Category: Civic Scholars

Civic Scholars share impacts made across nation

The Class of 2025 Civic Scholars congregated at Holmes Lounge on Monday, Oct. 21 to present on their Civic Summers at the annual Civic Scholars Share Out, before their advisors, mentors, community partners, family, and friends.  Dewitt Campbell, Manager of Civic Learning Initiatives at the Gephardt Institute, kicked off the ceremony by welcoming attendees.  “I’m […]

WashU Votes co-chairs earn award, $5K grant for engagement efforts 

Last month, WashU Votes leaders Amelia Letson ‘25 and Hannah Pignataro ‘26 received a $5,000 grant in honor of their campus leadership.   The grant came from the Student Union Leadership Award, which WashU Student Union gives annually in recognition and support of outstanding student leaders. Throughout their leadership, they have demonstrated creative problem solving and […]

‘My job is to give back’: Campbell joins Gephardt staff

Dewitt Campbell was raised in the Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood, mere blocks away from the Washington University campus. He fondly recalls frolicking across the campus as a kid—using his bike to jump stairs—and notes that WashU has always been part of his life.  Now, Campbell serves as the Manager of Civic Learning Initiatives at the Gephardt […]

Gephardt fall calendar packed with opportunities to engage and learn

The Gephardt Institute has a robust calendar of events and programming this fall to get students engaged.  These events help students learn how they can develop their civic skills, engage with the St. Louis community, and find ways to bring their civic passions and ideas to life. The institute’s programming brings people together and provides […]

Civic Scholar devotes summer to KIND-ness for immigrant children

After moving away as a child, Nicole Lukens ‘25 never expected to return to Houston.   But now Lukens, one of 17 students in the Civic Scholars Class of 2025, has found herself back in her childhood hometown for her Civic Summer.   The Civic Summer is a key part of the Civic Scholars Program during […]

Three classes of Civic Scholars gather to celebrate, advise, build community

The Gephardt Institute celebrated three classes of Civic Scholars last month during the annual “All Civic Celebration” event.   Held on Sunday, April 21 in Umrath Lounge, the annual program brings together graduating seniors, juniors who are about to begin their Civic Summers, and sophomores who are new to the Civic Scholars Program to celebrate their […]

Institute announces new classes of Civic Scholars, St. Louis Fellows

A record number of WashU students committed to leading change now and throughout their lives by joining the Gephardt Institute’s Civic Scholars and St. Louis Fellows programs.   The announcement of the new cohorts of civic leadership programs follows a recruitment cycle that began last fall and saw more applications than ever before.   “We’re particularly excited […]

Notables: Da’Juantay Wynter; Spectrum Awards 

Gephardt-involved WashU students and alumni — including Student Engagement Specialist Sophie Devincenti, Donovan Dixson ’24, Sophie Lin ’26, Aspen Schisler ‘26, Charlie Shaw ’24, Laken Sylvander ‘17, Pat Wang ’24, and Da’Juantay Wynter ‘26 — were honored recently for their civic engagement efforts and community contributions.  Da’Juantay Wynter ‘26, a Mosbacher St. Louis Fellow, was […]

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 […]

Students build on community impact with Partnership Extension grants

Last month with the launch of the St. Louis Impact Fund, the Gephardt Institute introduced Partnership Extension Grants. Civic Scholars and St. Louis Fellows spend the majority of their summer during the programs cultivating relationships with community partners to impact change. The Partnership Extension Grants help students maintain these connections and continue with important projects […]

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: Luka Cai ’20

News from Gephardt Institute alumni Luka Cai ’20 was recognized for their work in co-founding SQSH, the St. Louis Queer+ Support Helpline, by STLMade, a magazine that highlights the community and culture that make St. Louis a great place to live and work. Luka was a Fox-Clark Civic Scholar with the Gephardt Institute while at WashU, and […]

Civic Scholars reflect on summer experiences in Share Out

“This experience grew my confidence and my ability to execute my vision.”   Elisabeth-Monique Tossa ‘24 was one of 16 Civic Scholars in the senior class to present their work from the summer to family, friends and other members of the WashU and St. Louis community at the Civic Scholars Share Out. Held on Oct. […]

Gephardt enlists student advisors to help inform programming

In a new effort to further boost student input and collaboration, the Gephardt Institute launched a new Student Advisory Council this fall. The Student Advisory Council (SAC) is comprised of 18 students who will advise on key opportunities and needs related to Gephardt’s mission. In the spirit of active listening, Gephardt will engage the advisory […]

Mack using intersection of humanity and data to address violence

For Dylan Mack, a Class of 2024 Bob and Gerry Virgil Civic Scholar humanity should always be at the core of data science.   “As someone who is interested in data, it’s so important to always have in the forefront of your mind that every single data point is a person, first and foremost,” Mack said.  […]

