Updated “In the Lou” features students, alumni, and new interactive content

As part of the Gephardt Institute’s efforts to acclimate WashU students to St. Louis and encourage them to engage in the community, the institute’s “In the Lou” guide is updated for 2024 to feature more neighborhoods and include more tools to help WashU students engage in the region. “In the Lou” resources help WashU students learn […]

Institute awards over $30,000 to fund students’ STL community projects

The Gephardt Institute is pleased to announce the inaugural recipients of the Transform Grant, the largest award in the Institute’s newly launched St. Louis Impact Fund. In the 2023-2024 cycle, the Institute will award over $30,000 to five projects co-designed by Washington University students and community organizations aimed at advancing regional priorities.   “The Transform Grant […]

Tori Harwell ‘24 named a Rhodes Scholar 

For Victoria “Tori” Harwell ’24, a 2022 St. Louis Fellow, their stellar success invokes not only celebration, but also reflection on the monumental hurdles their ancestors faced to create opportunities for their descendants.   On Saturday, Nov. 11, at an announcement event in Washington, D.C., Harwell learned that they were one of just 32 students in […]

Pearson reflects on Gephardt Institute’s impact

By Le’Aysha Pearson AB ’19A 2018 Civic Scholar, Le’Aysha contributed the following reflection about her experience with the Gephardt Institute, and how her civic journey that started here continues to shape her path. My journey began with the Gephardt Institute’s Civic Scholars Program and a passion for civic engagement, and has led me to the fulfilling civic […]

Notables: Joshua Aiken AB ’14 and Luka Cai ’20

News from Gephardt Institute alumni Joshua Aiken AB ’14, an alumnus of the Civic Scholars program who was accepted as a Rhodes Scholar while a WashU senior in 2014, published an award-winning book of poetry, “to be in & of.” His poetry dives into the perils and contradiction of how Black life is grieved in American society […]

Fellows build community while becoming champions for St. Louis

The 2023 St. Louis Fellows shared their experiences and learning from their summer internships with local nonprofit and government organizations. It was part of Civic Action Week held this month.   Community partners, family, friends, supporters, and the WashU community were invited to the first St. Louis Fellows Showcase, held on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at Stix […]

Photos: Students connect with civic-focused groups at Civic Engagement Fair

On Friday, Sept. 13, the Gephardt Institute hosted it’s annual Civic Engagement Fair, in which nearly 50 WashU students groups and community organizations that promote community service and civic engagement sought members and helped students find a civic interest. A beautiful afternoon for the fair, students also enjoyed ice cream and the music of On […]

“The Longest Table” hosts 150 students for dinner and civic dialogue

In its inaugural event for WashU, The Longest Table was a hit as students gathered en masse to share a meal and talk with each other about their civic interests and visions for their communities.   “We talked about how to improve society in terms of general hopes, and I guess fears about what’s going on, […]

Tishaura O. Jones shares journey to STL mayor’s office in special Civic Café

As a special part of the Gephardt Institute’s Civic Café event series, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones spoke to a crowd of more than 100 WashU students on Tuesday about the journey that inspired and led to her political career.   “I wake up every day excited to go to City Hall, because I get […]

St. Louis Fellows’ first days on the job

The 2023 St. Louis Fellows—the largest group ever, with 33 students representing the WashU Classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026—began their summer internships with 29 organizations in the St. Louis region at the beginning of June. Their internships involve analyzing data about marginalized populations, meeting with local officials about legislation, working with patients with Alzheimer’s and […]

Alumni Spotlight: Kevin Tsay ’07

Civic and community engagement can spark a passion in students that they carry throughout their careers. We caught up with one such alumni, Kevin Tsay, who graduated from WashU in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Educational Studies and Organization & Human Resources and now calls Seattle home.   Tsay currently serves as a […]

Institute celebrates 2023 graduates and wraps up school year

On Monday, May 1, students gathered with Gephardt Institute staff on the Stix House patio for our Year-End Celebration, which brought together the whole Gephardt community of changemakers.   The celebration recognized all students who have participated in Gephardt Institute programming over the course of their time at WashU, and honored our 2023 graduates. Whether they […]

Ethic of Service Award celebrates 20 years of honorees 

The Gephardt Institute hosts the Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Awards each year. Here, our 2023 honorees were honored on April 25, 2023, at Washington University’s Stix House. Click on the icons to view more photos and honoree bios. Photos by Sid Hastings/WUSTL Photos “The Ethic of Service Award recognizes those in the […]

Spencer Chrein ’23 earns spot on ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) announced on Wednesday this week that 175 college students were selected for the second annual Student Voting Honor Roll. Spencer Chrein ’23, who co-chaired WashU Votes in the 2021-2022 academic year, was recognized for his nonpartisan democratic engagement work as an awardee. ALL IN’s Student Voting Honor Roll recognizes college students at participating campuses […]

Gephardt-involved students recognized for their Excellence in Leadership 

The WashU student voting organization and two members of the Gephardt Institute’s Civic Leadership Programs were recognized for their leadership efforts last weekend.   On Sunday, April 23, Washington University’s Campus Life department held its annual Excellence in Leadership Awards ceremony, to celebrate and honor the outstanding achievements of WashU students and the support of their […]

Ellis ensures smooth operations in Gephardt Institute staff role

Ensuring smooth day-to-day activity at Stix House and events that go off without a hitch, Danielle Ellis’s role as operations manager is integral to the Gephardt Institute. She joined the team in July 2022 and leads the institute’s business operations, building operations, and events.  Ellis is a St. Louis native, whose parents moved to the […]

