Jane Gephardt Memorial Fund

June 2, 1942 – Jan. 13, 2024

I appreciate your donation to the Gephardt Institute which is so important to Jane and I.  Nothing in my life would have been possible without the constant love and support of my partner for over 63 years.  She shared my passion for our country, the City of St. Louis and developing young citizen leaders for life.


Welcome to the Gephardt Institute
for Civic and Community Engagement

We foster a vibrant culture of civic engagement throughout Washington University by supporting students in turning their passions into action.


What We Do

The Gephardt Institute works with students across all eight academic schools—at both the graduate and undergraduate levels—to ensure robust and high-quality civic engagement opportunities on campus and in St. Louis.

We work closely with community organizations in the St. Louis region to facilitate effective partnerships with WashU departments and organizations to address community needs and priorities.

We also support alumni-led efforts to foster a lifetime of
civic engagement.

Educating Students for Lifelong Engaged Citizenship

We inspire WashU students to actively engage in addressing social challenges. This arc of engagement begins with the first-year experience and continues beyond graduation.

Cultivating Campus and Community Partnerships

We catalyze campus and community partnerships that respond to community needs and priorities. We focus on trust, collaboration, and shared goals. 

Infusing Civic
Engagement Throughout WashU

We advance WashU’s mission by supporting civic learning, leadership, and impact that reaches students, faculty, staff, alumni, community partners, and supporters.


New In the Lou

St. Louis is a vibrant region with many stories and places to explore. Check out our online guide to being an engaged member of the St. Louis community, and start (or continue) your civic journey at WashU.  


Gephardt Institute News and Events

Alumni Spotlight: Andreas Mitchell AB ’13

“If not for Civic Scholars, I don’t think I would have had the confidence to go down this road.”   The lessons Dr. Andreas Mitchell AB ‘13 learned with Civic Scholars inform how he approaches his work today. His time as a Civic Scholar gave him a sense of what civic leadership looks like and whether […]

Civic Scholars journey to DC for first time since 2019

A hallmark of the Civic Scholars Program is the opportunity to travel to Washington DC for a four-day immersion trip. Last month, 32 Class of 2024 and 2025 Civic Scholars learned about the federal policymaking process at the heart of where it takes place, met with federal representatives of St. Louis and Missouri, and discussed […]

Institute to host “The Bill of Obligations” author Dr. Richard Haass on April 1

On April 1 at 4 p.m., Dr. Richard Haass will give an Elliot Stein Lecture in Ethics at the Emerson Auditorium in the Knight Center.  Please RSVP. Haass, a veteran diplomat and respected scholar of international relations, will speak on his book, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens, and the question it […]

Imagine The Future With Us

The Gephardt Institute is creating pathways for WashU students
to become lifelong engaged citizens and civic leaders. The urgent societal challenges we face require the focus, resolve, participation, and leadership of current and future generations.

With your support, we will ensure that WashU graduates embrace their responsibility to help make our nation a more perfect union for all.