February 1, 2024 Student Life newspaper, Washington University in St. Louis

The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2024

VOLUME 145, NO. 15

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Students protest Prof. Dybvig’s continued employment amid sexual misconduct allegations LILY TAYLOR SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

Students protested the continued employment of Washington University professor and Nobel Prize winner Philip Dybvig.

Multiple former students alleged that he engaged in inappropriate conduct. The protest occurred outside Dybvig’s classroom, Jan. 16.

Protestors expressed dissatisfaction with the University’s handling of the allegations against Dybvig and called for him to be fired. MeToo WashU also created a petition calling to fire Dybvig, which has garnered nearly 1,000 signatures.

Students who attended the Jan. 16 protest, which was organized

by MeToo WashU, have since been contacted by the Office of Student Conduct over allegations of violating campus protest policies, but were not found guilty of violations.

Multiple graduate students, most of whom are Asian, spoke to Student Life about allegations of misconduct against Dybvig beginning in Oct. 2022. At the time, Dybvig was on a scheduled sabbatical, but is currently teaching two classes for graduate students in the Olin Business School.

Senior Erin Ritter and sophomore Sonal Churiwal attended the protest outside Dybvig’s classroom.

They said they wanted students in Dybvig’s class to be made aware of the allegations against him.

After the protest, they said that multiple students in his classes

COURTESY OF METOO WASHU Students held handmade signs at the protest against Dybvig’s continued employment. approached them to say that they had not heard about the allegations of misconduct.

“They didn’t know about the allegations and were almost surprised that there was this kind of huge thing about their professor that they didn’t know about,” Churiwal said.

She said that she believes the University has a responsibility to fire Dybvig, but also to communicate more clearly with students about how the inquiry into Dybvig is being handled.

“The University hasn’t

communicated what at all they’re doing to protect students,” Churiwal said. “Are there going to be proctors in his office hours? Are students still going in alone with the door shut?”

Ritter added that she believes the University’s messaging about Dybvig’s inquiry has been unclear and creates an unsafe environment for students.

“The language that was used to describe Dybvig is that he’s under inquiry by the Title IX office,” Ritter said. “We have no idea what that means. What does it mean to be under inquiry…We have no idea what the University is doing at this point.”

Student Life reached out to the Title IX office for further comment on Dybvig’s inquiry, but it did not make a comment. Julie Flory, Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communications, also declined to comment.

Churiwal talked about whether the University would be taking on a greater level of legal liability if they made the choice to terminate an employee under investigation for misconduct. She said that she

believes they assume more risk by keeping Dybvig on.

“If there was to be another case [in which Dybvig is accused of harassment], I think there’s a very valid argument there that the University is liable for that, because they have knowledge that this person has been accused of being a perpetrator and haven’t communicated at all what they’re doing,” Churiwal said.

Churiwal also said that she believes the University should take more action to protect students, even without a legal ruling on the allegations.

“There’s widely reported allegations coming from seven students,” Churiwal said. “If the University doesn’t have a legal mechanism to investigate that and act upon that and revisit the conversation surrounding his tenure, that is probably an issue.”

Rob Wild, Dean of Student Affairs, did not comment on the details of the inquiry because he said they are not in his purview, but he expressed confidence in the proper enforcement of University policies.

“The University has an obligation to respond if there’s wrongdoing that’s discovered in the investigation,” Wild said. “I don’t have access to that information, but I trust my colleagues in the administrative offices that respond in this situation.”

After students protested outside Dybvig’s classroom on Jan. 16, Churiwal and Ritter said they received emails from the Office of Student Conduct requiring them to report to the office for a meeting about a report of alleged violations of the Code of Conduct.

The students were investigated by the Office of Student Conduct for possible violations of the following policies: “Interfering with the rights of of members of the university community to engage in educational…activities, failure to comply with the reasonable and lawful requests of university officials…, knowing or recklessly violating a publishes University policy…”

SEE DYBVIG, PAGE 3

MeToo WashU elicits mixed reactions after statements about Israel-Gaza conflict ALIANA MEDIRATTA JULIA ROBBINS JUNIOR NEWS EDITOR INVESTIGATIVE NEWS EDITOR

MeToo WashU, an advocacy Instagram account for survivors of sexual violence, has become a microcosm of the larger tensions on campus around Israel and Palestine following two posts published on its account, Nov. 29 and Dec. 11.

The posts speak out against the use of sexual violence in the war, referencing harm inflicted both by Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). They also opposed Israeli state practices, “reaffirm[ing] support for the right to a free, unoccupied Palestine.”

MeToo has posted several times about political issues in the past, including in support of Ukraine and opposing the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The last time that

the account posted in reference to Palestine was on May 23, 2021, in a post that stated it “unequivocally condemn[s] the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people by the Israeli government.”

Users in support of the posts state they are anti-Zionist and prosurvivor, with some endorsing the account’s condemnation of Israeli state practices that they view as genocidal.

Those opposed to the post expressed that the group employed a “double standard” in how the account treated Palestinian and Israeli Jewish survivors of sexual violence.

WashU Hillel Rabbi Jordan Gerson said that the timing of MeToo’s posts relative to Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, which came 53 days after the initial attacks, was problematic.

“It’s challenging to see that it

took so long for an organization, whose whole existence is about calling out sexual assault, rape, harassment, to recognize the atrocities that happened over Oct. 7 to the Israeli women and even non-Israeli women,” Gerson said. “It’s unimaginable that this organization that is so quick to call out perpetrators of crimes said nothing.”

Account representatives from MeToo sent a statement via Instagram to Student Life addressing this criticism.

“The delay in our initial statement was mostly due to internal disagreement within our team as to whether or not we should post a statement,” MeToo wrote in its statement. “However, as we saw more and more localized impacts from the genocide abroad, including violence against students on college campuses, we felt it was

necessary to speak out.”

Gerson also said he thought the account posted about Israeli victims to avoid criticism for recognizing only Palestinian victims.

“It’s clear that there was an understanding that if they didn’t say anything about [Hamas’ violence]...that they would get called out for not saying anything,” Gerson said. “It does not seem like they did it with genuine interest and care about the Israeli survivors of sexual assault, perpetrated by Hamas.”

MeToo told Student Life that it opposes all instance of sexual violence, including against Israeli women.

“This was a core component of our initial statement, and not an afterthought,” they wrote.

Aside from the timeline of the posts, some community members also took issue with their content,

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rebuking what they saw as unequal outrage against sexual violence inflicted against Palestinians versus Israelis.

Like Gerson, junior Samantha Kanner, who is Jewish, took issue with the difference in language and focus when comparing how the posts discussed sexual violence against Palestinians versus Israelis.

“They have a text slide with a ton of things and details about Palestinian survivors and what they’ve endured and how they unequivocally stand with them,” Kanner said. “[The post said] ‘We are saddened that feminists and survivor support organizations have failed to support Israeli survivors,’” she said. “How about [writing] ‘we are outraged?’”

