Melaku left Ethiopia at the age of 20 to pursue a better future. In May, she graduated from UMSL for the second time, earning an MEd in interdisciplinary studies.
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Eye on UMSL: ‘Sorry Her Lot’
Undergraduate student Archer McGrosso performed the famous song from “H.M.S. Pinafore” during the Spring Vocal Recital in the Creative Arts Building.
UMSL graduate Todd Renner keeps growing in nursing career more than two decades after earning degree
The 2005 graduate serves as the director of Cancer Services at Palomar Health.
Center for Teaching and Learning marks 25 years helping UMSL professors turn expertise into impact
By bringing faculty together to share ideas, explore new approaches and reflect on their craft, CTL has helped shape a culture of continuous improvement across campus.
Computer science graduate Anthony Burrows set to begin pursuing second bachelor’s in engineering this fall
Burrows, a four-year member of UMSL’s men’s tennis team, first came to the university as part of a cohort of 20 students from The Bahamas.
College of Nursing earns maximum 10-year reaccreditation from Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
The accreditation is affirmation of UMSL’s academic quality, student outcomes, faculty expertise and commitment to continuous improvement.
Scholarships help unlock world of learning opportunities for business student Kiersten Kelleher
Kelleher has spent time in Bremen and Aschaffenburg, Germany, and has plans for another study abroad program in Ecuador while pursuing her MBA.
Eye on UMSL: A new view
Work is continuing on the expansion of the Social Sciences and Business Building in the UMSL Quad on North Campus.
UMSL Advanced Credit Program meets high standards to achieve reaccreditation from national alliance
The ACP program is the largest dual credit program in the state of Missouri and counts more than 8,000 students from more than 90 schools across the St. Louis region.
Alum Bill Dickens laid foundation for career success at UMSL and remains committed to giving back
Dickens earned his BSBA at UMSL in 2003 and is a certified financial planner and partner with the Moneta Group.
Opportunity Scholar Nick Ballenger starting vet school after completing bachelor’s degree in biology
Ballenger will begin studying at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine this fall.
UMSL in motion: Teaching aids
Social media manager Valerie Furlong spoke to Professor Xin Wang about the value of humanoid and quadruped robots and how they’re being incorporated into the electrical engineering curriculum.
UMSL optometry alum and U.S. Navy captain Dr. Kyle Dohm named first aerospace optometry fellow at NASA
Dohm’s fellowship will focus on Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), a condition impacting astronauts during long-duration spaceflights.
Explore Bratislava with two-time UMSL alum Martin Kardos
Kardos works as managing director for central and eastern Europe at CSI Leasing.
Optometry alum Dr. Alison Carter Ramsey helps create patient-centered products, from medical devices to dietary supplements
Ramsey, who earned her OD from UMSL in 2001, has spent decades working for companies such as Alcon and Bausch + Lomb.
Eye on UMSL: Music of the movies
Assistant Teaching Professor David Wacyk dressed up as Marty McFly as he conducted the UMSL Orchestra and Wind Ensemble on May 13 at the Touhill.
Scott D. Peterson’s book, ‘A Month of Game Days,’ wins Twin Bill Prize for Best Baseball Fiction
Peterson captures stories about baseball-obsessed father and coach Lou Mallett and his family. The book was inspired by some of Peterson’s own experiences coaching youth baseball in central Maine.
Optometry graduate Airshpreet Kaur starting low-vision residency at The Eye Institute of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia
Kaur dreams of one day operating her own low-vision clinic, where she can help people adjust to vision loss in everyday life.
Alum Brittany Henry pursuing master’s abroad at the University of Tokyo
Henry, who majored in biology and minored in Japanese, is working toward a graduate degree in international health in the prestigious Moi Lab, which studies virology and tropical diseases.
BSN graduate Haley Horan working as labor and delivery nurse at Mercy Hospital
Horan will be caring for patients throughout labor, delivery and the immediate postpartum period.
Finance graduate Callie Clinton transformed curiosity into a career during time at UMSL
Clinton, a member of the UMSL swimming team, began working as a financial advisor for SageSpring Wealth Partners in Franklin, Tennessee.
Passion for research leads Trilce Encarnacion to ‘dream job’ at UMSL and leadership role with international professional society
Encarnacion, a native of the Dominican Republic, was recently elected as the Regional Vice President of the Americas for the Production and Operations Management Society.
From sober driving to fighting food insecurity, UMSL alum Samantha Star Brainerd is committed to community service
Brainerd, who graduated with her bachelor’s degree from UMSL in 2018, works as a human resources associate specialist at Mastercard.
At Enterprise Bank & Trust, MBA alum Jim Lally helps guide customers to a lifetime of financial success
Lally, who earned his MBA at UMSL in 1983, has been with Enterprise for more than 20 years and now serves as chairman and CEO.
Kaley Ware maximizes her experience at UMSL while earning master’s degree in economics
Ware, who graduated from the accelerated master’s program, will begin a doctoral program in economics at the University of Tennessee this fall.
