Students in the Gephardt Institute’s Civic Fellows Program traveled to Washington D.C. on Jan. 6-9 to experience policy advocacy in federal government, meet with elected officials, and learn about the similarities and differences in civic and community engagement in the nation’s capital and St. Louis. Digital Communications Specialist Autumn Dennis traveled with the group to […]
Category: Gephardt News
St. Louis journalists discuss the role of their craft in shaping public conversation
Local journalists David Drebes, founder and writer at Missouri Scout, and Michelle Li, co-anchor of KSDK’s “Today in St. Louis” show, were featured at Jan. 21’s Civic Café: The Role of Journalists in Shaping Public Conversation. The duo shared their perspectives on journalism’s role in democracy, editorial processes in a fast-paced news cycle, and how […]
Institute launches new State and Local Government civic education course
The Gephardt Institute’s newest civic education offering launched on Jan. 13: Civic Action Lab: State and Local Government, is a course in Political Science designed and taught by Dr. Alannah Glickman, Associate Director of Civic Engagement. Students are learning about the unique policy domains, political processes and effects on residents’ lives, and the greater accessible […]
“Principles & Priorities” workshop provides insights on federal budget process
Why does it seem like federal budgets are constantly under debate? On Jan. 15, 32 WashU students, faculty and staff experienced the complexities of federal funding through a simulated exercise, “Principles & Priorities: An Interactive Federal Budget Challenge.” Former Congresswoman Carolyn Bordeaux and federal budget expert Phil Smith, both of the Concord Coalition, led groups […]
St. Louis Fellow Da’Juantay Wynter delivers MLK Day keynote address
On Jan. 19, WashU celebrated the power of the civil rights movement with the 39th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration: “Pressing Our Way: Striving for Change.” Da’Jauntay Wynter ’26, a 2023 Mosbacher St. Louis Fellow, delivered the keynote address. He stressed that societal progress requires tenacity, patience, and community — but that everyone has the […]
2026 Civic Fellows’ DC Immersion: Day 3
The third day of the Civic Fellow’s immersion trip to D.C. began with preparation for a day on Capitol Hill. Students spent the morning discussing policy briefs related to the work of the legislators and/or their staff members they met — Rep. Wesley Bell (MO), Representative Emmanuel Cleaver (MO), Sen. Dick Durbin (IL), Sen. Josh […]
2026 Civic Fellows’ DC Immersion: Day 2
On the second day of the Civic Fellows’ immersion trip to D.C., the Fellows were joined by the DC Bound and Beyond cohort of the WashU Center for Career Engagement (CCE). Breakfast was held in WashU’s Office of Government & Community Relations, where students from both groups mingled in anticipation for the main event of […]
2026 Civic Fellows’ DC Immersion: Day 1
Yesterday marked the beginning of the Civic Fellows’ immersion trip to Washington D.C. — an impactful experience that connects the students with elected representatives and government and community leaders to gain exposure to the process of federal policymaking and advocacy. Throughout the four-day trip, students learn from national and local leaders and executives to strengthen their skills and knowledge of public policy.
Gephardt gears up for 2026 elections
With the 2026 local, primary and midterm federal elections on the horizon, the Gephardt Institute’s Engage Democracy team and WashU Votes are hard at work to drive robust voter participation on campus, including creating a fresh strategic action plan to increase voter engagement. In 2022 and 2024, WashU was awarded a Highly Established Action Plan […]
Make your year-end gift to the Gephardt Institute
As 2025 draws to a close, we extend our gratitude for your past support and engagement with the Gephardt Institute. Your generosity makes a significant impact on our ability to prepare students for lifelong civic engagement. Our success unfolds through your generosity. By investing in the Gephardt Institute, you are directly investing in WashU students who aim […]
Gephardt presents civic education strategies, successes to peer institutions
