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Thurtene Carnival, WashU’s student-run carnival, returns to campus this weekend with new attractions, new performances and a number of new safety measures. “This year’s Thurtene is going to be amazing with a lot of great food, rides and entertainment,” Thurtene President Ginger Schulte said. “We are excited to welcome St. Louis families back to WashU.”

WashU is one of 13 colleges nationwide participating in Campus Compact EnviroCorps, aimed at reducing waste, boosting energy efficiency and promoting conservation on campuses and in the community. WashU’s participation with the EnviroCorps program is funded by the Office of Sustainability, the School of Medicine, the Environmental Studies program, Facilities Planning & Management and the Midwest Climate Collaborative.

WashU has once again been named a Voter Friendly Campus, one of 272 campuses nationwide that have successfully implemented practices that encourage students to register and vote. WashU will host an on-campus polling location for St. Louis County voters on Tuesday, April 8, in Room 276 of the Danforth University.

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 short-term, student-led projects that worked in partnership with a local nonprofit or civic organization. 

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.

The University City Public Art Series, a decades-long collaboration between WashU’s Sam Fox School and neighboring University City, returns this spring with three temporary public art installations in Janet Majerus Park addressing the politics of progress, forgotten legacies, and the changing natural world.

Building on a long history of successful collaboration, Washington University in St. Louis and the Missouri Botanical Garden are welcoming two internationally recognized botanists who will have joint appointments with both research institutions. Lúcia Lohmann, a botanist and conservationist known for her extensive research in the Amazonian rainforest, became president and director of the Missouri Botanical Garden Jan. 2. She will also be the George Engelmann Professor of Botany in the Department of Biology in Arts & Sciences. Toby Pennington, a leader in the study of dry tropical forests, will be the inaugural David and Dorothy Kemper Professor in the Department of Biology, a joint appointment with the university and the garden. He starts Aug. 1.

For nearly two decades, cinematic art that counters negative stereotypes, combats false narratives and offers first-hand insight about the continent of Africa have been showcased at Washington University in St. Louis. On Friday (March 28) the 19th Annual African Film Festival returns to campus. 

The Department of Music in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis will host six performances by internationally renowned performers as part of the 2026 Great Artists Series. “The Great Artists Series has quickly become a beloved St. Louis tradition,” said Patrick Burke, a professor and chair of music. “It offers local audiences rare opportunities to see some of the world’s finest musicians up close and in person. We could not be more proud to present these amazing performers.”

Some great classical music is coming to St. Louis next year. After several years of planning, Washington University in St. Louis has announced its schedule for the 2026 Great Artist Series.