Civic Scholars to Present Projects in Rapid-fire “PechaKucha” Events

The Gephardt Institute’s Civic Scholars Program provides a rigorous, in-depth curriculum for undergraduate students with an interest and passion for civic leadership. Sophomores are selected through a competitive process and learn together through their junior and senior years. During the summer before their senior year, each Civic Scholar develops and implements an independent Civic Summer project […]

A Fond Farewell to the Class of 2022

“Kindness, enthusiasm, curiosity, and solidarity, which often show up in small acts, are some of the best ways to make an impact.” Noor Ghanam ’22 Noor Ghanam delivered a commencement speech that invoked common themes from her career at WashU, as Gephardt Institute staff fought back tears of joy and pride. Ghanam, a Kleinhandler Civic […]

Otto Brown: 2022 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll Recipient

Today, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge announced the names of 82
college students who were selected for the Student Voting Honor Roll. Representing Washington University in St. Louis, Civic Scholar and WashU Votes President Otto Brown was selected as the 2022 honoree.

Fall Break Reimagined

For many students, the fall 2021 semester marked the long-awaited return to campus and to a greater sense of normalcy since the unprecedented arrival of COVID-19.  For Civic Scholars, this term provided the opportunity to resume off-campus learning experiences through the annual immersion trip. However, this year there was a slight twist: for the first time […]

Civic Scholar Spotlight: Akhil Kesaraju, Class of 2022

Washington University senior and Stern Family Civic Scholar Akhil Kesaraju is no stranger to getting involved in his community. As a senior in high school, he was drawn to WashU partly after hearing about the Civic Scholars Program, in which students receive funding to pursue a self-directed civic project during the summer between their junior and senior year.

Civic Scholars Staff Spotlight: Stephanie Weiskopf

We were thrilled to welcome Stephanie Weiskopf to the Civic Scholars Program team this fall as the lead instructor for the Class of 2023. At WashU, Stephanie also serves as the Associate Director for Residential Faculty Engagement.  Meet, Stephanie! Stephanie, tell us a little about yourself. I am a St. Louis transplant who often makes conversation […]

Introducing Our Civic Scholars Class of 2023

Great civic leaders are not born, but made. The Civic Scholars Program gives bright young people the mentorship, experience, and know-how to do something truly significant to benefit society. Robert C. Virgil, MBA ’60, DBA ’67, Trustee Emeritus; Past Chair, Gephardt Institute National Council; Civic Scholars Program Founding Donor The Gephardt Institute is thrilled to […]

Class Acts: The Makers

This story was originally featured in The Source (April 16, 2021) Welcome to Class Acts, a celebration of remarkable graduating students at Washington University in St. Louis. In upcoming weeks, we will highlight graduating students who have made an impact through their advocacy, research, work to improve equity in health care, and efforts to build […]

Alumni Spotlight: Rachel Sumption, AB ‘16, Civic Scholar Class of 2016

“In another world, I’d be a yoga instructor and own a bed and breakfast,” Rachel Sumption, Civic Scholar Class of 2016, confessed. But in this world, Rachel does quite the opposite—she is an associate at Clifford Chance, an international law firm, taking business calls at odd hours from her apartment in London, England while juggling […]

Class Acts: The Advocates

This story was originally featured in The Source (April 23, 2021) Senior Logan Phillips calls Black History Month “a time for blissful remembrance and celebration.” But is that all there is? “Black History Month needs to go beyond those 28 days because people were Black before those days started and they will be Black beyond […]

Class of 2021 Spotlight: Andrew Whitaker

By Leslie Gibson McCarthy  • October 28, 2020 Originally published in The Source Andrew Whitaker has spent his undergraduate career at Washington University in St. Louis giving back. A biomedical engineering major at the McKelvey School of Engineering, he has danced and played with kids who have cerebral palsy so they can put on a dance recital through Dance […]

Class of 2021 Spotlight: Jessica Yu

With involvement in Civic Scholars, WashU Undergraduate and Graduate Workers’ Union (WUGWU), Asian and Pacific Islanders Demanding Justice (APIDJ), and Abolish WUPD, senior Jessica Yu is no stranger to student activism. In high school, she got involved in a community organization for Asian youth, which exposed her to social justice and community-centered initiatives. As these […]

Fall Break with a Twist

With a truncated Fall term due to the pandemic, the academic term was devoid of the coveted annual Fall Break. Nevertheless, the Civic Scholars Program continued to provide current cohort members with a virtual immersive experience geared toward learning more about housing security and land use in the greater St. Louis region. Civic Scholars had […]

Staff Spotlight: Dwayne T. James

We are delighted to have Dwayne T. James join the Civic Scholars Program as the co-instructor for the Class of 2022. Dwayne is the County Program Director for University of Missouri (MU) Extension – St. Louis County. He has served as a Council Member for the City of Ferguson, is the Race Director for the […]

Collective Impact Grant Recipients Discuss Collaboration, Uncertainty, and Shared Passion

