18th Annual
Gerry & Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Awards Celebrating our 2020-21 Honorees April 21, 2021
Gerry & Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Awards
CELEBRATING OUR 2020-21 HONOREES
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Washington University in St. Louis
“We recognize extraordinary people from across the university … In activities, in endeavors, in causes that are very widespread – the people who have been selected and touched by the Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award have made an imprint on virtually every corner of this region.” - BOB VIRGIL, MBA ’60 DBA ’67 PROFESSOR, DEAN, AND TRUSTEE EMERITUS
About Gerry & Bob Virgil few couples have been as integral to washington university as gerry and bob virgil. for more than 30 years they have represented the qualities of service and giving exemplified by this award, both together and individually. in honor of their years of service and in recognition of bob’s leadership as chair of the university’s sesquicentennial celebration, the award was named the gerry and bob virgil ethic of service award.
The Virgils’ connection with Washington University began when Bob started his graduate work at the John M. Olin School of Business in 1958. He earned master’s and D.B.A. degrees in business administration, and later joined the faculty as professor of accounting. After serving briefly as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Bob was named dean of the business school. He led the school from 1977 to 1993 through a period of growth and development. During his tenure the school dramatically increased its endowment, attracted a larger and more talented pool of applicants, and became known as a national leader in business education. In 1992, Bob was named executive vice chancellor for university relations. Bob left in 1993 to embark on a second career as a general partner of Edward Jones, and he has remained a strong leader and committed supporter of Washington University. Working with Bob all along the way has been his wife, Gerry. Her work across campus, building relationships with alumni and faculty, and in the community, has created lasting connections. Gerry is a member of the Philanthropic Education Organization, an active supporter of the Kirkwood Meals on Wheels program, and a member of the Glendale Presbyterian Church. Bob has been involved in a number of St. Louis organizations, including the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the Magic House, City Academy, Harris Stowe State College, and a citizens task force on the Metropolitan Sewer District. Through their work together, the Virgils have exemplified an ethic of service. Washington University and the Virgils’ many colleagues and friends have recognized their involvement. A trustee of the University and president of the William Greenleaf Eliot Society, Bob has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Olin School of Business and the William Greenleaf Eliot Society’s highest award, “The Search.” Bob and Gerry received the Dean’s Medal from the Olin School of Business, and upon his retirement from the University in 1993, alumni and friends endowed a scholarship in the couple’s name. In 2004, friends and colleagues of Gerry and Bob endowed a professorship at the Olin School of Business in their name.
2020 Honorees
Shawntelle LaNette Fisher
MA ST ER O F S O C IAL W O R K /MA ST ER OF D I VI NI TY, BR OWN SCH O OL AND EDE N TH EOLOGI CA L SEMI NARY, 2018
Shawntelle LaNette Fisher is an influential leader, speaker, teacher, and dancer who serves with excellence and integrity. Shawntelle became a mother at age 15 and a convicted felon at age 17. After going to prison seven times, she made a decision to become a Christian and allow God to transform her into the person He had created her to be. This transformation led her back to college and to start The SoulFisher Ministries, a nonprofit she now leads under the direction of her board. The mission of The SoulFisher Ministries is to respond to the needs of youth with incarcerated parents and to promote restorative justice for those currently and formerly incarcerated. Nominator Bob Fox writes, “Shawntelle is the embodiment of redemption, transformational change and the potential of those who have experienced the devastating negative impact of incarceration to do good, give back, and transform the lives of others.” Shawntelle holds both a Bachelor of Educational Studies and a Bachelor of Science in media studies from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She earned dual master’s degrees in social work and divinity from Washington University and Eden Theological Seminary, respectively. She is also a Licensed Master Social Worker. Shawntelle was the founding board president for the Riverview Gardens Education Foundation, is a current board member for the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, and is the current Public Relations Officer for the University of Missouri-St. Louis chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Since starting The SoulFisher Ministries in 2012, Shawntelle has raised over $2.5 million in funding to support their work in the St. Louis community. She has also provided numerous workshops on dismantling the schoolto-prison pipeline, reentry simulations, and trainings with the Missouri Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. In 2020, Shawntelle was recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal in its list of the region’s “Most Influential Business Women.” Shawntelle has a passion to see lives transformed and restored. Through her own struggles and pitfalls in life, caring members of the community guided her to a path of restoration and possibilities. Through The SoulFisher Ministries, she is spreading hope and empowering others to lead positive, productive, and socially responsible lives.
