Newsroom Stories

Mara MacMahon, who graduates May 18 with a bachelor’s of arts in biology in Arts & Sciences and of fine arts in communication design, continues a tradition that dates back to the Renaissance of seeking lifelike portrayals of the human body. But she goes way beyond the Renaissance masters, and is the Record’s Outstanding Graduate in Art from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts.

The College of Arts and University Libraries hosted the 15th annual open house of the Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg Studio for the Illustrated Book May 1 in Walker Hall. During the open house, students display their work from the academic year and compete for the Nancy Award, which recognizes outstanding student achievement in book design. 

Commencement week begins Monday, May 14, with a variety of celebrations and ceremonies designed to warmly send Washington University in St. Louis’ Class of 2012 out into the world. The week begins with the Chancellor’s Dinner to Honor Graduating Seniors at 6 p.m. Monday, May 14 and culminates with the 151st Commencement Friday May 18.

Kranti V. Peddada, a rising junior in the School of Engineering & Applied Science, was among the approximately 230 WUSTL undergraduates from a wide variety of disciplines who presented their original research during the Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium April 28 in the Laboratory Sciences Building.

Cong (Lucy) Li is an advocate for innovation and entrepreneurship, especially among graduate students. That’s just one of the reasons Li, who will receive a doctorate in neurosciences from the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences in Arts & Sciences May 18, was chosen the Record’s Outstanding Graduate in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Maranda Witherspoon has agreed to co-lead a group of community members and public health experts who are working to improve cancer prevention and care in medically underserved populations.

In a modern society struggling to loose the grip of a lengthy economic recession, is the American dream really attainable? The dream may still be possible, though much more difficult to achieve, say a renowned macroeconomist and one of America’s foremost experts on poverty, co-teachers of a course on the American Dream this semester at Washington University in St. Louis.

At the groundbreaking ceremony May 7 on Washington University’s Danforth Campus for two new buildings — Knight Hall and Bauer Hall — needed to address the growth of the Olin Business School’s graduate business education programs, Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton announced a commitment of $3 million from Emerson Charitable Trust. Emerson’s gift is designated for an auditorium for the growing number of special events, lectures, conferences, and student activities offered by Olin. The 300-seat venue will be located on the first floor of Knight Hall.

The Graduate Student Senate of Arts & Sciences honored seven faculty members with Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards during its 13th annual awards ceremony and reception April 11 in the Women’s Building Formal Lounge. The awards recognize faculty members whose dedication to mentoring PhD students and commitment to excellence in graduate training have made a significant contribution to the quality of life and professional development of students in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. Special recognition for excellence in mentoring went to nine other faculty members at the ceremony.

David Levine is a former high school teacher who saw a need to serve people with limited access to health care. The Record’s Outstanding Graduate from the School of Medicine, he will graduate May 18 with a medical degree and is headed to New York University in July to begin a residency in internal medicine-primary care.