THE FINISH LINE 2024 Graduation Edition, Student Life at Washington University in St. Louis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Avi Holzman

Nina Giraldo Editors-in-Chief editor@studlife.com

Aliana Mediratta

Managing News Editor news@studlife.com

Alice Gottesman

Managing Scene Editor scene@studlife.com

Sylvie Richards Managing Forum Editor forum@studlife.com

Riley Herron

Managing Sports Editor sports@studlife.com

Cathay Poulsen Managing Chief of Copy

Sydney Tran Head of Design designers@studlife.com

Jaime Hebel Head of Illustration

Bri Nitsberg

Managing Photo Editor photo@studlife.com

STAFF LIST

Camden Maggard Head of Social Media

Tim Mellman Managing Newsletter Editor emailedition@studlife.com

Sanchali Pothuru

Managing Multimedia Editor

Lauren Smith Special Issues Editor

Zach Trabitz

Lily Taylor Investigative News Editors

Will Rosenblum

Zara Shariff Senior Scene Editors

Jasmine Stone

Jordan Spector

Amelia Raden Senior Forum Editors

Ian Heft

Elias Kokinos

Senior Sports Editors

Zoe Oppenheimer

Alan Zhou

Senior Photo Editors

Mia Burkholder Chief of Copy

Tanvi Gorre

Nina Laser

Aliza Lubitz

Elizabeth Stump

Joel Swirnoff News Editors

Olivia Lee

Sophia Hellman Junior Scene Editors

Dion Hines

David Ciorba Junior Forum Editors

Sam Powers

Isabella Diaz-Mira Junior Photo Editors

Kate Westfall Design Editor

Alex Savin Designer

Grayce Cooper Junior Socials Editor

Quinn Moore Newsletter Editor

Matt Eisner

Lewis Rand

Elaheh Khazi

Junior Sports Editors

Anaelda Ramos Illustration Editor

Mireya Coffman

Alan Knight Multimedia Editors

Ava Giere

Samantha Elegant Copy Editors

Dijkstra Liu

Zach Cohn Senior Web Editors

Madison Yue Hadia Khatri DEI Editors

Adrienne Levin Coleman General Manager a.coleman@studlife.com

Sarah Huff Advertising Sales Manager huffs@studlife.com

Cover Design

Jaime Hebel

Layout Design

Sydney Tran

Copyright © 2024 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is a financially and editorially independent, studentrun newspaper serving the Washington University community. Our newspaper is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent the views of the Washington University administration.

HELLO FROM THE NEW EDITORS

Hey readers,

It’s about to be summer, and we are feeling pretty bittersweet as we say goodbye to the Class of 2024. The seniors are some of our biggest role models and mentors, and we would not be here as students and people without them. Looking back, so much has happened from the beginning of the year to now, and it is hard to imagine a time when campus was this busy. Despite their crazy course loads, many students are taking the time to engage with the community that surrounds them — and that is so inspiring. This summer, we encourage all students, including ourselves, to find time to take a break and relax. Do something that will help you recharge and reset your mind so that, in the fall, we can return to campus feeling refreshed and excited.

At Student Life, we have told the story of Washington University’s campus this year, from protests to performances, sports games, op-eds,

and the special issue you are about to read now. It has been a crazy past four years that started in the doldrums of COVID-19 and ended with one of the most politically active years in recent WashU history. This magazine has recaps from those past 4 years, reflections on not getting an in-person high school high school graduation, and reflections from members of the Class of 2024 on their time at WashU. It has been a jam-packed year full of content and exciting stories. We want to take this opportunity to shoutout two groups at the newspaper.

First, the editing staff, who have had to make some extremely challenging decisions on a weekly basis when it comes to the newspaper. It has been so special coming together as a team and learning to rely on one another.

Lastly, to Via and Clara, the former Editors-in-Chief who in more ways than one have paved the way for us. You guys set the tone for what Student Life should look like and did so

much to make this year a success for the newspaper — as mentors, role models, journalists, and, most importantly, friends.

Looking ahead, we are super excited for what the next year has in store for the newspaper and the campus that drives it. At Student Life, we are more committed than ever to helping tell the stories impacting WashU and the student body. Stay tuned for Student Life next year and keep reading, clicking, watching, and listening to our content and coverage. It is already amazing and will only keep getting better and better. Thanks again for an amazing year, WashU, and special shoutout to the Class of 2024. We hope you look back on these years with pride and are excited for whatever your next chapters bring!!

Best, Avi & Nina

Avi Holzman

Nina Giraldo

Wholesome Moments

Student Life staff recalls highlights from this past school year

Maybe it’s recency bias, but I thought that being there in the moment with everyone on Mudd Field during the eclipse was really touching. It was nice to see that everyone could agree that it was a pretty inherently cool thing, and the fact that we all knew it would be the last time we got to experience something like that for a long time made it even more special.

— Joel Swirnoff, News Editor

During the first week of spring when it finally was nice out again, I spent an entire afternoon playing random games outside the DUC and on Mudd. I was going back and forth between tossing a frisbee, playing jacks, playing spikeball, hacky sacking, and just hanging out with my friends. It was awesome to see everyone get off their computers and enjoy being outside on WashU’s beautiful campus.

— Nina Laser, News Editor

After it snowed super hard, I went sledding on Art Hill one night, and it was really nice because not only was it gorgeous to see the skyline lit up, but we all slid down on cardboard, which was funny in itself.

—

Abbie Sapira, Contributing Writer

I think some of my favorite memories at WashU just stem from the walk to and from the South 40. Every day, especially now in the springtime/summertime, I get to see some of the prettiest trees and flowers I’ve ever seen. In books, when I imagine a beautiful walkway, I see the South 40 path with its pale pink and white trees, its red and purple flowers, and its green bushes. It reminds me of why I chose WashU, and it really does make my day brighter. Every time I walk by, it feels like, if the natural world can by chance be so amazing, then anything is possible.

— Quinn Moore, Newsletter Editor

I don’t know why Mudd field is the location of most of my happy memories on campus, but it is. Going to the Holi celebration on Mudd field was definitely a highlight. It was just really nice that in the midst of all of the chaos of the school year, we could take a break to deal with a different kind of chaos :) — plus, I love free Indian food.

— Tanvi Gorre, News Editor

I really liked going to the aquarium and Union Station with a first-year in the In the Lou program. Apparently, the tickets were worth over $100, but we got them for free. I had a really good time at the aquarium, especially because you could touch the jellyfish, stingrays, and starfish. It was honestly so fun to get off campus and experience a part of St. Louis that I hadn’t been to.

— Elizabeth Stump, News Editor

Most of my favorite WashU memories have been pretty simple times, just wasting time with friends. I sat outside the DUC next to the fire pit one evening for a few hours a few weeks ago. The moment wasn’t especially interesting, but it was special and encapsulates a lot of my favorite things about WashU.

— Lily Taylor, Investigative News Editor

Mardi Gras was so much fun! Getting ready in the morning, doing a pancake pre-game, and then going out with all my friends was a blast. The day after was also really fun, just chilling and watching shows with my friends. I also met my friend’s parents the same day for dinner, which was insane.

— Zach Trabitz, Investigative News Editor

SENIOR REFLECTIONS:

Advice & Memories from graduating students

Noah Vermes

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/what did you find meaningful about it?

I’ve been a TA for a couple of different classes, and that’s been super meaningful to me. I’ve also been involved in the Association for Latin American Students, and that’s been really super cool to see just people that look like me and to hang out with them and talk about things that are going on in both the local community and the world.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’ll be in higher education. I’m gonna be doing management consulting in Chicago.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I learned that I like meeting people a lot more than I realized. In high school, I was very, very introverted. And I came to college and just found that I really liked meeting new people and throwing myself [into] new situations.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

I would definitely say the food. I would say that the food when we came in, it was a bit of a mixed situation, you know, it [was] COVID,

but it was generally relatively consistent. And then when things opened up sophomore year, it was super high quality, and since the new change and Dining Services, I think there’s been a push into really great options for both us and businesses in the local community.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

I’d say don’t be afraid to try new things and to be consistent. It’s very easy to throw yourself into a new situation and just be like, “Ah, this is uncomfortable, I’m not going to keep coming back”’ I think one thing that I really wish I had were broader circles of communities that I could go [to]. I feel like I’ve only had a couple, but I know friends [who] have had super large communities and super beneficial organizations that they’ve been a part of.

Casey Taitel

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

I would say club basketball is the main thing. When I first got here, club basketball didn’t really exist. And then me and one of my friends Halley basically created the club from the bottom up, and we saw just a team be created, and now there’s a lot of like best friends that have been formed through the team. And I think that’s really special to see.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I have the giggles like crazy. I can’t control my laugh at all, and I need to work on it. I’m way more talkative and extroverted than I thought I

was. When I meet new people, I can really lead the conversation and just laugh with them and make them feel comfortable. But I used to think I was the introvert of the group, and that’s not true anymore.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

Pro pickle ball.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

Well, like everything, because when I first got here it was COVID. And there were so many rules and masks, and I don’t know, it was a different world. I envy some of the younger kids because for us, socially it was just awkward for the first year and a half.

ILLUSTRATION BY MANUEL LOPEZ

PHOTOS BY TIM MELLMAN, TANVI GORRE AND NINA LASER

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/what did you find meaningful about it?

I think I’m gonna go with the linguistics club, by the end of college. The linguistics club had a really great community — they do study halls twice a week with free pizza, so people just go hang out, chit-chat about linguistics, and ask questions. It’s a really nice place to be that inspires learning just for the sake of learning. I was treasurer this past year, so it was a really nice experience to be involved with a club like that.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’m taking a gap year before law school, but in the future, I would love to get a Ph.D. in linguistics.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

Take more classes and explore your academic interests. Freshman year I was convinced that I knew myself and that I knew I wanted to major in these specific things, but that changed and my passions have since changed and grown. I think that if I had taken more classes freshman year, I would have had a better sense of who I was rather than figuring that out junior or senior year. So definitely allot yourself the freedom to take classes that interest you. Maybe you’ll love them,

Kat Niles

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/what did you find meaningful about it?

I didn’t join a lot of clubs, but I am a student ambassador for medical humanities, and it’s like a volunteer time position. And it was so incredible. I loved the medical humanities community, and I stayed in it because I found a huge passion [for] medical anthropology through it.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

If you were caught hanging out with people, people would take pictures of you and put you on a @washucovididiots Instagram page

maybe you won’t, but it’s all a learning experience.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

The lack of masks. I came in during the COVID year, so the entire social life is completely different because people can actually talk to each other and make friends normally. And I think that has changed my entire WashU experience because I’ve made class friends, I’ve met people randomly, and freshman year, I was not able to do that.

What is the craziest thing you’ve seen on the WashU campus?

Once I saw someone sitting in the rain, like down pouring rain, freshman year. He was sitting on the basketball court with a mask on during a torrential downpour, just sitting there. I hope he was okay.

Evan Polsky

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

I wasn’t really involved in a lot of clubs, but I double majored so that was probably where I spent most [of my] time, doing biology and chemistry

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’m going to medical school in the fall

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

Well, yeah. I would say I just learned the importance of a good healthy friend group.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

When you’re a pre-med, there’s all these different avenues you can take at research centers and all that kind of stuff. But I’ve never really utilized any of those. I always just emailed doctors directly or emailed people who worked in hospitals directly and just said, “Hey, can I do this?” or “What if I worked with you?” or “What if I brought patients to rooms?,” and I made new positions

for me because I asked [for] those things didn’t previously exist. And I think I got positions and I got opportunities way quicker because I just reached out and did it myself instead of relying on someone else. You are your own best advocate.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

Our freshmen year, BD was all blocked off. So we just had to order box food and then bring it back to our dorm so we couldn’t even eat outside. We actually couldn’t even be outside without wearing a mask.

calling out people and being like, this is why we’re quarantined. A reason why I put a lot [of] emphasis on having a friend group and community as seniors is because I feel like coming into WashU, it was COVID, so we couldn’t really do anything.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’m going to be joining a research lab.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

You never really truly know the importance of talking to people. It’s really easy to stay in your own lane and follow the path that’s designated for you, or the path you think is designated

for you. But I’ve found so many jobs just by talking to someone and learning about their life or just meeting a whole new friend group or meetings, meeting new people just by putting myself out there and talking to someone and not putting pressure on it.

What is the craziest thing you’ve seen on the WashU campus?

I saw someone on a one-wheel mopedtype thing like a unicycle, but it was an electric unicycle, and they were juggling at the same time and just zooming around campus.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I can’t even put it into words. I was so

different. I won’t even say different in like a personality [change] but just growing into myself, and meeting so many amazing people [who] support me and value me and allow me to grow

Johnathan

Smith

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/what did you find meaningful about it?

I’d say varsity football and Phi Delta Phi, the pre-law fraternity. Both served different parts of me in different ways: being an athlete and wanting to be on a competitive team and being part of a team environment. Both striving to win and develop relationships, that was huge. And the pre-law frat helped with professional development and helped me help other people wanting to go down that path determine whether they wanted to go down that path.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’m gonna go work as a field organizer for the statehouse in Minnesota. It’s a really, really big election cycle, and state politics are just as important if not more important than federal, so I’ll get to help pass good legislation with good legislators.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I think I came in with this idea that I had to do everything because I’d done everything in high school. That’s what a lot of us do at WashU; we get really involved. I picked a few things that I wanted to get really involved in and changed them in ways I wanted to change them, and that was more rewarding than being involved in like 10 things.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

Well, I came in during COVID, and that sucked. There was really a lack of community campus feel. It didn’t feel like college. So our experience of college changed dramatically. Being able to play the sport that I wanted to play [and] being able to make friends that I wouldn’t be able to make were definitely some massive changes for sure.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

Don’t worry about how things look on your resume or on your LinkedIn. Too often people get obsessed with that, and then they find themselves involved in things they don’t care about and

don’t want to do. Follow whatever passion you have, and do that to the best of your ability. Change things in a positive way, and at the end of your four years, you’ll find that you did a lot more than you thought you did.

Congrats class of 2024!

from dr. g and the division of student affairs.

Charlotte Braun

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/what did you find meaningful about it?

I have been a part of China Care Club, which helps St. Louis adoptees, and I’ve been part of it for all four years. I’ve stayed a part of it because the mission is really meaningful to me because I’m adopted, and so it’s been great to find people with the same interests. It felt great to find the same interests and we’re all passionate about it.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

Oh, boy. I think just what I’m capable of in terms of broadening my horizons and pushing myself

outside of my comfort zone because when you come to college there’s so many different opportunities that weren’t available to you in high school.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I plan on finding a job, hopefully. One of my majors is economics so hopefully I’ll be able to apply that in business or some analytic research.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

A lot because I came during COVID, and so I think my first year experience was definitely very limited. There have been a lot more activities and the food has also changed.

Hayley Kalb

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

My main organization was WashU Dance Marathon. It was the kind of people who loved getting involved on campus and giving back to the community. I really liked getting involved in the St. Louis community and meeting the kids who are treated in the St. Louis hospital, and I got to help with raising money.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

Get involved as much as possible. If there’s something you’re interested in, talk to that professor and see if you can work with them. I’ve gotten to work for a research institute in the Brown School, and I’ve gone to TA for social entrepreneurship, which is kind of

like what my minor is, and so I got to find jobs that helped solidify what I wanted to do and help see a different side of campus that wasn’t just student-facing.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’m gonna be doing technical program management at MasterCard.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I thought I wanted to be in journalism and a comms major, which they didn’t have here. But I liked the school, so it was just like, I’ll check off marketing and see what happens, and I ended up not only sticking with that but adding a second major and minor in the business school and finding a part of business that I’m really passionate about with trying to figure out how you can use

business to do social good. And so I got involved in research for that and [I] TA for that, which is very cool.

What’s something you wish you still had time to do OR what’s the thing you’ll miss the most about this school?

I wish there were more nice

days where you would walk onto campus and see everyone just lying around on my field and just seeing everyone out. I think we missed that a lot for the first couple of years. And so now, I always get excited when there’s the sun out and there are people around. And I wish that there was more time to just have that normalcy.

Maddie Singer

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

My main organization was LIVE (Leaders in Interpersonal Violence Education) because it helped me feel like I was making a difference on campus, and [it] also was an issue I was personally passionate about.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student? Don’t just do the things you feel like you’re supposed to be doing, but find the things that are fun and the things that are with your friends because you only have three years left.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

I think WashU helped me understand that I could merge all my interests in one — I was

a bio major and a French major, and I never really thought that I could find a way to combine those before coming here. WashU had not just a lot of programs, but also the faculty was really interested in helping me see a future in which I could use both.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’m starting med school at Emory in July.

Sammi Fremont

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

I was involved in a lot of different organizations, and I changed what I was most involved with from year to year. I think as an underclassmen, I was on the Student Sustainability Board and Field Hockey, and now I’m more involved with frisbee.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I think I’m more resilient than I was [before], and I’m willing to try more new things and give it a shot more than I ever realized.

What’s the something you’ll miss the most about this school?

I wish I could try to do more things than I have and take more classes. I think I’m going to miss the sense of community and being able to lay out on Mudd Field.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

When I first arrived, everyone had to wear masks and stay 6 feet apart. So that’s a big difference. But I’m very glad to see people out and about and socializing.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student? Try everything that you can.

Jabari Chiphe

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

I put on the men’s basketball team here. So that’s been meaningful just because I love basketball, and I love my teammates. And then I was also involved with our StudentAthlete Advisory Committee, which has been cool to be a part of an organization that enhances the student-athlete experience at WashU.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

Oh, I’d tell random first-years to not be afraid to go outside of [their] comfort zones. And I know that’s super cliche, but just being willing to say yes to something that you might be on the fence about or not sure. I just think saying “yes” and just exposing yourself to different people and opportunities is really important.

Kyle Jacobs

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

I’m actually involved in like zero organizations.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

I would say just don’t let life pass you by, and try to say yes to most things. I feel like during COVID we were kind of snubbed, just not getting the beginnings of college or being able to get involved in stuff, and I feel like I just never caught up. So I would say the moment you get here, try to get involved with as many things as possible. Try to say yes to people even when you don’t really want to do it because you could end up having fun by trying new things. Time flies by, and when you get really reflective when you’re a senior, you are going to look back

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’m going to Olin and doing their full-time MBA program.

What’s something you wish you still had time to do OR what’s the thing you’ll miss the most about this school? I wish I still had time to just see more places on campus. Like so much of my time is in athletics, and so sometimes I wish [I could]] experience different clubs or organizations.

Lauren Bruhl

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

I worked at the Office of Sustainability as a vehicle electrification intern, and I was the one who got five on shuttle buses and a bunch of the [Environmental Services] (EVS) on campus.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

To just be open-minded and take my shot, shoot my shot with everything. So just take any opportunity that comes at me, and I’m gonna do my best in it. I feel like that opens a lot of doors, and I’ve met a lot of good friends that way as well.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

Be a little bit more relaxed. The work-life balance is really critical. Spend time with your friends; you only have four years here, and it goes by really fast.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

I can be in a dining hall. I feel like my friends have definitely changed my freshman year because I was able to meet the community that really resonates with me.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’ll be in Boston working as a sustainability consultant for a firm called Guidehouse. So I’ll be doing a lot of decarbonization and renewable energy projects within the U.S. and on the international level.

and ask yourself, did I do enough in college? Did I take advantage of everything that it has to offer? Make sure you have no regrets.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I love to take walks in Forest Park, that’s my favorite thing to do. I find that going there on weekends brings me joy and happiness.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

The Subway employees have gotten nicer over time. At first, they were quite high-strung. They were quite mean when it came to ordering bread and stuff like that. But, you know, nowadays I feel like either I learned how to order at Subway or they got nicer; so it’s one of the two.

What do you plan to do after graduation? I plan to go into the environmental consulting field, so just going out and doing field science like soil contamination or water contamination and then doing analysis.

What is the craziest thing you’ve seen on the WashU campus?

The WashU dog. Holy sh*t. Wait, no. How about a huge f´*cking white tent where you go in and get COVID tests every other day. When you walk to classes, there’s just this huge white tent on the field. Imagine the biggest eyesore you’ve ever seen on a campus quad.

What’s something you wish you still had time to do OR what’s the thing you’ll miss the most about this school?

I think I’ve just missed days like this where it’s pretty nice outside, and you see a lot of people on campus

just enjoying chatting, talking with each other — just random interactions walking back and forth. Sometimes I’ll walk and see someone I haven’t seen in a couple of weeks or a month or two. Either way, we haven’t hung out in a while, and we’ll be like “Hey, we should get lunch soon,” or something like that. And you’d have a nice 15-minute chat with them — just, you know, the passing interactions.