In the spirit of strengthening civic education nationwide, the Gephardt Institute presented successful strategies for student participation at a conference with peer institutions from around the country. Otto Brown, Civic Engagement Manager for the Gephardt Institute, attended and presented at the Civic Learning and Social Change Conference (CLSC) in Long Beach, California, between Dec. 8 […]
Civic Fellow Abdelmoity ‘26 earns prestigious Marshall Scholarship
The first week of December was a whirlwind of wonderful news for Omar Abdelmoity ’26: The Dr. Margaret A. Olsen & Joseph N. Marcus Civic Fellow was announced as a recipient of the prestigious Marshall Scholarship. Just days prior, he had his finalist interview for the distinguished Rhodes Scholarship and learned he did not receive […]
Lily Rich ’26 reflects on insights from Kenneth Cole documentary and WashU visit
Last week, WashU was lucky enough to host fashion icon Kenneth Cole on campus for multiple events, including a fireside chat with the WashU School of Public Health and a breakfast Q&A hosted by the Gephardt Institute. Students invited to the intimate Q&A over breakfast with Cole also had the opportunity to view the new […]
“A Man with Sole,” Kenneth Cole, connects with students on business, activism
While he was in St. Louis this month to screen his new documentary film, WashU hosted a renowned fashion designer to share with students his insights into the intersections of social activism and business. Kenneth Cole has designed and produced footwear and clothing since 1982, and his company, Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc., has long been […]
‘Thinksgiving’ connects businesses, nonprofits to envision solutions to community challenges
Some Gephardt-involved students met with leaders from St. Louis-area nonprofits and businesses on Thursday, Nov. 6 as part of an annual “Thinksgiving” event for a day of future-focused creative problem solving. At the day-long Thinksgiving event, hosted by Filament at Cortex Innovation District, representatives from businesses and nonprofits are grouped into teams, given a prompt […]
Gephardt adds two new applied civic engagement courses for Spring 2026
WashU has introduced two new Civic Action Lab courses—“Foundations of Civic Engagement” and “State and Local Government”—aimed at enhancing student knowledge and participation in democracy. These courses will involve experiential learning through policy research, visits to government institutions, and hands-on civic engagement strategies to prepare students for active civic lives.
Childhood, classroom experiences lead St. Louis Fellow to affordable housing work
This summer, St. Louis Fellow Chin Tial ’27 interned with the Preservation of Affordable Housing, a local nonprofit whose mission is to create and sustain affordable homes that support economic security and access to opportunity for all — a mission that hits close to home for Chin Tial. Born in Chin State, Myanmar, Chin Tial […]
Large crowd turns out for Missouri House reps panel
On October 29, Civic Café hosted a discussion featuring Missouri House Representatives Philip Oehlerking, Del Taylor, and Bridget Walsh-Moore, attended by 75 students. The representatives discussed governance, collaboration, and education funding, reflecting bipartisan dialogue despite partisan divides. Students actively engaged, highlighting their interest in state politics and legislative impacts.
Flores bridges arts and civics for St. Louis Fellows
Since he could talk, St. Louis Fellows Program Co-Facilitator Adam Flores was always interested in engaging with others and being part of his community. His mother would tell the story of how they used to walk through the mall, with Flores eagerly saying “hi” to every person they passed. As he got older, his desire […]
Multi-year partnership enhances BRIC services, inspires St. Louis Fellows
This summer, St. Louis Fellows helped gun violence victims heal from their trauma — and they’re continuing their work beyond the program. Two Fellows, Courtney Lucas ’28 and Sai Prem ’26, interned with the Bullet Related Injury Clinic (BRIC), extending the Gephardt Institute’s partnership that began in 2022 with St. Louis Fellow Aneesh Syal ’23. […]
Chrein ’23 teaches empowerment through democracy to Armenian youth
Spencer Chrein ’23, a Political Science graduate from WashU, now mentors youth in Armenia, focusing on empowering them through democratic engagement. His Peace Corps work emphasizes collaboration and media literacy. He aims to leverage technology to strengthen democracy and enhance citizen governance.
