An accidental injury put Honors College student Ruth Kvistad on the path to college and toward medical school.
Stories by Jessica Rogen
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College of Nursing student marshal Hannah Williams marries and graduates in one day
Working at a dermatology office as a medical assistant inspired Williams to earn her nursing degree.
‘I always have to be doing’: Lindsey Gevers fits Honors College, education and more in under four years
Gevers graduates with a job, one degree, two certificates, more than six scholarships and many hours working and volunteering across the St. Louis region.
Shop UMSL local for the holidays
Pick up your last-minute gifts from a wide variety of businesses from UMSL alumni and students.
Nursing PhD student examines effects of short hospital stays on long-term mobility
In December graduate Lila Moersch’s study, only one interviewee was able to regain mobility lost after a short hospitalization.
December graduate transitions from combat engineer to police officer to civil engineer
John Gentilini graduates this month with a job at Civil Design, Inc. on its site development team after working his way through school with four jobs.
Dual Honors College publications win first in National Collegiate Honors Council Newsletter Contest
The Honors College won first place for Provenance, an alumni newsletter, and Brain Stew, a student-produced zine that’s a home for uncensored humor.
Scholarship helps nursing student Jacquelyn Green help others
After her expected graduation in summer 2021, Green hopes to aid people worldwide as a travel nurse and a volunteer with an organization such as Mercy Ships.
College of Nursing’s Umit Tokac creates AI to recommend PTSD treatment plans for veterans
Tokac’s program uses input patient data to make probability statements about the success of different treatment options.
Doctoral student Ken Smith searches for patterns in genetic data for Alzheimer’s detection
Smith is working on a diagnostic technique by developing software that identifies connections among the genetic material of individuals with Alzheimer’s.
‘Knowledge through a different lens’: College of Nursing teaches LGBTQ+ care through an innovative module
The module incorporated education specific to the health care needs, barriers and clinical experiences often encountered by members of the LGBTQ+ community.
UMSL Opera Theatre wins first in NOA competition for ‘The Clever Artifice of Harriet and Margaret’
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show ran only once, with special permission. The recording from that performance went on to win big.
Research from nursing student Danielle Njeri helps DOORWAYS land $1.4 million grant
For her DNP clinical scholarship project, Njeri helped the nonprofit confirm the extent of residents’ mental health needs through a quantitative study.
Japan-America Student Association holds virtual origami lesson for Japan’s Culture Day
Asami Iba, cultural exchange facilitator for the Grassroots Exchange Network-Japan Program, talked participants through the creation of four origami shapes.
UMSL kicks off construction on $7 million Nursing Learning Resource and Simulation Center expansion, renovation
The renovation and expansion will allow the College of Nursing to graduate 20 percent more pre-licensure BSN students annually.
Ammarra Berry looks to organizational leadership for career advancement
Berry’s motivation comes from a desire to provide her daughter with the same opportunities and wonderful childhood she had growing up in St. Louis.
Midwest Biomedical Accelerator Consortium award helps Principal Investigator George Gokel combat antibiotic resistance
The award will help Gokel and his group, Upaya Pharmaceuticals, progress their antibiotic resistance technology along the path toward commercialization.
Alumna Tanika Busch named vice chancellor for finance and administration and chief financial officer
Chancellor Kristin Sobolik announced that Busch would step into the position on a permanent basis effective immediately.
Eye on UMSL: Pop-up COVID-19 testing
In partnership with Affinia Healthcare and St. Louis County, UMSL offered free COVID-19 testing to students, faculty and staff on Monday.
Pandemic makes nursing PhD student Jody Spiess’s disaster research poignant
For her dissertation, Spiess studied nurse education in disaster preparedness, focusing on incidents that result in more injuries than hospitals have resources to treat.
‘The possibilities are endless’: A Q&A with Andrew Simmons, political science student and disability advocate
Developing his voice through augmented and alternative communications opened up a world of possibilities for the first-year student, who now hopes to help others.
Meet the first-year students: Jennifer Nwaobasi, Louie Westland and Benjamin VandenBrink
The three first-year students start at the University of Missouri–St. Louis this week during a singular semester.
A little bit different, a lot the same: Scenes from Move-In Day 2020
Freshmen brought life to campus last week as they moved into Oak Hall in shifts, keeping the halls socially distanced.
DNP clinical scholarship project helps Lila Kertz evaluate Severe Asthma Clinic for Kids
Kertz started the clinic in January 2014 after realizing that the most severe asthma cases required extra attention and services.
Dual awards support Professor Erika Gibb’s work with comets, student mentoring
By examining the composition of comets, the professor of physics and astrophysics seeks insights into the origins of water and life on Earth.
