Lauritsen is the third member of UMSL’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice to be elected president, following the late Bob Bursik and Richard Rosenfeld.
Stories by Steve Walentik
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Eye on UMSL: Early autumn conversation
Students walking to class stopped for a chat in the Quad while wearing masks and maintaining safe distance on a recent afternoon on North Campus.
Founders video highlights the success of UMSL students ‘virtually anywhere’
“UMSL Students Succeed Virtually Anywhere” featured testimony from students Laura Haug, Michael Brothers and Wangui Gathungu.
Laura and Norman Eaker receive Lee Medal in recognition of their philanthropy
The Eakers were honored Thursday evening during the university’s 29th annual Founders Celebration, sponsored by Edward Jones.
CIAC report highlights areas of need, opportunity for early childhood care in Missouri
Kiley Bednar and Ben Cooper led the team doing research into its affordability and accessibility on behalf of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
UMSL launching National Security and Community Policy Collaborative to facilitate research with St. Louis geospatial ecosystem
Robert Ubbelohde, a retired 32-year-veteran of NGA, is the founding director of the new center, which will operate out of the Geospatial Innovation Center at T-REX.
Ask an Expert: Anita Manion talks about what’s on the ballot in the 2020 election
The assistant professor of political science serves as the political analyst for KSDK (Channel 5) and will be sharing her insights on air next week on Election Night.
German Culture Center continues to support local teachers while enlivening St. Louis culture
German language consultant Anja Schmitt led the center’s annual fall workshop in a virtual format for more than two dozen teachers from across the St. Louis region.
Suggs Scholarship supporting Aubrey Logan as he begins chasing long-range dreams
Logan was recognized with recipients at other institutions during The St. Louis American Foundation’s 33rd annual Salute to Excellence in Education Virtual Gala.
Amanda Wu wins national Graduate Women in Science Fellowship to support research on rare oaks
The biology doctoral student is using the $6,750 prize to conduct genomic research on the maple-leaf oak, endemic to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.
Dave Robertson, leading voice on politics in Missouri, dies after battle with pancreatic cancer
Robertson was a nationally recognized scholar of American political development as well as a beloved teacher who inspired thousands of students over 37 years at UMSL.
The Philosopher’s Annual recognizes work of Jon McGinnis among top 10 articles of 2019
McGinnis’ paper “A Continuation of Atomism: Shahrastani on the Atom and Continuity” was originally published in the Journal of the History of Philosophy.
Wayne Goode, father of UMSL, dies after battle with leukemia
Goode was a freshman legislator when he drafted the bill that allowed for the creation of UMSL in 1963. He remained a strong advocate for education throughout his career.
More than 1,200 log on to annual Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference for new ideas, networking
James Lang, an author and professor of English at Assumption College, delivered the keynote address at the virtual event and discussed “Teaching Distracted Minds.”
Computer scientist Sharlee Climer investigating pathways of COVID-19 with support of new NIH grant
Climer and her colleagues at Washington University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory received a $650,000 grant to try to uncover why the disease produces different symptoms.
UMSL climbs in latest US News & World Report rankings, remains top performer on social mobility
UMSL continues to be ranked in the Tier 1 research university category and moved up 14 spots to rank No. 126 nationally among public research universities.
Chancellor Kristin Sobolik calls on UMSL to deepen its impact, expand its reach during State of the University Address
Sobolik delivered the annual address via livestream Thursday afternoon from the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center.
U.S. Department of Education awards UMSL $1.3 million TRIO grant to support student success
The grant will support tutoring, mentoring, financial literacy and other services for 140 first generation students from under-resourced backgrounds.
UMSL earns recognition again on Washington Monthly’s list of ‘Best Colleges for Student Voting’
The university was part of the magazine’s inaugural list in 2018 and joined a record 157 institutions to be recognized in 2020.
PhD graduate Napoleon Williams III investigates the role of municipal government in community stabilization
Williams studied the actions of municipal governments in Ferguson, University City, Maplewood, Hazelwood and Jennings over 45 years and their impact on today.
UMSL a recipient of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s 2020 HEED Award
The national magazine recognized UMSL for demonstrating outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. It was the fourth time the university received the honor.
Research Enabled helping connect university researchers with industry to find solutions to business problems
Director Jay De Long encourages all faculty members to log onto the online portal to accept their profiles and post industry-facing research projects.
Chancellor Kristin Sobolik discusses the difficult decisions universities have faced reopening in Post-Dispatch op-ed
Sobolik outlined steps UMSL has taken to protect students, faculty and staff and also made an appeal for people to do their part and be respectful of others.
Newly launched St. Louis Regional Data Exchange brings together more than 420 local public datasets into one location
The online portal features publicly available data from the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, St. Clair County and Madison County.
Fall semester opening with 33 new faculty members
Chancellor Kristin Sobolik welcomed the new faculty members during a virtual reception last Tuesday evening.