Dinner: every evening, beginning at 5

Lunch: weekdays, 11-2

Happy Hour: weekdays, 2-6

Brunch: weekends, 10-2

Guinter Dame Vogg

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/what did you find meaningful about it?

So there’s two things: one of them, I’m the president of the Engineering Council. So it’s basically just like the council that oversees all the McKelvey engineering groups and also helps the engineering school to change the curriculum. I found it meaningful to be able to bring engineering voices to the table for SU meetings or truly be in close contact with the administration and bring the changes I wanted to see. The second thing I’m involved with is being an undergraduate representative on the board of trustees; that one is very special for me. and I think I’ve found a lot of meaning [in] trying my best to represent 8000 students. I got to learn a lot about WashU and the inner workings of the University.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’m going to be moving to San Francisco in July to work in climate

Emily Talkow

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/what did you find meaningful about it?

So my main thing over the past four years has been softball. I’m on the varsity softball team here, and that’s kind of how I first learned about WashU. I didn’t know what WashU was until I was a junior in high school, and then I met the coach at the time, and she was like, “hey, this is my WashU,” and then I ended up coming to campus and falling in love with it. And I think I’ve stayed [playing softball] all these four years, even though it’s been tough and really frustrating and stressful and time-consuming — for the people. And I think that comes down to my experience at WashU — the people here [are] unparalleled.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

I mean, you’ll probably get a lot of

change technology at a climate tech startup that does this technological cooling of CO2 from the atmosphere. So that will be my next year, and then I’m also planning on pursuing a Ph.D., so I’ll also be applying to grad school.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

It was COVID, so everything. I think specifically, I started to see an increase in a sense of a larger WashU community. When I first got here, everything was really separated, but now I feel the sense that people are coming together.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

My advice to my past self would be that it’s true when people say that everything passes by quickly, and you’re gonna have really good moments. Also, for freshmen coming to college, you feel the need to just accept the opinions of your peers and join bubbles of thought. And I would

just encourage people to truly think about what they believe about a cause and not give into cancellation culture at WashU just because you want to be accepted.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

Since freshman year, I truly learned how to stand up for an opinion I have

even though it’s contradictory. I think I’ve been in positions at WashU and in my personal life where I had to take stances that I didn’t think other people in my surroundings necessarily agreed with, but I truly believed in them. I learned to voice an opinion that is nonpartisan, and really stick with my opinion.

responses like this from my class where we came in and college was weird. We were in our rooms a lot of the time, and it wasn’t the WashU that we had heard about, but at least for me, I still loved it freshman year. I think the thing that has changed most is realizing how great WashU actually is; being able to sit outside on a day like this wasn’t possible four years ago because you’d be in masks and you’d only have two people at a table. So kind of just seeing what college has really been like has been the biggest change for me in my four years.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

[I] feel like in high school, everyone does a lot of resume building, picking activities that will make your college application the best thing possible. And I’d say completely ignore that in college. Don’t do everything just thinking about your next steps. But at the same time, dive into anything

and everything that you’re passionate about. And don’t let the stress consume you too much because at the end of the day, if you’re doing things you love and you’re happy with, you will find the time to do them, and you will find the community for you. So definitely I’d recommend to any freshman and to my past self to not be afraid to dive into anything that looks exciting, but then to also recognize when my time is up, and it’s not quitting to leave something when you know you’re done with it.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I feel like throughout high school, I wasn’t always surrounded by people who brought out the best of me, but in college, I realized I have that choice. There are so many people here, and you can choose to put yourself in situations that make you happy with people that make you a better version of yourself and to

always put yourself in those positions. So I think that’s what I’ve learned through my time here.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

Immediately after graduation, in the fall, I’m going to move to Italy and work on a farm for a couple months and then apply to grad school and [do] something environmental policy adjacent.

Olivia Danner Noah Stovitz

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

The main things were club sports. I’m on men’s frisbee and men’s club volleyball. I joined them because it’s been a big part of my life, and I think I stayed in them because of the friends that I made in them.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I always thought I was a horrible writer and hated writing, and I think school has helped me realize that I just hated what I was writing about. I think I’ve come to like parts of writing, for sure.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

Join as many clubs as possible and classes. They’ve always built in a lot of time for you to drop out of things. So join as many things as possible, right at the start, because I didn’t know many people going in here. And so that was like a really easy way to meet people.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

So, I arrived before COVID and then took a gap year during COVID. So I guess a lot has changed since

Elise Ehrlich

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it?

I was a WUSA my sophomore year, and [for] the past two years, I’ve been an executive board member, training WUSAs and all that. I guess I helped create our warm campus community that I love and I will always continue to love.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student? Be more laid back. Of course, keep

freshman year. I wasn’t here during the COVID year so I didn’t see all of that, but I think classes when I came back were immediately more online and in person. I feel like teachers had adjusted to that kind of teaching online, so there seemed to be an online option for all. Besides that, though, I feel like campus social life responded really well to it. I thought when I came back, it felt like there was still a lot going on just like freshman year, and they closed Einstein’s bagels, that was sad. There was an Einstein Bagels in Simon. That was the biggest change I noticed coming back to campus.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

After graduation I’m staying here. I’m doing a Ph.D. in PNP, so I’ll be here for probably five years finishing that.

What is the main thing you were involved in on campus, and what made you stay in that organization/ what did you find meaningful about it? I’m in Planned Parenthood Generation Action. It’s really meaningful to me because Missouri is a state that restricts reproductive rights so heavily, and I feel like that’s so awful, obviously, and I want everyone to have bodily autonomy. And so throughout my time here, I really tried to increase reproductive health equity on campus and off campus and [in the] community.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

I think I discovered what I’m passionate about. I always knew I was a big feminist and interested in politics, but I didn’t know how much reproductive health equity mattered to me, and I really discovered that through my classes and through these clubs.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I am not sure. I’m thinking about working at a reproductive rights organization or potentially a law firm. I’m hoping to go to law school one day.

What’s your advice to your past self, or what advice do you have to give to a random first-year student?

I would say just don’t stress that much. Like freshman year, everything seems so serious, and I was so stressed about the future, but just enjoy it, and have fun while you have time.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

I think more stuff has opened up, and then [I] started doing more things, because my freshman year, all the traditions are paused because of COVID. Throughout college, they started things up again. I’m trying to think — like obviously WILD, we didn’t have that my freshman year. [WashU is] definitely starting to bring back the things that they had. And also the food options have changed — a lot; like all the restaurants are new.

up your grades and everything, but definitely find that balance and find what works out for you in order to meet whatever goals that you have. Don’t not pay attention to yourself.

What are some things that have changed about WashU since you first arrived?

I was just thinking about the plastic dividers on tables. We don’t have that anymore, which is fantastic. [I] don’t miss that. For me, I think I became a much more social person moving here and going to college. So I think that aspect of myself has definitely changed.

What’s something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know coming into freshman year?

Just kind of have a more go-withthe-flow attitude. I think coming out of high school, I was extremely neurotic about everything, and here at WashU, I became more comfortable with being a bit more laid back, socially and honestly academically as well.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I’ll be moving to Houston and going to medical school there.

SENIOR SURVEY

Based on 151 Responses

• The secret tunnels

• Hillman balcony in spring

• Olin Library

• By the ginkgo trees

• My studio

• KWUR Station

Graduation Playlist

• Go to a Cardinals game

• Sledding on Art Hill

• Go to a STL CITY soccer game

• Finding the WashU Tunnels under Umrath Lounge & Graham Chapel

• Katie’s Pizza

• Going to Pappy’s Smokehouse!

Are you staying in St. Louis post-grad?

19.44% said YES

61.11% said NO

19.44% said YES, but not long term.

Have you peed on the bunny?

2.94% said YES

Something you’d tell your freshman self?

What are your post-graduation plans?

• Law School

• University of Oxford

• Working at Sotheby’s

• Fullbright ETA Program in Taiwan

• Elementary school teacher

“Relax! It’s all going to be fine. COVID will become less of a focal point and you’ll be able to still have that college experience.’”

What’s a class you wish you took?

• Glassblowing

• Rotor Blade Mechanics

• Retro Game Design

• Tennis

• Screenwriting

• Sports Entrepreneurship

• Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness

Feelings about graduation?

Excited

Bittersweet Scared Complicated Imminent Yippee!

Illustrations by Anaelda Ramos & Jaime Hebel

Professing their love

Four seniors look back on their favorite professors throughout their academic journeys

Sophia Hellman Junior Scene Editor

As seniors look back on their time as undergraduates, they find gratitude for the educators who also served as their mentors, supporters, and sources of inspiration. Seniors were asked to celebrate the professors they cherished most, and here are their thoughts.

Dr. William Bubelis,

Associate Professor of Classics

Senior Ana María Núñez is a Classics major looking to enter academia after graduation. She thought of her Greek professor, Dr. William Bubelis, in the Classics department. Núñez reflected that in the department, “Everyone there knows you, and you end up kind of knowing everyone.”

“He was the first professor I was reading a full piece of Greek text with,” she said, noting that for the entire first week of class, they focused on just the

first sentence of their famous Greek text. Known in the department for giving lectures at a slower pace, Dr. Bubelis’ level of depth while teaching was something Núñez could appreciate and keep in mind when starting the process of writing her thesis. “[I] had so much fun with him in this Greek class, and I was like, ‘Well, why don’t I ask him to be my advisor?’” From thesis-writing to grad-school applications, Núñez found a source of support in their meetings, sharing that “grad-school applications almost destroyed me, but I wouldn’t have survived without him.”

After hours of conversation, Núñez came up with a list of grad schools thanks to his help during her application process.

“And now that they’re over, I’m so happy that I did do it, and that he was there to guide me through that,” Núñez reflected. “If you’re interested in Greek, he is gonna be, like, on the Greekhistory side, and he knows a lot about Athenian democracy [...]. Any question you ask him will turn into a two-hour-long discussion of whatever you brought up.”

In her journey, she was able to find not only a teacher, but a supporter. She thought back to her thesis defense and remembered hugging during an emotional moment after an hour of responding to questions giving “[all the] reasons why you’re wrong,” as Núñez put it. From that moment, she realized that “Having someone interested in what you’re doing is great, but more important[ly], you want someone to kind of support you in the process of writing such a big paper.”

Núñez finished with some of her own advice: “Have someone that knows your work style, your work ethic, [and] what you need, in terms of an advisor — and he was that person for me.”

Dr. Ben Kiel,

Former Senior Lecturer of Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts

Senior Rachel Tian is a Communication Design and Marketing Major. Tian noted, “I had Ben Kiel for four semesters in a row from sophomore [year] to [the] end of junior year.”

Tain continued, “I’d say that Ben had the greatest impact on influencing my love for design; his own excitement and passion for typefaces [was] reflected in his teachings, and it was always a joy to learn new skills and design programs in his classes.”

She went on to talk about Dr. Kiel’s attentiveness and honesty when giving feedback, recalling, “If he knew you could put more effort into your project, he would be direct and straightforward about it, no sugar-coating. And if he could tell you ‘Put your all into it,’ he would also be your biggest hype man!”

Tian remembered Dr. Kiel’s end-ofthe-year barbeque for Typeface Design during her junior year. “To incentivize us to come, he told us we needed to turn in our final projects to him at the barbecue. It was really nice to see a professor and classmates outside of just an academic setting; I felt like we got to learn a lot more about each other through just that one two-hour backyard party.”

Although Dr. Kiel no longer teaches at WashU, Tian encouraged anyone to find his work. ”Dr. Kiel currently runs XYZ

CONGRATULATIONS

CLASS OF 2024

We’ve known you by name and by story, and we’re cheering you across the finish line! Can’t wait to witness your next chapter unfold.

Type, a typeface and lettering studio [...] — check out his work @xyz_type on Instagram!”

Dr. Lisa Gilbert, Lecturer in Education

Senior Mateo Hain is an Educational Studies major, which is one of two main undergraduate programs in the Education Department, apart from Teacher Education. Hain looked back on classes with Dr. Lisa Gilbert, a lecturer in the Education Department.

“She’s essential to both programs, a jack-of-all-trades if you will,” he said. “One thing I really like about her classes is, they’re all taught so distinct[ly] because she’s constantly listening to and considering student feedback.” From a flipped classroom to classes where she lets students take turns leading the seminar, and small group discussions proposing solutions to complex educational problems, Hain explained how “She always places such an emphasis on getting students to work creatively.”

Hain thought back to one of these memorable activities, in Gilbert’s class “History of Education In & Beyond the Classroom,” sharing that he had the opportunity to partake in an “unessay,” which, he explains, is “essentially a project format where students use creative formats to provide critical

analysis of history.” Hain chose to use a satirical comic booklet to display incomplete narratives presented by DNA Ancestry, “a type of project I’ve never before been able to develop in an Arts & Sciences course.”

Showing a zeal for not only her work but that of her students, Gilbert then nominated Hain and several other students for a writing prize. “She’s exceptional not just for her creativity, but for the creativity she inspires in her students,” Hain said.

Gilbert is known not only for her thoughtfulness, but for her encouraging feedback, and Hain remembers times when, from daily class-prep assignments to discussion-board posts, Gilbert wouldn’t miss a chance to give constructive feedback. “She’ll pick out a quote from something you’ve stated, and she’ll react to it, maybe saying something really kind and acknowledging a good point. Other times, she’ll make connections to other topics to expand our thinking, and she’ll even ask questions pushing back or asking the student to go the next step in their thought process,” he recalled.

Hain noted her encouragement, which helped him see the value in being a future educator: “I struggle sometimes with self-doubt or worry that I won’t be good enough, and she’s encouraged me to remember my agency and that I can

be who I want to be.”

He went on to explain how Dr. Gilbert encouraged him to see himself as not just an educator, but as someone who is an amazing resource that any school would be lucky to have. After acknowledging the lack of recognition that the small Education Department receives, Hain assured that “all of the Education faculty have been the kindest, most encouraging, super thoughtprovoking, and most positive-thinking educators I’ve had at WashU.”

Dr. Dennis Cosgrove, Professor of Practice in the Computer Science and Engineering Department

Senior Jack Heuberger, a Computer Science (CS) major, thought back to Dr. Dennis Cosgrove during his experience taking his class “Programming Languages.” Heuberger highlighted why the CS professor was so special to him: “He was definitely the most energetic CS professor. As a subject, programming languages can be kind of dull, but he was just a really nice breath of fresh air in my day.”

Heuberger went on to highlight some of the special parts of the class, listing a few of the things he could look forward to in a schedule packed with repetition and complexity: “He would pace back and forth kind of aggressively,

make crosswords, and add his own assignments that were a lot of fun.” The novelty of the class made him excited to attend, and Heuberger went on, sharing, “He’ll go on random tangents, and make crazy connections that you think have nothing to do with programming.” In the first class, Dr. Cosgrove asked, “What is the best vehicle?” And from there, Heuberger, explained, “He went on a five-minute tangent on why it was the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro [...], and then he was like, ‘This is actually just an analogy for programming languages because they’re always just tradeoffs from one another.’”

Heuberger also recalled the atmosphere of classes. “He keeps class sizes small on purpose [...]. It’s nice because he does give the people that show up individualized, personalized attention.”

Thanks to his focus on engagement and creativity, Dr. Cosgrove earned both Heuberger’s approval and Heuberger’s interest in the subjects he specializes in. Heuberger added that “They’re important subjects, but he makes the classes way more fun than [...] anywhere else.” Heuberger said that rather than solely focusing on content, Dr. Cosgrove “really makes the class his own.”

WashU through the seasons

SYDNEY TRAN | STUDENT LIFE

JIALING SUN | STUDENT LIFE

JIALING SUN | STUDENT LIFE

JASMINE LI | STUDENT LIFE

FOUR YEARS IN REVIEW

SENIOR

YEAR

Over the summer, Chancellor Andrew D. Martin released a statement to the Washington University community in response to the Supreme Court ruling to end affirmative action at higher education institutions. Martin wrote that, while administrators will abide by the law, WashU’s commitment to diversity will remain the same.

Expanded dining options opened on campus with five new local restaurants bringing their food to students for the academic year. WashU partnered with Beast Craft BBQ and LaJoy’s Coffee Cafe in Schnuck Pavilion, Collins Farms in Anheuser-Busch Hall, Corner 17 in Olin Library, and The Fattened Caf. in McKelvey Hall.

Prior to the start of the academic year, the academic integrity section of the “Syllabus Resources and Template Language” document was updated to account for growing use of generative artificial intelligence in student work. The new policy allows for professors to determine how little and how much they want to enforce the newlyestablished rule.

After Missouri state law banned gender-affirming care for all minors, the University made the decision to cease gender-affirming care for all minors at the Washington University Transgender Center. The decision sparked discourse among the WashU community, especially faculty.

The University also announced that they will adopt a “no loan” policy for all undergraduates starting in the fall of 2024. The policy promises to eliminate federal loans from financial aid packages, allowing students to graduate without debt. The announcement was the newest large amendment to University financial policy, following need-blind admissions in 2021 and the implementation of the WashU Pledge in 2019.

During the first few months of the semester, a range of crimes affected students both on and off-campus, including an incident where four non-

WashU affiliated individuals trespassed at Shepley Dorm on the South 40. Additionally, in late September, nearly a dozen cars were broken into near the Delmar Loop, and a student was the victim of a robbery on Pershing Avenue.

After a change to how the U.S. News & World Report calculates their Best National University Rankings list, WashU fell from No. 14 to No. 24, sparking debate between students about how important rankings are to the college admissions process.

After the events of Oct. 7, Chancellor Andrew Martin released a statement calling the situation devastating and heart-wrenching. He emphasized that WashU’s campus is diverse and expressed his support for all students with personal connections to the crisis, he also directed people to mental health resources on campus. Additionally, WashU’s International Travel Oversight Committee announced that they are limiting travel to Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank amid safety concerns for students, though no WashU students were studying abroad in Israel when the conflict began.

The crisis sparked a series of responses from the larger campus community, including a vigil where more than 800 students gathered to mourn the lives lost in Israel. Throughout the semester, students held a number of solidarity events and protests, some in support of Israel and others in support of Palestine. Student Union (SU) also released a statement on the topic, encouraging impacted students to seek mental health resources on campus if needed. Overnight, the post gained over a hundred comments with many criticizing the organization for not taking a stronger stance, leading SU to remove one of the slides that discussed violence in Israel and Gaza and issue an apology online.

On Oct. 13, two rallies were scheduled on Mudd Field in response to the latest Israel-Hamas war: one to show support for Israel, and another to protest the Israeli government’s blockade of food, water, and electricity in Gaza. Hours before the scheduled times, the rally supporting Palestinian citizens was canceled due to organizers’ concerns for the safety of

the protestors, leaving only the proIsrael rally to gather on Mudd Field as planned.

Dr. Seth Crosby, a professor of Genomics, claimed to have lost his job over a post on X calling the latest Israel-Hamas war a “much needed cleansing.” Crosby’s post was in response to a post by E. Michael Jones, a traditionalist Catholic writer and founder of Culture Wars, which is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and AntiDefamation League.

A WashU student was subject to aggravated assault by a non-WashU affiliated man named Anthony McGee, who punched the student without provocation and was issued charges by the St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Washington University students walked out from their classes to show support for Palestinians on Oct. 25. They also gathered to protest the University’s lack of response to the Coalition of WUSTL Students for Palestine’s published letter of demands, which included cutting ties with Boeing.

The women’s soccer team celebrates after making it to national championship weekend.

BRI NITSBERG | STUDENT LIFE

Elizabeth Stump, Aliza Lubitz, Nina Laser, Tanvi Gorre, Joel Swirnoff, Zach Trabitz, Aliana Mediratta News Editors

24

STUDENT LIFE | THE FINISH LINE

New York Times columnist David Brooks visited campus to deliver a soldout lecture about his new book, “How to Know a Person,” where he talked about how to strengthen interpersonal relationships and connections.

Additionally, Hernan Diaz, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of bestselling novels “Trust” and “In the Distance,” visited campus to read the work of MFA students and talk about how to craft a story, followed by questions from the audience.

Washington University received an average free speech ranking, ranking 135th out of 248 in College Pulse’s 2024 Free Speech rankings.

Students expressed frustration with religious accommodations for exams, with some reporting that they had to skip out on religious observances for schoolwork due to professors refusing to reschedule exams held during events including Ramadan and Yom Kippur.

Environmental advocacy group Green Action WashU announced its filing of a legal complaint against WashU as part of its Fossil Fuel Divestment Rally. The legal complaint was part of the group’s ongoing efforts to end WashU’s investment of unknown amounts of endowment money into fossil fuel sources.

