’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies. 

Eva M. Agüero is set to graduate with a master’s degree in visual art from the Sam Fox School. Her work, which has spanned from painting to multimedia, questions assumptions about manners and women’s role in society.

Jason Shefferman is passionate about wellness and creating a better working environment in the legal profession. Shefferman is a degree candidate from the School of Law and student speaker for the law school’s recognition ceremony.

Mayah Clayton doesn’t just study public health — she lives it. Through art, action and advocacy, she’s reframing how we see communities and create change.

Graduate student Joshin Kumar is set to complete his PhD. He then will continue his engineering work at WashU, designing sensors that can detect pathogens.

Jeremiah “Jay” Truel co-founded StreetMedSTL, a nonprofit that sends interdisciplinary physicians to encampments and shelters to provide medical care, support and illness-prevention strategies. Since it began in 2022, StreetMedSTL has treated more than 1,000 patients. Truel soon will earn a medical degree from WashU Medicine.

The Class of 2025 Class Acts say the leadership lessons they have learned through their coursework, co-curricular activities and pre-professional experiences have prepared them to be better scientists, policymakers, artists and community members. Chancellor Andrew D. Martin has positioned WashU to be the nation’s premier university for developing leaders of character and conviction. 

Marco Pignatelli, MD, an assistant professor of psychiatry at WashU Medicine, has received a five-year, $6.5 million grant from the Wellcome Trust to unravel little-known brain functions involved in depression.

Researchers at Washington University have received a $3.7 million grant to optimize a self-guided intervention for individuals with eating disorders.