Allie Lindstrom
B ACH E LO R O F ARTS, E N V I R ONMENTA L PO L I CY, A RTS & S C IE N C ES , CLASS O F 2020
Allie Lindstrom’s story is about a calling becoming a career. She is an inborn problem-solver whose selflessness and courage make her a formidable change maker. The Pathfinder Program in Environmental Sustainability first exposed Allie to the socio-political impacts of environmental change. Ever since, Allie has been engaged in political organizing centered around environmental justice issues. As Campaign Manager for Fossil Free WashU, Allie used a combination of teach-ins, fundraising, petitioning, and direct action to work with the university administration toward endowment transparency. Her peer and student nominator Maya Samuels-Fair writes, “Thanks to Allie, divestment has become a household term for undergraduate students. Allie is always talking about organizing herself out of positions—training others to fill her role—and she succeeded in this. She is a mentor to many, and she left Fossil Free WashU with more hope and momentum than ever.” Allie sees collaboration and teamwork as a central element of all her work, as evidenced in the alliances she built among activist students, faculty, and community partners. Because of her prodigious talent for community organizing, Allie was recruited to help build the “Title Mine” student movement, which led to concrete changes in WashU’s Title IX policies regarding relationship and sexual violence policy and prevention. After her graduation in December 2019, Allie became an organizer for the Sunrise Movement’s Ann Arbor Hub, a movement of young people fighting to stop the climate crisis, which she founded in her hometown. In addition to organizing, she is working on the Bernie Sanders 2020 campaign to elect climate leaders across the country. While the nature of her work is changing, her commitment to bringing new youth leaders into the climate movement is constant. Allie’s trajectory demonstrates to others that they too can pursue their passion without compromising their ethics. Her nominator testifies to just what an inspiration Allie has been: “I think of leaders as those who live according to their own ethics, forge a path for change, and mentor others. Allie does all three every day.”
Mark McCarthy
D O CTO R O F D ENTAL MED I CI NE, W A S H I NGTO N UNI VERSI TY S CHOOL O F D ENTA L MEDICINE , 1979
Mark grew up in the St. Louis area, where he attended St. Roch Parish School and went on to graduate from St. Louis University High School and the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He graduated from the Washington University School of Dental Medicine in 1979. Mark served in the United States Navy for three years as an officer and dentist. He then moved back to St. Louis where he raised his children, Sarah, Kevin, and Matt. For the past 40 years, Mark has had a private dental practice. Through his practice, Mark provides free dental care, both general dentistry and orthodontics, to those who cannot afford it and who find dental work stressful. For the past 25 years, he has treated children from Boys Hope Girls Hope. Mark also provides free dental work to children from the Judevine Center for Autism, for whom dental work can be extremely stressful due to sensory processing differences. Mark’s staff ensures these children have a fun dental visit, which includes “a ride” in the dental chair. In addition, Mark has offered free dental care to the Missionaries of Charity, Jesuit priests, and other clergy who take vows of poverty. Mark’s service extends beyond his professional contributions. Since 2009, he has volunteered with Loyola Academy in St. Louis, tutoring students and coaching the track team from 2009-2016. Loyola staff note Mark’s heightened sense of compassion and patience, as he provides structure and takes time to understand the needs of each student. He reminds students to focus and strive for their best, while not expecting perfection. Most importantly, Mark provides a stable and reliable presence for the students. Mark exemplifies the meaning of selfless service. His nominator Brian Kelly, associate director of development for Washington University’s School of Law, noted, “Since Mark was a kid he has made service a way of life, first as a dutiful son, then in the U.S. Navy, and eventually as a family man and community volunteer.” He is an excellent example of using the gifts one possesses to make a difference in the community.