Washington University has reverted its flu vaccine policy to the pre-pandemic standard. The flu vaccine, along with the COVID-19 booster, is now “highly recommended” instead of required, meaning that students no longer need the vaccines to enroll in classes. Select employees of WashU, such as those in the WashU School of Medicine, are still mandated to get the vaccine.

In the weeks following the start of the Israel-Hamas war, students reported increased instances of harassment, doxxing, and blatant Islamophobia

and antisemitism on campus. Several students told Student Life they feel isolated and fear vilification from those who disagree with their beliefs.

Dr. Sanjay Supta spoke in Graham Chapel as the first speaker of the WashU School of Medicine’s newly reinstated Assembly Speaker series, hosted in collaboration with Here & Next. He spoke about a range of topics including pandemic response and preparedness, mental health, misinformation, our diets, and how he blends his roles as a journalist and doctor.

Chabad and Hillel hosted an event to raise awareness for the hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attacks. The event used empty chairs as symbolism to represent the hostages who are still missing. Pictures and information about individual hostages were posted on each of the chairs.

Popular band Saint Motel headlined the fall semester’s WILD, which was rebranded as Night At The Pageant (NAP) by the Social Programming Board and was held off-campus for the first time since the event’s origin in 1973. The event was held on Nov. 9 and students generally considered it to be a success, though some expressed disappointment about technology issues causing delays.

On Nov. 19, just over a dozen students participated in a “die-in” in support of Palestinians and to urge the University to cut ties with Boeing. The students laid down in the Danforth University Center (DUC) courtyard, spreading Palestinian flags over their bodies, holding signs, and chanting.

WashU students saw an improvement in ADHD medication accessibility over a year after the FDA declared an ADHD medication shortage in Oct. 2022. However, many students still struggle to

get access to the medication.

Student Life sat down with Grace Chapin James, Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions, to unpack how the Supreme Court’s decision to overrule affirmative action in Students for Fair Admission, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College will impact future classes at Washington University. James emphasized that WashU is committed to maintaining diversity in other ways such as through different scholar programs and by adding an additional question to the common application about students’ cultural identities and backgrounds.

Bret Gustafson, professor of Sociocultural Anthropology, received backlash after expressing his support of a protest outside of the home of the president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in an X post.

On Nov. 29, Chancellor Martin published an online statement calling for respectful dialogue and condemning hateful rhetoric amid violence in Israel and Palestine.

On Jan. 22, the University canceled classes and events on campus due to icy conditions in the St. Louis area. Some students expressed frustration that the closure was only communicated to students the morning it happened, but also gratitude towards dining workers for coming to campus and continuing to serve students.

Twelve freshman and sophomore students enrolled at WashU as midyear transfer students for the spring semester. This marked the first time in recent history that students were accepted by admissions in between semesters. Several of the mid-year transfer students are Jewish and said they came to the University after feeling unsafe on their previous campuses due to antisemitism.

Over winter break, the Association of Black Students (ABS) posted a list of grievances based on the administration’s response to events in recent years that have impacted students of color in a series of Instagram posts titled “Enough is Enough.”

WashU School of Medicine (WUSM) released the results from an internal as well as external report done by consulting firm Catalyst about the “climate and culture” of the institution. Through 4,000 survey responses as well as focus groups, listening sessions, and submitted messages, the investigation found that men at WUSM feel more included, safe, and welcome compared to women.

As artificial intelligence continues to expand worldwide, WashU released its own version of ChatGPT, which promised to help improve the privacy of using the machine-learning software. It is free to use by all University students, faculty, and staff.

Throughout the second semester, students protested the continued employment of WashU professor and Nobel Prize winner Philip Dybvig despite multiple former students alleging that he engaged in inappropriate conduct including sexual harassment. Students held two protests in Simon Hall, where Dybvig teaches, to call on the University to fire him.

MeToo WashU published two posts speaking out against the use of sexual violence on both sides of the IsraelHamas war and opposing Israeli state practices while “reaffirm[ing] support for the right ot a free, unoccupied Palestine.” The posts led to discourse online, with some students supporting the organization and others calling the post antisemetic and criticizing it for a lack of support towards Israeli assault survivors.

Students dance and sing during Saint Motel’s performance at Night at the Pageant.

SOPHIA HELLMAN | STUDENT LIFE

Students gather on Mudd Field and wave Israeli flags at a rally.

JAMIE NICHOLSON | STUDENT LIFE

The University released another tuition increase, raising the cost of attendance by 4.5% from the year before, making 2024 the highest increase in the past decade. University officials said that the extra money is going to be used for University initiatives and programming.

The University’s Board of Trustees approved a Naming Board in December as a result of an initiative implemented by the Chancellor’s Office to ensure that buildings, programs, and awards are named after people who align with the University’s current values. The Naming Board most recently changed the name of Wayman Crow to Dardick and Nemrov, since Wayman Crow was revealed to have been a slave owner.

Dining workers were negatively impacted by changes to their scheduling process after new provider Sodexo instated unexpected changes to worker’s scheduling processes without fully explaining them. Workers said that they believed that there was a communication breakdown going on between workers, managers, and Sodexo.

Sam Fox students studying abroad in Florence experienced a range of housing issues, including mold, bedbugs, strangers entering their communal apartment, and a partial

ceiling collapse. Students voiced complaints about how the University handled the issues, and going forward, WashU’s housing coordinators have stated that they will be finding new accommodations for students abroad.

SU Senate voted for a resolution calling for Professor Phillip Dybvig to be investigated for the sexual harassment allegations against him, placed on immediate leave, and fired if allegations of misconduct against him are found to be true.

The University received a threat via a phone call on Feb. 26, leading to evacuations of Olin Library, Bauer Hall, and Simon Hall. After an investigation that lasted 2 ½ hours, WUPD determined that there was no threat. Numerous classes, nonetheless, were canceled.

In late February, WashU’s Emergency Support Team (EST) traveled to Baltimore, Maryland to compete against representatives from over 100 universities at the Stryker Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Skills Classic. EST placed first in the Classic competition and earned three awards, including the Striving for Excellence Award, Heart Safe Campus Award, and EMS Campus Award.

Chancellor Martin sat down for an interview with Student Life on March 5. Martin spoke about recent student

activism on campus, the state of the endowment, WashU’s recent and future property purchases, and where he buys his glasses.

Amarnath Ghosh, a beloved dancer and MFA student, passed away after being shot in St. Louis’ Central West End neighborhood. He is remembered for his gratitude towards others and his work, as well as his “electrifying” dancing, which he taught to both students at WashU and over Zoom to

students in India, where he was from. On March 7, Chancellor Martin released his annual State of the University Address in a recorded video. He spoke about WashU’s progress in its “In St. Louis, for St. Louis” and “Here and Next” initiatives. He also addressed what he believes are the biggest challenges facing the WashU community, including freedom of speech and the overturning of affirmative action.

Congratulations Class of 2024.

Student traveled just off campus to view the total solar eclipse.

SAM POWERS | STUDENT LIFE

JUNIOR YEAR

Avi Holzman, Lily Taylor, James Ellinghaus, Aliana Mediratta, Zach Trabitz, Joel Swirnoff, and Hussein Amuri

News Staff and Managing Sports Editor

The fall semester began with Washington University welcoming the Class of 2026 to campus and announcing plans to re-envision space equity on Danforth Campus. The planning process to re-allocate this space will determine the best way to provide access to university-owned student-controlled spaces on campus, including fraternity houses, and is proposed to take effect in fall 2025.

related to overcrowding after Emergency Management placed a 3,500 person capacity constraint on Brookings Quadrangle, where WILD is traditionally held. Students and administrators were unable to find an alternative venue for the event while also guaranteeing all undergraduate students could attend for free. Student Programming Board (SPB), the student group responsible for planning WILD attempted to push back the date so that the event could still take place but was unable to because of a scheduling conflict with the artist.

Spring semester SU Elections saw 30.1% of the student body vote, one of the highest turnouts in recent memory. In this election, Hussein Amuri, Andy Mun, and Meris Damjanovic were elected President, Executive Vice President, and Vice President of Finance of SU, respectively.

Fontbonne University announced that it would close after experiencing enrollment and financial issues. WashU purchased their land and buildings and is leasing them back to Fontbonne for the remainder of the year. Fontbonne students took a solemn but appreciative mood in response to the news, “dreading the ‘lasts.’” SU Senate passed a resolution calling for the University to divest from Boeing by an anonymous vote of 15 to 5, with one Senator abstaining. Over 200 students attended the meeting, with 44 students and two faculty members speaking either in favor or against passing it.

A petition to recall sophomore Sonal Churiwal as the Student Union (SU) Speaker of the Senate due to allegations of improper conduct was uploaded anonymously onto Washington University’s Group Organizer (WUGO) website. A few days later, the SU Election Commissioner emailed students and stated that the petition had received the required number of signatures to be put to a vote in a special election. Churiwal won the special election on April 10 and retained her seat in SU.

Kappa Sigma and Alpha Phi have been temporarily suspended at Washington University pending the results of a student conduct

investigation following an incident involving students throwing eggs and potentially saying racial slurs at the Bear’s Den (BD) dining hall on March 21.

On April 8, students, faculty, and staff gathered on campus locations like Mudd Field to view the Great American Eclipse. Some community members ventured to locations across Southern Illinois and Southeastern Missouri to view the eclipse in totality. This total solar eclipse was the first visible from the St. Louis area since 2017, and the next will not occur over the U.S. for another 20 years.

At a Bear Day admitted students event on April 13, a pro-Palestine protest urging the University to divest from Boeing disrupted an event at Graham Chapel, forcing admissions to move the event elsewhere on campus. Of the 40 protestors present, 12 received court summons for trespassing and disturbing the peace, as well as other violations, and three WashU students were temporarily suspended.

WashU administration announced that the final day of the annual ThurtenE carnival, Sunday April 21st, will be canceled following multiple fights that broke out on the second day of the carnival. The administration cited crowd safety concerns as the reason for the shutdown.

The Class of 2024 will wrap up their WashU career with some words of wisdom from beloved actress Jennifer Coolidge, best known for her roles in “Legally Blonde,” “American Pie,” and “White Lotus” at the commencement ceremony on May 13.

The sorority suites in the Olin Women’s Building are another space part of the reallocation plan.

Administrators also announced a one-time Flood Crisis Fund (FCF) to support Danforth and Medical Campus students who experienced flooding during the summer. Funds were allocated based on need and permitted WashU students to request up to $1,000 from the FCF to cover expenses.

Former WashU men’s soccer player, Sergio Rivas, signed a contract with St. Louis City FC in February 2022 after helping WashU win their first UAA title in 22 years.

A recent policy from the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards was lowered for instances of sexual assault to be removed from students’ disciplinary records but not academic integrity violations. This sparked protest, and after a successful campaign, was altered — sexual assault is no longer eligible to be removed from student conduct records.

In early October, the University announced “Here and Next,” their strategic vision for the next 10 years. The broad plan is centered around five core tenants: academic distinction, community impact, global perspective, equity, and stewardship; it also includes investment in research, faculty, and the St. Louis community.

Over fall break, Dr. Jane Goodall, a world-renowned primatologist, anthropologist, and environmental activist, spoke at Graham Chapel. She reflected on some of the defining moments of her career while also encouraging students to embody the mission of spreading positive change throughout their daily lives.

Fall WILD (Walk in, Lay down) was canceled due to safety concerns

Green Action, a student group that advocates for environmental justice, held a rally to demand that the University divests from fossil fuels. The group marched through campus and chanted outside Chancellor Andrew Martin’s office. In his last statement on divestment, Martin wrote that restricting investments to exclusively renewable energy means “jeopardizing the financial support of the University’s mission.”

Jack Nolan, former WashU men’s basketball player, was drafted into the G League in October 2022, becoming the second WashU player ever to do so. A post from G League TV described Nolan as “Division 3 Curry.” During his time at WashU, Nolan was a standout player for the Bears. He averaged 16.8 points per game (PPG) over four seasons, and most notably, led WashU to the second round of the 2022 NCAA DII men’s basketball playoffs.

In November, WashU alum and former Student Union president, Tyrin Truong, was elected Mayor of Bogalusa, La. The 23-year-old is the second youngest mayor elected in the state’s history, demonstrating that there are no limits on what WashU students can do.

Philip Dybvig, a professor in the Olin School of Business, won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Economics for research conducted on the vulnerability of banks during financial crises. Two days after Dybvig won, allegations of sexual assault began circulating online. A Student Life investigation revealed that multiple former Olin students had uncomfortable interactions with Dybvig.

The WashU’s women’s soccer team defeated St. Catherine University and Wartburg College in the first two rounds of the DIII NCAA Championship to enter the Sweet 16.

After Thanksgiving break, Karamo Brown, TV personality and talk show host, spoke in Graham Chapel as part of SBP’s Trending Topics Lecture series. He discussed his advocacy work, his journey to success as an

Protestors hold up pro-Palestine signs and chant outside of Graham Chapel.

BRI NITSBERG | STUDENT LIFE

openly gay black man in reality TV, and the importance of listening to others with empathy and sharing experiences. Brown is known for acting in the “Karamo Show” and Netflix’s “Queer Eye.”

In early December, WashU students held a vigil after ten people in Ürümqi, China were killed in a fire because heavily enforced government quarantine police prevented them from escaping. More than 50 students came to the event to express their solidarity with the victims and to protest the Chinese government’s suppression of free speech, political prosecution, and unrelenting quarantine policy.

Student Union (SU) Treasury, allocated $11,000 to the College Republicans so that Conservative social media influencer, Amala Ekpunobi, could speak on campus. Ekpunobi spoke about her upbringing and how her belief system shifted from leftism to conservatism. After her discussion, students asked her about previous statements she made which many perceived as racist and transphobic.

In the days after SU’s decision to fund Ekpunobi, students spray painted the underpass with messages that read “protect black trans lives” and “speak up against SU.” Students also expressed their disappointment with SU, protesting Ekpunobi’s visit by holding a “solidarity showcase,” featuring performances and speeches from members of over 20 campus organizations.

Chat GPT, an advanced artificial intelligence interface, was released

in November and raised concerns about plagiarism at WashU. Professors convened over winter break to participate in training, not only to detect plagiarism done by Chat GPT, but also to learn how Chat GPT can be used as a partner in education. Many professors altered the syllabi for their courses to acknowledge the presence of this new technology.

Two students, Vivienne Chang and Eugenia Yoh, met after both attending a Hong Kong Student Association hotpot and quickly hit it off over their shared love of picture books. After realizing their joke was actually a possibility, the two co-wrote the picture book “This Is Not My Home.” The book centers around a girl who moves to Taiwan and has to redefine how she views home.

Starting at the beginning of the spring semester, Campus Life’s Tuesday Tea, a weekly event where students could get free tea, began being held on a monthly basis. The more than decades-long tradition is now being held on a per-month basis with the hopes that the money can be used to begin holding other events and activities that will bolster campus life.

In the wake of the killing of Tyre Nichols, SU and WashU administration worked together to discuss the University’s response to national tragedies, including when to release statements and how to accommodate affected students. SU Senate and University representatives noted frustration in developing a uniform accommodation strategy given the differences between departments,

Washington University Graduate Workers Union protests the handling of an alleged sexual harasment case in the medical school.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WUGWU

professors, and how they run their classes.

Dr. Fiona Hill, the former Senior Director for Europe and Russia of the National Security Council, spoke on campus about the dangers of Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Hill called Putin a “storyteller” and compared the state of Russia to the political division in the United States,

warning the audience to not let opposing political parties lie about each other.

WashU opened a state-of-the-art 7,000-square-foot Sports Performance Center (SPC) in the basement of the Sumers Recreation Center. The creation of SPC had long been used as a recruitment tactic by the University’s Athletic Department for years, and for

many current upperclassmen athletes, it was one of the major reasons why they chose to commit to WashU. But now that it’s here, the University looks to use its presence as a means of elevating University athletic programs by improving training practices.

Provost Beverly Wendland emailed all undergraduate students to announce a 3.9% ($2,330) increase in undergraduate tuition for the 2023-2024 school year. This includes increases in the cost of on-campus housing and meal plans, as well as more expensive student activities and health and wellness fees.

In early February, WashU administration announced that it had purchased nine properties on the Delmar Loop in the largest land grab made in the University’s history. They expressed no current desire to alter the businesses currently in those properties but suggested that one day those spaces could be used for offices.

In mid-February, the Missouri Attorney General, Andrew Bailey, launched an investigation into the WashU Transgender Center (WUTC) following allegations of medical malpractice made by one of the clinic’s case managers. The case manager and Bailey’s request for a moratorium on care until the investigation’s completion was denied in a statement released by Chancellor Andrew Martin and Richard J. Leikweg, President and CEO of BJC Healthcare. Martin and Liekweg said they would begin their one internal investigation into the allegation and cited the fact that WUTC was the only place in Missouri that offered gender-affirming care as reason for denying Bailey’s request. Investigations being conducted by the State and University are still unfolding. Students petitioned the construction of a chain link fence that now prevents students from jaywalking from Trinity Ave to the area near Village East. The petition to replace the fence with a crosswalk gathered 351 responses. Public officials said they put up the fence to increase pedestrian safety and argued that an additional crosswalk would be unnecessary since there was one that exited roughly 200 feet away from the fence.

Environmental and public health experts gathered at Washington University to connect and collaborate with each other about research during the Midwest Climate Summit. Dr. Sylvia Hood Washington and Janet McCabe were among those who spoke at the summit.

Hundreds of students and community members gathered to listen to Michelle Alexander, an author, lawyer, and civil rights scholar

speak with Professor Fannie Bialek in Graham Chapel. Alexander expanded upon the ideas in her book, “The New Jim Crow,” and explained how structural racism has permeated into every facet of American society.

The WashU men’s and women’s track and field teams took the 2023 UAA indoor titles home this past winter season. After a series of impressive performances, they earned the most points to cement their place as the Kings and Queens of UAA. For the women, it was their fourth-straight UAA indoor title, and for the men, it was their third recorded UAA Indoor track title in the past three seasons.

After the Feb. 13 shooting at Michigan State University, SU Senate held a town hall with WUPD, the Emergency Management Team, and Student Affairs to discuss policing and emergency response on campus. Students also raised concerns about the treatment of minority students to WUPD Chief Angela Coonce, who said that WUPD has to work hard to earn the trust of WashU students.

After the Turkey-Syria earthquake in February, Turkish students grappled with processing tragedy and schoolrelated demands. The WashU TurkishAmerican Students Association (TASA) ran multiple fundraisers to generate support for people in Turkey impacted by the earthquake.

Green Action, an environmental advocacy group, held a rally on March 1 calling for Washington University to divest from fossil fuels which about 40 students and faculty attended. Student speakers emphasized the harmful effects that climate change has on Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people and called out Chancellor Martin as responsible for perpetuating those harms. At the event, students signed a banner calling for divestment that was then hung up in Tisch Commons.

The WashU Distance Medley Relay won first place at the NCAA Division 3 Indoor Track and Field Championships after Emily Konkus, Kathryn Leighty, Ally Sarussi, and Aoife Dunne prevailed over recent injury, as well as relative inexperience.

Created in 2020, the Washington University Black Letterwinning Athletes Coalition (WU BLAC) continued its efforts to hire more Black coaches, among other goals that will support Black student-athletes. The group said that WashU’s athletic department has made progress to support Black student-athletes, but needs to do more.

The University announced they would be switching to a new dining provider, Sodexo Food and Facilities

Student mix toppings into ice cream in the newly-opened Campus Creamery.

GINGER SCHULTE | STUDENT LIFE

Management, after over 25 years of business with the current provider, Bon Appetit. This change will have no impact on the cost of meal plans, and all current dining workers will have the opportunity to work for the new company in roles that offer similar salaries, time off, and benefits.

Student Union Treasury chose to not allocate funding for the WashU College Republicans (WUCR) to bring conservative economist, Dr. Arthur Laffer, to speak on campus. A contentious debate during the treasury meeting on March 21 occurred between treasury representatives and junior Nathaniel Hope, the president of WUCR.

Campus Creamery, a student-run ice cream store, opened in the South 40 storefronts. Sophomore Harrison Lieber started the Campus Creamery as the newest business in the Skandalaris Center’s StEP Program.

Diébédo Francis Kéré, a BurkinabéGerman architect, visited campus and spoke to members of the WashU community about his works and the importance of education in creating opportunities and empowering communities. He also talked about his works, touching on the usage of color, the use of natural materials, and the preservation of cultural heritage in architecture.

Washington University Graduate Workers Union (WUGWU) protested the University’s handling of sexual harassment cases. The group marched through the Medical School campus with posters and said that the University does not protect graduate students from sexual assault. The group’s organizers attempted to lead the protest into administrative offices but were barred by WashU Protective Services Officer, Steve Manley.

