Newsroom Stories

The annual celebration of Pulpit Freedom Sunday on Oct. 7 encourages pastors to preach politics from the pulpit. The Internal Revenue Code exempts certain organizations including churches from taxation, but prohibits them as a condition of tax-exemption from “any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” “Both the restriction and Pulpit Freedom Sunday raise important questions about the relationship between church and state, the role of religious argument in political discourse, and the significance of clergy in political debate,” says John Inazu, JD, professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis and expert on religion and the Constitution.

Law students and women lawyers, judges and faculty members gathered Sept. 20 to celebrate the anniversary of WUSTL’s first woman law graduate, Phoebe Couzins, who earned a degree in 1871. The special event featured “speed mentoring” and networking sessions with law students and women attorneys.

Archaeologists in Guatemala have discovered the tomb of Lady K’abel, a seventh-century Maya Holy Snake Lord considered one of great queens of Classic Maya civilization. The tomb was discovered during excavations of the royal Maya city of El Peru-Waka’ in northwestern Petén, Guatemala, by a team of archaeologists led by Washington University in St. Louis’ David Freidel, co-director of the expedition.

International economic forecaster and social observer Jeremy Rifkin will talk about preparing for the third industrial revolution at noon Thursday, Oct. 11, in Graham Chapel. A book signing will precede the lecture.

In 1997, Laurie Berkner began selling her debut album out of her Manhattan apartment. Today, Berkner is the “Queen of Children’s Music,” a regular on Nick Jr. and a founding member of “Kindie Rock” – progressive, kid-friendly music that isn’t saccharine or dumbed-down. On Oct. 20, Berkner will launch Edison’s 2012-13 ovations for young people series with a solo acoustic show in the 560 Music Center.

The first Mid-Autumn Celebration Show, sponsored jointly by the Chinese Students & Scholars Association and the Taiwanese Graduate Students Association, was held Sunday, Sept. 30, in Graham Chapel. “Mid-Autumn Day” is a festival akin to American Thanksgiving and widely celebrated by people across the Taiwan Strait.

A newly renovated Umrath Hall opened for the fall semester on the Danforth Campus. Umrath Hall originally was built in 1902 as a men’s dormitory and featured small rooms, narrow hallways and limited entrances and exits. The yearlong renovation, which began in June 2011, retained Umrath’s historic exterior but included a complete reconstruction of the building’s interior and a new roof.

WHAT: Celebration of Mike McLaughlin, Olin Business School MBA student who recently completed a 2,500-mile hike for charity, becoming what is believed to be the first person to through-hike the Appalachian and Ozark Trails back-to-back.

Humorist and author of American culture, Sarah Vowell, will read from her work at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 8, in Graham Chapel. Vowell will read from her work, which often explores fundamental questions of American history, politics and cultural identity. A Q&A session and book signing will follow.

Can instrumental music communicate specific information? The question is not only academic, says Michael Beckerman, professor of music at New York University, who has studied music at the Terezin concentration camp. On Oct. 8, Beckerman will discuss “Terezin, Land of Invisible Texts” for the Department of English in Arts & Sciences. The talk is held in memory of Richard Stang, professor emeritus in English, who passed away last year.