Richard Ryffel
PR O F E SS O R O F F I NA NCE PRACTI CE, O L I N BUS I NESS S C H O OL
Richard (Rich) Ryffel, originally from Fairfield, Connecticut, moved to St. Louis after earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Boston University. His contributions to the region while working in the financial services industry have been broad and deep, ranging from healthcare to education and beyond. Rich is passionate about the health of north St. Louis County and has served on the board of Beyond Housing for 20 years, including two terms as its Board President. In that capacity, Rich was instrumental in bringing a bank to Pagedale, a grocery store to a food desert, and a health clinic, coffee shop, and movie theater to a community that previously had none. In the area of education, Rich served on the board of the Normandy Schools Collaborative, including a term as President. Rich is a founding board member of the City of St. Louis Summer Finance Institute, a summer internship program for high school students that aims to open opportunities in the financial services industry to underrepresented students in the St. Louis area. As St. Louis chairperson of J.P. Morgan Chase Market Leadership team, Rich advocates for undergraduate and graduate scholarships at BioSTL and Washington University’s Social Policy Institute, Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Brown School, among others. Rich served as past board member of the United Way where he founded the Uptick Division, inspiring the financial services community to higher levels of support. He continues to be involved in a range of efforts in St. Louis, serving on the St. Louis County World Trade Center Steering Committee and the boards of the Clayton Community Foundation and the Gateway Center for Giving. Rich currently teaches three classes as a Professor of Finance Practice at Washington University’s Olin Business School. He lives in Clayton with his wife of 33 years and has four adult children. His nominator John Beuerlein concludes, “I know of no one who more embodies the spirit of the Ethic of Service Award than Rich Ryffel. Service to the city of St. Louis is most definitely a way of life for Rich.”
Halbert Sullivan
MA ST ER O F S O C IAL W O R K , BR OW N SCH O OL, 1997
In Memoriam Halbert Sullivan was the founder, president, and CEO of Fathers and Families Support Center (FFSC, formerly the Fathers’ Support Center), which was launched in 1997 with the aim of promoting responsible and involved fatherhood and fostering healthy relationships by strengthening families and communities. FFSC started as a small service agency dedicated to helping transform fathers disengaged from their children into nurturing parents ready to support their children. It has grown into a comprehensive service agency with 55 full-time employees, having reached 16,000 fathers and made a difference for over 40,000 children to date. Halbert earned a bachelor’s degree from Fontbonne University and a Master of Social Work from the Brown School at Washington University. In addition to his work with FFSC, Halbert was involved in decreasing the recidivism rates for people who were previously incarcerated, helping to provide jobs to over 800 returning citizens over the past seven years. Halbert was actively involved with community organizations like Manasseh Ministries, Man of Valor, and Fathers United To Raise Awareness (FUTRA). Through Manasseh Ministries, Halbert worked with children of incarcerated parents, providing scholarships, necessities, and mentorship, and facilitating transportation for visitation to their parents with the goal of promoting easier family reunification. In his work with Man of Valor, Halbert recruited mentors to work with youth in the University City High School. With FUTRA, he advocated for laws and policy change that affect families in Missouri. He served as the primary investigator or co-investigator on several research projects related to families, parenting, and community. He also worked on the Parents and Children Together Reach Project conducted by Mathematica Policy Research in Washington, D.C. Halbert has been widely recognized for his dedicated service, including awards from the NAACP, the Missouri Association for Social Welfare, and the Governor of Missouri, among numerous other organizations. Chester A. Deanes, Jr., retired FFSC Vice President of Community Outreach, sums, “Halbert’s intense passion, with empathy to serve children, parents and families, are driving forces of FFSC’s success. As a leader, his spirit and contagious personality encourages the FFSC staff to excel in their tasks while serving parents and children.”
Claire Weichselbaum
PH . D . , PR OGRA M I N NE U RO S CI ENCE, 2021
Throughout her graduate career, Claire Weichselbaum, Ph.D. in neuroscience, has been invested in sharing her passion for science with the wider St. Louis community. During her first semester, she began volunteering with science outreach programs on campus and at the St. Louis Science Center, and she co-founded Brain Discovery, a program that connects Washington University scientists with local 4th-6th grade classes. This program provides hands-on opportunities to experience science as it is actually practiced by conducting experiments in neuroscience with real equipment and building relationships with research professionals. Thanks to this effort, many students in the St. Louis region have discovered not only how their brains work but also what it means to be a scientist. Under Claire’s leadership, Brain Discovery has reached over 1,500 students across the St. Louis region with more than 45 trained scientist-volunteers. Demand for the program continues to grow, and Claire has built a leadership team of dedicated volunteers to ensure its ongoing success. Last year, the fruits of her labor were showcased in the video “The Next Generation,” in which several Brain Discovery students reflect on how their future discoveries might change the world. Claire’s dedication to service extends beyond science education. As a volunteer at Stray Rescue of St. Louis, she has fostered dozens of cats and recently established the “Young Rescuer’s Library” as a community resource with children’s books about pet rescue, adoption, and care. Claire is also an active member of First Unitarian Church of St. Louis, where she has served on committees and led children’s programming focused on social justice and activism. She is known for leading a creative back-to-school service event every August and for her storytelling stuffed animal friend, “Loving Bobcat,” who helps young people understand global issues. On campus, Claire established the annual Neuro Holiday Gift Project, a collaborative effort among neuroscience graduate students to buy gifts and necessities for families in need. As with so many of her initiatives, what started as a small project has grown into a robust tradition, bringing together students, faculty, and staff each year in service to the St. Louis community. About Claire’s service, faculty nominator James Wertsch writes, “There are few young adults I know who have managed to demonstrate great skills and accomplishments in academic inquiry and at the same time work so effectively for the benefit of others who might also have such aspirations. In fact, Claire has managed to leverage her impressive accomplishments in scientific research to generate opportunities for the underserved students she works with in our region.”
