A crowd of campus community members helped make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a “day on” rather than the typical day off by making a difference all across St. Louis.
Stories by Evie Hemphill
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New faces, new semester, new Weeks of Welcome lineup
In just a few days the University of Missouri–St. Louis campus will be buzzing again with thousands of people, including about 1,200 new students.
Playing her way: Longtime flutist looks back on pivotal years at UMSL
One of UMSL’s first-ever transfer students, alumna Laura George also remembers giving the university’s first senior recital back in 1969.
MFA students launch lively Natural Bridge podcast now available on iTunes
With three episodes already set to stream and download, the new podcast is envisioned as a companion to the literary journal published twice a year.
21-year-old music grad leaves college with no regrets and lots of lessons
Illinois resident Marta Kersulis credits UMSL faculty members with helping her grow as a pianist – and as a person.
Student center manager, history prize winner, translator: Meet graduating senior James Bragado
Finishing up degrees in both history and French at UMSL this fall, he’s become a familiar face in the Millennium Student Center as senior student facilities manager.
Women’s Chorale members mentor young St. Louis singers all semester, put on unique concert
Culminating in this week’s performance at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, the community-oriented effort was initiated by UMSL faculty member Gail Fleming.
First impressions: Several new students reflect on their earliest days at UMSL
Sherell Adams (pictured), Adis Handanovic and Kendall Buchman discuss the warmth and support they’ve found as new members of the Triton community.
Navigating the UMSL campus just got easier
Its 470 acres are now interactive, searchable and mobile-friendly thanks to a new campus map created by the university’s web team.
Alongside local teens, Matthew Washausen merges music and design, plans Dec. 16 showcase
For his senior capstone project, the UMSL graphic design student has been working with the young artists on the poster series “Audio Chroma: The Power of Music and Design.”
UMSL librarian is ‘the IRL of IRL in real life’ – and a Harlem radio host
Lena Marvin has launched the university’s Institutional Repository Library, nicknamed IRL. It’s set to become a digital showcase of research by UMSL scholars.
Poetry, prose and applause: UMSL Writers Group draws eager crowd to open mic night
Twelve students braved the Pilot House stage in the Millennium Student Center during the Oct. 27 event, which featured everything from standup to musical compositions.
St. Louis youth, University Singers spend rare hour with the most awarded a cappella group in history
They had plenty of questions for acclaimed sextet Take 6, who performed and interacted with the students during a free Lunch and Learn event at the Touhill.
A timely play, a week at UMSL and critical thinking in iambic pentameter
Six days with the visiting Actors From The London Stage left students, faculty and local youth invigorated by Shakespeare – and also out of breath.
Two Japanese majors join faculty member for ‘Conflicts of Interest’ symposium, art exhibition
At the encouragement of one of their language professors, Abby Naumann and Seth Huntington participated in a scholarly gathering at Saint Louis Art Museum Oct. 21 and 22.
All things percussion: Matthew Henry grows UMSL program’s reputation and repertoire
The associate teaching professor has been expanding the percussive possibilities at his alma mater – and throughout the broader community – for over a decade now.
Honors graduates now classmates again while pursuing MFAs in fiction, poetry
Marie Carol Kenney and Jessie Eikmann are each on track for back-to-back UMSL degrees after finishing their undergraduate studies earlier this year.
Graphic design professor shows ‘Memory Palaces’ in South Korea, gives lecture in Japan
Following an exhibition of her work on Jeju Island, UMSL’s Jennifer McKnight traveled to Tokyo, where she gave a lecture on visual metaphor at Temple University.
‘The Nature of Light’ exhibition opens at Mercantile Library
Free and open to the public beginning Oct. 17, the show features the photography of Heidi Lopata Sherman, who was, in her own words, obsessed with light.
Interdisciplinary studies major turns passion for natural world, sustainability into practical things of beauty
An active volunteer and teacher in the St. Louis community, Tom Hill plans to hike the Pacific Crest Trail after finishing his long-awaited bachelor’s degree at UMSL this fall.
Riverfront Times names MFA alumna among this year’s 75 reasons to love St. Louis
Amy Milton, who earned a graduate degree from UMSL in 2013, made the RFT’s annual Best of St. Louis issue this fall for proving “that nothing is funnier than honesty.”
Set in the Ozarks, Mary Troy’s new novel follows a protagonist ‘Swimming on Hwy N’
The professor of English tells a tale of generations, hard-earned wisdom and the tricky intersections of past and present in “Swimming on Hwy N,” her second novel.
Hundreds of students, alumni and employers make countless connections at UMSL Internship & Job Fair
The event attracted more than 600 UMSL students and alumni – and over 290 recruiters who connected with attendees interested in jobs, internships and other career opportunities.
Visiting Shakespeareans to teach, perform ‘Richard III’ on campus in October
Actors From The London Stage will spend six days on campus showing Shakespeare to classes and audiences “like they’ve never seen it before.”
7 new freshmen set to make the most of UMSL Bridge Program Express Scripts scholarships
They may still be teenagers, but they’re also future engineers, medical professionals, scientists and anthropologists.
