Newsroom Stories

An experiment that turned out very differently than expected led scientists at the School of Medicine to the first direct link between inefficient metabolism and atherosclerosis.

The following is a transcript of Richard A. Gephardt’s Commencement address at Washington University in St. Louis on May 20, 2005. He delivered the address to an audience of more than 12,000, including some 2,500 graduates, in Brookings Quadrangle.

A collection of images from Commencement 2005

During the University’s 144th Commencement, Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton delivered his message to the Class of 2005. He stated that although this year’s graduates will face many hardships, they also have an exciting and bright future ahead and their potential to make a significant impact after graduation has been enhanced by their Washington University education.. “Your individual contributions may have Einstein-like enduring impact through your creative work in art, music, writing, science or some other area,” Wrighton said.

Joe Angeles / WUSTL PhotoGraduating students stand during the singing of “America the Beautiful” at the start of the Commencement ceremony.Much has changed in the world since he sat through his own college graduation more than 40 years ago, said Richard A. Gephardt, former U.S. house minority leader, in his May 20 Commencement address to some 2,500 graduating students at Washington University in St. Louis. But what hasn’t changed is the uncertainty that faces recent college graduates. “We had no idea what we were heading into as we left on our graduation day,” Gephardt told the audience of more than 12,000 in Brookings Quadrangle. “Neither, I suspect do you. And it would be a reckless commencement speaker who ventured too many predictions about a world that in his own lifetime has confounded so many expectations.” Related article: 2005 Commencement photo gallery Related media: View 2005 Commencement ceremony Related article: View the Record‘s “Gallery of Graduates”

Photo by Joe AngelesJohn Woock was named both an NCAA College Football National Scholar-Athlete and an ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic All-American.

His slate of responsibilities has been jammed; “I’ve lived life so that now I have the opportunity to give something back,” he says.

Her passions include community activism & service; she founded St. Louis Project Democracy and was involved in numerous other projects.

The School of Law celebrated the outstanding achievements of six individuals at its annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner April 22 at The Ritz-Carlton. Distinguished Law Alumni Award recipients were Steven N. Rappaport, Barry S. Schermer, John C. Shapleigh and Raymond P. Wexler. Alan B. Bornstein and Linda M. Martinez received Distinguished Young Law Alumni Awards.

More than a dozen distinguished individuals will speak at Commencement-related events for graduates and their friends and families.