SEE METOO, PAGE 2

NEWS

2 STUDENT LIFE

AVI HOLZMAN | MANAGING NEWS EDITOR | NEWS@STUDLIFE.COM

THURSDAY, FEB 1, 2024

Sam Fox hosts architects in annual Fitzgibbon Charrete kickoff lecture and competition

ALAN ZHOU | STUDENT LIFE

Architects Brennan Buck and David Freeland lecture that exhibited a series of completed projects demonstrating advanced techniques, January 26.

AARON MIKAIL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts hosted architects Brennan Buck and David Freeland to give the annual Fitzgibbon Charrette kickoff lecture, the first installment of the 2024 Spring Public Lecture Series, on January 26.

Established in memory of Professor James Fitzgibbon, the Fitzgibbon Charrete is a one-day sketch design competition for all juniors and seniors studying architecture, offering a $5,000 prize for the winning group. The closed-door competition began after the lecture.

This year’s moderators, Buck and Freeland, are both practicing architects who have completed a multitude of built works including creative

office, residential living, and public art spaces.

As co-founders of the architectural office, FreelandBuck, they pride themselves on engaging the public through layers of meaning, illusion, and visual effect.

Buck and Freeland began their lecture by describing three sets of projects: perspective as structure, drawing as building, and image as object. They discussed how these elements have shaped their vision within their work.

“The space of representation between the concept and the realized building is where we as architects operate,” Buck said. “The things that we make directly are not just a means to an end on the way to building, but serve as artifacts that have their own power and agency.”

The architects exhibited

a series of completed projects demonstrating techniques ranging from viewer orientation to unit layout. They showed a recent project

by FreelandBuck, which they said involved a

new identity to the space; to bring a kind of lightheartedness,” Freeland said. “We approached that by tumbling a series of cubicles in a way that playfully challenged the notion of the office.”

reimagination of office space, allowing for accessible breakout areas and a f lexible working environment.

“We were asked to rethink the organization of the office and bring a

Buck and Freeland continued by highlighting an unconventional approach to multi-family housing, introducing a recent development named Stack House. The architects illustrated how

they relied on projection technology to create models of the home.

“Stack House really started with an idea about scale,” Freeland said. “The rendering of the building onto itself would imply other kinds of spatial depth as it alternates or rotates in different orientations.”

As the lecture drew to a close, several students and St. Louis-based architects and designers said they gained an understanding of the need to innovate in architecture.

Sam Fox student Frances Bobbitt explained her appreciation for the lessons Buck and Freeland offered.

“As an Architecture major with a second major in Art History, [the lecture] had a lot to do with my areas of interest,” Bobbitt said. “It was interesting to see the way they derived inspiration

obviously, would be treated any different as a victim of sexual violence,” they said.

“I would say this account is valid in their criticisms of Israel because obviously, it is important to place historical events in a larger historical context especially on a political Instagram account.”

Michael Allen, a lecturer in the Department of American Culture Studies, commented on the post to say that he appreciated how it did not wait for the United Nations to condemn sexual violence in order to view it as legitimate. He also said that advocacy should be centered on survivors and their personal accounts.

“There’s a very real history of, [not only the UN], but police departments and governments concealing sexual violence, not taking allegations seriously, or even perpetrating it in a war,” Allen said. “I thought it was a great kind of intersectional work that reminded us again, our condemnation of sexual violence and sexual abuse should be universal.”

Allen went on to say that he thought the account may have been trying to

platform what he believes is an underrepresented viewpoint.

“There was a strong sort of political push from supporters of Israel on this issue that did not acknowledge the possible sexual violence and verifiable past sexual violence committed by Israeli soldiers against Palestinians,” he said.

“I thought that maybe [the post] was a desire to counterbalance that dominant narrative.”

Travis Phulnauth, who graduated from the University in 2023 and commented in support of the posts, said that he believed MeToo’s comments were effective. He said that he sees the University’s social media bubble as incredibly polarizing.

“The anti-Palestinian rhetoric is often used to shut down, demonize, ‘cancel’ people on campus and make them feel unsafe, as many Islamic students do,” Phulnauth said.

Some commenters took issue with the post’s statements about Israel, saying that the account should not be making overarching statements

about the creation of the country.

Steinbach said that contention with the post’s comments regarding Israel are unproductive and that people should not conflate critiques of Israel with antisemitism.

“I think that a lot of young Jewish people, a lot of Zionists, are programmed to believe that criticisms of the foundation of the state of Israel are criticisms to their personhood as Jewish people, and I just don’t think that’s true,” they said.

Kanner took issue with the terminology that the account used to describe Israel’s state practices.

“You can post about Gaza and civilian deaths and say that there should not be a war happening right now and there has to be a better way to address this without denying Jewish indigeneity to the land,” she said.

Steinbach added that they thought people who critiqued the posts were uncomfortable with discussing anything that could disparage Israel.

“I think that those people were upset probably because for them, this conversation

“We were asked to rethink the organization of the office and bring a new identity to the space; to bring a kind of light-heartedness.”

from old architecture and art history sources, and then put their own take on it by synthesizing points within their work.”

Sophomore Jorge Aldrich also offered his thoughts on the projects Buck and Freeland presented.

“I really liked the idea of having a cube as an image. I liked how [the architects] took pictures and wrapped them around [objects],” Aldrich said.

Nathan Dirnberger, a local architect, explained his decision to attend the lecture.

“I always like coming to these lectures because I learn a new trick, technique, or effect done by architects. If I just work on my own I get kind of insular,” Dirnberger said. “I always find some fascinating endeavor here.”

is more comfortable when it only highlights the losses and traumas of people on the side that personally affects them,” they said.

Allen said he views MeToo’s post as one that focused on true solidarity across survivors.

“One of the great pains of everything that’s happened since Oct. 7 is observing how people start splitting universal values of safety and protection into exclusive categories,” Allen said. “I thought what they were doing was trying to remind us of the need for solidarity across the lines, the need for true condemnation and advocacy against sexual violence.”

Platt said that she has thought a lot about how to carry out intersectional activism when engaging with relationship and sexual violence prevention work.

“I have not figured out the answer of, ‘how do you do this work and support everyone,’” she said. “I also acknowledge that I don’t think that they’ve done that either.”

METOO from page 1 Senior Lila Steinbach, who is also Jewish, said that they appreciated how the account supported all survivors.

“I think the people who said that this content didn’t talk enough about sexual violence faced by Jewish women were trying to deflect and take legitimacy away from this post, which had clearly done its research,” they said.

Kanner said that she saw the posts as forcing people to pick between their Jewish identity and sexual assault advocacy work. “[Its posts force people] to either give up your core value of the Jewish right to self determination and to have a Jewish homeland, or to be on their side and do advocacy that you’re passionate about,” Kanner said. “For so many of us that isn’t a choice we can make, and so inevitably what goes is having to support those organizations.”