2021 Honorees
Alyssa Despotis “Even though Alyssa has accomplished so much, she is one of the most humble individuals that we have ever met. When reading the list of characteristics for award honorees, it is hard to identify traits that do not describe Alyssa. She is extremely thoughtful and kind, and the best way to describe her would in fact be that she ‘goes above and beyond.’ If she knew we were nominating her, she would laugh and suggest that other candidates would certainly have made a greater impact than her, as she doesn’t see her involvements as charity; service and altruism are so ingrained in who she is.” —Ethic of Service Award Nomination B ACH E LO R O F ARTS CA ND I DATE I N MAT H E MATI CS, A RTS & S CI ENCES, CLA SS O F 2021
Alyssa is a 2017 graduate of Westminster Christian Academy. She is a senior studying mathematics at Washington University with minors in Computer Science and Speech & Hearing Sciences. During her time at Washington University, she has participated in various extracurricular activities some of which include Residential Advisor, Washington University Figure Skating Team, and Give Thanks Give Back. In her first year of college, Alyssa learned about the “100 Neediest Cases” initiative, a gift drive sponsored by United Way and the St. Louis Post Dispatch, which helps thousands of local families and individuals. As a sophomore, Alyssa became President of Give Thanks Give Back, a club whose mission is to connect the St. Louis community with Washington University. Each year the club organizes a gift drive recruiting Washington University departments, clubs, organizations, sports teams, and student groups to sponsor a family and provide gifts and essentials over the holiday season. During her time as President, she has worked with a dedicated executive board that helped expand the club’s outreach. The club went from sponsoring 69 individuals in 2017 to nearly 200 this past year. Each year, they have over 60 groups participating as sponsors. Alyssa is grateful for the partnership with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, the 100 Neediest Cases, and the overwhelming generosity of the Washington University community.
Marina P. Gross
PH . D . CA ND I DATE , COGNI TI VE PSYCH O LOGY, A RTS & SCI ENCES
“Marina’s service to the community expands beyond Washington University. In her position as Graduate Representative to the Board of Trustees, Marina co-developed a plan for a graduate student housing project that would better connect the university’s students with the community around them, incorporating health and wellness resources and access to childcare and schools for students with families. In developing projects like these, Marina champions inclusion through her words and actions. She is always actively mindful and encourages those around her to think critically and inclusively by asking ‘whose voice is missing from this story?’ and by seeking out connections and conversations to build collaboration and consensus.” —Ethic of Service Award Nomination Marina P. Gross is a doctoral student in Ian Dobbins’ Memory & Decision Making Lab. Using pupillometry and behavioral measures, Marina investigates memory processes, how they relate to our conceptualization of attention or cognitive load, and how we can use pupil dilations to observe how we learn and forget information. While studying what can arguably be viewed as one of the most challenging disciplines at the university, Marina has managed to prioritize service to the campus community throughout her tenure. Marina uses her research skills to assess systems, consult on improving transparency on campus policies and is a change agent working towards increased diversity, inclusion, and equitable conditions for all campus members. Over the past four years Marina has served as the Co-President of the Graduate Student Senate (GSS), Chair of the Diversity and Advocacy Committee within the Graduate Student Senate, Executive Committee Member of the Graduate Council, Senator in the Graduate Student Senate, Chair of the Psychology Graduate Student Association, Liaison to the Center for Diversity and Inclusion in the Graduate Student Senate, Diversity Committee Member in the Psychology Graduate Student Association (PGSA) and the Co-Chair of the Graduate and Professional Advisory Council to the Center for Diversity and Inclusion. Marina has also organized and participated in numerous Call Congress days, on topics raised by both the Washington University and St. Louis community. For Election Day in November 2018, Marina joined with the leaders of the A. Philip Randolph Institute and the Urban League in St. Louis to help fill a need for volunteers to provide rides to the polls for St. Louis residents. This event resulted in approximately 30 voters being driven to the polls by pairs of volunteer undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, and community members. Marina is expected to complete her doctoral degree program in June 2021.
