Letter from the Chancellor
Dear Local Educators,
At Washington University in St. Louis, we are committed to our city, including through our educational support for local students. Through targeted initiatives preK-12 educational opportunities and educational access, WashU is working continuously to improve learning for students across the region. Our fiscal year 2024 Economic and Community Benefit report offers tangible evidence of this commitment.
For example, our Institute for School Partnership (ISP) supports educators through targeted, innovative programming. In fiscal year 2024, ISP reached 5,056 educators from 344 schools across 67 districts, charter networks, and 19 private schools, directly engaging and serving almost 200,000 students. WashU’s $6.4 million investment in preK-12 education last year underscores our commitment to developing the next generation of regional leaders and changemakers.
Furthermore, the university continues to make good on its promise to support rural and low-income students as they pursue a WashU education. Our Rural Scholars Academy for talented high school sophomores brings students from small towns and rural communities to WashU for the summer to experience college life. The WashU Pledge Program covers the full cost of a WashU education for low-income students from Missouri and Southern Illinois. In total, WashU has invested $507.9 million in financial aid and enrolled 337 Pledge students, important milestones as we work to expand college access for all students in our region.
We look forward to working with you on impactful projects that create a more vibrant and equitable region, one that inspires present and future generations of students and educators. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our “In St. Louis, For St. Louis” Initiative team to find out more about opportunities for partnership and learning. We’re eager to connect with you as we continue to advance equitable, quality education in our region.
Sincerely,
Andrew D. Martin
Chancellor
Rural student surprised with a WashU Pledge scholarship
Two summers ago, Angela Chen joined the first class of the Washington University Rural Scholars Academy, a free program that introduces talented high school students to all that WashU and St. Louis have to offer.
Next fall, she is set to return — this time as a first-year student on a full-ride scholarship.
“I loved being on campus and getting to feel what it’s like to be a student there,” recalled Chen, a senior at Monroe City High School in northern Missouri. “Everyone was so welcoming. I knew I wanted to be part of that community. And now I will be!”
The Rural Scholars Academy is part of the Heartland Initiative, WashU’s commitment to expand educational access to students from rural communities and small towns.
Read more in this story from WashU.
Resources for Educators and Students
Admissions
St. Louis students among those admitted to WashU through QuestBridge College Match and Early Decision I round
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions brought 2024 to an exciting close—in early December, we welcomed approximately 900 students to the Class of 2029 as part of both the QuestBridge National College Match and our Early Decision I round.
Nearly 120 of those students were applicants from 58 public, private, and charter high schools in the surrounding communities—St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and the Metro East area of Illinois. And here are a few facts we’d like to share with you about this talented group:
- 84 of these students attend public or charter schools
- Three students are QuestBridge National College Match Scholars
- 20% identify as first generation to college students
- 22% of these students received the WashU Pledge
- The top major declared among this group was Biology
We were fortunate enough to surprise Yareli M., a WashU College Prep Program alum, from Saint Joseph’s Academy on December 12. Friends, family, school administrators, and even the WashU Bear showed up for a celebration at her school. Yareli is one of four CPP alums admitted in the Early Decision I round. She joins Selma H. from Bayless High School, Jessie S. from Mehlville High School, and Vivian L. from Lindbergh High School. We look forward to celebrating with all our admitted students in the coming weeks, as we send messages of congratulations, important information, and lots of WashU SWAG!
Our commitment to local students includes unique programming and campus collaborations
As we continue to build and strengthen our relationships with schools and students across the St. Louis region, we’ve had the opportunity to both create unique programming and work closely with students, faculty, and the community.
WashU Reach
Working in partnership with the Black Student Association (BSA), we welcomed students from four local schools—Soldan International Studies High School, Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley High, and Hazelwood East High School. During the visit, approximately 30 students learned about campus resources and heard from our community during a student panel. To complete the visit, we introduced students to The Hamsini Living Learning Community—a student led-initiative designed to enhance the college experience for students who are part of or interested in exploring matters related to the African Diaspora and being Black at WashU. 2024 marks our second year offering WashU Reach and we look forward to working with BSA to host future events.
Middle School Day
It’s never too early to think about college; just ask the students who visited during our Middle School Day in May 2024. The event was full of fun interactive experiences, including a scavenger hunt and an opportunity to learn more about WashU’s College Prep Program. We are busy planning our next middle school event, with a goal of bringing 150 students to campus.
Zinash: Bridge the Gap
A long-standing collaboration with the African Students Association (ASA) and Senior Assistant Dean Wilmetta Toliver-Diallo, Zinash: Bridge the Gap is a dynamic on-campus experience for first- and second-generation African high school students in grades 9-12.
Admissions & Aid staff members are always eager to share their knowledge and experience through a variety of ways. From hosting the SLPS Counselor Professional Development Day to presenting about the college application process during Saint Louis County’s Outstanding Student Leadership Program, we’re here to help. Please reach out to Justin Wilson at justinw@wustl.edu if you would like to discuss how our team can support your students.
Meet our college prep program scholars!
