Beyond Boundaries OCTOBER NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the Beyond Boundaries Newsletter, where we celebrate all aspects of the program and courses!
COURSE HIGHLIGHTS
DESIGNING CREATIVITY: Innovation across disciplines Designing Creativity is a course that explores the study and practice of the creative process across many disciplines with input from prominent thinkers and practitioners in the areas of medicine, neuroscience, law, engineering, architecture, human-centered design, business, stage design, and the performing arts. The course is co-taught by Beyond Boundaries Program Director Rob Morgan as well E. Desmond Lee Professor for Community Collaboration in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, Bruce Lindsey.
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE with Omeed Mofirshar
Each week, Designing Creativity brings in guest speakers from different walks of life, many working in fields where you wouldn't think design thinking would be needed. One of the speakers that stood out to me was John Hendrix. He's a New York Times bestselling illustrator and an author of children's books. During his visit, he talked about design as an ongoing process rather than an outcome. He also gave insight on overcoming the fear of starting, telling us to 'make the first stroke' rather than seeking perfection. One of my favorite projects so far has been the cardboard stool project. We had to create a stool, using just cardboard and tape, that can hold up one person. I loved the collaboration the project brought, and it taught me that the end product is never what you envision it to be. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BB COURSES: HTTPS://BEYONDBOUNDARIES.WUSTL.EDU/PROGRAM/COURSES
ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM AND THE HEALTH OF EVERYONE Offered Spring 2022 Environmental inequalities threaten the health and well-being of low-income communities and communities of color who are increasingly on the frontlines in the fight against climate change, air and water pollution, food security, and many other urgent environmental problems. This upcoming course will highlight some of the egregious social, environmental and health disparities that faces the St. Louis region. The course will also examine the role of racism and other structural policy inequalities that produce unequal environment.
The course is co-taught by Dr. Angela Hobson and Professor Scott Krummenacher. Angela Hobson is a Senior Lecturer and the Assistant Dean for Public Health. Scott Krummenacher is a Lecturer in Environmental Studies, who is currently part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers investigating urban green space as part of the Urban Vitality and Ecology project in St. Louis. Read below for what they had to say about the course in the latest installment of the Beyond Boundaries Podcast.
What should students expect from the class? Krummenacher: "They[Students] can expect to dive into some topical stuff, issues that you probably have seen in the news. And they’ll get some experiential learning. We'll host guests who’s got a lived experience and knows the impacts of environmental racism first hand. They’ll hear their stories and hopefully grow in a way that gets them thinking about how those issues can be solved."
Hobson: "These Beyond Boundaries course are often a mile wide and an inch deep, so we’ll take on topics like toxics, wastes, water quality, climate justice, and energy justice. We really want students thinking about all these different areas and how environmental justice comes into play." "At the end they’ll have a policy assignment where they’re addressing an environmental racism issue and proposing policy change to make an impact in that area."
WHAT'S YOUR STORY? WashU prides itself on knowing the names and stories of every student. So each month, this newsletter will celebrate the stories of current program students. Beyond Boundaries students are also asked to share their big question, a question too big to be answered by the tools of just one discipline, when they apply. So get ready to hear some fo the big questions this ambitious cohort will seek to tackle!
JONAH ZACKS St. Louis Fanatic, Class of 2025 I grew up in University City, just 2 blocks north of campus. In fact, I was born in Barnes Jewish, which is affiliated with WashU. So I guess you could say I’ve been cradled by the university. One of the first notable moments of my life, if I think back to it now, has to be my transition to a new school in 4th grade. My new school was a lot harder, and I remember that one of my teachers was willing to step in and really help me. He told me, “Jonah, whenever you have a problem, give me a solution and not an excuse.” I believe those words have stuck by me, and I’ve tried to embody that sentiment with my actions since then. Specifically, I’ve tried to apply that philosophy through the intersection of politics and entrepreneurship. In high school, I got involved with debate, and eventually got the opportunity to work for my state representative’s campaign. Through that experience, I learned first hand some of the voting problems that Missouri faces; Missouri requires mailin ballots to be officiated by a notary, which isn't always the easiest thing to find. The notary requirement became a deterrent that turned some voters away from putting in their mail-in ballots. So in response, a team and I decided to make a website called MOtary Connections, which connects voters with notaries.
WHAT'S YOUR BIG QUESTION? I joined the Beyond Boundaries Program hoping to combine my love for St. Louis with the passion of problem-solving, which brings me to my big question: how do we make civics more accessible? Now I understand that's a very broad question, and even the term "civics" is loosely defined. To me, civics is the way we organize to help our neighbors. So in the context of St. Louis, an important problem of civics is the 1,000 incoming Afghan refugees that have been displaced by the ongoing violence. It's a common saying the in the midwest, people hold doors open for others. Usually it's meant literally, at local Targets at Walmarts; but in this case, I believe that it's our mission to hold the door open for our new neighbors from Afghanistan.
ELISE KOH Seattle, Washington Class of 2025
MY BIG QUESTION: I've always been interested in solving the inequities in our healthcare system. However, as I traverse the St. Louis atmosphere, I've become aware of inequities that exist in much larger system, such as the way climate change disproportionately impacts low-income communities. One thing I’ve been learning a lot about in class is food deserts and how that impacts the health of communities of color.
WHAT'S YOUR STORY? Oh where to begin.... I grew up in Seattle with two older siblings, so it felt like I had four parents. In high school, I became really passionate about sports. The relationships I made with my teammates really influenced who I am. I know it’s cliche to talk about leadership, but as a captain on those teams, I had the opportunity to cultivate relationships with people who were new to the sport or the school.
In my free time, I enjoy cooking and baking. I'm a firm believer in treating your body with kindness, whether that means making real food for myself or working out. I applied to WashU because I wanted to get away from Seattle and meet new people in a new environment. It's also the perfect size for me; I can form close connections with a cohort like Beyond Boundaries students but still meet new people everyday. I also had a wide range of interests(Middle Eastern history, medicine, and environmental issues), and I knew that WashU has a flexible curriculum that would allow me to explore. Right now, I'm involved with a club called Verde. It's an environmental outreach club that goes to local schools and teaches students about environmental issues like habitats, biodiversity, and climate change. I look forward to exploring WashU's expansive curriculum and finding solutions for the inequities in our world!
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