Nidhi Krishnan “As Nidhi is led by her genuine compassion for others, she is committed to seeking racial equity and justice for those who need it most and persistent in finding opportunities that connect her to the St. Louis community.” —Ethic of Service Nomination
B ACH E LO R O F ARTS CA ND I DATE I N A ME RI CAN CULT UR E ST UD I ES A ND MAT H E MATI CS, A RTS & SCI ENCES, CLA SS O F 2024
Nidhi Krishnan is an undergraduate student at Washington University in St. Louis, where she plans to study American Culture Studies and Mathematics. At WashU, Nidhi is a John B. Ervin scholar and a Newman Civic Fellow. She also competes on the mock trial team, serves as a consultant for a student-run consulting firm, and is part of the school’s Hindu Students Association. In fall of 2020, Nidhi decided to take a gap semester to work at WEPOWER STL, which was a formative experience for her. Currently, she serves as a research assistant in the sociology department on a project on low-income housing tax credits and also interns at the ACLU of Missouri.
Karen Tokarz “As did the Virgils, Karen unquestionably considers service to the community to be a way of life and her life’s work embodies the core values their award seeks to honor. More than anyone else I know, Karen goes above and beyond her professional responsibilities in her service to the St. Louis community. She has a life-long commitment to equal justice and public service and is dedicated to serving others.” —Ethic of Service Nomination
CH A R LES NAGEL PR OFESS O R O F PUB LI C I NT ER EST LA W & PO LI CY, D I R ECTO R , NEGOT I ATI O N & D I SPUTE R ESO LUTI O N PR OGRA M, AND D I R ECTO R , C I V I L R I GH TS & MED I ATI O N CLI NIC, W A S H I NGTO N UNI VERSI TY S CHOOL O F LA W
Professor of law at the Washington University School of Law since 1987, Karen Tokarz is an internationally recognized expert in mediation, dispute resolution, civil rights, and clinical legal education. In 2008, she was named the inaugural Charles Nagel Professor of Public Interest Law & Policy at the law school. At the law school, she coordinates the Public interest law & Policy Speaker Series, and serves as the faculty advisor for the Journal of Law & Policy, OUTlaw, and the American Constitution Society. Director of the law school’s Negotiation & Dispute Resolution Program, Professor Tokarz has been named to Best Lawyers in America in the field of Mediation every year since 2010. In fall 2019, she was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow in the International Academy of Mediators. She currently serves as director of the law school’s Civil Rights & Mediation Clinic, and founder and president of the St. Louis Mediation Project, which provides free eviction mediation services in the courts and the community. She has mediated over 750 cases, primarily in the areas of civil rights and discrimination, over the past 25 years. Professor Tokarz has received several teaching and client advocacy awards, including Washington University’s Distinguished Faculty Award at Founders Day 2005, the Student Bar Association Experiential Professor of the Year, and the Black Law Student Association Instructor of the Year. Professor Tokarz served on the Ferguson Commission Municipal Courts & Governance Working Group and currently serves on the Missouri Supreme Court Commission on Racial & Ethnic Fairness. She is a member of the Advisory Committee for the National Center for State Courts National Task Force on Fines, Fees, and Bail Practices. Education: A graduate of Webster University in St. Louis with a major in social and behavioral science, Professor Tokarz received her Juris Doctor degree from Saint Louis University and a graduate law degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Quinn Tyminski
I NST R U CTO R , PR O G RA M I N O CCUPAT I O NAL T H E RAPY, W A S H INGTO N UNI V E RS I TY S CH O OL O F M E D I CI NE
“Dr. Tyminski has played an instrumental role in the growth of my identity as a young OT working with marginalized communities. Working in her student-run clinic has pushed and challenged me like no other experience. For example, I worked with a client with multiple disabilities living out of her car for several months. Although Dr. Tyminski was always present to answer questions and gently guide me toward the best ways of helping this woman, she allowed me to take leadership with this client. Her willingness to let me learn on my own was what allowed me to grow into a more skilled therapist and confident advocate for the homeless population.” —Ethic of Service Award Nomination Dr. Tyminski’s scholarly work focuses on clinical research and assessment development in communitybased mental health practice. Prior to joining the Program in fall of 2017, Dr. Tyminski gained clinical experience practicing with individuals living with mental illness in both inpatient and community-based settings, as well as, individuals experiencing homelessness and incarcerated individuals. Her current research interests focus on occupational therapy program development and assessment within marginalized populations. Dr. Tyminski mentors students interested in Occupational Therapy for individuals experiencing homelessness and other marginalized populations. Students will have the opportunity to work within these populations through a student-run clinic in partnership with St. Patrick’s Center (SPC). A local organization whose mission is aimed at housing people who are homeless and diagnosed with mental illness by (1) removing barriers to housing, (2) empowering individuals and families to access resources, and (3) providing the necessary supports to ensure long-term housing stability. Dr. Tyminski and her students work to develop programs and engage in clinical research to improve the occupational participation and functional independence of individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness. Dr. Tyminski earned her master’s degree in occupational therapy from Washington University in St. Louis in 2012 and her occupational therapy doctorate from Saint Louis University in 2017.