Chancellor Kristin Sobolik, alumnae, named to St. Louis Business Journal ‘Most Influential’ list
The St. Louis Business Journal named Sobolik and alumnae Shawntelle Fisher and Cathleen Arshadi to its 2020 list of “Most Influential Business Women.”
UM System community engagement grant provides needed refresh for Mobile Eye Center
A community engagement grant from the University of Missouri System Office of Engagement and Outreach covered a generator upgrade and new bus wrap.
College of Optometry partnership with Affinia Healthcare helps address health care equity in St. Louis
Under the supervision of UMSL optometry faculty, fourth-year students help provide affordable primary and preventive health care in downtown St. Louis.
Jeffry Faulkner overcomes lack of resources to graduate with engineering job
Inspired by an interest in architecture and construction, Faulkner earned his BS in civil engineering and now works at Parsons.
Report names UMSL top five Missouri institution for graduating students with less debt
Degrees with Less Debt named UMSL a top institution in the state for strategies that support enrollment and graduation of Black and Pell-eligible students.
Ask an Expert: Ray Mundy sees pitfalls in airport privatization bills
The director emeritus of the UMSL Center for Transportation Studies and executive director of the Airport Ground Transportation Association on the new bills.
Optometry alumna’s Humaneyezing Healthcare brings the art of doctoring to Instagram
With her Instagram account, Delaram Shirazian brings together her passion for improving doctor-patient communication and community health care.
‘Where We Live’ course impacts communities and students alike
Grace Morrow, Sophie Loban and Ngoc Nguyen made brochures, banners and a video for Spanish Lake and University City for the community engagement course.
Chris Spilling named vice chancellor for research and economic and community development
The newly created role, which leads and guides both research and community and economic development, is the latest in Spilling’s 31-year career at UMSL.
Nick Holtzman is inaugural recipient of Dr. Frank D. Fontana Memorial Scholarship
The award included a $4,250 scholarship and a $750 travel grant to attend the Heart of America Eye Care Congress’ annual conference next February in Kansas City.
Roxanne Reid creates meaningful change through Diversity in Health Care course, research
The assistant teaching professor of nursing hopes her students will become better practitioners through confronting their biases and understanding others.
UMSL DNP program named No. 9 in US by EduMed
EduMed is the latest of many rankings institutions to note the quality of the UMSL DNP program, which graduated its first class in the summer of 2018.
Ask an Expert: Sheila Grigsby discusses disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on African American communities
UMSL Daily talks with the College of Nursing assistant professor about testing, structural problems, access, communication, vaccines and more.
Nursing alumna Kelci Wallace volunteers for work in coronavirus testing tent
When the pandemic slowed procedures in the GI Unit at Christian Hospital, Wallace quickly found herself volunteering for COVID-19 testing.
A $1.4 million award helps plant researcher Kevin L. Cox Jr. help the world
A part-time job at the Danforth Plant Science Center while studying biology at UMSL helped Cox discovered his love for plants and science.
Heritage helps BSN graduate Amina Muhando blossom and learn at UMSL
Now a nurse on the cardiology floor at Barnes Jewish Hospital, Muhando built leadership skills as president of the Pan-African Student Association.
Natural Bridge managing editor builds virtual community through online reading series
Molly Harris organized three Zoom readings featuring 17 writers and translators from the literary journal’s 2019-2020 issues.
Doing better than your parents: Access and student success drive social mobility at UMSL
UMSL graduates Pell Grant recipients far better than many universities that score high on traditional rankings based on prestige factors such as admissions rates or endowment size.
Big dreams from the latest cohort of the Entrepreneur Quest Student Accelerator Pitch Competition
Emily Haas, Emily Delgado and Brian Trull found success and elevated their startups thanks to the Entrepreneur Quest Student Accelerator Pitch Competition.
Coronavirus roundup: Public health messaging, the effect on business, waiving online fees and more
Members of the UMSL community are working to research effective health communications and domestic violence as well as make the university more affordable.
Jane Lakayil hopes to use optometry degree to do work that matters
After graduating from the Honors College then the College of Optometry, Lakayil heads off to a residency in ocular disease at VA Illiana Health Care System.
Confronting coronavirus through art
Associate Professor Jennifer McKnight and Professor Jeff Sippel guided students, alumni and friends through art making at home in the wake of coronavirus.
Optometry on the edge of the Earth: A clinical rotation in Nome, Alaska, fosters cultural exchange, cutting-edge practice
Optometry student George Dowdy helped treat Native Alaskan patients in Nome and the surrounding villages with preceptor and alumna Dr. Marcy O’Neil.
Nursing PhD graduate studies health-care stigma surrounding body art
The road to Lacee Kaufmann’s PhD started with a car crash that paralyzed a friend in their first year of nursing school.
Graduate Nick Barbeau strives to help others through engineering work
The BSEE student will graduate with a job lined up in water and wastewater treatment at Burns & McDonnell in Kansas City.