UMSL receives $1 million NSF ADVANCE grant to foster gender equity for women faculty in STEM and social sciences
The grant will help the university facilitate organizational changes to better recruit and retain women in faculty positions.
What to expect when returning to campus for the fall semester
Campus photographer August Jennewein captured scenes of the signage, protocols and space modifications that will greet people when classes begin next week.
Chris Sullivan discusses protocols in place to protect students, faculty and staff in new semester
The director of Health, Counseling and Disability Access Services is a member of the eight-person unified command team helping guide the campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alumna Jennifer Cobbina discusses the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement as seen in this summer’s protests
The 2009 PhD graduate is an associate professor of criminal justice at Michigan State and authored the book “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” about the protests in Ferguson and Baltimore.
Campus Screen app assists students, faculty and staff monitoring their own health daily
The app, developed at Stanbridge University, takes users through a series of questions about their health symptoms, contacts they might have had with other people and recent travel.
Chancellor Kristin Sobolik joins panel discussing the need for lasting change to combat systemic racism
PBS NewsHour journalist Fred de Sam Lazaro moderated the 90-minute discussion put on by the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities.
Times Higher Education ranks UMSL No. 52 in the world on its list of ‘Best Universities for Reducing Inequalities’
UMSL serves a diverse student body, including a significant number of first-generation college students and students from lower-income backgrounds.
UMSL extends test-optional admissions process for 2021-2022 applicants
UMSL has suspended the standardized testing requirement for first-time undergraduate students for the coming academic year.
Marie Mora receives Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring
The awards were given during a virtual ceremony Monday afternoon from the White House and administered by the National Science Foundation.
Community Psychological Service launching new psychosocial rehabilitation group for adults recovering from COVID-19
Professor Ann Steffen is leading the sessions designed for adults ages 50 and older who were hospitalized with the disease.
Ask an Expert: Shirley Porterfield shares insight on vote for Medicaid expansion
The professor of social work discussed the pros and cons of the proposed amendment to the Missouri constitution ahead of next week’s election.
CLIMB program adapts to engage area high school students amid COVID-19 pandemic
The 14 interns from Jennings and University City have worked remotely researching COVID-19 and the reasons for its outsized impact on the African American community.
George and Melissa Paz make largest single philanthropic gift in UMSL’s history
The former Express Scripts chairman and CEO and his wife have made a $4 million donation to support scholarships with the aim of increasing access to education.
Tabari Coleman guides students through discussions about racial prejudice in ‘Dialogue, Decisions and Dissonance’
Coleman, the director of professional development at the Anti-Defamation League, will lead the last session in the three-part series at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Community Psychological Service launching group therapy session for race-related stress and trauma
Clinical Assistant Professor John Nanney is coordinating the free, weekly, hour-long sessions, which will begin Thursday evening online or via telephone.
Lav Gupta among UM System researchers working to improve broadband access in rural Missouri
The assistant professor led a discussion on the challenges of building broadband infrastructure in Bollinger County during a June 1 workshop and shared takeaways in a recent webinar.
UMSL sees more than 21 percent increase in fundraising during 2020 fiscal year
Successful initiatives like the UMSL Strong Scholarship and Triton Emergency Fund have helped the university support students during challenging economic times.
Lilies from Missouri Botanical Garden add to the beauty of UMSL’s North Campus
Grounds Supervisor Gregory Ward donated the lilies with a matching contribution from members of the Greater St. Louis Daffodil Society and North American Lily Society.
Keith Womer named interim dean of the College of Business Administration
Womer, who served as dean from 2004-2013, is replacing retired Dean Charles Hoffman as UMSL conducts a national search for a permanent successor.
MIMH’s Rachel Winograd helps lead regional dialogue about racial disparities in overdose deaths
More than 100 people tuned into the June 19 videoconference as Winograd and Dr. Kanika Turner discussed systemic issues that have resulted in so much inequity in St. Louis.
University of Missouri-St. Louis Tritons 2019-20 year in review
College sports were cut short during the 2019-20 academic year, but UMSL athletes still turned in some All-American performances and excelled in the classroom.
UMSL alumnus Ken Cella set to become next chair of St. Louis Regional Chamber’s Board of Directors
The Edward Jones executive will be the third UMSL graduate in a row to serve in that role, following Ameren Chairman and CEO Warner Baxter and Thompson Coburn Chairman Tom Minogue.
UMSL Alumni Association’s ‘Crafts in Your Kitchen’ event offers an education from two alumni brewers
Associate Teaching Professor Bruce Hamper joined alumni-turned-brewmasters Derrick Langeneckert and Brian Owens to share insight into the process of making beer.
UMSL partnering with College Bound, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri to support students
The new agreements will help College Bound students complete early college credit and offer Big Brother Big Sisters students enhanced supports after they enroll at UMSL.
Criminologist Richard Rosenfeld named to Council on Criminal Justice’s inaugural membership class
The Curators’ Distinguished Professor Emeritus’ recent research has focused on the impact of the social response to the COVID-19 pandemic on crime rates in the United States.