Alice & Jess Yawitz Family “For me, this is a story of love – love for kids; love for the community; love for the idea that each person has this amazing power to make somebody else’s life better. I’m forever grateful to the Yawitz Family and for the reminder they give us every day: hope in what is good and right with this world.” —Ethic of Service Award Nomination
J ESS YA WI TZ, A RTS & SCI ENCES 1968, GRA D UAT E A RTS & SCI ENCES 1969, PH . D . 1972 A LI CE YA WI TZ, GRA D UAT E ARTS & SCI ENCES 1975
The Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award recognizes Alice and Jess Yawitz and their sons, Daniel and Andrew “Roo” Yawitz, for their steadfast commitment to uplifting the St. Louis region, and their legacy of service and leadership through Washington University and beyond. Alice and Jess Yawitz are proud alumni of Washington University in St. Louis. Alice graduated with a Master’s in Business Administration from Washington University in 1975. Jess holds an AB, an MA, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Washington University. Jess went on to join Olin Business School as a faculty member where he quickly rose to become the John E. Simon Professor of Finance, and the founding director of the Institute of Banking and Financial Markets. Jess left the faculty in 1984 and joined Goldman, Sachs & Co. where he served as a director of the Financial Strategies Group and later CIO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Jess went on to found NISA with Bill J. Marshall in 1994 following a reorganization of NISA’s predecessor, National Investment Services of America, Inc. (“National”). Jess joined National in 1990. Over the ensuing 30-plus years, Jess built NISA into one of the most respected investment-management firms in the world. Specializing in fixed-income investment, NISA has hundreds of institutional clients around the globe and nearly $500 billion of assets under management. Alice and Jess later established the Yawitz Family Foundation with a focus on increasing access to quality education and creating conditions for economic growth through small business growth and creation. Their impact is far reaching and has created a transformational impact in the St. Louis region. Their dedication to St. Louis reached new heights following the onset of the pandemic in 2020. In response to the dire economic strain put on countless families in the region by the pandemic, the family initiated the Gateway Resilience Fund, which provides direct relief to St. Louis families and businesses to help bridge the gap until other resources became available. The Yawitz Family embodies the meaning of an ethic of service. As one nomination submitted on their behalf states, “we live in a better place because of the Yawitz [Family’s] example and their charitable investment to improve the region.”
Kennedy Young “It is because of her experiences that she seeks to make a difference by actively fighting for justice for those most vulnerable.” —Ethic of Service Award Nomination
B ACH E LO R O F ARTS CA ND I DATE I N S O C IO LO GY AND A F R ICAN A ND A F R ICAN A MER I CAN ST UD I ES , A RTS & SCI ENCES, CLA SS O F 2022
Kennedy is a John B. Ervin Scholar at Washington University, where she majors in Sociology and African and African American Studies with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is a fierce advocate for reducing reentry barriers for formerly incarcerated people and challenging punitive sentencing. A Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, Kennedy’s research currently investigates the racialized social impact of the Armed Career Criminal Act in the Eastern District of Arkansas. Her commitment to justice has led her to intern with the Arkansas Federal Public Defender Office, where she worked on client and death penalty mitigation with archival research, and ArchCity Defenders, where she provided housing-focused case management to clients. On campus, she’s worked extensively with Washington University’s Prison Education Project as a teaching assistant, writing tutor, book club facilitator, and reentry committee member. In her work, she confronts systems of oppression by materializing community care and solidarity. In July 2020, along with five others, she co-founded the STL Reentry Collective, which is a local coalition that manages a mutual aid fund and reentry resource guide for formerly incarcerated people. Since July, the Reentry Collective has raised and redistributed over $60,000 to 91 formerly incarcerated people. Kennedy’s long-term goals include pursuing a joint JD/PhD to combine scholarship, direct practice, and advocacy to combat inequality in the legal system and catalyze public justice.
