Brown School

In the new health-care climate of the Affordable Care Act and efforts to expand Medicaid to accommodate more individuals and children, the need to closely examine ways to best use government funding is becoming increasingly evident. A new study from the Brown School examines racial and ethnic differences in Medicaid expenditures for children in the welfare system who use psychotropic drugs.

Three beloved longtime Brown School faculty — representing 102 years of scholarship, research and collaboration — were elevated to new positions within the faculty April 2 during an installation ceremony in Brown Lounge.

Participants in the 24th annual Pow Wow at Washington University in St. Louis take part in the Grand Entry in the Field House April 5. The annual event, hosted by the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies at the Brown School, offered visitors and participants a full day of dancing, singing, arts, crafts and food.

The Brown School bestowed one Distinguished Faculty Award and five Distinguished Alumni Awards during its annual alumni awards celebration dinner March 26 at the Palladium Saint Louis. Among the five, two alumni were selected as outstanding Graduates of the Last Decade.

Is the American Dream slipping away? Maybe, says Mark R. Rank, PhD, one of the country’s foremost experts on inequality and social justice. “More than at any time in our past,” Rank says, “there are serious questions regarding the American Dream and its applicability to everyday people.” Rank’s new book, “Chasing the American Dream: Understanding What Shapes Our Fortunes” (Oxford University Press 2014) is out.

Could a cup of coffee bring faculty across campus together to expand and enhance research and teaching while broadening perspectives? That’s the idea behind the Office of the Provost’s Bring Your Own Idea program, which awards grants to support gatherings of faculty from across Washington University in St. Louis around meaningful topics.

Diversity and Inclusion Grants totaling nearly $112,000 were awarded to 10 projects designed to strengthen and promote diversity on campus.

The use of social media to disseminate information is increasing in local health departments, but a new study, led by Jenine K. Harris, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School finds that Twitter accounts are followed more by organizations than individuals and may not be reaching the intended audience.

Jason Q. Purnell, PhD (left), lead researcher of a landmark multidisciplinary study on African-American health and well-being in St. Louis called “For the Sake of All,” actively engaged with community members March 18 at the Forest Park Visitors Center. The yearlong study held an open house to solicit feedback on the research.

The 24th annual Pow Wow, a festival of American Indian cultures at Washington University in St. Louis, will be held Saturday, April 5, in the Field House on the Danforth Campus. The event, hosted by the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies at the Brown School, is free and open to the public.