Given that MeToo is a platform created for students to share their experiences as sexual assault survivors, some comments stated that survivors who identify as Jewish or Israeli may no longer see it as a safe space.

“I feel like if your mission is to be a support space and to have support accessible to everyone, then that is your primary job and to do something so inherently controversial and to choose to alienate so many people is irresponsible, at the least,” Kanner said.

Kanner added that she felt these posts not only alienated certain students, but that the account’s posts might make students feel that supporting Israel and supporting victims of sexual violence are mutually exclusive positions.

Senior Emma Platt, who is Jewish, said that the posts could upset Jewish survivors who had previously sent in stories and trusted the account with personal information.

“To see something that is so hurtful, from an account that you’re really trusting, can do a lot of damage.” she said.

Steinbach said they don’t think that sexual assault survivors would be treated any differently by MeToo if they were Zionist.

“I don’t want to invalidate how people feel, but I don’t think that any Zionist, or Jewish student

THURSDAY, FEB 1, 2024

STUDENT LIFE 3

AVI HOLZMAN | MANAGING NEWS EDITOR | NEWS@STUDLIFE.COM

Washington University launches DYBVIG from page 1 its own version of ChatGPT QUINN MOORE STAFF WRITER

Washington University released its own secure version of ChatGPT for free use by all University students, faculty, and staff, on December 19th, 2023. The project was a collaboration between the University Digital Intelligence and Innovation Accelerator (DI2) and WashU IT. Currently still in its beta phase, the University’s version of the AI chatbot is HIPAA and FERPA protected, meaning users are free to upload any sensitive information to it without fear of OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, harvesting that data.

Dr. Albert Lai, the deputy faculty lead for DI2 and a leader on the University ChatGPT project, revealed how the University acquired its own version of ChatGPT. “We have an agreement with Microsoft,” Lai said, “We get a version that’s within a few months of where OpenAI is.”

While the University’s ChatGPT is very similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT 3.5, the most advanced free version of ChatGPT, Lai explained that they differ in terms of security, particularly regarding research.

“Technically speaking, OpenAI can utilize anything that you put into [ChatGPT], and will essentially take ownership of that data,” Lai said. “That’s just not something that the university felt was okay to do, both from a patient privacy and intellectual property standpoint.”

Lai also said that the project was an effort to provide equity to the University community.

“We had some push from not only the research side, but also the educators in the institution who were saying that ‘we have some students who are paying for ChatGPT, we need to be able to level the playing field,’” Lai said.

While the University’s free ChatGPT is less advanced than OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4, which requires payment, Dr. Lai was optimistic about the University’s ChatGPT updating to its level soon.

Though the project has seen 2,700 unique users in its single month of uptime, Sally Wu, the Assistant Director for Educational Technology at the Center for Teaching and Learning, said that AI is still being integrated into the classroom fairly slowly and with caution.

“I think [AI in the classroom] is really starting pretty small at this point, it doesn’t necessarily take advantage of what AI is capable of,” Wu said. “I think right now, on the teaching end, we’re just trying to understand how it might augment what we’re already doing in the classroom, rather than completely changing or transforming it.”

However, Wu is optimistic about future AI integration.

“I think in some ways, by creating our own WashU ChatGPT, this shows that we are also thinking about innovation,” Wu said. “AI is a component that we’re investing in as an institution and, combined with the fact that we’re investing so much in it on the research end, it’s something instructors should really think about.”

Merely providing AI as a tool to students might not be the end of the University’s responsibilities should they wish for students to use AI effectively. Associate Professor at the Brown School and writer of “Supercharge Your Research Productivity with ChatGPT,” Ruopeng An, thinks more has to be done to educate people on how to use AI. “I think the potential is really magnificent,” An said.

“The world of knowledge is at your fingertips, but I would really encourage having faculty and students learn prompt engineering, because we need to ask good questions [to effectively use ChatGPT].”

An believes that a lack of resources for learning how to use AI effectively can hold students and faculty back from taking advantage of it.

“I would say education plays a major role,” An said.

“Most students may not even know you can now customize ChatGPT as your personal tutor, and most faculty are probably not familiar with using ChatGPT API to assess data or to build simulation tools.”

To achieve this goal, An and his students, who work with AI “by the hour, if not by the minute,” are setting up live and recorded tutorials for effective AI use.

“I’m working with the Provost’s office and trying to provide two bi-weekly tutorials to disseminate AI for higher education,” An said. “[We’re] especially teaching people how to use ChatGPT and other AI tools to facilitate research, education, and self-learning.”

Sally Wu and the Center for Teaching and Learning are also working to further education about this emerging technology, with a February faculty workshop about AI in the classroom and the hiring of a new Assistant Director for Teaching Innovation to support generative AI teaching.

“We hope to be able to provide more programming, resources, and services to help instructors and students to use [ChatGPT/AI] better,” Wu said.

While the University’s beta ChatGPT is perhaps not as powerful as AI enthusiasts like An would prefer, Lai, Wu, and An all shared an excitement for students’ ability to use AI responsibly to bring about the future.

“I would say to share and communicate what it is you’re doing,” Wu said, “I mean, this really is the future and we’re just at the beginning of it. We’re just exploring and I think there will be interesting things that come along and careers we can’t even imagine right now.”

Both students said they were ultimately found not guilty of violating the Code of Conduct after conversations with the Office of Student Conduct.

Nicole Gore, Associate Dean for Student Conduct and Community Standards, declined to comment when asked about the Jan. 16 protest or on expectations for student protestors.

The email Churiwal received after the Jan. 16 protest said that she was alleged to have “entered Simon Hall Room 113 where a class was being held, stood in the back of the classroom facing the professor, held signs and chanted in an attempt to disrupt the scheduled class and did not leave the classroom when asked twice to do so by Dean of Students Rob Wild.”

Wild said he could not comment on individual cases within the Office of Student Conduct, but that some students at the protest did enter the classroom, which violates the Demonstrations and Disruptions Policy.

“I understand and respect the need for freedom

of expression, but when there’s a class involved, there are students who are paying money and asking to sit in that class and learn from that professor,” Wild said. “And so out of respect to all the students in the class, we do ask that if there’s demonstrations and disruptions that they do not happen during a class.”

Churiwal also said she believes that the University’s treatment of her and Ritter, and other students who were present at the protest, is hypocritical.

“This protest was on Tuesday, we were asked to meet on Wednesday, and less than one week later I had my meeting with the Office of Student Conduct,” she said.

“Why is this promptness not also evident in the way the university responds to cases in Title IX?” The Title IX office, which handles sexual misconduct allegations, and the Office of Student Conduct are separate entities within the University.

Ritter and Churiwal also said that they felt like being called into the Office of

Student Conduct felt like an effort to dissuade them from protesting.

Wild said that neither he nor other administrators in the Office of Student Conduct want to prevent protests from occurring.

“I can just tell you emphatically, we never will try to intimidate students by putting them through a conduct process without reasonable belief that a conduct violation occurred,” Wild said.