Past Honorees Dana Abendschein Boahemaa Adu-Oppong Ramesh K. Agarwal Jane Aiken Jami Ake Phyllis Ballard Christine Berg Seth Bloom M. Virginia Braxs Stacy Brock Van Brokaw Shirley Bowden Brown Charles R. Brown Kailey Burger Lucy Chin Maxine Clark Nicole T. S. Cortés Jami Crespo William H. Danforth Helen Davis Juliet DiLeo W. Edwin Dodson Jill Edwards Joe Edwards Sarah C.R. Elgin Linda Esah Marla Esser Ollie Fisher I. Jerome Flance* Flint Fowler Bob Fox Sarah Garwood Patrick C. Gibbons Mike Giger Daniel C. Giuffra Aleeza Granote Kristen Grant David B. Gray* Reginald Gray Bob Hansman Preethi Kembaiyan Edy Yong Kim Allison King Lorin Kline Daniel Kohl* Elizabeth Kramer Jared Lalmansingh Harold Y.H. Law Sara Lawlyes Gay Lorberbaum
Carolyn Losos Annie Marggraff Jessica Mayo Larry McCord Molly M. Metzger Nick Miller Harry Moppins Jr. Amanda Moore McBride Cambrie Nelson Elinor Nelson De Andrea Nichols Brittany N. Packnett Robert Paine* Rupa R. Patel Adam Pearson Joanna Perdomo Mike Pereira Katie Plax LJ Punch Carrick Reddin G. Scott Robinson Steven Rosenblum Will Ross Jennifer Rowley Jeanine Schierbecker Seiko Shastri Tammy Shirley Bill Siedhoff Sanford Silverstein* Alaina Smith William Solomon Xiefangzheng “Will” Sun Priya Sury Adis Terzic Paul N. Tice Virginia Dowsing Toliver Karin Underwood Phil Valko Alexis Vidaurreta Julia Warren Aaron Williams Charlene Williams Cynthia D. Williams Olivia Williams Max Woods Ken Zheng Matt Zinter Risa Zwerling *In Memorium
About the Gerry & Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award Founded in 2004 during Washington University’s Sesquicentennial year, the Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award is intended to treasure the influence St. Louis has on the University and to honor Washington University community members who believe in and shape the future of our region. This annual award is given to a select group of Washington University community members who exemplify a character of service and engagement with the St. Louis region. We welcome nominations for the 2022 award at any time until the November 2021 deadline. Learn more about the award and past honorees at ethicofservice.wustl.edu.
About the Gephardt Institute for Civic & Community Engagement The Gephardt Institute was founded in 2005 by Congressman Dick Gephardt, who represented Missouri in the United States Congress for 28 years. He envisioned an “action tank” - rather than a “think tank” - that would inspire and equip people of all ages to actively participate in our democracy. The Gephardt Institute serves the entire Washington University community. Through both academic and co-curricular initiatives, the institute educates students for lifelong engaged citizenship, catalyzes partnerships that respond to community needs and priorities, and infuses civic engagement throughout the Washington University experience. O U R M I SS I O N The Gephardt Institute fosters a vibrant culture of civic engagement throughout Washington University, realized by engaged citizens, scholarship, and partnerships that advance the collective good. OUR VISION We envision civic health. All people actively engage in the progress and vitality of their communities. L E AR N M O R E AND CONNECT WITH US Stephanie Kurtzman Peter G. Sortino Director, Gephardt Institute stephanie.kurtzman@wustl.edu gephardtinstitute.wustl.edu 314.935.5599
“You have come to an important milestone in your life of community service in receiving this award. Now the question is – what’s your footprint going to be in your next phase of service?” - BOB VIRGIL