Our College Prep Program team is busy reading applications, and later this spring we’ll welcome Cohort 12. With year-round programming in full swing, we’re excited to introduce you to two of our current scholars—Elijah and Adaleta!
The WashU CPP experience was able to bring me out of a shell. When I started, I was extremely shy and introverted. I had only spoken to people who I was familiar with, and I honestly had no intentions of changing that. Fortunately, this program was able to get me to change my mindset. I have developed many solid friendships throughout these years through projects, community building, living in the same spaces, and more. Being able to make friends will greatly contribute to my college life, and for that I am grateful.
Elijah, Cohort 9 (attends McKinley Classical Leadership Academy)
CPP made it a mission to get us as comfortable as possible with the college search/college application process. Through discussions with admissions officers at WashU and other schools, along with help from the Writing Center, I feel very prepared to tackle college applications. I believe that my participation in this program will be part of the reason I excel in college. I have expanded my knowledge, strengthened my leadership skills, found a community that I love, and so much more. I feel prepared to take on the world.
Adaleta, Cohort 9 (attends Metro Academic and Classical High School)
Do you have students who would be a great match for the College Prep Program? Visit our site to learn more and complete an inquiry form. We’d love to get you on our mailing list!
Institute for School Partnership
For communities to thrive, strong schools are essential. The work of building strong schools is best achieved with an approach grounded in authentic partnership, a commitment that Victoria May, executive director of WashU’s Institute for School Partnership (ISP) takes seriously.
“As a member of the WashU community, it is our responsibility to address regional challenges, especially equitable access to high-quality education,” says May. “We know students and teachers thrive when they have opportunities, resources, and support.”
Educators across the St. Louis region count on the ISP for high-quality, research-based guidance on teaching and learning best practices. In 2023, more than 5,056 PreK-12 educators from 344 schools across 67 districts, charter networks and 19 private school sites participated in one or more ISP programs. In addition to delivering the award-winning, standards-aligned mySci, a kit-based K-8 science curriculum to classrooms and providing a wide-array of STEM and leadership professional learning opportunities for educators, the ISP supports WashU faculty with outreach efforts that bring both teachers and students to campus for enriching learning experiences.
The St. Louis Area Brain Bee (SLABB) is one such opportunity. An annual event for high school students interested in the brain and neuroscience, the Bee is set for Saturday, March 8, 2025 on WashU’s Danforth Campus.
Another opportunity from ISP is Novel Engineering. This program provides educators with a three-hour, experiential learning session on this engineering-inspired literacy concept. Inspired by kids and grounded in research, Novel Engineering is an innovative integration of engineering in elementary and middle school classrooms with a literary focus. For more information on scheduling a Novel Engineering experience in your district and cost structure, please contact V. Barbara Pener at barbara@wustlisp.org.
To learn more about ISP programs, please contact schoolpartnership@wustl.edu.
Science Educator Partnership Award (SEPA)
Run through the McDonnell Genome Institute (MGI) at WashU Medicine, the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) focuses on middle and high school students in the St. Louis region. In the spring semester, SEPA will continue its ACT prep tutoring for almost 30 high school students from North St. Louis County, as well as its collaboration with Girls Inc., in which WashU PhD students organize weekly fun, hands-on science activities for students in Girls Inc., with the focus next semester on neuroscience. SEPA also hosts a weekday virtual general tutoring program in STEM-based classes and if needed other classes for underserved high school students in the community. For those interested in information about this tutoring program, please contact Dr. Tracey Hermanstyne (hermanstynet@wustl.edu).
Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts
The WashU Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts offers opportunities for students and educators to learn more about art and architecture including the Alberti Program. The program, which is supported by the Office for Socially Engaged Practice at the Sam Fox School, allows St. Louis students grades 4 through 8 to explore architecture and design through hands-on learning. In 2024, the Alberti Program welcomed 35 elementary and middle school students from 23 schools across the St. Louis region.
Sam Fox School also offers pre-college programs geared toward high school students. These programs, Portfolio Plus and Architecture Discovery Program, give students the opportunity to develop skills that are fundamental to the fields of architecture, art, and design while producing work in a real studio.
Applications for the Alberti Program, Portfolio Plus, and Architecture Discovery Program are now open. Learn more about the Alberti Program here. Learn more about Portfolio Plus and Architecture Discovery Program here.
Finally, the Sam Fox School is offering a Public Lecture Series this spring. Many of the spring Public Lecture Series presenters will highlight themes relating to housing, climate resilience, and social and environmental justice. The events are free and open to the public. Learn more here.
Performing Arts Department
The WashU Performing Arts Department (PAD) offers group rates for schools interested in bringing students on campus for a tour or educational activities. Contact the PAD for details at 314-935-5858 or pad@wustl.edu. (Please use the subject line “Group Rates.”)
Additionally, the PAD offers discounted tickets for students.
View a list of upcoming events on the PAD website.
Institutional Resource
WashU offers a variety of summer learning opportunities for everyone in the St. Louis community, from nursery school to adult students, premedical students to writers and artists.
Learn more here.