Wild added that he values student activism on campus, even when it challenges University leaders and sheds light on uncomfortable issues.

“There is no place for sexual harassment, sexual violence, or sexual assault on our campus but, unfortunately, it does happen here,” Wild said. “I don’t know whether this was an example or not, but I think the energy that students are bringing to this is important, because…without that kind of student activism, many in our community aren’t aware of that.”

2024 Spring Lecture Series

REVERENT IRREVERENCE: PARODY, RELIGION, AND CONTEMPORARY POLITICS

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Uncovering history: WashU & slavery ANNABEL SHEN MANAGING SCENE EDITOR

In recent years, academic institutions across the United States, including Washington University, have embarked on initiatives to confront the historical connections between universities and slavery. The Washington University and Slavery Project, which began in the summer of 2020, aims to not only document the university’s historical involvement with slavery, but also to promote transparency and dialogue about this challenging topic in American history.

Professor Geoff Ward, the director of the WashU & Slavery Project, highlighted the three key reasons behind this project. First, it is an opportunity for students and staff to encounter such topics and questions related to the legacy of slavery, connecting historical understanding with individuals’ perceptions of self-worth and value. “Most students won’t take a class about slavery and its legacy, whether due to class time conf licts or discomfort with the subject matter.

Thus, this project provides [students] a broader basis to engage,” said Ward.

Secondly, the WashU & Slavery Project aims to prepare students to address questions related to the contemporary impact of slavery within their communities

and professions. Ward stated, “This year, a new program, called the WashU & Slavery Project Scholars, was created to allow students to directly participate, whether through research, documentation, or immersive learning opportunities.”

The program, which offers scholarships of up to $2,500, helps offset the cost of study abroad and travel for students who are interested in understanding not only St. Louis’ connection to colonialism and slavery, but global legacies as well. In addition, there are semester-long paid positions for students to contribute to research by creating Storymaps of key figures, studying WashU’s archival collections, or adding to public databases such as Slave Voyages and the Saint Louis Integrated Database of Enslavement.

Third, Ward explains his hope that this project will help WashU build distinction as an institution in the St. Louis area, an area with a long legacy of slavery and colonialism. The project has not only focused on within campus, but has continued to engage with the local community.

“Henry Shaw, an enslaver, was not only the founder of WashU’s School of Botany, but also of the Missouri Botanical Garden. WashU has now partnered with the Missouri Botanical Garden to recontextualize

Shaw and foster cooperation with the local St. Louis community,” said Ward.

Beyond just the Missouri Botanical Garden, the WashU & Slavery Project has also reached out to several churches in the area created by WashU’s founding fathers. With such a connection, the collaboration aims to explore how these individuals relate to their religion with such a complex history of racism.

Outside project goals, Ward delved into both the ups and downs of the journey so far.

“Language itself is violent — people are called ‘slaves,’ but think about it. This term has been desensitized by the general public so much. Instead, people should be described as ‘enslaved people,’” Ward said. This shift in language acknowledges the involuntary nature of their status and using “enslaved people” is a representational act that aligns with the principles of respect.

In addition, research is certainly challenging when its subject is not documented well. It’s complicated to assess how the university is entangled with slavery, but “this initiative has brought me closer to so many different units — the medical school, law school, but most importantly, the students,” said Ward.

“It has been most rewarding to see and hear

COURTESY OF GEOFF WARD Mugshot of Henry Shaw, who held over 13 people in slavery while also founding WashU’s School of Botany our community partners and the St. Louis residents express gratitude for the questions they thought had been neglected for so long.”

Looking forward, the WashU & Slavery project is excited to enter

its second phase of its initiative and has recently just received funding for the next three years. Ward notes goals to increase student participation with the help of the new scholarships, as well as expanding to other local

community and campus engagements.

“It’s crucial to consider strategies for sustaining and expanding this project, ensuring its longevity and integration as a fundamental part of WashU for years to come.”

From pizza restaurants to Wall Street banking ZACH TRABITZ INVESTIGATIVE NEWS EDITOR

When my friends Talia Zakalik, Sophia Bukowski, and Izzy Borah were trying to save a squirrel from a pipe, they found a student ID in the bush. Labeled from 1996, it read “Aman Boyd”, and besides some scratches and dirt stains, it was relatively unharmed. I thought this would be a really cool interview for my Creative Nonfiction class, where we had to interview someone, and asked to meet up with him.

Arriving at Blueprint Coffee, I sat down with Boyd, who was wearing a light blue polo and a dark blue quarter zip above it. He had a beard and an ‘official’ presence.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but he didn’t fit my mental image of it.

Studying at WashU from 1994 to 1998, Boyd is now 47 years-old working in banking, primarily with credit unions.

Majoring in Social Thought and Analysis, which is no longer offered at WashU (it merged with the American Culture Studies department in 2006), Boyd stated, “It was essentially sociology, but mixed with analytics.

It took a soft science and used statistics and hard science techniques to support these sociological studies.”

Interestingly enough, Boyd said he came into

WashU as a pre-med: “That was the whole thing with WashU — pre meds. I got weeded out by Organic Chemistry.”

Boyd minored in philosophy, too. He had an interest in literature and philosophers like “Edward Said, y’know.

The whole idea of Western hegemony versus nonWestern mindsets.” These soft skills, he said, helped him in his professional career. He pursued grad school and got a dual degree in public policy and an MBA in finance at University of Maryland, in his home state.

“I was an idealist, right? I still am. After college, I went to Rwanda with the UN for a couple of years. I definitely had an international humanitarian streak.” He worked with the refugee agency, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR. “I was at a Congolese refugee camp for a year and then worked at the main office in the capital, Kigali, for about a year.”

Afterwards, Boyd explained that his initial aspiration was to work in banking for a little bit to pay off his college debts.

“Long story short,” he stated, “I ended up going to Bank of America and working on Wall Street.

I did that for about 4.5 years. Every horror story you hear about being an associate analyst is true — working 80-90 hours, very intense work. I got burnt out.”

The 2008 recession happened, and Boyd’s entire department went down too. He was in Charlotte, North Carolina, at that time, and decided to then open a pizza restaurant.

“It was called Revolution Pizza and Ale House. I started a restaurant in the middle of a recession. I ended up running it for about 4 years and sold it to a group of investors that kept it open for another 5 years.”

At that point, Boyd went back into banking, which is what he’s been working in since 2013.

Boyd, a self-described realist with a passion for sustainability, ironically ended up in Wall Street banking. I asked if he ever faced a moral dilemma. “Nah, it wasn’t a moral dilemma,” he said. “I wanted to challenge myself. Going into finance was a huge challenge professionally — the amount of hours, everything you have to put into that.”

“However, there were some other situations that created moral dilemmas.

Back then, we didn’t have DEI and there was no idea of ‘representation is important.’ Especially being a Black man, it was a challenge to navigate,” said Boyd.

Boyd continued to elaborate into his experience at WashU as a Black man.