Asian American actress Brenda Song spoke to students in Graham Chapel about her life both as a child star and as an adult working in film and television. Song shared insights on the race and gender dynamics in the entertainment industry and the country as a whole, encouraging students to pursue their dreams and break barriers.

Popular hip-hop artist Flo Milli was announced as the headliner for Spring WILD. For the first time, the event will be held on Mudd Field instead of in Brooking Quadrangle to avoid safety concerns regarding overcrowding.

In May, the Class of 2023 will celebrate their commencement with Sterling K. Brown —a St. Louis Native who has received three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe —as this year’s guest speaker.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Jamila Dawkins and Julia Robbins

Former Managing Forum Editor and Former Editor-in-Chief

With the advent and wide availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, Washington University’s fall semester opened with the first in-person convocation in two years, signaling a larger return to predominantly in-person classes and activities. However, despite our anticipation of a semester “more like college,” ever-shifting and unclear COVID-19 safety guidelines characterized the semester with much of the familiarities of the ones before it: masks still on, Zoom still a common option and uncertainty and COVID-19 anxiety still plaguing our interactions.

More in-person activities combined with a record-size freshman class left the campus buzzing, and in some cases, overwhelmingly busy. Within the context of the larger national “good job shortage,” the sudden swell of student activity left many understaffed campus establishments, especially Dining Services, unable to keep up.

September saw @metoo_washu members organize a vigil and protest surrounding the MeToo movement that the country has been reckoning with in recent years. This happened in conjunction with a conversation surrounding the Red Zone, the period during the fall semester in which more than half of all sexual assaults happen on college campuses.

The University was then thrust into the national spotlight when a student removed American flags from a 9/11 memorial created by the College Republicans. After students criticized the adminstration for not immediately reproaching and taking action against the Islamophobic and racist online backlash from this incident, some students staged an academic strike in solidarity with Muslim students on campus. A later protest at the Harbison House brought many of these concerns to the chancellor’s doorstep.

Fall WILD was the fourth one to be canceled due to the ongoing pandemic, which further identified this semester as one with ongoing pandemic restrictions and uncertainty.

WashU moved up to 14th in the U.S. News ranking for best national

university — news soon followed by an unprecedented endowment pool of 15.3 billion dollars.

Soon after, in October, the University announced plans to go need-blind effective immediately, through a $1 billion investment in financial aid. This made WashU the final top-20 college in the country to adopt a need-blind policy.

TimelyCare partnered with the University to help support the mental health of students on campus and decrease the wait times for students to receive mental health care.

For the first time, Residential Life opened its application for Resident Advisors (RAs) mid-year due to eight RA vacancies around campus.

Class of 2024! ALL OF US AT THE JOHN C. DANFORTH CENTER ON RELIGION AND POLITICS THANK YOU FOR MAKING US A PART OF YOUR STORY AND SEND OUR BEST WISHES FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS!

Reilly Brady Constantin Carrigan Katie Church

Julia Cleary Francesca Frkonja Sarah Rosen

Bonnie Segel Lydia Sidrys Sai Vuda Elijah Wiesman

Leena Bekheit Max Remy

Graduating with a minor in religion and politics

Students gather in Brookings Quad to protest for reproductive rights.

HOLDEN HINDES | STUDENT LIFE

30 STUDENT LIFE | THE FINISH LINE

In November, news broke that in 2020, WashU students turned out to vote in record numbers. This student voting engagement was reflected in the higher-than-usual 34% voter turnout for the 2021 Student Union fall elections, with opinions on Greek life being a major separating factor on the ballot.

The voting season also saw many calling on the University to do more, between a rally demanding WashU divest from fossil fuels, a rally for WashU to cut ties with military contractor Boeing and Mayor Tishuara Jones’ visit to WashU and call for the University to pay payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOTs.

The University updated the community on their commitment to reduce WUPD’s role in mental health— the partnership with Behavioral Health Response, expected to be a major step in achieving that goal, fell through. This returned administrators to the drawing board, with Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration and Chief Administrative Officer Shantay Bolton planning to create a task force to advise in implementing the recommendations that the public safety committee made in February of 2021. The crisis hotline operated by BHR

remains a resource for students uncomfortable with the prospect of WUPD responding to a call.

In mid-November, Student Life published several WashU students’ long-term research project into WashU founder William Greenleaf Eliot. Despite long being described as an abolitionist by WashU, the research found that in reality, Eliot was far from one, advocating for gradual emancipation and the colonization of Africa. The students’ work called on the University to reconsider its past, present and future ties to slavery. Later in the spring semester, the a cappella group known as the Greenleafs changed their name to the Evergreens, feeling that their former namesake opposed their values.

In December, WUPD increased off-campus presence following a pattern of burglaries in what they called a “short-term” approach to address the uptick of burglaries affecting students living in off-campus apartments.

The Black history mural in the South 40’s underpass was vandalized with white supremacist propaganda. Students reported the vandalism to WUPD and then came together to cover up the graffiti.

Placed in context with the uptick of mental health service usage across the semester (in line with a larger annual trend toward more students using counseling services), the end of the semester left many students feeling drained and unsafe.

Following the increase in active cases at the end of the fall semester, the University announced a pushback of in-person classes until two weeks into the semester — but did not follow other universities’ lead and mandate the COVID-19 vaccination booster shot.

At the end of January, the University revealed that they arrested an individual for the underpass vandalism a month prior. Students and administrators repainted the vandalized underpass mural with a “Black Lives Matter” mural.

February arrived with nearly a foot of snow and new tension regarding Greek life participation. Greek Life’s spring recruitment saw nearly double the interest for new members compared to the previous spring, when the Abolish Greek Life movement had more of a hold on the rush process. The Delta Gamma sorority also ceased operations on campus after the national organization withdrew their charter, citing

the AGL movement and COVID-19 as among the reasons.

In mid-February, the University community mourned the loss of sophomore Orli Sheffey. Students, faculty and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil on t he lawn outside the Women’s Building to remember and celebrate her life.

The University extended its test-optional policy through fall 2024, allowing the classes of 2027 and 2028 to decide whether to submit their standardized test scores as part of their application.

Chancellor Martin gave his State of the University address in late March, in which he discussed the University’s strategic plan, the endowment and updates on his inaugural “In St. Louis, For St. Louis” promise.

“Survivor” season 42 premiered with WashU senior Zachary Wurtenberger as part of the cast. Friends of Wurtenberger watched the season premiere with him at a local bar, where they got to see their friend grace the big screen before getting voted out first.

In April, the University shared a draft of its long-awaited strategic plan for student feedback, in which they set forth a direction for WashU’s priorities over the next decade.

Three thousand community members came together to listen to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor speak with Chancellor Andrew Martin in the Athletic Complex. Sotomayor spoke about her experience as a Justice, woman and Latina to the large crowd.

A record low of 10% of applicants were admitted to the Class of 2026 after last year’s rate of 13%. The incoming class also has a higher percentage of Black, Hispanic and first-generation college students than last year’s class, though a smaller percentage of Pell-eligible students.

After four semesters without WILD, the DJ Zedd took the stage in Brookings Quad to perform for the first WILD since the pandemic began. This was the highest-funded WILD in the University’s history because the Student Programming Board used some of the wouldhave-been funding for the fall semester’s WILD for the spring semester.

In May, the Class of 2022 will celebrate their Commencement in-person, with Mae Jemison — the first Black woman to travel in space — as this year’s speaker.

Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor comes to speak on campus about her life and career.

ELLE SU | STUDENT LIFE

FRESHMAN YEAR

Ted Moskal and Matthew Friedman

Former Managing News Editor and Former Editor-in-Chief

The fall semester began in the wake of a historic summer with students organizing and participating in Black Lives Matter protests around the country, as well as a new push to abolish Greek Life at Washington University. On top of that, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the University community to adapt to a partially virtual semester, causing a number of difficulties including a housing scramble, complications for overseas students and clashes between RAs and Residential Life.

During the first week of classes, Chancellor Emeritus William Danforth passed away at the age of 94. Danforth is considered to be one of Washington University’s most influential leaders, and has been credited with transforming the University from a “streetcar college” into an internationally-renowned research institution.

As the semester continued, promoting racial justice was a major focus for all members of the University community. A group of students started a mutual aid fund aimed at supporting Black students on campus, which raised over $5,000 within its first few weeks. Over the summer, Chancellor Andrew Martin had announced a commitment to accelerate the launch of the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity, establish an Equity and Inclusion Council and strengthen ties to the St. Louis community. In September, the University also announced the creation of a public safety committee to examine the role that the Washington University Police Department plays on campus.

However, student activists were often critical of the University’s tendency to respond to pressing issues by establishing committees and councils instead of taking direct action. Students held a number of protests and vigils over the course of the fall, calling for more direct action from the University, as well as the abolition of WUPD. During one protest, senior Sabrina Sayed spraypainted the word “colonizer” on the statue of George Washington outside of Olin Library, prompting a $1,500 fine from the University.

During the fall, the student body also reckoned with the role that

Greek Life should play on campus, after many students anonymously shared their negative experiences with Greek organizations through the instagram accounts @metoo_ washu, @blackatwashu and @ abolishwashuwpaandifc. As a result, over 50% of fraternity and sorority members chose to deactivate from their organizations during the summer, creating a divide between students committed to abolishing Greek Life and those committed to reforming it.

A few different sororities attempted to disband over the course of the semester, but were faced with resistance from their national organizations. Only Pi Beta Phi actually managed to follow through with this process in the fall, voting to relinquish its charter in October. Campus Life generally remained unsupportive of the abolition movement, prompting the resignation of 13 pro-abolition members of the co-curricular advisory board, a group aimed at determining the future of Greek Life on campus.

As the 2020 election cycle entered its final stages, a number of student organizations got involved in different ways. WashU Votes partnered with the Gephardt Institute to help students register to vote and get their ballots notarized in an effort to improve voter turnout on campus. More partisan groups such as the College Democrats and the College

Republicans focused their efforts on local elections including the close house race between Jill Schupp (D) and Ann Wagner (R), given that Trump was heavily favored to win Missouri.

Political discourse was also abundant during the fall semester, as the Danforth Dispatch, Washington University’s newest student publication, aimed at “critiqu[ing] the radical ideologies dominating campus culture,” turned some heads with its controversial headlines.

On Nov. 3, polling places both at Washington University and around the state experienced high turnout. However, although Democrats had hoped that high turnout would translate into victories for Democratic candidates, Republicans managed to capitalize on Missouri’s status as an increasingly red state and held onto many seats that Democrats had hoped to flip.

Although Washington University students have often been criticized for staying inside the sheltered “WashU bubble,” some student activists made efforts to advocate for important municipal issues such as police reform, while others attempted to build lasting relationships between students and St. Louis neighborhoods.

While COVID-19 cases at Washington University had remained consistently low during the early stages of the semester, campus

experienced its first major spike in November. Confusion over changes to the Thanksgiving break travel policy prompted criticism from both students and parents as cases continued to rise over the course of the month. As the semester came to an end, the University suspended indoor dining and limited non-COVID-19 related services at Habif Health and Wellness Center in an attempt to curb further spread of the virus.

The final controversy of the semester revolved around Washington University’s decision to cancel spring break and replace it with two “wellness days” in an effort to prevent students from engaging in risky behavior during spring break that might expose them to the virus. While students agreed with the end goal of preventing the spread of COVID-19, the reduction of a five day break to two individual days off prompted significant backlash. In order to address these concerns, the University restructured the semester to include a third wellness day, mandated that each department schedule two “study days” over the course of the semester, and took steps to ensure that these days off would actually be enforced.

The Jan. 6 insurrection at the United States capitol cast a shadow over the start to the year as students finished their fall exams and attempted to enjoy a few weeks of

Students advocate for defunding the police at St. Louis City Hall.

STUDENT LIFE

And thank you to the graduating student workers of the Washington University Libraries. We wish you happiness and success.

Zoe Al-Tawiti IDEA Intern

Anna Asiedu Brown School Library

Clinton Barney Scholarly Communication & Digital Publishing Services

Dee Cea Special Collections

Anwen Chen East Asian Library

Chen Chen Library Space and Building Operations Management

Flora Chen Kranzberg Art & Architecture Library

Ara Cho East Asian Library

Sydney Crump Library Space and Building Operations Management

Rusty Dagon Business Library

Tzu-Wei Enid Lin

Library Space and Building Operations Management

Joely Fisher Access Services

Leoul Gezu Library Space and Building Operations Management

Elaina Gillilan Brown School Library

Gabi Grasso Gaylord Music Library

Abbi Havens Brown School Library

Nick Kallah Gaylord Music Library

Eda Karacelebi Access Services

Corey Lau Brown School Library

Xinyu (Jack) Li Digitization

Dear Liu Kranzberg Art & Architecture Library

Rosie Lopolito Digitization

Charlie Martin Brown School Library

Jenny Nguyen Brown School Library

Anna Rhodes Brown School Library

Ryan Ricks Library Space and Building Operations Management

Steve Sedano Library Technology Services

Folakemi Shofu Law Library

Keyuan Song Law Library

Alia Thomas Access Services

Brook Wang Gaylord Music Library

Xi Wang Brown School Library

Aria Wu Assessment & Analytics

Yifei Yuan Digitization

rest over a shortened winter break. Eight University political science professors signed an open letter calling for President Donald Trump’s removal from office, Jan. 8, and some University donors, such as John Danforth and Sam Fox, announced they would stop supporting Sen. Josh Hawley following his role in the riot. But other donors, including two vice chairs of the University’s Board of Trustees, remained silent, and a group of alumni launched a political action committee later in the month to oppose Hawley’s re-election in 2024.

From an academic perspective, the spring mostly resembled the fall, as many classes remained remote and COVID-19 guidelines such as masking and distancing stayed in place on campus. COVID-19 cases on campus stayed high for much of the spring semester, even as infection rates declined across the St. Louis region. Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Rob Wild called the situation “dire” in a March email, and the University expanded surveillance testing to include walk-ins. Cases have fallen dramatically in April and May, allowing for the continuation of plans for commencement in-person.

The calls for abolition of Greek Life continued into the new semester even as hundreds of students joined Greek organizations through virtual recruitment processes. Sorority Alpha Omicron Pi officially disbanded its chapter at the University in Jan., joining Pi Beta Phi as the only chapters to do so. The Women’s Panhellenic Association (WPA) and students advocating for abolition held dueling panels in early February, as the WPA panel highlighted changes aimed at increasing equity while the second panel featured former members of Greek Life describing their reasons for leaving the organizations. Students led a protest from the East End to Fraternity Row weeks later, calling for fraternities to be dehoused with chants like “Don’t take my tuition, without Greek Life abolition” and “Hey hey, ho ho, WashU Greek Life has to go.”

Policing and public safety remained at the forefront of campus conversations as well. The University’s public safety committee, which met eight times between Oct. and Jan., released its final report at the end of February, calling for changes to the WUPD’s handling of mental health emergencies and suggesting reforms aimed at the department’s transparency and accountability. Executive Vice Chancellor for Civic Affairs and Strategic Planning Hank Webber told Student Life that the

University planned to implement the committee’s recommendations by the fall. Yet many activists, including some students who were on the committee, said the recommendations did not go far enough. They expressed dissatisfaction that some recommendations proposed increasing funding for WUPD and were frustrated over the University’s resistance to deeper conversations about systemic issues surrounding institutions of policing. Following the police killings of Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo in April, advocacy group WashU Students for Abolition held a protest outside Olin Library, where students draped a “Justice for Daunte’’ banner over the Washington statue and called again for the abolition of WUPD.

But those calls for change were not the only advocacy on campus. Students posted flyers saying “WashU Has a Problem” across campus in February to demand action on sexual violence prevention and support for people who have experienced sexual assault, while Student Union and Title Mine held a town hall with University administrators that month to unpack Trump Secretary of Education Betsy Devos’ new Title IX guidelines, which limited how student groups handle allegations of sexual assault against group members.

Student Union continued its other fall advocacy efforts into the spring, setting up a Mentorship Match program to connect freshmen and sophomores to upperclassmen and passing an amendment to disband class councils and incorporate them into the Social Programming Board. The University expanded its medical amnesty and active bystander policies in February to include all drugs instead of just alcohol, and at executive board elections in March, Ranen Miao won a second term as SU president after running unopposed. Student Union has supported efforts from numerous identity-based groups, such as the Association of Latin American Students and Asian and Pacific Islanders Demanding Justice, to “Disaggregate the Diaspora” which aims to collect more nuanced demographic data at the University. Mental health remained a key issue on campus, as pandemic restrictions and cold, dark winter weather often left students feeling isolated and depressed. A new Instagram account, @stillwaiting_washu, formed to highlight students’ negative experiences trying to navigate the Habif Health and Wellness Center’s mental healthcare offerings, and students struggled with burnout as

they had just the three wellness days for the entire semester.

Throughout the spring, the School of Medicine partnered with the Barnes-Jewish system to administer COVID-19 vaccines to qualified undergraduate and graduate students, as well as other community members, but most University students did not receive the vaccine until later in the semester. Students who received the vaccine early on, whether through their work in medical labs, their status as healthcare workers or other reasons, sometimes struggled to rationalize their early access, but gratitude pervaded their emotions as well. As the region struggled with issues of vaccine distribution equity — too many doses shipped to Missouri’s rural areas, for example, and a lack of availability in Black neighborhoods of St. Louis — some students took matters into their own hands, driving hours beyond the city to receive leftover doses. The School of Medicine opened vaccination to students on April 9, when all adults became eligible for the vaccine in Missouri, but had to pause distribution of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine because of the emergence of blood clots in six out of seven million vaccine recipients nationwide. Vaccine distribution resumed three days later

with a new supply of Pfizer vaccines and as of April 23, 1299 students and 1451 faculty and staff had been vaccinated through the University. In off-campus happenings, students participated in St. Louis city’s spring elections, which included both a March primary and an early April general. Voters elected city treasurer Tishaura Jones for mayor, choosing the first Black woman for the role in the city’s history and indicating a progressive shift from Lyda Krewson’s administration. Early in her time in office, Jones has committed to closing the Workhouse jail, an issue some University students have rallied around in the past.

Despite the challenges of yet another semester in a pandemic, University leadership has remained optimistic. Martin held his first annual State of the University address in February, saying that “I believe we are keeping our momentum, and I am extremely proud of this community and the many ways all of you have stepped up to help us continue to build on the firm foundation we have in place.” Although the exact details of the fall semester are still up in the air, Martin announced in March that Washington University will return to “predominantly in-person learning” by the fall.

Once Olin,

Here’s to the BSBA Class of 2024! You’ve worked hard, you’ve challenged yourself, you’ve made connections, and you’ve learned a lot. And now, exciting career paths are ahead of you. Wherever you go, whatever you do, always remember to stay engaged with WashU Olin. Because you may have been students for four years, but you’ll always be part of the Olin family.

Congratulations to Olin’s Newest Alumni!

Aisha Hassanah Ali

Courtney Arellano

Aviral Prakash Asthana

Connor Reale Baars

Simon Yoohyun Baek

Noah Bahary

Maria Constance Bapis

Noah Michael Basson

Alexander James Battin

Arielle Fein Bauer

James William Benacerraf

Kayzad Bharucha

Alexandra Jennifer Blake

Ari Benjamin Blumkin

Jalen Terrell Bogard

Jessica Leigh Brooks

Rene Jalece Brooks

Julia Emily Candiotti

Cullen David Capuano

Alexander Martin Casale

Nathaniel Ari Case

Kyle John Catry

Sandro Ion Sergiu Celebidachi

Aileen Hsin-Yun Chang

Sai Tejaswi Chittemsetty

Cynthia Chong

Natasha Chuka

Abigail Jillian Clapp

Alexander Julius Cohan

Michael Anthony Costello II

Matt Hamilton Cummings

Jared Francis Cunningham

Brett Mitchell Davis

Grace Di Bartolomeo

Aviva Michal Diamond

Daniel Diviney

James Charles Donohue V

Audrey Sinclair Egly

Rose Helena Feinbloom

Jonathan Adam Fishman

Emily Marie Flores

Gavin S Frank

Arjun Singh Garcha

Neha Alice George

Henry Paxton Frederick Goldberg

Jordan Danielle Goldberg

Lindsey Anne Gorman

Ian Bishop Greene

Aaron Zachary Gross

Julia Elizabeth Guagliardo

James Andrew Hahn

Rabee Haidari

Adam Lee Haiken

Terrell David Harris

Alina Haryani

Zach Feldman Hausner

Si Tong He

Kyle Jaime Hernandez

Yuliana Hernandez Gonzalez

Rebecca Vered Hershkowitz

Adrian Jyren Hong

Richard Hong

Claire Caroline Hortin

Constance Ting Hu

Huaibi Hu

Jessica Manyue Huang

Chloe Suzanne Hughlett

Madison Alexa Hunt

Jason Eric Hyman

Gianna Christine Inguagiato

Sophie Navoa Jejurikar

Annalise Claire Johnson

Landon Kirk Johnson

Abigail Elizabeth Jones

Mamotaz Kalam

Hayley Beth Kalb

Max William Keane

Eytan Tzvi Kent

Ryan Glenn Kerr

Inara Jasmine Khan

Rachel Mary Kleban

Kelsey Joline Kloezeman

Diya Krishnan

Kevin Kroh

Spencer Maxwell Lampkin

Dylan Grant Lane

Ashley Nicole Le

Gina Lee

Gwyneth Madelaine Elizabeth Lee

Tia Danielle Lemberg

Mishon Joyce Fumei Levine

Isabelle Levy

Abigail W Li

Grace M Li

Joyce Li

Emily Jordan Lin

Spencer Clayton Linenberg

Larry Liu

Madison Brooke Low

Benjamin Jake Lurie

Matthew A Magnani

Tommaso Riccardo Maiocco

Zachary Sherwin Malis

Adam Zimbel Marcus

Grace Elizabeth Medeiros

Arun Vikram Mehra

Eric Glasgow Meindl

Bryanna Mendez

Lucienne Alexandra Merkatz

Jacob Carl Middleman

John Frederick Miller

Spencer Max Min

Rohan K Mirchandani

Ann-Marie B Misati

Ezra Mishkel

Hiba Nafisa Mohammad

Justin Max Morgenstern

Jonathan Dylan Mosberg

Adira Rachel Muller

Andrew Peter Ng

Visit olin.wustl.edu/alumni for alumni resources.

