Newsroom Stories

The bravery of a lone cellist who faced down snipers to play in the streets of war-torn Bosnia as an honor to the dead will be the tale incoming students read before they begin classes this fall at Washington University in St. Louis. Steven Galloway’s The Cellist of Sarajevo, a book that renders vivid snapshots of the human side of war, is the selection for the annual First-Year Reading Program.

In a new tradition, 66 flags representing the home countries of graduating students were hung this week on January, Ridgley and Duncker halls in preparation for Washington University’s 150th Commencement Ceremony in Brookings Quadrangle this Friday. Hanging the flags of (from left) Indonesia, Iran, Israel and Italy are Larry D. Turnbough and Tony Knickmeyer, mechanics in WUSTL Maintenance Operations. 

Seniors enjoyed an entire week of fun in the days leading up toward Commencement, including the Chancellor’s Dinner at America’s Center Ballroom May 16, where 1,200 seniors enjoyed a reception, dinner, and awards ceremony before attending the Senior Gala. Other events of Senior Week included a “spooning” world record attempt; a freshman floor reunion, a float trip and a bus trip to a winery.

View 2011 Commencement-related news releases, background on honorary degree recipients and a gallery of feature stories on some of our most interesting graduates. Commencement day coverage includes a celebratory slide show and a story on the speech by Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel.

Earning a master’s of business administration degree from Olin Business School is challenging. Having your education interrupted to serve your country in Iraq makes that challenge even more insurmountable. But Hugh Tychsen has met the obstacles head on, and will receive his MBA at the May 20 Commencement.

Friday marks a new beginning for members of the Class of 2011. Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton will confer degrees at the 150th Commencement ceremony, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 20, in Brookings Quadrangle on the Danforth Campus.

Christine Diepenbrock (left), president of WUSTL’s Latino Youth Tutoring/Mentoring Programs and Rachel Mandelbaum, a tutor in the programs, attended the St. Louis Public Schools Community Education Council’s 43rd Annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony May 6 at Vashon High School. Diepenbrock accepted on behalf of the Latino Youth Tutoring/Mentoring Programs the St. Louis Public Schools Award for Outstanding Community Partners 2011.

Washington University School of Medicine faculty and staff are invited to Hudlin Park for the School of Medicine’s Employee Appreciation Lunch June 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  This year’s event also will include information about the health aspects of walking.

Traffic around Washington University in St. Louis will be very heavy the morning of Friday, May 20, due to the university’s annual Commencement ceremony. Some 15,000 people will attend the ceremony, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Traffic backups should be anticipated on streets near the university, especially Forsyth, Big Bend, Forest Park Parkway and Skinker. Drivers who normally take those routes to work may want to consider an alternative on Friday morning or take Metro.

What does it take to regenerate a limb? Biologists have long thought that organ regeneration in animals like zebrafish and salamanders involved stem cells that can generate any tissue in the body. But new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown that the individual cells in a regenerating limb retain their original identities and only give rise to more of their own kind.