“There weren’t very many of us. But, it was a very welcoming

community. I didn’t have any issues with the student body or administration, but historically speaking WashU did a pretty crappy job at making sure the student body had good representation.”

Fast forward to years later and “WashU is really rigorous and research based. The administration wanted that.

They wanted those types of students, professors, and reputations. After Danforth left and Wrighton came in, he had this clear mandate of wanting to drive WashU to the next level. And

he did. He increased academics, fundraising, but not so much a great job on diversity,” state Boyd.

This, to me, is what makes Boyd such a complex figure. He seems to not only be rooted in his interest in business, but also philosophy. Along with working on Wall Street, he also noticed the problems with WashU in the past. I’ve always heard that soft skills can help you in the future, but it was somewhat comforting to hear (as a humanities student myself ) that these skills really can help you

as a worker, business owner, or individual, from a man who is living proof of it.

In terms of advice for those currently at WashU, Boyd said, “No one’s expecting you to be a professional right out of college. Look, I’m a career changer: capital markets to pizza restaurant, the UN, all that. But throughout my career it’s been these skills of executive leadership, critical thinking, ability to communicate, these key skills to get people to support you.”

ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE YANG

THURSDAY, FEB 1, 2024

STUDENT LIFE 5

ANNABEL SHEN | MANAGING SCENE EDITOR | SCENE@STUDLIFE.COM

Breakdown of BearFit Classes UMA SIMHAN LORE WANG SOPHIA HELLMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS JUNIOR SCENE EDITOR

Whether it be a New Year’s resolution or just a fresh outlook on Spring semester, the start of the year usually inspires an inf lux of gym-goers.

Washington University offers comprehensive exercise facilities at Sumers Recreation Center, as well as the South 40 Fitness Center. But between all the strength machines and rows of treadmills, starting at the gym can be an intimidating experience.

Or perhaps, you’re just looking to spice up your workouts with some variety. Either way, BearFit classes provide a great way to fit some fun exercise into your day without having to figure out the specifics of your workout or navigate around the 4pm after-class crowds.

Offered throughout the day, seven days a week, there’s a BearFit class for everyone, whether you’re an early-bird looking for a morning pump or trying to find some peace of mind in between classes. Here are some highlights.

Pilates Burnout Offered: M, W, Th Intensity: 3-4/5 Not to be confused with reformer Pilates, Pilates Burnout only uses mats and bodyweight exercises.

The difficulty of this class varies with the instructor.

Sometimes it leans more toward yoga and other times, it implements more traditional bodyweight exercises. This class is fun

and more relaxing than some of the other classes offered at the Rec. Be warned, though, it’s quite popular — for good reason — meaning Monday evening classes usually involve some sort of mat Tetris to fit everyone in the studio (the record to beat is 53 people!).

Barre Fusion Offered: M, W, Sat Intensity: 2-3/5 Developed by a former ballerina, barre classes use repetitive, isometric exercises inspired by ballet to target specific muscle sets for a well-rounded but moderate workout.

During the class, you’ll utilize the ballet barre at the front of the studio, as well as equipment like hand weights, pilates rings, and balls. Although the class as a whole offers a lower-intensity workout, you may feel your muscles shaking during plié holds or less-than-graceful leg lifts. As a bonus, this class really helps you tap into your inner ballerina for straighter posture and better balance, leaving you walking out of Sumers with the confidence of hitting a grand jeté.

Zumba Offered: T, Th, F, Sat, Sun Intensity: 2/5 A high-energy workout that combines elements of Latin dance and cardio, Zumba is a fun way to get your heart pumping. No dance experience required — the easy-to-follow interval breakdowns will get you twirling in no time. In particular, King’s Sunday evening classes are a great, affirming way

BRI NITSBERG | STUDENT LIFE WashU students pedaling into the new week as they participate in BearFit classes. to ease the Sunday Scaries and slide your way into the week.

Kpoppin Offered: W Intensity: 2/5

Ever wanted to live out your idol/popstar fantasy?

Make your dreams come true with this Wednesday evening K-pop dance class! Taught in a Zumbalike fashion, K-pop hits from LE SSERAFIM, ENHYPEN, and Seventeen are simplified into easy-to-grasp moves while retaining their catchy, high-energy vibe for a light, bouncy workout that’ll have you “getting it like boom-boom-boom”.

We stan Mackenzie.

Yoga Offered: M, T, W, R, F, Sun Intensity: 1-2/5

Sumers offers a variety of yoga classes nearly every day of the week as a great way to build balance, f lexibility, and strength.

Although many of the classes are advertised as heated, the studio usually is lukewarm at best. Intensity also varies greatly between the different class varieties, but between the six weekly sessions, you’re bound to find a fit. Late-night yoga classes can inspire a sense of inner peace and calm needed during stressful periods.

Darkcycle Offered: M, T, W, Th, F, Sat, Sun Intensity: 5/5 This class will give you all the cardio you need for a lifetime in 1 hour. The instructors are always

energized and ready to get you through this powerful workout, which has you dripping sweat by the halfway mark. This is also not a normal cycling class — the darkroom offers a unique aesthetic that is unlike the other classes offered at the Rec.

high intensity interval training, or HIIT, while others have you practicing combination routines. No experience is required— but by the end you will be sweating buckets.

BearFIT Boxing Offered: M, T, W, Th, Sat Intensity: 3-4/5

Looking for a challenge?

Look no further.

BearFLEX combines common lifting movements, such as squats and presses, with endurance and a fast pace.

Maintaining high energy throughout the hour, you will leave this class with increased endurance as well as strength training.

It’s no walk in the park, but the blasting music and shouts of encouragement help you get the most of your workout.

BearFLEX Offered: M Intensity: 5/5

If you’re willing to buy your own gloves (or borrow a friend’s), this class offers the perfect blend of cardio and catharsis. BearFIT boxing leans more on the side of endurance than technique but still provides the basics of boxing— by the end, you’ll know how to jab, punch, hook, kick, and uppercut. Some sessions offer a blend with

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Good Reads

Crossword by Alex Nickel

ACROSS 1 Where most of "Moby-Dick" takes place 6 Titular Proust character 7 Hägar the Horrible's wife, in comics 8 Shouts 9 Last word of Joyce's "Ulysses"

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Last week’s solutions New Year's Resolutions

Solution to last week’s puzzle:

ACROSS 1 Memberships to this spike in January 4 Hit the town 6 Summa cum _____ 7 Skillfully avoid 8 Annual sports awards DOWN 1 New Year's Resolutions, essentially 2 Late-night text 3 Like hiking trails on a rainy day 4 "And that's what you missed on ____!"

5 Concert souvenirs

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FORUM

6 STUDENT LIFE

THURSDAY, FEB 1, 2024

REILLY BRADY | MANAGING FORUM EDITOR | FORUM@STUDLIFE.COM

Margot Robbie’s Oscar snub isn’t a blow to feminism

HUSSEIN AMURI STAFF WRITER

“Greta & Margot, While it can sting to win the box office but not take home the gold, your millions of fans love you.