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Reece Allen Nicholson

Andre Christopher Lee Noronha

Robert John Palla

Aashna Parameshwar

Yu June Park

Puja Patel

Travis Henry Paulsen

Shriya Penmetsa

Faith Chidiebere Phillips

Jared Matthew Phillips

Quade Lee Pohlman

Daniel Mark Prindiville

Davis Todd Rae

Pranav Skanda Ram

Vinya K Reddy

Oliver Luke Reinhardt

Nathan Harold Weil Rogers

Ariela Sofia Romero

Mariana Monserrath Rosales

Daniel Sacks

Sebastian Salazar

Ashley Jordan Sann

Daniel Ian Saslow

Nelle Barrett Schantz

Adam Mark Schwartz

Krish Sibal

Madeline Sophie Siegel

Rebecca Adele Lyons Silver

Gaurav Singh

Sudyut Sinha

Gabriel James Sirek

Jonathan William Sky

Scott Frederic Sobol

Misheel Lauren Sodgerel

Sydney Grace Solomon

Gillian Song

Benjamin Ross Sorota

Michael William Spenner

Aidan Auguste Stutts

Melanie Heyu Sun

Yuyao Sun

Ian Alexander Symonds

William Dakin Taft

Casey Jane Taitel

Stella Thomas

Julian Indy Tornusciolo

Samuel Max Triester

William Vincent Valdes

Christopher John Vartanian

Michael Robert Vaughn

Noah Vermes

Carl Vestberg

Melissa Villegas-Marin

Lauren Elizabeth Wagner

Olivia Barrett Wagner

Brook J Wang

Hyun Jeong Wang

Yuxuan Wang

Brynn Elle Weisholtz

Sydney Caroline West

Krystina Wilson

Matthew Steven Wilton

Conner D Wood Sr.

Leyin Wu

Calvin Z Xie

Melinda Li Xu

Jiawen Yu

Katherine Yu

Yichuan Yu

Benjamin Joseph Zalta

Rutger Zenner

Davina Zhou

Nathaniel Louis Zitner

A LOOK AT POP CULTURE DURING CURRENT WU SENIORS’ FIRST YEAR AS STUDENTS

Olivia Lee Junior Scene Editor

PANDEMIC REWIND: 20202021

“Love is Blind”

In February, this reality dating show that posed the question “Is love really blind?” went truly viral on social media. The show’s singles all attempted to become engaged to other participants, despite never seeing each other and only speaking to each other through “pods.” Though most pairings ended in a dumpster fire, one couple, Lauren and Cameron, are still together!

Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage”

Stallion’s fierce song “Savage” went absolutely viral on TikTok in March. Started by Keke Wilson, the dance to Stallion’s song exploded with individuals like Charli D’Amelio, Addison Rae, Jennifer Lopez, and Keke Palmer partaking.

X Æ A-12 aka Elon Musk and Grimes’ baby

Good luck to this kid when attendance is taken in school. In May, Elon Musk and Grimes announced the

The years of 2020 and 2021, the first year of college for our now graduating seniors, was a wild time. Though the days of self-screening and social distancing were treacherous, pop culture had some incredible moments.

Here’s a look back at some of the most memorable pop-culture stories for 2020 and 2021!

name of their new baby…that’s right, it’s X Æ A-12. Can anyone pronounce this name? Doubtful.

Taylor Swift’s “folklore” drops

On a random July morning, Taylor Swift decided to surprise the world with her album “folklore.” The album debuted at No. 1, making it Swift’s seventh No. 1 debut. The album became the best-selling album of the year, and marked the beginning of Swift’s adventure into “the woods” as she experimented with a folksy sound.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris win the presidential election

After months of debates and news stories, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (the first female vice president!) were declared the winners of the 2020 presidential election. And, of course, we got the iconic “we did it Joe!” meme — a gift that keeps on giving.

“driver’s license” by Olivia Rodrigo

On Jan. 8, Olivia Rodrigo released her hit single “driver’s license.” The track caused many fans to speculate about the love triangle between the singer, Joshua Bassett, and Sabrina Carpenter, all while shooting Rodrigo to stardom.

Bernie Sanders’ mittens…

What could be more meme-worthy than Bernie Sanders’ inaugurationday fit? Sanders looked bored and unimpressed with the event, but thankfully, he had his mittens to warm him up!

Squid Game

Ruled the most-viewed Netflix show of all time, “Squid Game” was released in September of 2021. This gruesome TV show captivated the eyes of many, and Netflix has (finally) announced that season two will be released sometime in 2024.

The Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Interview

After departing from the royal family, Harry and Meghan filmed a tell-all with Oprah Winfrey in March, revealing many intimate details of their life as royals. This interview, of course, gave us the iconic clip: “Were you silent, or were you silenced?”

#FreeBritney

In 2021, the #FreeBritney movement was in full force, with fans protesting for the end of Britney Spears’ conservatorship. The conservatorship placed her father in control of both her life and her finances. In November, 10 days following the New York Times documentary “Framing Britney Spears,” Spears’ conservatorship came to an end.

BY JAIME HEBEL

WashU’s 2024 seniors reflect on their modified high school graduations while looking forward to graduation and commencement

Elizabeth Stump, Zach Trabitz, and Aliana Mediratta News Editor, Investigative News Editor, and Managing News Editor

Washington University’s Class of 2024 experienced many disappointments during their senior year of high school due to cancellations because of COVID-19. They missed out on traditional milestones such as senior prom, senior trips, and graduation. For the students who did have graduations, they experienced modified versions with social distancing and masks obscuring their peers’ faces.

As things have returned to normalcy, WashU’s seniors will get to have a traditional graduation without masks and pandemic-related fear. Although a normal college graduation cannot make up for the missed high school traditions, their upcoming graduation and commencement ceremony will allow them to at least experience an important rite of passage before they begin their careers or pursue graduate education.

Senior Maddy Singleton described the modifications to her high school graduation because of the pandemic.

“For my high school graduation they had a drive-through parade and everybody came out to grab the diplomas and to see everyone,” Singleton said. “After that they had a graduation in June for us that was outside and socially distanced.”

Bristol Hough had a similar experience with her graduation.

“It was on a soccer field where all of our chairs could be spaced out six feet apart and we had to wear masks,” Hough said. “Obviously, it was not ideal, but it could have been worse. I’m glad we got something because I feel like a lot of people did not get anything.”

Other seniors, like Curtis Hung, had their graduation ceremony moved to an online format.

“For high school graduation, all the speeches were online, which was kinda funny, honestly, in a callous humor kind of way,” Hung said.

Senior Isabela Llevat laughed as she reflected on her high school graduation — not just a drivethrough, but one where teachers used plastic claw grabber toys to hand students their diplomas.

She expects a bit of a different experience this time around.

“I’ve always heard about what graduation is supposed to feel like, the catharsis of it,” she said. “With graduation before, I could only really celebrate with my family, so it will be nice to end this year with everyone I began this journey with.”

Because of all the modifications and cancellations during their senior year, WashU’s Class of 2024 is especially looking forward to their college graduation.

“I’m really excited to spend time with my friends and family and to have a lot of family in town,” Hough said. “I think it [the upcoming ceremony] will have a really nice sense of community without being

spaced out and all that.”

The seniors also offered some thoughts on the choice of Jennifer Coolidge as WashU’s 2024 Commencement speaker.

“I feel like I’m not aware of anything she stands for, so I’m a little curious,” Singleton said. “I hope that she’s gonna tell us something funny. I think she’s just gonna show up and crack a few jokes.”

Hung believes that Coolidge was selected because she is uncontroversial, although he said she feels disconnected from his life.

“I think that she is aggressively unoffensive, so I wasn’t upset. I was rather indifferent when they announced it,” Hung said. “I don’t expect to be particularly inspired by someone who is on a much different life path than mine.”

Senior Lyla Renwick-Archibold said

that Coolidge was the perfect pick for the class that experienced so many disappointments during their senior year of high school.

“I feel like she’s perfect. Because I do not want to have a speaker that is like, ‘Oh, your class has been through so much with the pandemic,’” Renwick-Archibold said. “I’m honestly so tired of hearing about that. I feel like it’s nice to have someone who’s gonna be funny and add levity to the ceremony.”

Four years ago, Singleton felt like she missed out on an opportunity to reflect on her achievements and just take a moment to be proud, something she is looking forward to this May.

“I’m definitely sad,” Singleton said. “But I’m definitely looking forward to celebrating everybody.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JAIME HEBEL

COACHES’ LETTERS

to departing senior athletes

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for this year’s senior class and your resilience through such a challenging four years. COVID-19 as a first-year experience, so wild and yet you persisted. COVID impacting your second year, and yet you hung around. What a Junior Year Comeback; despite so many injuries, we fought for first place in the UAA till the last weekend of games, earning a spot in the NCAA tournament. Heading into your senior seasons, graduating six impactful seniors and bringing in six first-years; people said this year was going to be a “rebuild,” people expected it to be a struggle. And of course it was at times, but wow, did you guys help bring us together and help us grow beyond expectation. Your leadership as a class; each shining in different roles for our team, carrying those roles with pride, committing to doing your part to modeling the way for others to follow. Our program is in such a special place because we had you three setting such high standards. Katie, I know the road was not easy. Your injury journey as an athlete was simply unfair. Your strength and resolve through it all was inspiring and impressive. What you did with your circumstances, who you became, how you found joy and kept growing as a person and a leader even though it was forced to be from the sidelines; I am so proud of who you chose to be, how you showed up every day for your team and the teammate you became regardless of all those hard times. And, thankful for

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

To our lovely seniors, Alden, Lily, and Paris…wow, the time has gone by so fast! Congratulations on an amazing four years! Man, you three have put in some work and have left such a wonderful impact on WashU and our program. Your first year of college will go down in history and one to remember…the single rooms, matching masks, orderedin food, sanitizing VBs, etc…I am so grateful you three had the mental toughness and persistence to stick with things! You all have left your mark with our program and with your teammates. You always made things so fun. It has been a pleasure for me to watch you grow and develop the people around you. You have enriched

LI | STUDENT LIFE

the No Excuses Standard you set for any injured player in our program to follow.

Christina, your journey was not easy either. Being a role player is always challenging, and to do it at a consistently high level of energy and effort, even harder. You did that. You were relentless in it. You brought it every day, never stopped learning, asking questions and trying to get better. You made our team better every day by your work and the investment and care you showed your teammates every practice and game. You are an excellent role model for our younger players in how to make a positive impact from any role, every day. So grateful for your approach to modeling your role with impact & influence.

Jessica, thank you for staying the course through the hard, trusting the process, and for your part in bringing this group together and fighting for your best every day with so much joy. We will save the rest of your senior shoutouts for next year! Let’s run it back!

“The women I love and admire for their strength and grace did not get that way because things worked out. They got that way because things went wrong and they handled it. They handled it a thousand different ways on a thousand different days, but they handled it. Those women are my superheroes.”

- Elizabeth Gilbert

So much love,

Coach Henderson #B4L

the culture of our program, made things fun, and have made so many impacts around campus. I couldn’t be prouder of you all. We wish you the best of luck in your next endeavors. Please don’t be strangers and let us know if you ever need anything.

Coach Walby

MEN’S BASKETBALL

It’s hard to fathom how fast your time at WashU has gone! To see what you have accomplished during your time here is a testament to your work ethic and drive. You have made your mark while discovering yourself in the process. We have been through some hard times together that have revealed the strong character that each of you possess. You both are terrific embodiments of our program values. You are selfless leaders that

put the team above personal pursuits. It has been an honor to be in the “bunker” with you the past four years as we worked to be our best. I am so excited to hear how you make the teams and organizations in your future pursuits better…because that is what you do! Congratulations men…One Fist!!

Coach Juckem

JASMINE

SAM POWERS | STUDENT LIFE

WOMEN’S TENNIS TRACK AND FIELD SOFTBALL

Dear Karen, Kat, Maggie, and Natalie,

Thank you for all your amazing contributions over the last four years! Thank you for choosing to be a BEAR and bringing your best to our program. I have greatly enjoyed each day and season with you, and our team would not be the same without “JOLT.” Through your hard work, dedication, and absolute LOVE for the Bears, you have taken our program to new heights and set a program record for our highest-ever national ranking. While not every moment was easy, each of you showed incredible grit and perseverance to overcome adversity and bring your best to our team. I am forever grateful for your efforts and how you have set the tone for this era of WashU women’s tennis!

I will always remember our van rides, singing “Unstoppable,” our early days of COVID-19 masking and freezing cold outdoor meals, Kat’s backhand poach, Maggie’s aces, Nat’s all-out sprint on the run to hit a forehand passing shot, and Karen’s BIG forehand. You will be greatly missed next year.

Thank you, senior Bears! Remember, once a Bear, always a Bear – welcome to the WashU Bears Alumna group and see you soon!

RAWR forever,

Coach Madara

BRI NITSBERG | STUDENT LIFE

MEN’S TENNIS

Men’s Tennis Seniors — Congrats to you as you are graduating from WashU come May 13. I know you all are ready to face the next challenges in front of you as you navigate your careers and graduate school.

Akshay — The “Doctor”

Henri — The Missile Server

Gaurav — The Team Huddle Spark Plug

Jared — Lefty game we all wished we had!

Jeremy — The ever-present Team Leader.

2024 seniors,

It is hard to believe that four years is almost over; thank you for being an integral part of the WUXCTF family and making it something very special. Each one of you has become a HIB (High Impact Bear). While each one of you has a very different story, I hope each of you experienced what it means to be a part of something bigger than yourself through two teams, one family. This group has experienced the extremes of having seasons canceled along with the highs of winning a national championship and still we have half of the outdoor season still to go. I believe that over time you will come to realize that the challenges you have faced will have molded your character immensely more than the mountain-top experiences and have prepared you to become high impact leaders in your communities and families. Know that you are loved and have a special purpose ahead of you. I am excited to see how each one of you will impact the world. You will always be a Bear and I hope you each aspire to continue to be a High Impact Bear who leaves a legacy everywhere you go, as you become the best version of yourself!

Go Bears, Gordon, JJ, Kon, Kyle, Lane, Nick, Ray, Richard, Stiles, and Tommy

COURTESY OF WASHU ATHLETICS

We look forward to learning about your next chapter in your journey.

Go BEARS!!

Roger and Bob

Dear seniors Emily, Emma, and Ashley and super senior, Payton, It has been a pleasure to watch you grow and influence those around you, and my only wish is that we had more time together. A change of coaching staff is never easy, but I am so proud of the way you all navigated it and the chance that you gave me, personally. Emily, thank you for always keeping our program’s standards at the forefront of your mind. Thank you for finding a way to connect everyone on this team with your “question of the day” and being the glue that holds us all together. Your dedication to excellence, structure and fun is something that everyone around you admires and for that, this program is better because of you and your leadership.

Speaking of fun, Ashley and Emma, thank you for always bringing silly conversation to our team and for the unforgettable bus conversations. The ridiculous giggle because I caught the tail end of goofy conversations will be something I miss dearly, but I know someone will continue this tradition. Beyond the silliness, Ashley, thank you for your passion for life and for this sport. Your energy, on and off the field, is contagious and something I admire

WOMEN’S SOCCER

THANK YOU for never wavering. Sid, Kate, Hailee, Jess, Sarah, and Tyler, you epitomize what this soccer family is about. You came to WashU as seven individuals and you will graduate WashU as seven friends bonded like very few that have come before you. You had opportunities to “give up” but you never did. You were resilient. You were determined. You woke up every day, put two feet on the ground, and make the choice that Win The Day. Your focus, love, and vision led us to the National Championship Game. Yes, you have won a lot of games in your career, but you have earned so much more. You have become leaders and in doing so have positively impacted so many people’s lives. As you graduate, the women’s soccer family wishes you nothing but the best. You are ready to crush it. You

about you. Emma, your uncanny ability to be lighthearted and competitive at the same time is something I hope others take with them because it’s needed in this world. Thank you for showing me that balance.

Payton, although you’re hard of hearing sometimes, I hope you hear this: Thank you for your commitment to this team and coming back for another year. Your fire and energy for this game (and life) spreads into everyone on this team and it is something that has pushed us as a program and something that will carry you so far in life. Don’t ever lose your fire. I feel extremely lucky and grateful to have had the chance to coach you and watch you lead. Always in your corner, CC

are prepared, you are confident and you are remarkable. Trust your preparation as you continue to achieve greatness. I am so very proud of each of you and humbled to be your coach.

Jim Conlon Women’s Soccer, Head Coach

COURTESY OF WASHU ATHLETICS

LYDIA NICHOLSON | STUDENT LIFE

CLARA RICHARDS | STUDENT LIFE

FOUR MOMENTS OVER FOUR YEARS:

Current WashU sports look a lot different than they did four years ago. In 2020, COVID-19 had shut down all sports programs in the NCAA. The Bears were forced to lift outside on Francis Field, eat sandwiches outside the buses on travel trips, and eventually compete in front of completely empty stands. The difference between that and the 2023-24 competition has been enormous; over the past year alone, WashU has come agonizingly close to two national-championship titles and played hundreds of competitive games in the UAA and CCIW.

It’s hard to isolate four moments over the past four years. There’s been so much joy, so much hard work poured in, and so many valuable stories that capture the sacrifices that WashU student-athletes have made. As the sports editor for two years, I was on the sidelines for many of those high-pressure makeor-break moments. I became wellversed in the unrelenting schedules that WashU sports demanded of its athletes — the time on the road and the quick offseason that quickly melts into preseason lifts. I’ve experienced the intense joy and the occasional heartbreak that inevitably accompanies every sports team, regardless of its division. After spending hundreds of hours on the sidelines, in the bleachers, and glued to the live stream, I’ve compiled the top-four WashU sports moments of the past four years, in no particular order.

Baseball competes in the 2021 Division III World Series

Going into the 2021 postseason, WashU baseball had a 28-3 record. Their success stemmed from an accumulation of a lethal pitching staff, second baseman Tim Van Kirk raking at the leadoff spot, and shortstop Caleb Durbin punching third — and proof that the team could execute in high-pressure situations. Collectively, the group put up some wild statistics— senior sidearm pitcher Jared Fong had a 0.36 ERA in 50 innings pitched, ace Ryan Loutos had 116 punchouts, and Caleb Durbin didn’t strike out looking in 141 at-bats. The postseason games were a perfect encapsulation of the team’s competitiveness all season. They

had two wide-margin wins and two close losses against the University of St. Thomas. Their trip ended with a barnburner to St. Thomas, with the Tommies scoring three runs in the top of the ninth inning to push the Bears out of the tournament in a 6-4 loss. Still, the Bears battled into extra innings during the tournament. There were watermelon celebrations involved. The then-freshman class stepped up after senior staple Henry Singer was injured. WashU alumni and friends gathered from both coasts to support the team. It was heart-in-your throat baseball from a team that showed that they belonged in the conversations as one of the best Division III teams in the nation.

