Washington People

Jack Kirkland has been a member of the Brown School faculty for 50 years. And the issues that motivated his career in social work and civil rights remain as urgent as when he began teaching. Kirkland said he seeks to create change through understanding.

In this video, artist Tim Portlock, chair of undergraduate art at the Sam Fox School, discusses his use of visual effects and 3D animation software, his new exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and the state of the American dream.

Andrew Whitaker, a two-sport athlete and a senior biomedical engineering major at the McKelvey School of Engineering, has spent his undergraduate career giving back.

No one could have foreseen a fall without football when Aaron Keen was named head coach last January. But the 1994 WashU graduate is tackling the challenge of his first season head on, with resiliency and a positive mental attitude learned under his friend and mentor, Larry Kindbom.

Rob Morgan, in Arts & Sciences, shares the story of how he steered the Beyond Boundaries Program — in its first cohort in 2019-2020 — to roll with the challenges of COVID-19. Embracing resiliency and creativity, Morgan and the program pivoted, creating a podcast to bridge the digital divide.

Acclaimed artist and author D.B. Dowd discusses art, politics and his new book, “A is for Autocrat.”

For 38 years, Ida Early has contributed to many facets of Washington University. She reflects on the moments that have led her to this point as she prepares for retirement.

Kathy Kniepmann, at the School of Medicine, is an inquisitive, compassionate faculty member who inspires prospective and current students in the Program in Occupational Therapy. She discusses her life, her career and her lifelong interest in learning.

As business manager of Edison Theatre and the 560 Music Center, Bill Larson is responsible for a variety of duties, from booking shows to selling tickets to even mopping the stage. “I want to make the 560 and Edison a destination for everybody on campus,” he said.

As university archivist, Sonya Rooney is charged with keeping track of the university’s institutional history as well as helping people find answers to their research questions.