You’re both so much more than Kenough.”

On Jan. 24, 2024, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton posted this on X (formerly known as Twitter) to her more than 31 million followers. The post was in support of director Greta Gerwig and actress Margot Robbie for their work on the 2023 blockbuster movie “Barbie.” The tweet came in light of the release of the 2024 Oscar nominations.

While “Barbie” earned eight

nominations, Gerwig didn’t get the nod for best director, and Robbie didn’t get the nod for performance by an actress in a leading role — which people were expecting them to receive. Instead, we saw nominations for Robbie’s costars, with America Ferrera nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Gloria and Ryan Gosling nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance as Ken. Clinton wasn’t the only person who came to the defense of Gerwig and Robbie; Gosling did too. In a letter to the public, the man who brought us Ken wrote, “There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no ‘Barbie’ movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two

people most responsible for this history-making, globallycelebrated film.” In what has now become a major controversy in the entertainment world, the snubs seem to be something straight out of the film’s male-dominated dystopia. But I couldn’t disagree more.

There’s power in the fact that one of the many people who called attention to Gerwig’s and Robbie’s Oscar snub is a woman who lost the 2016 presidential election. It was an election that she lost to the ashiest presidential winner in American history, because in 2016, America said it wasn’t ready for an overqualified woman who won the popular vote to become its president (side note, America: how do you trust someone that ashy to

be your president?). I can’t help but write about Clinton’s critics, who attributed her 2016 loss to a badly-run campaign, and not recall one powerful line from Gloria’s monologue in the movie where she states: “[Women] have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong.”

That being said, I find it unbelievable that in the year 2024, the news blowing up on my TikTok “For You” Page is not that the Oscars nominated Lily Gladstone: their first-ever nomination of a Native American actress.

Gerwig and Robbie are two of the most talented people in the entertainment industry. Gerwig was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Barbie.”

With her first projects as a

solo filmmaker — “Lady Bird” and “Little Women” — she was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for the former and Best Adapted Screenplay for the latter. As for Robbie, she has been here before. Despite this Oscar snub, she has been nominated for this award in the past, along with many others. She’s an amazing actress, and with or without this nomination, she’s still the GOAT — and that is not up for debate.

It is wrong to present these snubs as evidence for the attack on feminism. It is wrong because you cannot talk about feminism without talking about its decades-long exclusion of women of color.

For example, in its fight for the 20th Amendment and

women’s rights, the suffrage movement rejected Black women from fully participating in the cause. In its fight for equality, the suffrage movement was anti-Black and anti-women-of-color. So why, when those same women, who fought twice as hard for their suffrage rights, are succeeding, are we as a society not showing up for them in the same way we are showing up for white womanhood?

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2/1 WINNERS First place What do you mean “they didn’t cancel the 8:30?”

Spencer Kates, Current WashU Student

Scan the QR code to enter your submission by 11:59 pm on Monday.

Second place Toasted Tom Sal, Current WashU Student Third place Me after coming to terms with climate change.

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ILLUSTRATION BY ERICA SHI

ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIE LEONG

THURSDAY, FEB 1, 2024

SPORTS RILEY HERRON | MANAGING SPORTS EDITOR | SPORTS@STUDLIFE.COM

STUDENT LIFE 7

Women’s basketball picks up Men’s basketball bounces back key conference wins against with two clutch conference wins Carnegie Mellon and Case RISHI CHINIGA STAFF WRITER

After losing three out of their last four games, the Washington University women’s basketball team needed a big weekend to bolster their case for a March Madness berth as the Division III playoff race begins to take shape. Over the weekend, that’s exactly what they did, defeating Carnegie Mellon University on Jan. 26 and Case Western Reserve University on Jan. 28 in front of an electric home crowd.

The weekend got off to a strong start as the Bears faced their University Athletic Association (UAA) rival, the Carnegie Mellon Tartans.

WashU led the entire wire-towire game. The Bears led by five at halftime and 12 in the third quarter, but the Tartans applied pressure until the buzzer sounded, forcing the Bears to hit their free throws down the stretch.

Protecting a lead for an entire game is difficult, but the Bears were able to come away with a 90-81 win. “Obviously, things will go wrong, but you[‘ve] got to take it next play after next play and keep playing the whole time,” first-year guard Sidney Rogers said after the win.

That’s precisely what they did, with first-year center Lexy Harris dropping 32 points (22 points in the second half) and adding 11 rebounds en route to a double-double, her sixth of the season, in just 21 minutes of play. Harris, who was named the UAA Player of the Week, is averaging 16.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks while shooting an impressive 58.7% from the field.

Communication was another critical aspect of the win this weekend, highlighted by an ability to keep the ball moving and play with a lot of energy on the court. The Bears recorded 17 assists on Friday, their best mark yet in this season’s UAA play while giving

ISABELLA MIRA DIAZ | STUDENT LIFE

Jabari Chiphe recorded a career high 16 points on Friday night against Case Western.

ROHAN PATEL JACOB RITHOLTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITERS YIWEN ZHA | STUDENT LIFE

On Sunday, the Bears matched up against Case Western.

up the ball only 12 times.

After last week’s loss to No. 1 New York University, in which the team started slow, the team emphasized high intensity from the start.

“The energy was constantly up, and we constantly encouraged each other because once we do, everything flows,” said Rodgers.

First-year guard Alyssa Hughes added another 11 points to the Bears victory, including five out of the team’s 25 points in the fourth quarter. “We worked the ball both inside and outside, guarded in unison,” Hughes said.

“Overall [it was] just a great team win.”

The second game of the weekend saw the Bears matchup against the Case Western Reserve Spartans, a team they lost to twice last year.

“The goal is to keep the energy high and go out and get them,” senior guard Christina Walker said before the game.

The Bears’ energy didn’t yield instant results, and they entered the halftime break trailing 40-33. However, they finally found their stride in the third quarter, taking a 47-46

lead six minutes in, before going on a run to end the third quarter up 61-53.

The squad cemented their victory in the final 10 minutes, outscoring their opponents 21-12 en route to an 82-65 win. While Case Western had shot 16-for-35 in the first half, WashU’s stout defense held them to just five-for-25 from the field in the second half.

Offensively, Hughes scored a career-high 20 points off of the bench in the resounding win, shooting five-for-eight from beyond the three-point arc. Senior guard Jessica Brooks, who is averaging 14.7 points per game, chipped in with 16 points and seven rebounds.

After winning their last three games, the Bears now sit at 4-3 in UAA play, tied for third in the division. The Bears look to extend their winning streak when they go on the road to rematch against Carnegie Mellon on Feb. 2 and Case Western Reserve on Feb. 4.

Additional reporting was contributed by Riley Herron and Ian Heft.

Athlete of the Week: Junior Kyle Beedon talks moving up from the end of the bench into role for men’s basketball

ELLE SU | STUDENT LIFE

Kyle Beedon now leads the University Athletic Association with 21 threes in conference play.