Niyi Coker’s new musical celebrates Miriam Makeba, brings 40 South African actors to campus
“Miriam Makeba: Mama Africa the Musical” tells the story of an iconic musician and civil rights activist who advocated against apartheid while performing on the world stage.
Three go-to people named recipients of 2016 Chancellor’s Award for Staff Excellence
UMSL staff members Shanta Kyles, Mary “Peggy” Birdsong and Sherry Hieken are known for their warmth, excellence and dedication to the campus community.
Anthropology and Japanese major heads to Tokyo on full scholarship
Tori Dieckman will spend the next 11 months studying at Waseda University in Japan before returning for her senior year at UMSL.
Teaching award honors Frank Grady’s infectious energy for Chaucer, other traditionally difficult texts
The longtime UMSL professor and current chair of the Department of English is the recipient of the 2016 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
‘Remembering Route 66’ panel to track the history made along the road
Featuring several panelists and UMSL’s own Andrew Hurley as moderator, the Sept. 12 discussion aims to move beyond Route 66’s nostalgic associations.
UMSL student veterans share lessons on work/life balance, college transition with fellow service members
The panel session capped off a unique five-day program intended to equip St. Louis service members for the transition to college even before classes start.
Studio art major’s printmaking expertise comes in handy during grant-funded Mercantile Library internship
Senior Brittany Taylor works primarily in film, but she’s also ventured into oil paints, watercolors, lithography – and now the art of curation.
10 top picks from this fall’s Weeks of Welcome lineup
Along with new challenges, assignments and discoveries, a new semester at UMSL also brings with it a growing tradition known as Weeks of Welcome.
Two upperclassmen selected to NASPA’s Undergraduate Fellows Program
Familiar faces at UMSL, Terrell Jones and Nat Smith credit the campus community with reigniting their passion for school – and for seeing fellow students succeed.
Our wars, their stories: HEC-TV’s ‘State of the Arts’ program puts unique theater project in spotlight
A new HEC-TV “State of the Arts” feature captures the development of “Telling St. Louis,” a collaboration spearheaded by UMSL and The Telling Project.
Laughter, conversation and a zeal for St. Louis keep UMSL alumnus Josh McNew up late
A 2013 graduate of UMSL’s media studies program, he’s the co-creator and executive producer of the late-night comedy TV show STL Up Late.
English professor partners with E. O. Wilson on ‘Darwin’s Bridge,’ heads up new journal
Joseph Carroll discusses the newly released volume of essays as well as his new role as editor-in-chief of “Evolutionary Studies in Imaginary Culture.”
Short film by UMSL classmates headed for the big screen
Directed by media studies major Nicholas Rousseau in collaboration with Ben Smith and Clinton Jordan, “The Ultimate Fan” premieres July 19 at the Tivoli Theatre.
Budding songwriter pursues music business, credits campus mentors with inspiring persistence
Hard at work developing her songwriting business since graduating from UMSL this spring, Teresa Frank started composing when she was 11 years old.
Five for nine so far, the Paubels keep choosing UMSL
As Illinois residents, the home-schooling family didn’t expect to develop such a strong connection to the university, but it’s proven an excellent fit.
Whirlwind trip to Japan builds friendships, cross-cultural connections for 23 students
The fully funded trip was part of the Kakehashi Project, which seeks to deepen mutual understanding between Japan and the United States.
American Library Association’s flagship magazine names UMSL alumna’s dissertation among notable ones of 2015
Stacy Hollins’ dissertation explores “the digital divide” through the experiences of individuals who have little to no access to technological resources.
Newest edition of Litmag showcases campus community’s artistic, literary talents
Spanning 90-some pages, the student-run literary magazine’s 2016 edition offers up a carefully curated selection of written and visual pieces.
Embracing the unexpected, Mattie Lindsey makes switch from health care to beauty industry
As chief creative officer for Beautiful You, the spring 2016 graduate hopes to apply lessons from UMSL coursework in gender studies and other academic areas to the world of cosmetology.
St. Louis veterans join forces with UMSL faculty, students for Telling Project premiere in Grand Center
With stories as wide-ranging as the places they’ve served around the world, each participant’s words weave around the others’ in fascinating and moving ways.
Honors graduate heads to law school on full-tuition scholarship
Born in Bangladesh, Nousheen “Bri” Ehsan has developed a particular passion for immigration law, which she hopes to one day practice in St. Louis.
On comedy, corn and common sense: Mirthweek conversations with Bo Burnham and Nick Offerman
Nick Offerman and Bo Burnham played to an enthusiastic, sold-out crowd at UMSL this spring during the university’s annual Mirthweek celebration.
10th annual print fair sets the tone for Mercantile’s 170th year of existence
The event drew an estimated 750 people to campus two weekends ago, featuring all sorts of treasures plus demonstrations, library tours and free ice cream.
Graduating senior reflects on 7 things she’ll miss most about UMSL
From student discounts to unexpected pianos to rigorous classes, Lingru Kong shares what she’s enjoyed most during her time on campus.
Love for Syria, children’s health inspires pre-med student Alaa Kuziez
After fleeing her home country’s civil war while in high school, Alaa Kuziez landed in Missouri and faced big decisions in a totally new place.