Ask any Civic Scholars Program alum what they valued most about the program, and they will most likely share something about the community they built or the experience of learning as part of a cohort. Although the Civic Summer experience is sometimes emphasized in elevator pitches about what Civic Scholars is, the true heart of […]

Laken Sylvander Receives Fulbright Award

The following message was shared in a press release on September 26, 2019.  The U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board are pleased to announce that Laken Sylvander of Missouri has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to the Netherlands in Critical Studies in Art and Culture. Sylvander will […]

Civic Scholar Gabriela Pantoja Reflects on Working In and With Community

For her Civic Summer, Gabriela Pantoja, class of 2020, returned to the neighborhood where she grew up, the East Side of Chicago. She spent the summer interviewing residents and compiling their stories as she learned about her own community in new ways. Gabriela collected 22 oral histories from neighbors from a variety of backgrounds, ages, […]

5 Years Out: Reflections from Class of 2014 Civic Scholars

We asked members of the Class of 2014 about their experiences with Civic Scholars and about where they are now. Tiffini HyattI’m currently working as a kindergarten teacher in Chicago. For my civic project, I worked on teacher development with D.C. Public Schools. My experience there confirmed that I wanted to teach and, perhaps, work […]

Reflections from Lucy Chin, AB ’17, Civic Scholar Class of 2017

After graduation in May, I was fortunate to spend two months living and working throughout Costa Rica with a company called Overland. Along with a co-leader, I facilitated an outdoor education and service experience for middle and high school students. We engaged in service projects, took Spanish classes, explored different outdoor attractions, and worked on […]

Dan Sicorsky Challenges New Students to “Bravely Imagine a Life”

Dan Sicorsky, a Dr. Margaret A. Olsen and Dr. Joseph N. Marcus Civic Scholar, addressed incoming students at Convocation in August 2018 as the senior speaker, urging them to pursue their dreams, discover their passions, embrace uncertainty, and respond to their civic and community responsibilities. Dan is a senior studying political science and writing. On […]

Next Steps for Civic Scholars Program Graduates

Over the past two years, the Civic Scholars Class of 2018 completed four semesters of academic coursework, received multiple levels of mentorship, and developed substantial summer civic engagement projects. Like the 40 program alumni who have come before them, they acquired advanced civic leadership skills and demonstrate a significant commitment to civic engagement post-graduation. Learn more about their current and […]

Gephardt Institute Receives Major Gift to Enhance Civic Scholars Program

Mickey and Debbie Stern, longtime supporters of Washington University in St. Louis, have made a $1 million commitment to the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement in support of our Civic Scholars Program. “For more than two decades, Mickey and Debbie Stern have been tremendous volunteers and benefactors of Washington University,” said Chancellor Mark […]

Marissa Lerner ‘19 Prepares for Life-Long Citizenship

The Gephardt Institute catalyzes WashU students to become actively engaged citizens. Civic Scholar Marissa Lerner ‘19 reflects on the impact of Gephardt Institute programs throughout her three years at Washington University. In addition to her participation in the Civic Scholars Program, she has served as a counselor for Leadership Through Service. When I first arrived on Washington University’s campus, I instantly […]

Lucy Chin Shares Passion for Bridging Across Differences

Stern Family Civic Scholar Lucy Chin ‘17 reflects on the impact of Gephardt Institute programs throughout her four years at Washington University. In addition to her participation in the Civic Scholars Program, Lucy has led a service trip to Memphis and has interned with the institute to coordinate Meet St. Louis and Hawthorn InvestiGirls. The Gephardt Institute for Civic and […]

Civic Scholar Highlights the Power of the Moment

2017 Civic Scholar Yaala Muller reflects on what she has learned over the past four years at WashU, and the Gephardt Institute’s role in that process. As I reflect on my experience at Washington University and with the Gephardt Institute, a question continues to buzz around in my head: the question of what gives me […]

Rise Up: Civic Scholar Alumnus Focuses on a More Equitable St. Louis

2016 Civic Scholar Carrick Reddin shares his reflections on the role of mentorship and community while at WashU and now as a citizen of St. Louis.  “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.”                               […]

Beijing Forum Inspires Cross-Cultural Reflections on University Social Responsibility

Civic Scholar Laken Sylvander ‘17 joined research manager Matthew Bakko to represent Washington University in Beijing at the University Social Responsibility Network Summit and the Beijing Forum. When I was informed I was selected to serve as the WashU student representative to travel to Beijing and present at the University Social Responsibility Network Summit, I […]

1,000 Hours with Gephardt

Rachel Sumption, AB Islamic Studies ’16, has connected WU tutors with St. Louis charter schools as our Each One Teach One Coordinator, and explored a lifetime of advocacy as a Civic Scholar. Here, she reflects on her experience with the Gephardt Institute weeks before traveling to Rabat, Morocco as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. By […]