Eye on UMSL: Bend, but don’t break
Engineering students put their designs to the test during their “Elementary Engineering Design” course at the end of the spring semester.
Media Coverage: May 2026
Stories about the university, its scholars and their expertise are often covered by local and national news media. Media Coverage highlights some of the top stories.
Zoe Ellis well prepared to embark on PhD in biology after coursework, research experiences at UMSL
Ellis will begin studying the impacts of human activity on aquatic biodiversity in a program at Saint Louis University this fall.
College of Education Heritage Leadership EdD cohort publishes 5 articles in single journal issue
Ten doctoral students and five faculty members published research related to their Heritage and the Human Spirit study in The Journal of Interpretation Research.
Accounting graduate Grant Ebert built community and confidence through campus involvement at UMSL
Through leadership roles, mentorship and meaningful connections, Ebert discovered a second home on the UMSL campus while preparing for a career in accounting.
Sharlee Climer and computer science students unlock clues in genetic data to improve precision medicine
Climer’s Biological Data Science course gives students an introduction to key areas of biological data science and provides them with hands-on experience processing and analyzing genetic data.
UMSL’s Johnna Murray earns international honor for transforming student success through Beta Alpha Psi
An associate teaching professor in the accounting department, Murray has spent more than a decade helping students build confidence, careers and lasting professional connections through UMSL’s chapter of the organization.
Counseling PhD alum Clay Brigance helps families deal with reproductive grief at Shiloh Counseling
Brigance has also brought the topic to a wider audience through media appearances and a newly launched podcast, Love & Infertility.
BSN graduate NiNi Lewis working as ICU step-down nurse at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital
Lewis, who also earned a certificate from the Pierre Laclede Honors College, was part of the Opportunity Scholars Program.
Optometry grad Haley Metz pursues passion for patient-centered care with residency at Cincinnati VA Medical Center
Metz found a love for the VA system during her fourth-year externships.
3 questions with April Regester, associate professor of inclusive education and chair of the Department of Educator Preparation and Leadership
Regester has helped establish UMSL as a national leader in inclusive postsecondary education.
Eye on UMSL: Ready to lead
Rose Marika Mwansa, Jamya Davis, Alford Young III, Elizabeth Herbin, Aubrey Lay, Lee Attar, Chistina Chun, Jeme Chavez and Liam Johnson graduated from the St. Louis Coro Fellows Program last week.
Computer science major Siddhartha Pullannagari to pursue master’s at Columbia University after graduating from UMSL
Pullannagari graduated cum laude and gained extensive research experience working with faculty members Badri Adhikari, Azim Ahmadzadeh, Sharlee Climer and Chung Wong.
UMSL helped Autumn Starnes discover her career path in accounting
From cybersecurity to accounting, Starnes found mentorship, hands-on experience and unexpected opportunities that reshaped her future at UMSL.
UMSL selected for IIE American Passport Project grant
The grant will enable up to 25 UMSL students to obtain their first U.S. passport, opening up the path for them to study abroad.
Ameren invests $1 million in UMSL School of Engineering and its students
The funding supports a new electrical engineering lab, scholarships and hands-on learning experiences.
UMSL business alum Ralph McNeal helps shape technical direction at Zillow
McNeal, who earned his BS in management information systems in 2003, is the company’s senior principal software engineer.
Andy McEwen, Pamela Stuerke and Jackie Wilmes receive UMSL Hero Awards
The award is presented to up to three staff or faculty members each month in recognition of their efforts to transform the lives of UMSL students and the wider community.
UMSL Tritons weekly rewind: Men’s golf team ends season in national semifinals
The Tritons lost to Wingate after knocking off Cal State San Bernardino in the quarterfinals. It was still the highest finish in an NCAA championship in program history.
UMSL’s supply chain program helped Oyinkansola Inioluwa Abejide find confidence and connection
After arriving in St. Louis unsure of her future, the recent graduate discovered mentorship, leadership opportunities and lasting relationships at UMSL.
Sport management student Meredith Way finds place, purpose at UMSL
Way has taken advantage of the program’s many hands-on learning opportunities, working at the Super Bowl, NFL Draft and NCAA Final Four.
UMSL announces new Leadership Institute to support emerging and established leaders throughout the region
Thomas Douaihy, Kathy O’Neill and AJ Segal will serve as executives-in-residence and will help guide the development of the new institute.
BFA alum Ariel Biggerstaff designs bold, retro-inspired art prints with Fond Printed Goods
Biggerstaff sells her own greeting cards, prints, stickers and gift wrap and has also collaborated with the Missouri Botanical Garden and Anchovy Book Co.
May graduate Chantelle McNeil pursues degree to further her career in auditing and inspire her family
McNeil, who returned to school as a single parent of four children, earned her bachelor’s in liberal studies and a certificate from the Pierre Laclede Honors College.
Biologist Aimee Dunlap discusses research on the ecology and evolution of learning as part of NextGen Precision Health Discovery Series
Dunlap and her students study arthropods such as bumblebees, fruit flies and tarantulas to glean insights on how environmental variability affects cognition.