Experiencing the best of St. Louis is as simple as figuring out what the Gateway City does well—and leaning into that. Our list draws on more than a decade of research, and while it’s by no means exhaustive, you could use it as a cheat sheet to take pride in the region—or as a bucket list for visitors.
In a world where healthcare often operates on rigid schedules and within traditional settings, there exists a growing need to adapt to the realities of those who cannot easily access or adhere to such structures. This is where organizations like Street Med STL step in, redefining healthcare delivery by taking it to the streets, quite literally.
The Washington University Bridge to Health Program provides additional services to patients who inject drugs and are admitted to the hospital with invasive infections. Patients in the program have free access to health coaches, mental health services, clinical case management, transportation and medication assistance (if eligible) and connection to care after treatment of the infection is completed. The program has a team of people and additional resources to help individuals for several weeks.
This year, St. Louis celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Eads Bridge, which was an incredible feat of engineering when it opened in 1874. At my inauguration as chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis five years ago, I drew on the Eads Bridge as an example of what St. Louis and WashU can achieve when we unite in common cause.
Mohamed A. Zayed, MD, PhD, a vascular surgeon known for his pioneering research in vascular diseases, has been appointed director of the newly established Division of Surgical Sciences in the Department of Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He will assume his new role July 1.
Members of the Washington University in St. Louis community are among those selected by Focus St. Louis, the region’s premier leadership organization, to participate in its 2024-25 civic leadership programs. Lindsey Alt, director of leadership development and of the Institute for Leadership Excellence in the Office of Human Resources, and Sean Armstrong, dean of the School of Continuing & Professional Studies, were selected among 60 local leaders.
Emily Rauh Pulitzer established an endowment in 2004 to support joint collaborative projects between the Sam Fox School and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation that enhance the creative life of St. Louis. This endowment has spurred a variety of collaborative endeavors including Design openings, an initiative open to Sam Fox School faculty that supports art and design projects and installations in the Grand Center Arts District.
The Design Futures Public Interest Design (PID) Student Leadership Forum from the Sam Fox School is an interdisciplinary convening that fosters capacity-building for future leaders hoping to use design as a tool for social equity and positive change in and with historically marginalized communities. Design Futures seeks to build the next generation of leadership in design; diversify the ecosystem of public interest design in terms of discipline, race, gender, and beyond; and curate a national network of thought leadership.
The city of St. Louis’ Community Development Administration (CDA) said Wednesday it has awarded $3.7 million through its Neighborhood Transformation Grants program. The funding is being provided through programs focused on community-driven development, affordable housing, vacant lot beautification and neighborhood planning. CDA began awarding its Neighborhood Transformation Grants in 2023, starting the program with funds from the federal American Rescue Plan (ARPA).
Experiences with St. Louis organizations led WashU alumna Samantha Searls to a career in advocating for immigrants. Now a program director at Cincinnati’s Ignite Peace, with a focus on immigrant rights, Searls was named one of the city’s 10 Women of the Year for 2023.