Four Gephardt-involved students honored with leadership award
This month, four Gephardt-affiliated students were presented with $5,000 leadership awards from WashU’s Student Union (SU). Presented to Hieran Andeberhan ‘25, Jasmine Najari ‘26, Marcellus Thorsen ‘27, and Da’juantay Wynter ‘26 on Sept. 4, the annual awards recognize and support outstanding undergraduate student leaders who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, creative problem solving, and a commitment […]
WashU students bring home $25K to help raise young mothers out of poverty
This month, a group of WashU Philanthropy Lab students helped bring home $25,000 in grant funding to support and empower young mothers to become self-sufficient and create a better future for their children. Over the last 18 months, St. Louis nonprofit Almost Home has received $35,000 in funding via the Philanthropy Lab course — in […]
St. Louis Fellows showcase their summer impact
On Thursday, Sept. 11, the current — and largest ever — class of St. Louis Fellows presented the community work they did this summer with local nonprofit and government organizations. The 45 St. Louis Fellows welcomed St. Louis community members, WashU faculty and staff, St. Louis Fellows alumni, and their family and friends, to Delmar DivINe, […]
Nearly 600 join in dialogue at The Longest Table
Read The Source’s coverage of The Longest Table | Watch St. Louis Public Radio’s coverage On Wednesday, Sept. 3, the Gephardt Institute welcomed hundreds of students, faculty, and staff from the WashU community to join together for a meal and facilitated discussion on current events and civic issues. Now in its third year of hosting […]
WashU, Gephardt kick off fall semester
In the last half of August, the Gephardt Institute team met students at orientation events and worked with campus partners to promote civic and community engagement opportunities. Top, WashU Votes members and Gephardt professional and student staff pause for a group photo at the Student Union Activities Fair; middle left, Civic Engagement Manager Otto Brown […]
Deffenbaugh joins Gephardt with eye on strategy
In March, the Gephardt Institute welcomed a new staff member to its team — in a new role created to manage the institute’s strategic projects, events, and relationships. Rachel Deffenbaugh, MSW, became the Gephardt Institute’s Manager of Strategic Initiatives this year and plays a key role in steering efforts that advance the Institute’s mission through collaborative […]
St. Louis Impact Fund recipients present outcomes of health workshops
On Tuesday, July 15, Occupational Therapy graduate student Mia Pearce OTD/S ‘26 presented the outcomes of her St. Louis Impact Fund-supported program, “PromOTing Healthy Living,” during a collaborative dissemination event held at Occupational Therapy’s Community Experiential Learning Center. The event included a hands-on mini workshop where the participants wrote what community looks like to them […]
Empowering Community Through Civic Leadership
Announcing the inaugural Jane Gephardt Memorial St. Louis Fellow, Chantal Ogbeifun ’27 Chantal Ogbeifun ’27 is no stranger to taking initiative. A double major in political science and organization and strategic management, Chantal spent her summer immersed in the heart of St. Louis, partnering with a historic preservation and economic development organization known as Delmar Main […]
St. Louis Fellows advance community care through Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation
This summer, Gephardt Institute St. Louis Fellows Taly Ordonez Barreto ‘28 and Rujula Polu ‘26 bridged heart health and community care in their work at the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation. A St. Louis-based organization, Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation (OHHF) provides resources for families affected by pediatric congenital heart disease. Polu and Ordonez Barreto brought their […]
Premiere civic leadership program launches new features, name
In July, the Gephardt Institute launched the Civic Fellows Program, a “2.0” update of the Civic Scholars Program with availability to more students, offering more academic credits, and including even more opportunities for civic and community engagement. The re-vamped Civic Fellows Program still offers the distinguishing features of civic leadership training that have appealed to […]
Civic Scholar champions ‘Clubhouse’ mental health model at Independence Center
This summer, Civic Scholar Margo Ogrosky ‘26 is making waves by providing mental health rehabilitation through art seminars and young adult programming at the Independence Center. The Independence Center uses the “Clubhouse Model,” a psychosocial rehabilitation program for adults living with severe and persistent mental illness in the St. Louis region. Rather than operating from […]
Ainsworth, Cabanne District CDC bring sustainable revitalization through tech
This summer, St. Louis Fellow Dalen Ainsworth ‘27 is applying his technical skills in service of community transformation. As an intern at the Cabanne District Community Development Corporation (CDC), Ainsworth supports neighborhood revitalization through solar energy, digital infrastructure and disaster relief efforts. The work at the Cabanne District CDC focuses on addressing energy needs within […]
STL Fellows, Gephardt staff support tornado recovery in hard-hit N. St. Louis
This month, St. Louis Fellows and Gephardt Institute staff contributed hands-on support to tornado recovery efforts in North St. Louis as part of an Engage St. Louis Day. Despite the summer heat, 35 St. Louis Fellows and six Gephardt staff members rose early on Saturday, June 21 to join Black Power Blueprint and lend their […]
WashU student secures $50K grant for LifeWise STL
A group of WashU Philanthropy Lab student “Ambassadors” traveled to Texas last month to pitch for funding for St. Louis organizations — one of whom landed $50,000 for LifeWise STL. Luc Neacy ‘27, Tanya Keskar ’27 and St. Louis Fellow Grace Whitter ’26 attended The Philanthropy Lab’s 2025 Ambassadors Conference, June 19 through 22, to present […]
St. Louis Fellows take on tornado recovery work in O’Fallon Park