CLARA RICHARDS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Thirty-eight seconds left in overtime against the No. 2 team in the country, and the Washington University men’s basketball team was down by two. Sophomore guard Yogi Oliff dribbled down the left wing, cut right, and then popped the ball back to a wide-open junior guard Kyle Beedon lurking behind the arc. There was no hesitation from the junior — he pivoted,

popped up, and splashed a three-pointer that only hit net. Case Western Reserve University learned a lesson that WashU has known all season: watch out for Kyle Beedon.

Beedon, who scored just 22 points in his freshman and sophomore seasons combined, has shot .419 from the 3-point range for an average of 9.4 points per game. The junior has stepped up even more for the team when it really matters — through seven conference games, he

is averaging 12.6 ppg, and knocking down 3-pointers with regularity. Beedon now leads the University Athletic Association with 21 threes in conference play. The sharpshooting junior sat down with Student Life to talk about his locked-in summer, learning from older players like Jack Nolan, and advice he would give to the Student Life basketball team as they search for rec league glory.

SEE KYLE, PAGE 8

Trailing by one point with less than ten seconds to go in overtime, dropping the game to the No. 2 Case Western Reserve University Spartans would have been a heartbreaker for the No. 22 Washington University men’s basketball team. Down by double digits early, the Bears had rallied to cut the lead to 7 by halftime. Down 3 with a little over 2 minutes left in regulation, WashU had once again come back to tie the game with 53 seconds left.

Down 2 with 12 seconds left in overtime, junior guard Kyle Beedon hit a huge three to give the Bears a one-point lead. And yet, none of it would have mattered if the Spartans had held on to their 86-85 lead with time running out. Hayden Doyle had other plans.

“I don’t know how many minutes I played, but my legs were pretty tired,” Doyle said after the game.

It sure didn’t seem like it.

With five seconds remaining, the junior guard — who averages 15.3 points to go along with 3.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game — sunk a contested jumper a few feet from the basket to give the Bears a lead they would not relinquish.

“Just so happy we got that team win and were able to finish it,” Doyle said after recording 21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks in a season-high 42 minutes. “They’re a really good team, they made some tough shots, a lot of threes and we had some mistakes defensively that we had to clean up…but it’s a long game, keep making the right play, and it paid off at the end.”

Sunday’s win against a UAA-leading Case Western squad, along with a win Friday night against the gritty Carnegie Mellon University Tartans, capped off a seasondefining weekend for the Bears. After junior star forward Drake Kindsvater went down for the season with an injury and the team suffered back-to-back UAA losses last weekend, bouncing back at home was critical.

WashU v. Carnegie Mellon Friday night’s game had added significance for the Bears, as it was the first annual HardyStrong game, honoring the legacy of the late Justin Hardy. The night began with the WashU community coming together to donate over $7,000 to the HardyStrong Foundation.

After a moving pregame ceremony, the packed

fieldhouse crowd was eager for the Bears, who entered conference play at just 2-3, to get the win. With starters Hayden Doyle, Kyle Beedon, Yogi Oliff, Will Grudzinski, and Calvin Kapral, the Bears got out to a quick 10-4 lead within the first four minutes, led by eight early points from the sophomore forward Grudzinski. For the next eight minutes, WashU and Carnegie Mellon exchanged baskets resulting in a 24-22 lead for the Tartans.

A 9-0 run largely engineered by the Bears’ bench put WashU up 31-24. With both teams locked into a high-scoring affair, Carnegie Mellon rallied back to tie the game at 40 apiece. After a nice screen and curl around, Kyle Beedon hit a three with four seconds remaining in the half, enabling the Bears to go up 47-42.

The Bears opened the second half strong, taking a 56-45 lead with 17:00 left on the clock. After going back and forth for the next couple of minutes, Carnegie Mellon went on an 11-0 run, tying the game at 65 each. While the barrage of threes and layups continued and both teams struggled to guard the perimeter, Bears senior Jabari Chiphe manned Carnegie Mellon’s leading offensive force, Justin Allen, in the clutch. Though Allen finished with 28 points, Chiphe held him to just six points in the final ten minutes. This allowed WashU to attack the other end, going on a 7-0 run and leading 91-83 after a huge 3-pointer from Grudzinski, a Doyle jump shot, and an Oliff layup.

With the help of an excited and roaring crowd, the Bears finished strong to win with a final score of 95-87. The win was spearheaded by Chiphe, who recorded a career-high 16 points off the bench.

When asked about his phenomenal performance, Chiphe said the key was “trusting my teammates. I know they trust me. We all put a lot of work in and we are a deep team.”

The depth of this Bears roster was on full display Friday as Grudzinski, Dolye, and Beedon all reached double-digits in points as well.

“It was truly a Justin Hardy day in every way,” head coach Pat Juckem said about Friday’s win.

Honoring Justin Hardy with his family in attendance was moving for many of the WashU community members in attendance. After the game, Juckem described how the journey of being with Hardy and watching him persevere “gives us purpose,” and mentioned that the team has a “responsibility to carry on his legacy.”

For the Bears, getting the win was just the cherry on top of a special night.

WashU v. Case Western Playing again on Sunday, the Bears fell behind early by 16 points, and a full team effort in the clutch was required to mount the comeback. Of course, the OT game-winner from Doyle was vital, but to reach that point, WashU called on the entire team. As soon as OT started, center Calvin Kapral began to take over. The sophomore, who’s averaging 9.3 points and 3.9 rebounds a game, scored 7 straight for the Bears to start overtime, finishing with a team-high 23 points. He paved the way for a clutch 3-pointer from Beedon that gave the Bears a momentary lead, and tough team defense forced a long three from Case Western that resulted in a miss to end the game.

“I thought our process was pretty good,” said head coach Pat Juckem on the early deficit. “We had a good last five minutes in that first half defensively…Credit to our guys for being very poised, mature for their age, and know[ing] there’s a lot of possessions in this game.”

Maturity and growth have started to become a trend for the Bears. Senior forward Jabari Chiphe continued to impress in extended minutes, following up his performance on Friday with 13 points and 4 rebounds in 19 minutes of play “I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight Jabari Chiphe,” said Juckem after the game.

“He had a remarkable weekend…He just gets it.

Sometimes he wasn’t getting many opportunities to play, and you would never know that from his body language, his positivity, and his leadership.”

Doyle highlighted the play of Chiphe after Sunday’s win, as well as the play of other teammates.

“Big Calvin was incredible. He’s a beast, man. He worked so hard in the offseason so he deserves all of it. Kyle with a huge shot, Yogi with some huge plays, it was a great team win,” Doyle said.

The two wins this weekend helped launch the Bears to a 4-3 conference record, which puts them level with Case Western and the University of Chicago for second in the UAA. Next weekend, they will travel to face the same two opponents once again. They will look to extend their win streak to three on Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m.

ET (6:30 CST) at Carnegie Mellon.

