Commencement speakers reflect on finding their purpose

Commencement speakers reflect on finding their purpose

Alejandro Ramirez arrived at WashU as a pre-med student, but will leave with a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research in Brazil. Patricia Maurer will graduate with a PhD in Germanic languages and literatures but wants to support students academically and professionally as a higher education administrator. Both will reflect on their experiences as student speakers at the 163rd Commencement ceremony.
Caitlyn Collins

Caitlyn Collins

Caitlyn Collins, an associate professor of sociology in Arts & Sciences, has focused her career on researching and advocating for policy solutions for working mothers and their families. Now that she’s a working mother herself, her work has new meaning.
Biologists study trade-offs of microscopic predators

Biologists study trade-offs of microscopic predators

Being a predator has its own costs, and that’s as true for amoebae as it is for lions or wolves. Graduate student P.M. Shreenidhi joined David Queller and other Art & Sciences researchers to study the predatory nature of a particular soil-dwelling amoeba.
Class Acts: Lauren Bruhl

Class Acts: Lauren Bruhl

Entering WashU, Lauren Bruhl knew she wanted to study the environment. Her childhood in rural New Jersey, where she explored its protected woodlands, helped cultivate her love for the environment, while her high school studies in Portugal, where she studied renewable energy, catalyzed her academic interest in reducing our carbon footprint. Now, the soon-to-be graduate of Arts & Sciences is ready to put her passion and skills into practice.
Class Acts: Omaer Naeem

Class Acts: Omaer Naeem

On a recent visit to Pakistan, Omaer Naeem could literally taste the smog. Naeem, who is set to graduate with a degree in global students from Arts & Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, is committed to working with local communities in South Asia find their own solutions to this existential crisis.
Class Acts: Yunfeng Ge

Class Acts: Yunfeng Ge

Yunfeng Ge is an avid bird and nature lover. Her extensive research and volunteer work has prepared her for life after graduation. She plans to pursue conservation work and eventually attend graduate school to study ecology.
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