On Wednesday, June 11, three St. Louis Fellows in the Goldman Fellows cohort — Jerry Liao ‘26, Jayden Urioste ‘27, and Briannah Anderson ‘26 — joined a community-wide volunteer day in O’Fallon Park to clean up debris following the May 16 tornado and to build new walking trails. The volunteer day was led by St. Louis […]
WashU Philanthropy Lab course grants $71K to STL orgs
On Thursday, April 24, a closing ceremony event for Philanthropy Lab — a WashU Sociology course co-sponsored by the Gephardt Institute — granted $70,900 among 22 local nonprofit organizations. That’s in addition to $62,500 already granted to St. Louis nonprofits in 2025 via the course, which was championed by former students of the course who were […]
Fellow helps bring urban farm fare to St. Louis tables
Garlic must be cut, even in rainstorms. St. Louis Fellow Mia Phutrakul ‘25 knows that well after spending a few such rainy days last summer preparing picked crops. Phutrakul spent their summer internship — a central component of the St. Louis Fellows program — as an apprentice at EarthDance Organic Teaching Farms in Ferguson, Missouri. […]
Workshops funded by Transform Grant help improve seniors’ health
Last year, with funding from the Gephardt Institute’s St. Louis Impact Fund, three students at the WashU School of Medicine hosted a series of workshops aimed at helping seniors take a more active role in their own health and well-being. Transform Grants are part of the St. Louis Impact Fund, a Gephardt Institute initiative that […]
Sophie Jeffers ’25 named to Student Voting Honor Roll
This month, WashU and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) honored Sophie Jeffers ‘25 as part of the fourth annual ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The 2025 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll recognizes college students at participating campuses who have gone above and beyond to advance nonpartisan student voter registration, education […]
Five Gephardt students join SU to act on their civic education
This month, the WashU Student Union inaugurated its newest slate of representatives — including five student leaders who are involved in Gephardt Institute programs. Elections for Student Union (SU) — the representative government of the undergraduate student body at the university — were held the first week of March, and the winners took office on April 10. Ashton […]
For first time, new Civic Scholars cohort includes first-year students
After an application cycle that ended in January with a record number of applicants, a packed week of interviews, and a selection committee that faced choices from an abundance of talented, passionate students, the new cohort of 18 Civic Scholars was selected this month. “We’re so thrilled to welcome and learn with them!” said Alannah […]
Eight community exemplars honored at the Gerry & Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Awards
The 22nd Annual Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award ceremony recognized the efforts and dedication of eight members of the WashU community on April 1 at Stix House. “It’s a happy occasion,” said Bob Virgil, to a crowd of more than 100 gathered. “It’s one where people are looking forward. They’re not wringing […]
Funded Transform Grant projects aim to support marginalized communities
Three community projects proposed by WashU students — aiming to support education for prisoners, bolster St. Louis nonprofits that support LGBTQ+ people, and foster creativity within the Black diaspora — were funded through the Gephardt Institute’s St. Louis Impact Fund this month. The Transform Grant is part of the St. Louis Impact Fund, an initiative […]
WashU hosts municipal polling place for 2nd time
In the effort to help WashU students build a habit of voting in every election and to provide a convenient outlet for faculty, staff, and other St. Louis County voters, the Gephardt Institute — for the second time — hosted a polling place on April 8 for Missouri’s Municipal Election. “It was great honor to host an […]
‘Books and Basketball’ invites STL youth to experience college life
February’s Civic Action Week brought civic engagement topics and education on campus not only to WashU students, but to St. Louis grade school students, as well. The Gephardt Institute kicked off its third annual Civic Action Week on Feb. 17. This weeklong initiative highlights civic engagement opportunities through events organized by student groups, faculty, staff, […]
WashU students making big waves with small grants
Community engagement comes in all sizes and shapes — and is supported by many levels of funding. The St. Louis Impact Fund — a series of grants from the Gephardt Institute — aims to connect students with community partners across the St. Louis region. As part of these programs, in 2024, the Gephardt Institute supported five […]
WashU Votes takes voter engagement effort off campus
WashU Votes is a student-led committee within the Gephardt Institute that promotes voter engagement and education among undergraduates. By joining, students carry out a broad strategy for voter engagement, which reaches across campus and into the St. Louis community. “Our core mission in WashU Votes is to help students engage in the political process,” said […]
‘Borderland’ screening, Q&A shine spotlight on immigration issues
The Gephardt Institute for Civic Engagement kicked off its third annual Civic Action Week, a weeklong initiative that highlights civic engagement opportunities throughout WashU in partnership with campus and community partners, on Feb. 17. Throughout the week, different student groups, faculty, staff, and community partners hosted events and other opportunities for participants to learn and […]
WashU earns fifth Voter Friendly Campus nod
Last week, WashU was again named a Voter Friendly Campus, one of 272 campuses in 39 states and the District of Columbia by Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project and NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The initiative recognizes institutions that have planned and implemented practices that encourage their students to register and […]