8 STUDENT LIFE

RILEY HERRON | MANAGING SPORTS EDITOR | SPORTS@STUDLIFE.COM

WashU basketball honors Justin Hardy’s legacy with HardyStrong Day RILEY HERRON MANAGING SPORTS EDITOR “You write your story.

From the opening cover to the very last page. This disease cannot take that away from you. Go out there and defy the odds. Rewrite how to live with cancer. You are going to do some incredible things.”

When asked to write a letter to himself for the ESPN documentary “Mind over Matter,” these were the words Justin Hardy chose to conclude it. While Hardy passed away from stomach cancer in May 2022, the Washington University community is ensuring that his story is never forgotten.

Hardy graduated from the University in December 2021. He gained national attention for his perseverance and tenacity as he underwent chemotherapy for Stage 4 cancer while playing his senior season for the WashU men’s basketball team.

On Friday, Jan. 26, the WashU men’s and women’s basketball teams honored that legacy in their annual HardyStrong game. During their first home conference games of the spring semester, the teams collaborated with the HardyStrong Foundation to raise awareness of gastric cancer and celebrate Hardy’s legacy.

“All of us feel an awesome responsibility to do our part. We are all better people for spending time with him. It’s now on us to continue it. In little ways, it’s as simple as just living life with this mindset. He was so positive even in the face of such difficult odds…” said head coach Pat Juckem, who coached Hardy for four years. “If the world had a lot more Justin Hardy’s, the world would be a lot better off.”

Hardy’s legacy, according to Juckem, is one of overcoming adversity and living life to the fullest.

“Even in that last year of his life, which ended up being an incredibly impactful year, he even said it himself that ‘you wouldn’t believe this, but this has been my favorite year,’” Juckem

The jersey of the late Justin Hardy on the Bears’ bench on Friday night’s HardyStrong game.

said. “Post diagnosis, he was going to live his life and squeeze everything out, and he absolutely did that.”

For Juckem and the WashU men’s basketball team, Hardy’s legacy is special. “It’s really personal, because he’s one of us,” Juckem said. “We still have several players in our program that got to live that journey with him.”

Players on the team are reminded of Justin every time they enter their locker room, where Justin’s locker, featuring his jersey and basketball shoes, remains untouched.

They are reminded of Justin every time they don a WashU jersey, which features a blue HardyStrong patch above the player’s heart. While the juniors and seniors on the team got to know Justin personally, the first-years and sophomores have only heard stories. Juckem and the upperclassmen want to ensure that Justin’s legacy is always a part of this program.

“We want a student athlete [who’s] here 20 years from now, 30 years from now, 50 years from now, we want to be very clear to them how unique and powerful this story and this young man was,” the coach said.

On Friday night, all four teams playing — the men’s

and women’s teams from both WashU and Carnegie Mellon — honored Justin.

In a ceremony before the men’s game, the teams welcomed the Hardy family to the center of the court as a packed fieldhouse crowd rose to its feet in a standing ovation. After audio clips from Justin were played over the speakers, the Hardy family was presented with a check for over $7,000 raised by the WashU community for the HardyStrong Foundation.

The foundation, which was started after Justin’s death, works to “to increase awareness and support of Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer, provide resources that improve access to genetic testing for cancer risk, and honor the legacy of Justin Hardy through scholarships to exemplary scholar athletes,” according to its website. Hardy’s parents — Karen and Bob — and two siblings — Jackie and Nathan — serve on the board of the foundation, as does Juckem, who considers it an honor to be a part of the organization.

“The HardyStrong Foundation is now in its second year and had an absolutely incredible first year…While it couldn’t save him, his life is gonna save many others, let alone make

others lives better,” Juckem said.

As part of the foundation’s mission to honor Hardy’s legacy, Jack Nolan, Hardy’s former WashU basketball teammate, has led a speaker series, giving different teams a firsthand perspective about Hardy’s impact.

In his talks, Nolan circles back to a central question: what would you do if you were told you had 12-18 months to live? Although he tries not to script out his speeches — “this is a story that should come from the heart,” he said — he finds himself circling back to Hardy’s relentless positivity, his resilience, and the love that he showed to his community.

“After Justin passed away, I mean, it took me a year and a half to really have any words at all,” Nolan said.

“There are things, you know, that last year, that are definitely hard to talk about. But the overwhelming majority of the memories have just been so positive, so happy, so joyous. I made a big emphasis around how Justin felt like he was living the best year of his life that last year.

And I really think that was due to how he treated everyone else around him.”

Ultimately, the speaker series hopes to bring Hardy’s

ELAHEH KHAZI | STUDENT LIFE

story to as many people as possible — whether varsity basketball programs, collegiate teams, or even in the business sector. “It’s a story that has the ability to inspire everyone,” Nolan said.

Juckem also recognizes how special Justin’s story is, and how important it is to keep sharing it. “I keep saying that at some point, this will be a movie, because it’s that kind of a story that needs to be told on whatever scale is necessary.”

Along with the HardyStrong Foundation, WashU’s Relay for Life club was present at the game to raise money and awareness for their annual event, held on April 6, 2024.

The night ended with a memorable win for the WashU team. In a backand-forth thriller, the Bears pulled away from Carnegie Mellon in the second half for a 95-87 victory.

“The fact that we could honor him, have his family out here on this court that meant so much to them, raise money for the foundation, and then play in a way that I thought he would’ve been proud of — with belief, and connectivity, and together,” Juckem said after the game.

“This was a Justin Hardy day in so many different ways.

THURSDAY, FEB 1, 2024

KYLE

from page 7 This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Student Life: Let’s start with Sunday’s game because you guys beat the No. 2 team in the country. What’s working for the team out there right now?

Kyle Beedon: I mean, I would say it always starts on the defensive end for us.

[Head coach Pat] Juckem really instills in us our defensive scheme. It doesn’t really vary from game to game, just minus little things like adjustments from team to team that we play. So that’s really our backbone as a team: we know that our defense is going to be constant every game.

SL: On a team that only has a few seniors, can you talk to me about being an upperclassmen on a young team, and how you feel like your role has shifted over the past year?

KB: Every player on our team is capable of playing.

Everyone could step up when the moment is there. I think there’s talent in our team [from] top to bottom. That’s one of the reasons why I really like being a part of this team.

In practice, you got guys that really want to play. That’s just not how it’s gonna go for them this year, sadly, but they’re still really good. And that’s how it was for me last year, too. I was in their shoes last year. I was like, ‘Hopefully, I’ll get an opportunity at some point,’ and you just keep working.

That’s what I would always tell them: to just keep working, keep investing.

SL: Talk a little bit about that transition from last season KB: I got to WashU, and I sort of initially expected to play. Jack Nolan was one of the most amazing players that I’ve ever had the opportunity to play with, and he played the same position as me. So my freshman year I was like, ‘Alright, it doesn’t really make sense that I’d be playing. He was uber-talented. In the DIII basketball world, you can say that there’s an aura about him.

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