Men’s basketball wins the second round game of the 2024 NCAA tournament

Sitting in the second-round game of the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament this year, I felt a very acute sense of deja vu. I had sat in the fieldhouse twice before and watched the team fall by a tiny margin both times, and it felt like a curse that the Bears would never overcome, at least while I was at WashU.

But, with mere seconds left on the clock and the Bears trailing by one, sophomore Yogi Oliff sunk a pair of free-throws despite having struggled from the line all season. A halfcourt shot from their Illinois College opponents fell just short, and the WashU student section rushed to celebrate on the court. The mosh of students and celebration post-game on the hardwood of the Fieldhouse felt like the perfect ending to the last basketball game that I’ll get at WashU.

Women’s soccer punches their ticket to the 2023 final four

The Elite Eight round of the 2023 NCAA Women’s Soccer tournament was a game of equalizing, an epic back-and-forth that came down to an extra 20-minute period, a last-minute goal from first-year Julia Moore, and a 4-4 PK standoff that came down to the final kick. On a high-pressure penalty kick, graduate student Ally Hackett slotted the ball in the bottom left corner of the net and ended a curse that had haunted the Bears for three seasons — their past three postseason defeats had been

defined by penalty shootout losses. Under head coach Jim Conlon, the program has cemented itself as a national-championship contender again and again, and the 2023 season was a perfect example of that. The final four matchup, which also went down to PKs, was another emotional win on the biggest stage in Division III soccer, and the team ended up falling one goal short in the championship game against California Lutheran University. In front of a home crowd, the Elite Eight win was an electric fulfillment of a season of hard work, and stands out as a moment to remember.

Emma Kelley runs the fastest 800 in Division III history

As of April 2024, women’s trackand-field star Emma Kelley has not lost an individual event, excluding

preliminary rounds, since the 2022 NCAA Championships. Even then, she finished second, running a Top 10 all-time mark in Division III history. It’s hard to describe how dominant Kelley has been. She has the school record in the 400, the 800, and the 1500 outdoors. Most recently, she won the 800-meter 2023 Indoor Track title. Not many athletes at this school would need a trophy shelf for their NCAA hardware, but Kelley has won so many trophies that she’s going to need a whole new room in her house to stash them.

And at a broader level, she’s one member in a strong 400/800 meter group of female athletes who have taken the women’s sprint and middistance group to new heights. Many former athletes are now using their extra year of eligibility at the Division I level, and head coach Jeff Stiles has established the program as a verifiable powerhouse.

Clara Richards Staff Writer

Women’s soccer celebrates after punching their ticket to national championship weekend.

Emma Kelley poses with a trophy after running the fastest 800m in DIII history.

Henry Singer, outfielder on the 2021 WashU baseball team, rounds the bases in a playoff game.

BRI NITSBERG | STUDENT LIFE

COURTESY OF WASHU ATHLETICS

COURTESY OF WASHU ATHLETICS

Photos by Clara Richards, Alan Zhou, WashU Athletics

THURTENE PHOTO ESSAY THURTENE PHOTO ESSAY

Photos by Bri Nitsberg

GOODBYE SOUTH 40: a senior’s reflections on college

Reilly Brady Staff Writer

I’ve lived on the South 40 for all four years of my WashU undergraduate experience. I’ve lived in a dorm with walls painted a yellow, vomit-like hue; I’ve lived in a dorm with layers of mold in and around the vents; I’ve lived as both resident and RA.

Friends and others who meet me often poke fun at my years of South 40 life. “Aren’t you sick of BD food?” they ask. (Definitely). “Isn’t it weird to live with freshmen?” (No, I love them. Shoutout to any of my past or current residents).

In response to these questions, I often joke about having a sort of Stockholm Syndrome for the South 40. I can’t stop complaining about it, but in my years at WashU, I never permanently left the 40, either. Until now. As I sit writing this piece, there’s exactly four weeks until I leave the South 40 for the final time.

Despite my musings about my years on the South 40, it’s not the physical location I’ll miss. I have no doubt I’ll move on quickly from my once-mold-infested dorm room and that large cardboard box I never unpacked. As I reflect on my time at WashU, I remember the people, the communities, the events, and other memories that I can keep with me as I graduate. Some of those memories are quite distinct to the experiences of the Class of 2024. I started my first year at WashU on the South 40 in 2020 in the height of COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, the first-years were placed alone

in dorms to help limit the spread. The entire South 40 was just firstyears — though I never really went anywhere else because of health precautions. As I’m describing my freshman year, I already feel like a grandma relaying the hardships of the past to her grandchildren. (“Back in my day, I could only lay eyes on the ugly yellow walls of Umrath House…”).

I point out the uniqueness of my freshmen year not to suggest that the Class of 2024 had the worst freshman experience, though that could certainly be argued, but to emphasize how much has changed since I arrived at WashU in 2020.

I’m sure that the current class of first-years will look back in four years and be able to track similar changes. While we all have shared knowledge from residing on this campus — with distinct terminology as well, as words like BD and DUC and WILD are only intelligible to a WashU alum — each graduating

year also has unique institutional knowledge and memories accumulated over time.

It’s both hopeful and disappointing. I’ve seen the reintroduction of some campus traditions and freshman year activities that I never got to participate in. But I’ve also seen more disappointing shifts in feeling a frustrating loss of collective memory over time of events from my first year, as I wrote about recently, for example, concerning Greek Life in the summer of 2020.

Despite these shifts, one thing hasn’t changed. I entered college undecided, and I’m leaving undecided as well. There’s a lot of uncertainty that I felt at 18 years old that hasn’t gone away as I enter that mysterious thing called a “gap year.” I don’t know yet what will come next.

However, the support I have felt from friends and communities at WashU leave me feeling more sure

than ever; more sure in myself, and more sure that it’ll all work out somehow. After graduation, there’s no doubt that I’ll begin to feel nostalgia for a Nintendo Switch tournament in a common room or a 1 a.m. trip to Paws and Go or the stuffy StudLife office. But it’s not the places themselves that will evoke fond memories; it’s the people who I will truly miss.

As I depart my South 40 dorm each day for the next four weeks before the final time I close the door, I’ll likely find myself becoming more and more reminiscent as my undergraduate years come to an end. But for now, I’ll hold off on staring longingly and romantically out onto the South 40 from a window (until the inevitable sound of a fire alarm or a shouted obscenity) and try instead to spend as much time as possible with the people for whom I will never be able to truly express the extent of my gratitude and love.

“However, the support I have felt from friends and communities at WashU leave me feeling more sure than ever; more sure in myself, and more sure that it’ll all work out somehow.”

‘Oh, the places we’ll go!’

Jasmine Stone Senior Forum Editor

The band hall is bustling and lively at 8 a.m. with the members of the high school wind ensemble. Plastic chairs scrape across the linoleum, and double reeds soak their mouthpieces when Mr. Williams takes the podium.

“Okay band. We should be set.”

“They said it’s in the U.S. now. Y’all heard about the girl that died?”

“I don’t believe that. Ebola all over again.”

“Ebola wasn’t half as contagious, not to mention —”

“Percussion, whenever you’re ready.”

It’s January 2020, and I’m in my senior year of high school. We exchange a look as Mr. Williams sighs exasperatedly, his baton and eyebrows raised the same. The winds play the opening notes, and, standing by our keyboards and drum sets, we keep whispering theories about the mystery disease’s validity, passing a mini bottle of Purell between us, discreetly, to be funny.

Mr. Williams informs the woodwinds that their intonation sounds like “a bunch of warring Indians,” imitating the stereotypical war cry with his hands, and boys playing tubas muffle their snickers in the brass, their red hats dangling off the backs of their plastic chairs.

In Advanced Placement (AP) Government and Politics, Mr. Johnson doesn’t believe in disclosing his political beliefs to his students, so he’s completely neutral when he disallows critiques of the 45th president and openly, objectively offers his critiques of the 44th. It’s with an expert lack of bias that he tells us we’re only liberals because we’re young, and

that this and our optimism will fade with paying taxes.

But before we had a chance to participate in our preferred democracy and elect a prom queen, or do our Senior walk through the halls of the elementary school, life as we knew it came to an abrupt end. In its place was one where we were all asked to imagine the end of the world, to be confined to one room in a new place for over a year,

other’s lives that were also captured on camera, that racism hadn’t in fact “ended,” that microaggressions abound in every setting, that George Floyd and Breonna Taylor were two of an endless list of those wrongfully murdered by the police, that historically white Greek organizations have incredibly racist histories and still perpetuate that racism today, that racial colorblindness doesn’t exist, and

people and other marginalized groups in America, collectively, when we were all home and seemingly unified against a singular set of evils.

Perhaps we became more willing to challenge the problematic beliefs held by loved ones because many were at a distance, so we weren’t able to engage with these relationships anyway; perhaps we were more willing to denounce and secede from certain organizations for their blatant racism, homophobia, sexism, and classism because we weren’t able to participate in them anyway.

In making social movements trending topics online, we also somewhat dissociate from their reality, making the activism itself dependent on algorithms and a majority stance. But we can’t afford to repeatedly relearn everything we committed so much reeducation to in 2020.

“The willingness to listen and extend compassion to one another created opportunities for understanding and some of the most meaningful acts of resistance.” a senior’s perspective on change

to realize that “certain” things in life don’t always stay that way, and that what’s important can become futile, and discrimination that’s decidedly nonexistent for some institutions can be unveiled as foundational to them all.

In the midst of uncertainty, things previously prioritized like blind productivity and grind culture took a back burner to learning how to take care of ourselves and each other during prolonged and numerous forms of suffering. Heartwarming content reminding us to appreciate each other flooded our timelines. The willingness to listen and extend compassion to one another created opportunities for understanding and some of the most meaningful acts of resistance. We witnessed the less heartwarming moments in each

that every individual must make an active investment in antiracism and every institution in unlearning the white supremacist biases that support them.

Now things have physically gone back to normal, and today’s college first-years have thankfully never known a virtual Bear Beginnings and a class schedule conducted over Zoom. There will be and have been WILDs, wellness days are a thing of the past, meals are eaten properly in open dining halls, and clubs and organizations conduct business as usual.

There are some things, however, I wish hadn’t resumed so suddenly, things that many are only willing or able to see when everything else in life stops. Many felt they had no choice but to acknowledge the injustices experienced by Black

Capitalistic grind culture may be back in full throttle, and clubs and classes and jobs may be back to their regularly scheduled programming, but the epiphanies we had about equity, mental health, and the importance of giving each other grace during COVID-19 weren’t specific to the virus; the racial injustice that gained the world’s attention in 2020 obviously didn’t start or end there.

At any rate, I hope Mr. Johnson wasn’t right, and that liberalism and activism aren’t confined to the moments we feel least inconvenienced by. As we’ve seen through recent acts of blatant racism on our own campus like the BD egging “incident”— and various responses from people still hesitant to label it as such — history will repeat itself with repercussions. That is, if we do not preserve a willingness to be honest and uncomfortable, we have decidedly chosen the egos of those with privilege over the search for a genuinely inclusive and liveable space.

PHOTOS FROM THIS YEAR’S GUEST SPEAKERS

Shoe designer Stuart Weitzman talks about fashion

Sex educator Emily Nagoski discusses how to have meaningful relateonships.

Columnist David Brooks sparks at Graham Chapel about how people can better connect with each other.

Jewish Matchmaker Aleeza Ben Shalom brings up four students to help them find their perfect match.

Reverend Billy from the Church of Earthallujah talks about his religious beliefs.

Emma Sulkowicz talks about political activism and what it has meant to her.

Author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah talks his most recent book “Chain Gang All-Stars.”

LAKSHMI MULGUND | STUDENT LIFE

ALAN ZHOU | STUDENT LIFE

SAM POWERS | STUDENT LIFE

BRI NITSBERG | STUDENT LIFE

JAMIE NICHOLSON | STUDENT LIFE

BRI NITSBERG | STUDENT LIFE

ELLA GIERE | STUDENT LIFE

ALAN ZHOU | STUDENT LIFE

Brian Baumgartner talks about his acting career.

Senior Letters

Goodbye WashU - William Labrador

It’s sort of interesting to be saying goodbye to WashU. Unlike many of my fellow seniors writing goodbye letters, I will be returning in three months to continue a Ph.D. program, which will take another six years of my life, meaning that the freshmen that I have gotten to know will be “heading out into the world” before me. Nonetheless, there are still some things that I will be leaving behind as I begin grad school.

I can’t remember ever being good at goodbyes. The last time I had to say goodbye like this was middle school. I’m a big proponent of the Irish Goodbye, possibly in part because I know (or maybe have convinced myself) that I will see my friends again. Our high school goodbyes were accelerated by COVID-19. I didn’t know that calling in sick to a track meet meant that I would never compete again. My classmates and I celebrated that the rumors about a kid having COVID-19 meant that we wouldn’t be taking that big physics test, not knowing that we wouldn’t have a graduation or a prom or any sort of fulfilling goodbye.

So by the time I got to WashU, the excitement was for a whole bunch of “hellos.” Saying hello to my new roommates, I remember running through the entire building not being able to stop until my room was fully set up. I remembered largely choosing WashU because of the people, and so I was excited to say hello, and meet, and contribute to the energy myself. Making friends who wouldn’t let the pandemic stop us from being friends was a life-giving experience. I still fondly remember and sometimes want to return to the freshman Resistance games we played and the night where we played a real-life game of Among Us, running throughout the entire Eliot B building trying to complete tasks. I remember the late nights hanging out on the Rutledge balcony.

I will remember how every Thursday night for the past four years has had something special to do. I remember taking trips to Chabad, despite being a Catholic myself, to eat with my group of friends (we call ourselves “Chillin”) and then taking the long trip back to talk and hang out in Justin and Cam’s suite while discussing whatever one of the various topics that one of us could come up with. I remember all the late nights spent wandering the East End, sitting on the balcony to Brookings, and I will cherish the parties and poker games and road trips with friends, and the retreats.

I recently heard someone describe what the perfect farewell is supposed to be. Just three phrases: “Thank you, I’m sorry, I love you”. While I am still convinced I will reunite with some of my oldest and closest friends here, including Jared, Julia, and Via,

who are also saying goodbye, and I fully intend to keep up with StudLife somehow throughout my next six years, I still have to say a potentially permanent goodbye to the college experience and to the version of me that was created these past four years.

In that spirit, thank you, WashU. Thank you for the opportunity to have a college experience that made me excited to wake up every day. Thank you for the chance to do anything and everything I wanted to try. Thank you to all of my friends who have supported me, taught me something new, and made me smile and laugh. Thank you to all my roommates who put up with me and listened to me ramble. Thank you to my advisors and mentors who helped me find and get closer to my passion. Thank you to the WashU Catholic Student Center and StudLife for helping me to exercise and grow in my leadership skills in projects I truly care about. Thank you Lab for surprising me. For being fearless and seeking out memories.

In all honesty, I don’t have much that I regret of my time here. I’m sorry that there are more friends out there than I possibly could have kept up with. I’m sorry that there are dozens of clubs that I couldn’t join.

I could add on another 500 words to this letter saying individual names of people I have met here, but I imagine those people know who they are, and if they don’t, that is something I’m sorry about. Lab, I love you. When you think about it, we all change, but that’s good so long as you remember the people you used to be. I will always remember when Lab was me. Thank you for the memories and for making me into whoever I become.

A letter to myself - Annabel Shen

I can’t believe I made it through college. Genuinely, though — the four years have passed absurdly fast, and I’m not sure if I am happy to be graduating or slightly miffed about how old I am becoming. As I stare at my keyboard typing this letter out, I am at quite a loss for words. I’m not sure how to sum up my four years into four paragraphs. But if I had to, here’s how it would go.

To my freshman year, I hope to continue carrying that excitement and curiosity I had then into the rest of my life. The new city, new friends, and new experiences are what make college so special, but I believe this feeling is transient in every part of our lives.

To my sophomore year, I hope to continue igniting that passion and focus that propelled me through the challenges of each semester. It’s a juncture where the initial whirlwind of college has settled down, yet there’s still so much to explore. You feel young and capable, taking a leap of faith into the deep end of classes, organizations, and self-improvement.

To my junior year, I hope to continue extending grace to myself, acknowledging the inevitability of mistakes, and embracing the ability to persevere through. Amid WashU’s student body, which never fails to surprise and amaze me everyday with their accomplishments, it’s easy to falter in self-assurance. Yet, it is precisely in these moments of uncertainty that growth and inspiration find their foothold.

To my senior year, I hope to continue cherishing the memories and friendships made with great ardor. Every moment this year carried a sense of finality with it. Whether it was my last StudLife production night, the bittersweet hugs and smiles of my last dance performance, or the culmination of hours poured into my last CS project, each served as a reminder that I’m on the last page of this chapter in my journey at WashU.

To the future, Annabel

COURTESY OF WILLIAM LABRADOR

COURTESY OF ANNABEL SHEN

Senior highlight - Clara Richards (right)

Student Life has a lot of slightly strange traditions, but our Valentine’s Day issue definitely has to be one of the weirdest. Every February, we publish the Student Life Sex Issue, where we ask the student body of WashU about their sex habits, from their rice purity score to what songs they want on their romantic playlist. As co-editor-in-chief this year, I got to make the important decisions: what songs, from the 264 submitted, should go on our official playlist. Under the yes: “Lover’s Rock” and “Careless Whisper” (the George Michael version, not the Yung Gravy edition). Under the slightly questionable: “One Beer” by MF Doom and “Free Bird.” Under the definitely not: “Wheels on the Bus,” and “Don’t Stop Believing,” but specifically, by the GLEE cast.

Every year, I table at the freshman activities fair and get to explain why I’ve joined Student Life. Parents and pre-freshman stroll past us in the carpeted fieldhouse, and they ask me about what being on staff has been like. “It’s been one of the highlights of my college experience,” I tell them. “I feel like I’ve been able to write about a lot of impactful topics.” The parents then glance down at the table, and their eyes focus on the cover of the Sex Issue with the college students posing in harnesses that we carefully constructed from Twizzlers. They might pick the issue up, and glance at the semi-nude photoshoot that our staff did in the office. Their eyes might widen. Is this what college is like, they might wonder. Is this what journalism on college campuses has been reduced to? What’s little Timmy going to get up to for over the next four years?

I could explain to them the value of sex positivity in the discourse on college campuses. I could bring up that potentially the funniest article in the past four years, a hilarious tale about LeBron James and conception and creating the next LeBaby, was written for the Sex Issue. But they never end up asking questions; they drop it like it could singe them, and they skitter off to the next table for the much safer topic of WashU’s recycling practices.

The Sex Issue is just one example of the creative freedom that Washington University fosters — the opportunity for hard work and a little silliness without any dire consequences attached. We’re able to work on something that doesn’t have to be useful in the greater scheme of things, something with the purpose of being fun and graphically cool and promoting sex positivity. For me, that’s been part of the joy of Student Life, and WashU in general: the opportunity to have fun, knowing that the consequences of your mistakes are never too huge. Our campus creates an environment that encourages risk-taking and growth, whether in writing, academics, or friendships. Granted, as a paper, we’ve certainly worked on larger-scale stories and hard-hitting journalism than the Sex Issue. But it’s the combination of hard work and constant fun that I’ve valued in this organization

I’ve spent so much time in our windowless office, checking Slack or on the phone with our editors, and it’s been the best time of my life. So many seniors around me feel the same about whatever they’ve chosen to engage with on campus — whether that be a cappella, Student Union, or club sports. They’ve put their time and energy into creating communities and have been rewarded with friendship, fun times, and funny stories. It’s just one of the things that makes WashU feel particularly special.

To all of the seniors, congratulations! Sad, happy, nostalgic — it’s a privilege that we’re able to feel it all.

Cheers, Clara

Certainty & uncertainty - Via Poolos (left)

When I came to Washington University, equipped with a dozen black cloth masks, packets of instant oatmeal, and a new nickname, I was unsure of a lot of things. Would I make friends? Would I get COVID? What about a fake ID? When you start college in the midst of a global pandemic, everything feels a little uncertain.

One of the only things I did know was that I would join the student newspaper, Student

Life. I signed up for the email list before I even unpacked my last box. Three and a half years later, I have answers to all those freshman-year questions. I did make some pretty fantastic friends (yay), did contract COVID-19 (yikes), and for legal reasons, will not disclose the answer to the third question. And I am still certain that joining StudLife was one of the best decisions I made at WashU.

There are so many things I could say about StudLife; I could crack inside jokes about gremlin hours, reference late nights in the windowless office eating too much candy, and give honorable mentions to tears shed over angry emails. But, instead, I will say this: there is something amazing about being able to report on all of the beautiful/ugly/exciting/scary things that can happen during four years at a university — from viruses and protests to buzzer-beater basketball shots and WILD artist scandals.