Finding and building community at Stix House

Every Tuesday, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. students come to Stix House for Civic Café.  Each event features a community or campus expert who shares their knowledge on a civic topic, thoughtful and inclusive dialogue on the topic, and a meal from a local restaurant.  Since its launch in October 2022, Civic Café has become […]

Finding community at the intersection of art and mindfulness

By Sophie Devincenti, Student Engagement Specialistsdevincenti@wustl.edu Take a second to feel where you are. Sitting, standing, walking. What are the sensations you are taking in? (At WashU’s campus in spring, it feels like buzzing lawn mowers, tilled mulch, the haze of pollen, and students picnicking or huddled over laptops on Mudd Field.) What do you […]

Cultivating the next generation of civic leaders

More students than ever have committed their time, their energy, and their minds to civic change by joining the Gephardt Institute’s civic leadership programs.   The new cohorts of Civic Scholars and St. Louis Fellowship programs were selected after a rigorous recruitment and selection cycle, which included an application process that urged students to meaningfully […]

Sociology course illuminates path to meaningful philanthropy

Earlier this month, students in Philanthropy Lab—a course supported by the Gephardt Institute—heard from a panel on how to appropriately vet organizations and fund initiatives to better impact the root issues of community needs.   Philanthropy Lab, a course in Arts & Sciences’ Department of Sociology, gives students a theoretical and practical understanding of philanthropy today. […]

“The Little Things” to debut this month

How do civic and community issues inform and influence art—and how does art inform how we respond to the issues facing our communities? Explore how art informs and spotlights the role of personal action and community impact at The Little Things Art Exhibition.    It’s the first-ever student-art exhibit for the Gephardt Institute for Civic and […]

Civic Journey: From St. Louis Fellow to Gephardt engagement specialist

One St. Louis Fellow’s journey brought her even closer to the Gephardt Institute last year.   Since last June , Sophie Devincenti has served as Gephardt’s Student Engagement Specialist. Hailing from Mill Valley, Calif., Sophie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from WashU in the Class of 2022, majoring in Educational Studies and Studio Art and […]

Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award Spotlight: Shirley Brown

As we prepare to celebrate our 2023 Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award honorees and the 20th anniversary of the awards, we take a moment to reflect on one of the exemplary individuals who embodies the core principles of this special university honor.   In 2008, Shirley Brown was recognized for her remarkable contributions […]

Graduate Impact Forum: The effects of climate change on mental health

On Monday, Jan. 30, the Graduate Impact Forum welcomed Chris Weatherly, a Ph.D. Candidate in Social Work at the Brown School. Weatherly’s research focuses on the intersection of mental health and climate change, building on his work with farmers, victims of natural disasters, and livestock and wildlife veterinarians.   Joined by more than 30 WashU graduate […]

“Pitch Panels” help Civic Scholars sharpen proposals for Civic Summer Projects

Civic Scholars in the junior cohort presented their proposed Civic Summer projects to panelists in February. This summer, the 18 Civic Scholars in the junior cohort will each receive a $6,000 stipend in lieu of summer earnings to implement the Civic Summer plans they have been developing throughout the academic year.   The goal of the […]

STL County prosecutor talks equity in justice system at Civic Café

The Gephardt Institute welcomed Wesley Bell, prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County, to its Jan. 31 Civic Café. A weekly event, Civic Café hosts guest speakers from WashU and the St. Louis region with students for salon-style conversations on civic topics and civic skillbuilding.  Elected in 2018, Wesley Bell became the first African American to […]

Civic Scholar Mariah Davis ’24: Work with Gephardt Institute has “lit a fire in me”

Mariah Davis ’24, a Kleinhandler Civic Scholar, reflects on her civic journey during her time working with the Gephardt Institute. The following essay by Davis exemplifies the Gephardt Institute’s goal of empowering and challenging students to meet the issues facing our society with passion, care and, above all, hope for the future.  The American experiment […]

New ChangeMaker Series hosts alumnus Marcus Brown

As part of a new event series created to make meaningful connections between civic leaders who are impacting their community and current students who aspire to do the same, Marcus Brown AB ’13, MSW ’16 spoke before a crowd of students and faculty/staff about his career experience at U.S. Bank.   His talk kicked off the […]

New Gephardt staff complete leadership team

Marking the culmination of an intentional hiring process conducted over the course last year, the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement announces the completion of its new leadership team.   “Our new leadership team represents an important milestone for the Gephardt Institute as we conclude our 18th year and build for the future,” said Stephanie […]

Civic Scholars launch spring semester with immersion trip

Junior and senior Civic Scholars embarked on a four-day immersion through the St. Louis region, capping their winter break with an in-depth experience of the history, issues and political structures of the area.   On Jan. 10-13, 30 Civic Scholars joined Gephardt Institute facilitators Dr. Alannah Glickman, Associate Director for Civic Engagement; Sarah Nash, Community Engagement […]

Gephardt marks success of new weekly events

Civic Café and Food for Thought—new programs for the fall 2022 semester—give WashU students a regular and unintimidating forum to drop in, discuss community and civic issues with experts, and weigh in during open conversation. Both weekly conversations are served over food from locally owned eateries.  

Announcing Civic Action Week, Sept. 25-30

In collaboration with the Women’s Society of Washington University, the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement is excited to announce the inaugural Civic Action Week, Sept. 25-30, 2022.  It’s a new initiative to highlight civic engagement opportunities available at WashU and in the St. Louis community. Working across campus with faculty, staff and community partners, […]