In St. Louis, For St. Louis

In May 2024, the School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) at Washington University in St. Louis launched Empower, the first no-cost program of its kind designed specifically for educated refugees. The 26-week program gives students the next-level English and professional skills they need to find jobs that match their talents and training. It also provides career coaching and an opportunity to earn a CAPS certificate in health care, data analytics, project management and other high-demand fields at no cost. 

Students from Washington University’s Brown School recently took their classroom lessons to the frontlines of local policy, offering public testimony on a bill aimed at expanding non-traditional housing options in the City of St. Louis. Their participation was part of the “Domestic Social and Economic Development Policy” course, designed to give students real-world experience in legislative advocacy and policymaking. 

Shortly before Thanksgiving, sixteen leaders from non-profits across the St. Louis region gathered with their families to celebrate a unique milestone—the completion of a new professional credit program created through a partnership between WashU Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) and the United Way of Greater St. Louis. The Fundamentals of Nonprofit Management Professional Certificate program was designed to equip regional non-profit leaders with essential training in three key pillars of organizational success: management, finances, and human resources.

In recognition of a transformative commitment to WashU Medicine from St. Louisan Richard Frimel and his late husband, Gary C. Werths, Siteman Cancer Center’s new building for outpatient care will be named the Gary C. Werths Building. The historic pledge will fund groundbreaking cancer research and medical student scholarships to support aspiring physicians. Additionally, the gift will benefit cancer patients in St. Louis and beyond.

Arch Grants recently announced its 2024 cohort, awarding $1.7 million in equity-free grants to 20 groundbreaking startups. A quarter of them have current WashU ties.

AIA St. Louis, a chapter of the American Institute of Architects, has presented awards to the Office for Socially Engaged Practice for the Gateway Pavilion designed by Assistant Professor Wyly Brown and Cody Heller, MArch ’24, for his Year End Show 13.0 exhibition design.

Arch Grants has announced its 2024 cohort, awarding $1.7 million in equity-free grants to 20 groundbreaking startups. These companies, selected for their potential to drive economic impact and innovation, reflect the strength and growth of St. Louis’ entrepreneurial ecosystem. Among this year’s winners, five startups boast ties to Washington University in St. Louis, underscoring not only the university’s focus on fostering innovation but also a desire to see WashU entrepreneurs engage in St. Louis, grow their businesses here, and contribute to the economic development of the region.

Sean Joe, the Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor of Social Development at the Brown School, has been named a 2024-2025 Institute for Economic Equity research fellow by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. As one of nine scholars selected for the cohort, Joe will conduct in-residence research focused on promoting economic inclusion and addressing systemic barriers to equity. Joe leads HomeGrown StL, a consortium of 120 municipal and community organizations he established in response to the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson. He plans to use the fellowship to drive initiatives that improve the economic mobility of Black boys and young men. 

Changing the world starts right here in the place we call home. Siteman Cancer Center, with the support of WashU Medicine physicians and BJC HealthCare, is working to reduce the barriers to cancer screening, and improve prevention and access to care by listening to, visiting and serving underserved communities across the St. Louis region.

The St. Louis Reparations Commission released its final report last month, outlining St. Louis’ deep history of slavery and systemic discrimination and the continued impact on Black residents. The report also offered recommendations for city officials to repair the harm caused by racial injustice. The commission’s work spanned 18 months and included collaboration with local and national experts, city leaders and community members. WashU faculty members contributed significantly to the work.