So if you really want to dive into a place, and understand what makes it tick, you should join the newspaper. Along the way, you will make some fantastic friends who are curious and passionate and deep thinkers and wildly funny. And then maybe you’ll be a senior and graduating and feeling both incredibly sad to leave it all behind and incredibly excited for the next StudLifers to get to experience it all again next year. Graduating college also involves a lot of uncertainty — new places, people, and jobs. One thing I am sure of now is that wherever I go, whatever I do, I’ll keep asking questions. It’s what college — and the newspaper — taught me best.

Via Poolos (left) and Clara Richards (right) pose after a basketball game.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VIA POOLOS

A farewell to WashU - Jared Adelman

Wow, what a rollercoaster ride it has been. There were many ups and a few downs that all came at me way too quickly. And as the coaster pulls into the station, I return to the one adage that has defined my four (okay fine 3.5) years here: “The weeks feel like days and the days feel like weeks”

The Truco games played in the Eliot B third floor common room made, for just an hour or so, the pandemic fade into the background. A frigid Thanksgiving Day ultimate frisbee game brought out my inner child in a way that I thought was impossible. Going hiking in Lone Elk Park on a Wellness Day broke the WashU bubble which had felt all-encompassing since move-in day. And now, these formative memories feel so far away.

Now, with the prospect of a full-time job staring me down, part of me would want nothing more than for this journey to start all over again. But in some ways that defeats the ultimate purpose of college. The fact that semesters wizz by despite so much happening is what leads to the personal growth that defines young adulthood. In almost no other period of life are four years as formative as they are now. And while that is absolutely terrifying, I’m beyond thankful for what WashU has given

me, hundreds of thousands of dollars later. So for the unsolicited corny piece of advice that nobody cares about, I would say lean into the time warp of college. The longest midterm weeks that you want to end balance out the breaks that never feel long enough. So while some weeks feel like years and others feel like days, this mixture prevents the monotony that defines the working world from setting. The oscillating ups and downs make college what it is.

Lastly, I cannot thank my StudLife family enough for the many ups you’ve given me. Yes, that even includes production night (most of the time). I am unbelievably excited to see where Avi, Nina, and the team take this paper; things are looking up (no pun intended) in a way that seemed impossible just a few years ago. And for my fellow seniors, an extra special thank you. In specific, I cannot thank Via and Clara enough for allowing a podcast nerd into the managing team and dealing with my many unhinged rants, valid or not.

May the weeks feel like days and the days feel like weeks,

Jared

PHOTO COURTESY OF JARED ADELMAN

COACHES’ LETTERS, from pg. 40

FOOTBALL

Seniors,

It has been a great pleasure and an honor to be your coach the last four years. Your excitement for our football program, your teammates and the sport that you love has inspired our coaching staff. While your experience has without a doubt been very unique, you all managed to handle yourselves with class and courage. The leadership of your senior class allowed us to emerge from COVID restrictions and successfully complete three football seasons. I will forever appreciate the perspective and leadership you all provided on our team.

Your senior class helped lead us into a new and challenging conference. Your efforts and commitment have resulted in a 22-8 record in the CCIW over the last three full seasons. You have

helped to lay the foundation for an exciting future. More than anything, your confidence and determination have helped shape this program for championships in the future. My hope for all of you is that beyond the wins and losses, you have learned valuable lessons in toughness, perseverance and teamwork. I hope that the relationships built in your time as a WashU Bear will last a lifetime.

Thank you for your belief, commitment and efforts over the last four years. I look forward to your continued connection with the program and university in the coming years. Most of all, I look forward to seeing the exciting places your journey takes all of you in the future. You will always be a Bear!

Coach Keen

CLARA RICHARDS | STUDENT

SWIM AND DIVE

To the swimming & diving seniors, (Austin Bick, Kylie Juan, Eve Kearns, Matthew Larsen, Mark Lipkin, Brendan Long, Alex McCormick, Mason Rhode, Ryan Wierschem, Kyle Wolford, Kenneth Yeh)

Since arriving on campus in the fall of 2020, you have helped our program to grow and have provided tremendous leadership along the way. You have dealt with adversity and grown stronger as student-athletes. I would like to thank you for your dedication and commitment to Washington University and the swimming & diving team over the past four years.

Your decision to attend Washington University has provided you a quality academic degree and hopefully memories of a competitive NCAA swimming & diving experience. You cheered for and supported each other because that is what good friends and teammates do. As you progressed from freshmen to seniors, you touched the lives of everyone you came in contact with, including coaches, faculty, teammates, and classmates.

As you leave Washington University, I hope you take with you the belief that you are ready to meet life’s challenges

MEN’S SOCCER

Dear Carl, Chris, Owen, Rabee, Reece and Trevor,

Graduation is joy and sadness. You won’t be physically with us next fall, but part of you will remain here within each of us. You are part of our story, part of our laughter, part of our progression, part of the being of the soccer team. The observer could see Carl’s work rate, Chris’s speed and thunderous left foot, Owen’s attacking prowess, Rabee’s versatility, Reece’s competitive physicality, and Trevor’s consistent playing it simple.

BRI NITSBERG | STUDENT LIFE

head-on. The goals that you set were more than simply achieving a personal best or winning a race, and the benefits you’ve received will extend well beyond the boundaries of the pool. Once a Bear, always a Bear!

Set your expectations high and expect the best in everything you do. We are proud of what you have accomplished and look forward to seeing where you will go after leaving WashU. You are forever a part of our program and Washington University and we are excited about your continued involvement now that you are alumni.

We wish you all the best in your future endeavors. BATTLE ON!

Brad Shively

Head Swimming & Diving Coach

Your examples are a light for our “howto” pathway. Below the surface each of you set standards of commitment, inclusiveness, team-centeredness and humility, making the team experience enriching and promising reward to you and us for years to come.

We are a band of brothers.

We love you, are grateful for each of you, and look forward to our friendships in the years to come.

Joe

Clarke (signing for the team)

Senior Class Gift

Your gift, your impact!

Contribute to the Class of 2024 Scholarship and support future WashU students just beginning their educational journey.

Donate today and receive a gold philanthropy cord to wear at Commencement, symbolizing your commitment to this proud tradition!

LYDIA NICHOLSON | STUDENT LIFE

BEST EVENTS PHOTO ESSAY

BLACK ANTHOLOGY

SPIRIT OF KOREA

TYLER HANSON MATHUR

CARNAVAL LUNAR NEW YEAR

(NIGHT AT THE PAGEANT)

ISABELLA DIAZ-MIRA | STUDENT LIFE

ZOE OPPENHEIMER | STUDENT LIFE

ISABELLA DIAZ-MIRA | STUDENT LIFE

36 HOURS IN ST. LOUIS,

what would you do?

I’d probably go to class.

Joel Swirnoff, News Editor

I would for sure go to Ted Drewes and then probably see a Cardinals or Blues game. Then in the afternoon I would try to go for a stroll around Forest Park and find a nice park bench to read a good book. Once the book got boring, I would go snag dinner somewhere and end the night in Soulard.

Avi Holzman, Editor in Chief

I would pick up a sandwich from Gramophone, walk through Forest Park and climb some trees, and finish off the day with a Blues game.

Nina Laser, News Editor

Assuming I could never come back, I would go to class and take notes, man. Do you know how much I pay to be here? Time is money, my friend. I would establish as many connections with professors as possible and arrange for someone to record lectures for me in the future. With my remaining time, I’d use up the rest of my meal points to buy provisions for the near future, as well as packing up everything I can carry into my backpack and suitcase. In the mere seconds that remain, I’d scamper to WUPD to pet Bear and Brookie one last time.

Quinn Moore, Newsletter Editor

I would go to the top of the Arch and look at the east, and look to the west, and skydive off.

Neel Kulkarni, Staff Writer

I would first roll down Art Hill. Then, I would eat Pho Tai at Mai Lee or Nudo House.

Sydney Tran, Head of Design

I would go to SLAM, the Botanical Gardens, the Pulitzer, and CAM. Full art tour.

Zach Trabitz, Investigative News Editor

I would do a toasted ravioli tour of St. Louis and go to SLAM. To be honest, I feel like it would take an eternity to see SLAM thoroughly, so I think that would fill my day.

Tanvi Gorre, News Editor

I would go see a Cardinals game, then eat toasted ravs in Forest Park. I think also that people need to interact with the STL locals. I went to a farmers market lately and it was super cute and a nice way to interact with the community.

Abbie Sapira, Staff Writer

I’d go to the Tower Grove farmers market in the morning and walk around the park, then head to the zoo to see penguins, get Soup Dumplings STL, see a St. Louis City game, and end the day with Jeni’s ice cream.

Lily Taylor, Investigative News Editor

I would go to Winslow’s Table before taking a walk around Forest Park that ends at the zoo. I would then traverse to Union Station and see it all before balling out at Salt and Smoke.

Evan Hunt, Contributing Writer

I would go for a run through Forest Park, grab some Italian food on the Hill (definitely some toasted ravs), check out the Arch, and then end the day in the supporters’ section at CITYPARK for a St. Louis City SC soccer game.

Riley Herron, Managing Sports Editor

I would start my day at the Songbird Cafe with a breakfast sandwich. After that, I would walk around Forest Park and end up at SLAM. Post-museum, an Art Hill picnic snack would be essential before heading to the Central West End to wander for a bit. I would grab dinner there and then wind my way to Soulard. The next morning would be Meshuggah before traveling.

Alice Gottesman, Managing Scene Editor

Membership at the Whittemore House

From weekday lunch to monthly events, the Whittemore House offers Washington University faculty, staff and alumni exciting opportunities to connect and share history. Visit whittemorehouse.org to become a member today!

Why become a member?

• Weekday lunch and biweekly lunch buffet

• Special member events at great prices: monthly wine dinners, carryout dinners, holiday celebrations and much more

• Opportunities to connect with students, staff and alumni in a warm, welcoming atmosphere

• A world-class culinary team

• Dining in a beautifully renovated, turn-ofthe-century mansion

• Reduced rental rates and tax-free events

• A specialized in-house event planner, event manager and staff at every private event

• Luncheon and all-day meeting spaces

Camaraderie, Community, Celebration

Washington University’s faculty and staff club 6440 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, MO

THE THIRD FLOOR WON’T BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU.

Dearest Sidney -

Sincere and heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS on this amazing accomplishment. You have worked so hard and we could not be more proud of you.

We stand in awe of your persistence, boundless energy, drive, positive attitude, and love of learning (and life).

Enjoy this moment Sidit is so very well deserved!

We love you so very muchTeam Speicher

SpeicherSidney

Precious jewel, you glow, you shine, reflecting all the good things in the world

isabela

Just look at yourself!Llevat

Isabela, We are so proud of everything you have accomplished and look forward to

Love, Mami, Papi, Sofia

Maya Angelou

Miss Kennedy Webb

Kennedy, you’ve always been extraordinary & your steps perfectly ordered by God. You did it! We love you so much and we could not be more proud of you. Mom & Dad

Anna Picinich

Congratulations!

We’re immensely proud of the remarkable, intelligent, and beautiful person you are. Keep living life large, on your own terms. The opportunities ahead are limitless. Love, Dad, Mom & Nicole

Diya Krishnan

Diya, As you take your next leap forward, aim far and high. We are right behind you every step of the way!

Lots of love, Dad, Mom and Dhruv

Gabe Hamburg

“I know this super highway This bright familiar sun I guess that I’m the lucky one…” -Steely Dan

What a magnificent ride at WashU! Congratulations! Love, Your proud family

Rose Abarbanel

Congratulations, Rose!

We are incredibly proud of you and look forward to watching you continue to grow and flourish.

We love you, Mom, Dad, Max, and Paws

Sampson Williford

Congratulations Sampson! You are a blessing and fill our hearts with pride and joy.

Love, Your family “May the Lord bless you and keep you.” Numbers 6:24

Lucienne Alexandra Merkatz

Congratulations, Lucie!

We are so proud of you today and every day. Keep fulfilling your dreams and lighting up the room!

Adoringly, Mom, Dad, Sebastian and Mabel

Aakarsh Rai

We are so proud of you Aakarsh on completing your college experience. Your hard work and perseverance has paid off and you have proven yet again how awesome you are. The journey has just began, love you loads and we can’t wait for more. Love, Mumma Papa Achint

Justin Novellas

Congratulations to our amazing son on your college graduation! Your hard work and dedication have paid off. Wishing you a future filled with success and happiness.

“Proud parent moment!”

Love Mom, Dad, and Lauren

Yoo-Jin Ahn

My dear Yoo-Jin!

Today we celebrate your accomplishment and the bright future ahead. Congratulation on your graduation, and we are so proud of you and love you so much!!!

Love, Mom, Dad & Jacob

Matthew Greenberg

Words cannot express how proud we are. Not only did you excel academically, but you’ve grown into an outstanding young man.

Congratulations, you’ve earned it!

Love, Mom, Dad and Ava

Zoe Al-Tawaiti

Congratulations Zoe. Hard work has its rewards. We are so proud of you. If you hear the little whispers in your ear.....it’s Auntie Christy saying Congratulations.

Love you always, mom.

Sam Block

Congratulations, Sam! We love you!

Dad, Mom, Max & Lucy

Anderson

Congratulations to our dear Stella! We are so proud of you for all you have learned, accomplished, and become. We look forward to life’s next adventures for you. We love you so very much and are so grateful to be your family! With love from Dadu, Mama, and Martha

Borna Dianati

We are so proud of you. Behfar, Parisa and Dena

Micah Benning-Shorb

Beyond proud of your persistence in the face of adversity and self-assurance to determine your path. You’re going to be amazing in Teach For America. Love, Mama

Stella

Tristan Parker

So proud of you!

Love you!

Mom & Dad

Faith Achugamonu

The reasons to celebrate and congratulate you are ceaseless. We’re immensely proud of you, your resilience, and faith in God. Wishing you abundant success ahead.

Love, Daddy, Mom, Steph, Kennedy

Rajiv Swarup

Congratulations to our dear son on his graduation!

We are so happy and proud of you! Our love for you is forever and always.

Lila Sachs Zemil

“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”

-William Arthur Ward

Keep Dreaming and Achieving Love, Mom, Dad, Jane, & Mocha

Clara, you’ve graduated from Wash U!!! Hoorah for the four years of studying, THE neighbors, Taco Buddha, all nighters at the Stud Life office, biking to the arch, the total eclipse on a rock island. We celebrate you! Mama, Papa, Grace, Carson, Roy.

James Ellinghaus

Congratulations James! We are so proud of you and wish you every success in your next chapter. We love you! Mom, Dad and Sara

Reilly Brady

Congratulations, Reilly! We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished. Never stop sharing your joy and your kindness. Lots of love, Dad and Carter

Olivia POOLOS

clara richards

We’re so excited to celebrate your graduation with you! We’re in awe of your achievements as a WUSTL undergrad and know you will make a difference in the world whether it’s through journalism, science or another path altogether. The next chapter is yours to write!

With love, Mom, Dad, and Zoe

Sarah Wang

Congratulations, Sarah!

We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished! We wish you all the love and happiness as you embark on your new journey!

We love you! Mom, Dad and Andy

Carlos Mendoza

We’re so proud of the amazing man you’d become. With your intelligence, perseverance, and loving heart, you will achieve even more. We’re so blessed to have you in our lives.

Love, Mom & Dad

Halley and Julia -

ROBBINS

Congratulations to both of you and to all of your friends in the Class of 2024 who helped make WashU your home for four fabulous years!!

We love you so much and are so proud of you!

With love, Mommy, Daddy and Jeremy

Margaret Dresselhuys

FRESHMAN YEAR MOVE-IN

Hailey Goldberg

As the sun sets on your time at WashU, we wish you beautiful beginnings in the years ahead. Keep shining bright!

We love you, Mami, Papi, and Chloe

Jessica Brown

Congratulations Jessica! We are full of pride and love for the amazing person you are! Love, Mom, Dad, brother, the Weils, the Browns, and the Tomasis

Eleanor Skemp

Ellie,

We are so proud of you!

Congratulations on all of your accomplishments!

We can’t wait to see what your future holds. Love, Mom, Dad, Nina, Josie, and Teddy

Congratulations on all your hard work and dedication. We are so proud of you and look forward to your next chapter after graduation. Love, Your Family

Nathaniel Nelson

Ad’mirel S. Durden

Ad’mirel you have blossomed into a very, beautiful, smart, strong, intelligent, and independent young lady. You keep reaching for the stars baby girl because you deserve them all. I’m so very proud of you and I love you more than you could ever imagine.

Love, Mom

Ella

Mazal Tov Ella! We are so proud! Love, All of Us

Margaret LaFollette

Congratulations Meg! Our 2024 WashU Graduate! With the future awaiting... You got this!

Abigail Cannon

Amazing Abbie! Some things never change!

We are so proud of extraordinary you and all you have accomplished. New adventures await you around the world! xoxo DDO, Mommo, and Katie

Koji Barrette

Congratulations Koji! We are so proud of your achievements. Know that as you move on to your next adventure we always have your back.

Love, Dad and Patty

Cormac H. Nolan

Congratulations on all your accomplishments! There aren’t enough words to tell you how proud we are to be your parents. Hopefully you’re also proud, as you were in this photo of your kindergarten graduation. You’re just getting started. ;-) We love you, Mom and Dad

London Wharton

Congratulations London! We are so excited for the next chapter in your life to unfold. We love you so very much and are so proud of you! Love, Mom, Andy and Lucas

Asa Raarup

Congratulations Asa!

We are so proud of your hard work and all that you have accomplished! As you begin the next chapter in your journey of life, know of our immense belief in you and our forever love. Always remember our family motto: Positive attitude, perseverance, and prayers. Love and prayers, Dad, Mom, Anders, August, Axel

Drew Cearlock

Congratulations, Drew!

We are extremely proud of your accomplishments and all the hard work you have put forth. We can’t wait to see where life takes you next.

Love, Mom & Dad

Kennedy Simone Rupert

Congratulations Kennedy!

It has been wonderful watching you grow from an inquisitive little girl to a poised, talented, and confident young woman.

Love, Mom, Dad, Sydney & Grandma Nell

Henry Susser

Congratulations on everything that you’ve achieved! We are so proud of you, and we know that you have a bright future ahead of you.

Love, Mom, Dad, Will, and Charlotte

Sylvie Kate Raymond

You began as a child filled with joy, curiosity, independence and sass. You have become a woman of insight, compassion, strength, and fierce determination. We love you more that words can express and wish you a future filled with love, family, adventure, work, learning, and above all else, joy!

Mom, Dad, Joey, Gabi, Grammy and Ruby

Sofia Angulo-Lopera

Congratulations Sofi!

We are so very proud of you; of what you have accomplished. We wish you the very best for your future

We love you SO MUCH.

Dad, Mom, Camila, and Pablo

Sriyans Gadde

Congratulations Sriyans!

We are incredibly proud of your accomplishments. Your relentless pursuit of excellence has always stood out. We wish you all the love, happiness and success in your life.

Love you very much! Mom, Dad & Rishi

Sophia Smilenov

Congratulations on your graduation, Sophia! We are so proud of your impressive accomplishments and the amazing young woman you are! Keep shining and follow your dreams!

Love, Mom, Dad, Alex

Ankit Chhajed

Congratulations Ankit. We are Incredibly Proud of your Accomplishments at Wash U and Thus far. We are confident you will continue to make a meaningful impact in the world.

With Lots of Love Always, Dad, Mom, Aayu, Cleo, Vanamoorthy Uncle, Kala Aunty, Paru & Karthik

Jacob Charles Creem

CampisiSamantha

Always remember that you are smart, brave and strong. You have the heart and grit to follow your passions. We love and believe in you.

Go lasso a star and let it take you on life’s fantastic journey!

Mom, Dad, Jessica, Emma and Natalie

joy

You bring and are a light to everyone you meet. Your resilence, tenacity, generosity, and courage are tempered with your love and wisdom. We are so proud of the beautifully amazing woman you have become. We rejoice at your accomplishments and support you in your dreams.

The world is waiting; make it yours!

LoveMom,always,Dad

Alaina, Joey

Maya Rose Kovacevic

Miss Kennedy Webb

Kennedy, It makes my heart glad to see how the Lord has blessed you to accomplish what many of us only dreamed of.

Your Grandma would be so proud. PawPaw

Elias (Eli) W. Cohen

We are so proud of all your hard work and accomplishments. We look forward to the next stages of your life, and wherever you decide to go. The sky is the limit.

We love you! Never stop laughing.

Papi, Mama, Sara, Rebecca, Caspar

Jordan Simmons

Just a young man from Antioch TN, we’ve come a long way and I am still here riding with you. The best is yet to come!

Continue to Soar!

Love, Mom

Corinna Raack

Coco... we are so proud of you and all of your success at Wash U! You are an amazing, loving, kind, smart and capable young woman.

LYF always...

Mom, Dad, Sophie, Brillo, Zinnia and Otter

Maddy

Jesse and Maddy, no matter where life takes you, your story started here.

Annie Mitnick

Dearest Annie, We could not be prouder of you at graduation, having given it your all and done amazingly well. You are a true example to others. With love and respect, Mom and Dad

Curtis Hung

Congratulations, Curtis! You’ve earned that tassel—it was definitely worth the hassle! Now go out there and conquer the world! Here’s to new beginnings and many more exciting adventures!

Love, Your Family

Gaurav Singh

Proud of you for successfully completing this journey as a student athlete, along with pursuing your passion for music and making lifelong friends!

Supporting you always...your lifelong cheerleaders - Pa, Ma and Didi

Scott Sauers

Congratulations, Scott!

You’ve blown us all away with your achievements. Excited for your next adventure!

Work hard, help others, take care of yourself, be adventurous and decisive, & have fun!

Miranda Bagar

From your first day of Pre-school to your last day of college, you have amazed and inspired me in every way possible!

Keep reaching for the stars!! love, Mom

Jayla Coleman

Congratulations Jayla!!!

We are extremely proud of you. Watching you achieve goals and exceed expectations through adversity has been nothing short of amazing. We love you Princess. Mom and Dad

Tyler Quigley

The greatest gift you can give someone is believing in them. And you have a whole team who believe in you.

Love Mom, Dad, & Hannah

Ben Miller

Dear Ben,

We are so incredibly proud of you. Keep following your dreamswe can’t wait to see your next act! We love you!

Mom, Dad, Rebecca & Jared

NaTivia Esson

Congratulations NaTivia!

We are so proud of you on all of your accomplishments at WashU. We look forward to seeing the JD chapter.

Love Always Mom, Dad, Keon, and Reona

Olivia Kim

Congratulations, Olivia!

We’re proud of the dedication and commitment you poured into your time at WashU. We know you’re heading for great things. We love you. Mom, Dad & Henry

Sara Grostern

Congratulations Sara!

We’re so proud of you and all you have achieved. We love you and will always be your #1 fans!

Love, Mom & Dad (& Roscoe)

Allison Kelsey Fong

Congratulations ALLISON! We’re so proud of you. Keep shining your bright light!

Hugs and kisses, Mom, Dad & Julianne xoxo

Nicolas Sprague

Congratulations, Nic! You have achieved so much, and the best is yet to come.

Lots of love from Dad, Mom, Lucy, Buddy, and Monty

Veronica

Spillman

Thank you for the Danforth and McLeod Scholarships, and thank you Jeffrey Matthews and Kirsten Smith and everyone who helped me on my journey.

Jack Ballenger

Congratulations Jack! We Love You!

Mom and Dad

Congratulations!

May God grant you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Love, mom & dad

For the WUSTL community, I offer this poem: Salute by A. R. Ammons

May happiness pursue you, catch you often, and, should it lose you, be waiting ahead, making a clearing for you

Sofia T. Oguntolu

Klein Morrow

Congratulations, Klein! We are so proud of you! We can’t wait to see what you accomplish next! To infinity and beyond!

Love, Mom and Dad

Josh Epstein

“To Infinity and Beyond” ...truer words cannot describe your heart, your curiosity, your intelligence, and your passion. We love you beyond words, always and NO MATTER WHAT!

Mom, Dad, Jason and Brooke

Isabella Gray Blair

Congratulations on your latest success!

We can’t wait to see you achieve your next big dream. We are so proud and love you to the moon and back, Mom & Dad

From a cool preemie with a tan and sunglasses to a Wash U graduate — we are so proud of you, Isaac Joseph! Love, Mom and Dad

Isaac Becker

Klein Morrow

Tail-riffic work, Klein!

I know at times it was ruff! But doggone it, you did it! You deserve a round of a-paws!

Let’s raise the woof!

Your Best Fur-end, Cheetah

Sarah Cullinane

Dear Sarah, we are so proud of the accomplished woman you have become. Congratulations on your graduation from WashU. We wish you success on your next adventure at the school of architecture as a graduate student. We can’t wait to see the impact your designs will have as you continue to grow as a designer and architect.

Love you always, Mom, Dad and James

Andre Harte

Andre, Congratulations!

We love you and we are so proud of you. Keep finding pockets of joy.

Thank you for being precisely who you are.

Love, Your family

Ebunoluwa (Joyce) Opata

Congratulations caring, inquisitive Ebun!

You excelled in the classroom and on the track. Jeremiah 29:11 is true. Your kindness makes this world a better place. You are very special. We love you.

Mom and Emmanuel

Savoy Crosby

Never forget how far you have come. Always remember how far you can go. And in this next chapter, hold firm to the fact that you are loved more than you will ever know!

Congratulations!

Mom, Dad, and Kamryn

Jason Li

Congratulations Jason!

We are incredibly proud of all you have accomplished at WashU. We are excited to see what future unfolds. Remember we love you and will always be here for you.

Love, Mom, Dad, Jasmine & Jasper

Meghan Rose Barry

Congratulations, Meg!

We are so proud of you.

Your future is as bright as the sun and we can’t wait to see all the great things that lie ahead for you.

Love, Mom, Dad and Brendan

Zachary Gross

Congratulations!

We’re so proud of the way you’ve embraced your Wash U experience. May you continue to live a life full of meaningful work, love, and friendship.

Love, Mom & Dad

“The

-

baker morgan Ava

Maya Angelou

Harry Mauterer

Congratulations Harry!

We are so proud of you and how hard you have worked to accomplish all that you have. We can’t wait to see what your future brings.

Love, Mom and Vaughn

Maya Charak

Congratulations! Your hard work and determination have led you to this incredible achievement. You made it seem so easy!

We’re so incredibly proud of you!

Mom, Dad, Juliana, Alexa, & Lu

Kaila Alexa Holland

Congratulations Kaila!

We are very proud of the person you have become and the accomplishments you have achieved at WashU! We wish you love and happiness, as you embark on your journey to making your dreams a reality and the world a better place.

Love, Mom, Dad and Alia

Matthew Wagner

Congratulations from Dad and “The Gang”. Your hard work and determination has paid off, but the BEST is yet to come!!!

Michael R. Vaughn Meena Zamil

Congratulations Michael! You did it!

So proud of you.

Love your family!

Campbell Sharpe

We are so very proud of you and all you have accomplished, Campbell.

We love you through and through, yesterday, today and tomorrow, too.

Love, Daddy and The Mama

Congratulations Meena!! You work hard, play hard, and embrace life with an adventurous spirit and a positive attitude. We are excited on what lays ahead.

Love, Mom & Dad

Kevin Bernal

Dear son,

Today is one of the most wonderful moments of your life, which we see reflected in your dedication, passion and sacrifice. We want to tell you how proud we are of you. Mom and Dad

Yash Singh

Congratulations Yash!

Very proud of how you have grown into an accomplished young man with strong values and convictions. Wish you all the successes ahead. Stay curious and keep growing.

Love, Mom, Dad and Shaurya

Bryanna Mendez

Congratulations, Nina, on this huge accomplishment! We are incredibly proud of you and wish you all the success in the world! With lots of love, your family!

Sophia Ayubi

Let’s go, Sophia!

We’re bursting with pride, love, & excitement for your next chapter. Keep laughing, learning, creating, enjoying.

You’re incredible!

Love, Dad, Mom, Connor & Justin

Gemma Victoria Pleas

You did it!

We’re proud of all your hard work and the beautiful human you’ve become. We love you and we’re excited for your future goals.

Mom and Dad

Kieran McKenna

From your first day of kindergarten, to now, your college graduation, you have made us so proud, every step of the way!

Congratulations Kieran!!

All our love, Dad, Mom, Kelsey & Dylan

Ryan Wilson

Ryan, it’s an honor to watch you grow into the woman that you are. Oh, the places that you will continue to go!

Love, Dad, Mom and Ross

Eva Romanoff

Congratulations Eva!

We are so proud of the work you’ve done, the friends you’ve made, and the opportunities you’ve seized.

We love you, Mom, Dad & Mia

Jason Hyman

Congratulations Jason! We are, as always, so proud of you.

Lots of love and best wishes for the future, Mom, Dad, Alyssa & Grandma

Ella Achenbach

We are proud of you! You impress us with your work ethic, love of travel and most importantly your kind spirit. We can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds!

Love, Mom, Dad & Ryan

Jared Phillips

Congratulations Jared! What an amazing journey you’ve had at WashU. We are beaming with pride. Wishing you good health, happiness, and success always.

Love Mom, Dad, and Natalie

Rishi Sharma

Congratulations Rishi! We are immensely proud of the person you have become and all that you have accomplished.

Wishing you success and happiness as you embark on your next journey!

Love, Mummy, Papa, Rahul, Priya, and Sharma Family

Isabella Hodson

We are so proud of you and your accomplishment of being admitted to and graduating from a premier university! Your hard work and effort were rewarded. -- Mom, Dad, Sister.

Michael Ferzoco

Congratulations Michael!

We are thrilled to see the kind, bright, handsome, caring, humorous young man you have become. You worked hard to finish strong and we could not be more proud of all your accomplishments. Be fearless, love what you do, be yourself!

Wishing you happiness and success as you embark on your next journey.

Love, Mom, Dad and Ethan

Logan Flori

Congratulations, Logan!

We’re immensely proud of all you’ve accomplished with your dedication and hard work! Time to relax before law school!

Keep following your passion!

Love ~ Dad, Mom, Chase & Jack

Mary Rose Bell

Máire Rós, Comhghairdeas as ceithre bliana den scoth ag Washu. Niorbh fhéidir linn a bheith níos bródúil asat.

Is breá linn tú, Mam, Virginia, Alex, EJ, Molly agus Colin

Eric Meindl

Eric,

We are so proud of you and we can’t wait for you to start your next adventure!

We love you tons!

Love, Dad and Mom

Inara Jasmine Khan

Congratulations Inara!

We are incredibly proud of you and all that you have accomplished. Wishing you success and happiness as you embark on your next journey!

Love Mom, Dad, Mimi, and Samir

Justin D’Silva

Congratulations Justin!

We are so proud of you. Be the change maker that you are meant to be.

Love you lots.

Mom, Dad, Chris, Ryan, Samantha, Lakshmi, Riley, Ben, Elijah, Nathaniel

Nidhi Krishnan

Congrats Nidhi!

We are insanely proud of you. We eagerly look forward to the next phase of your life journey.

Love, Mom, Dad, Janani

Harper Hoover

Congratulations!

We’re proud of you today and always. With much love, Dad, Mom, Hallie and Helen

Jordan Bradstreet

Congratulations Jordan!

We love you so much and are so proud of all your hard work and dedication throughout your time at WashU.

Love, Mom, Dad & Heath

Yvette Sol

Congratulations, Yvette!

From the day you came to us you have been our joy. Excited for your future, we are always here to support you.

Love, Mom and Dad

Katharine Frances Niles

Congratulations, Katharine!

We love you SO much and are proud of all you’ve accomplished! Go into the world with honor, courage, commitment, and God’s blessings!

Love, Jessica, Mom & Dad

Sarah Zisook Rosen

Congratulations Sarah!

We are so proud of all of your accomplishments at WUSTL and can’t wait to see what lies ahead!

We love you!

Mom, Dad, Jordan, & Robert

Jessie Boyd

Congratulations on your graduation, Jessie!

We are all so proud of you. And Mom, Gramps, and Ganda are with us in spirit, and would have been so proud of you too. Your loving family

Eliza Rocks

Eliza, you set high goals and exceed them! You have done it again at WashU! We look forward to seeing what you accomplish next! Congratulations! We love you immensely, Mom, Dad, Nathaniel, & Lucas

Julia Blanchard

Congratulations, Julia! We are incredibly proud of YOU and all of your amazing accomplishments. Love, Mom & Laney

Jose A. Costales

Son I am so proud of you, this is the result of all your hard work and dedication. God bless you. Your brothers and I love you!

Ava (Daomi) Wang

An exciting journey starts now! Enjoy every moment, and know we are always here whenever you feel tired, hopeless or lonely on this road of life. Congratulations, my beloved daughter! Love, Your family

Madelyn Shapiro

Madelyn, You never cease to amaze us.

We are proud of you today and every day.

Congratulations! Love, Mom, Dad and Spencer

Prem Sai Prabhakar

Graduation is the beginning of a beautiful journey. You are amazing, awesome and intellectually curious. Keep growing, exploring, learning and challenging yourself. Your next adventure awaits for you.

Congratulations!!!

We are very proud of all your accomplishments!! With Lots of Love from Amma, Appa, Saisha, Thathas and Paatis

Anna Jerdee

Congratulations Anna! We love you so much and are so proud of all you’ve accomplished. It has been a joy to see you stretch yourself academically, take risks and make lifelong friends. We will always be cheering you on.

Love you, Mom, Dad and Sarah

Mackenzie Turnbull

Congratulations!

We are immensely proud of you and know that your sense of adventure, positive attitude and boundless ambition will lead to continued success!

Love, Mom, Dad, Sidney & Jake

Congratulations, Evan!!

We are incredibly proud of your growth over the last four years and look forward to seeing how your future unfolds.

Much love, Mom, Dad, Jackson, Dillon and Callie YNWA

Ketna Kolakaluri

Congratulations!

We are proud of the incredible person you’ve become – kind, intelligent, curious and joyful. Stay true to your big dreams & values!

With Love & Admiration - Mom, Dad, Keerti

Congratulations on this Achievement!

We are so proud of your perseverance, handwork and dedication throughout your time at WashU. Continue to acknowledge where your help comes from. Love, Your Family

Evan MacManus Hayes

Bianca Marquez

Clayton Miller

Congratulations Clay!

We are incredibly proud of all your collegiate successes both on and off the field. Continue to work hard, dream big, and always enjoy the ride!

Love Mom, Dad & Kyle

Grace,

Grace Mead

We are incredibly proud of you for your hard work, perseverance, and - most importantlyfor your kindness and compassion. With all our love, Mom & Dad

Sophia Llinas

Congratulations, Sophia, on all of your amazing accomplishments!

We are so proud of you and love you to the moon and back!!

Love, Mom, Dad, Ted, and the dogs

Peter Francis Lynch

Congratulations Frankie! As you complete this race, reflect on the miles ventured and new rivers to cross. We’ll always be here cheering you on!

Love, Mom Dad Sean TJ Amelia

Sydney Caroline West

Congratulations Sydney Caroline! Your passion for learning, your creative expression, your commitment to excellence and your ability to connect with people are an inspiration. We are so proud of you, Sydney. And we are especially happy to see how you are showing up in this world. You are a force for good, and we love you! Love, All of Us

Getting a degree in three years is an amazing accomplishment! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what you do next.

Love you, Mom, Dave and Mason

Gianna Inguagiato

Congratulations Gianna! We are extremely proud of the person you have become and all of your accomplishments. Wishing you all the love, success and happiness as you embark on your next endeavor! We love you so much! Mom, Dad and Joelle

You did it with style, heart, grit and smarts, your way

We are proud

Can't wait to see what's next

Beyond love, Mom, Dad and Julia

PETER

COHEN

Olivia Henkel

We’re so proud of your achievements, but even more proud of the person you’ve become.

Congratulations on an incredible 4 years at WashU. Dream big, be happy, and Hakuna Matata. Love you- Mom, Dad, and Sydni

In pride, she stands, her journey won, Harvard Law, the next rung. Parents beam, dreams spun, Her wisdom shines, a radiant one. We love you! The Fam

PJ,

Wow, that went by fast! We are so incredibly proud of your hard work and dedication at WashU and are so excited for the next chapter. We love you tons - Mom, Pop and Talie!

Congratulation Nicole!

We are extremely proud of you and the intelligent, confident, and beautiful person you have become. Go live your dreams and enjoy the journey. Love, Mom, Dad & Taylor

Nicole Fordree

Maxwell Juhas

PJ Membrino

Elizabeth (Libby) Spera

Daniel,

Congratulations on your graduation!

Remember, the true measure of success is not wealth or accolades, but in how many people you help and the integrity with which you lead your life. Never stop learning, stay humble, and always invest in yourself. Your future is bright, and we are so proud of you!!

Love, Mom & Dad

daniel Goldstein

Nathan Wulfekammer

We are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments. We cannot wait to see what your bright future unfolds. Love, Mom, Dad & Alex

Sammi Fremont

Congratulations Sammi! We are so Proud of You! Onward to your next adventure. We love you very much, Mom, Datty, Banjo and Avi

Mikayla Parson

Mikayla! We are so proud of the woman that you have become! Intelligent, beautiful, and independent are not enough words to describe you. Thanks for being a wonderful person and daughter. We’ll always be here for you, and we love you more than you will ever know.

- Mom and Dad

Jonathan Fishman

Dearest JonathanWe are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished during your time at WashU. Here’s wishing you only lots of success and great times as you embark on your next adventure. With loveMommy, Daddy, Olivia, Alexa and Shlomo

Kennedy M. Webb

Kennedy, Congratulations on conceiving, believing, and fulfilling your dream. Your courage and loyalty has established your amazing future and set the standard of our family’s legacy. Love, Gratitude, and RESPECT. - Granny

Emily Langston

You have worked hard, remained faithful to God. Now you can share the gifts He has given you with the world. We are so proud.

Much love, Mom and Dad

Leena Bekhiet

One great achievement, more accomplishments to come. we are proud of you and we trust that you will do well in your future, best of luck my lovely Leena. Family

Jay Chevuru

Congratulations to my Dashing and Darling Ju Baby Love, Mom, Dad, Bro

Lyla Renwick-Archibold

We are incredibly proud of the woman you are becoming and all of your accomplishments in your journey at WashU! As you start your next chapter, stay true to yourself and continue shining as you help make this world a better place. We love you.

Mom, Dad, Miles, Ellis (& Scout)

Garrett, we are so proud of all you’ve accomplished! We can’t wait to see what you do next!

Love, Mom, Dad and Carson

Congratulations Alicia on your graduation! We are beyond proud of you! Wishing you continued success in law school and life.

Love, Mom, Dad, Erin, and Jason

Congratulations, Peter! We are so proud of you. Your hard work and creativity have paid off. We can’t wait to see what your future holds!

Love, Mom, Dad, Richard, Maggie, and Kit

“They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary.” Hop forward on your journey to success, Rabbit. - Grandad and the crew

Oh the places you will go!

Congratulations on your graduation! We’re so proud of you! No matter where the next adventure you will sail to, Our love will be always with you!

--Mom, Dad, and your litter sister

Peter Michalski

Alicia Kaufmann

x Jordan Simmons

Garrett Yalch

Leonardo Zhou

Madison Fang

Madi,

Such ambition and perseverance you have always exuded. So determined to start freshman year amidst an upside down world. Made the best of that year and excelled the following 3!

Love you lots, Your fam

William Leidig

Congratulations Will!

We are beyond proud of you! You’ve worked so hard to achieve your dreams~ keep dreaming and prove all things possible! We love you.

Love, Father, Mother and Jack, Sam, Ben and Abe

Jalen T. Bogard

Congrats, J!! We’re so proud of you. You’ve grown from a sweet little boy to an awesome man right before my eyes. Can’t wait to see all of the adventures ahead.

Love, Mom

Nicolas Guillen

Be as proud of this moment as we are of you— you deserve it for all the effort and dedication you invested. The adventure starts now!

Congratulations! Mom, Dad, Sofia and Julia

Noah Kaplan

Congratulations, Noah! We are incredibly proud of your hard work and dedication as a student and as a person. You have accomplished much! We look forward to seeing what the future holds for you.

Love, Mom, Dad, Mikaela, Josh & Coco

Chloe Lerner

Congratulations Chloe! We are incredibly proud of your hard work and many accomplishments. Go into the world with confidence, knowing we love you and will always be here for you.

Love, Mommy and Daddy

It has been my privilege to be your mom and I am in awe of the man you have grown into. The world is yours to create and accomplish whatever you want to. I know you will make your life meaningful and enrich the lives of the people you surround yourself with. Life is short, continue to live yours with passion, grace and dignity.

Laugh often and smile broadly! Thank you for all the joy you have brought into my world.

Love, Mom

2024 GRADS CONGRATS

We are thrilled to celebrate this outstanding Washington University Class of 2024. We invite families and friends to join us as we recognize this tremendous accomplishment by sharing your experiences and celebrations via social media using the hashtag #WashU24.

VISIT COMMENCEMENT.WUSTL.EDU FOR UPDATES AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CELEBRATIONS FOR SCHOOL AND AFFINITY GROUPS.