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.
Stories by Steve Walentik
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Associate Professor Rachel Winograd discusses decline in overdose deaths and what’s contributing to it with state, national news outlets
Winograd leads UMSL’s Addiction Science team, which has been playing a central role in efforts to combat the overdose crisis in Missouri.
Whitney and Anna Harris Conservation Forum spotlights 10-year-old Buffalo Treaty
Leroy Little Bear, Roxann Smith and Jonny BearCub Stiffarm discussed the treaty and the ecological and cultural significance of restoring American bison to native lands.
Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference explores artificial intelligence and its place in higher education
Author and educator José Antonio Bowen delivered the keynote address during the 23rd annual conference, held virtually with an audience of more than 900 registrants.
Annual UMSL Alumni 5K is the latest stage of a year-long race for school counseling alum Marcy Morris
Morris has been running one race each month to commemorate her 50th birthday, and she was one of more than 230 participants in Saturday morning’s event.
UMSL receives INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for the fifth straight year
The university was one of 114 institutions nationwide to receive the honor, and one of only three in Missouri.
UMSL partnering with World Wide Technology to offer educational opportunities to employees looking to move forward in their careers
Eligible World Wide Technology staff members will receive full-tuition assistance for up to 18 credit hours for undergraduate and 12 credit hours for graduate coursework per year at UMSL.
Community members gather to celebrate 30 years of Greek Studies at UMSL
More than 250 people attended the Sept. 22 event commemorating the history of the professorship and its impact preserving and promoting Greek culture and identity in the St. Louis region.
Ken and Nancy Kranzberg receive 2024 E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Medal for Philanthropy at Founders Celebration
The couple has endowed professorships and student scholarships at UMSL also supported capital projects, including the Touhill Performing Arts Center, the Public Media Commons and the renovation of University Libraries.
Cody Ding, David Kimball and Xuemin ‘Sam’ Wang named Curators’ Distinguished Professors
It is the highest rank in the University of Missouri System and recognizes faculty members for exceptional contributions to research, education and service.
University of Missouri–St. Louis remains a leader supporting social mobility in latest US News ‘Best Colleges’ rankings
UMSL also climbed to No. 135 nationally on the list of top public universities.
UMSL competes in Citizens for Modern Transit’s third ‘College Transit Challenge’
The friendly competition was meant to highlight the benefits of public transit and encourage consistent use among the region’s college students, faculty and staff.
UMSL Tritons weekly rewind
Skylar Weaver and the sixth-ranked volleyball team ran their home winning streak to 21 matches when they topped McKendree and Maryville on back-to-back days over the weekend.
UMSL partnering with API Innovation Center to help secure and strengthen the supply chain for essential pharmaceuticals in U.S.
APIIC and its partners have been awarded $14 million in federal funding to lead the development and domestic production of three critical APIs used in the treatment of asthma, diabetes and anxiety disorders.
St. Louis Anchor Action Network Director Stefani Weeden-Smith named one of St. Louis Business Journal’s Champions for Diversity and Inclusion
Weeden-Smith was honored along with 12 other individuals, one nonprofit and one for-profit company at the Business Journal’s annual awards luncheon at the Bayer Event Center at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
UMSL alum Lúcia G. Lohmann named next president of the Missouri Botanical Garden
Lohmann earned a PhD in biology with an emphasis in ecology, evolution and systematics from UMSL in 2003 and had support from the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology while pursuing her degree.
Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center catering to guests with an array of interests from across the St. Louis region
The center hosted more than 200 events and counted more than 113,000 patrons during the 2024 fiscal year.
UMSL launching new School of Engineering to meet the workforce needs of St. Louis and the state of Missouri
The new school will begin enrolling students in the fall of 2025, operating alongside the existing joint engineering program and catering to more traditional, full-time students with classes on the UMSL campus.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky honors UMSL political science alum Luke Coffey with Order of Merit Award
Coffey, a 2002 UMSL graduate, now serves as a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, where he provides research and analysis on national security and foreign policy.
UMSL appoints Marisa Smith to serve as new chief of police
Smith has been involved in all facets of UMSL Police Department operations while serving as deputy chief. She will begin her new position on Sept. 16.
Retiring UMSL Police Chief Dan Freet awarded Chancellor’s Medal
Freet has spent the past 11 years with the UMSL Police Department, the last seven as chief, and has been instrumental in ensuring campus safety, including with his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chancellor Kristin Sobolik highlights ways UMSL is positioning itself for the future during annual State of the University Address
Sobolik discussed the ongoing renovation of the university campus and programmatic changes, including the planned UMSL School of Engineering, while speaking at the Touhill.
Chemistry Professor Michael Nichols discusses his research on Alzheimer’s disease as part of NextGen Precision Health’s Discovery Series
Nichols has been studying how the amyloid-β protein interacts with a group of three proteins known as NLRP3 inflammasome to cause inflammation inside immune cells in the brain.
UMSL Music hosting internationally renowned pianist Ilya Shmukler for free recital on Aug. 24
Shmukler, winner of the prestigious Concours Géza Anda piano competition earlier this year, will perform music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt and Robert Schumann.
UMSL welcomes 21 new faculty members as fall semester begins
There are nine new faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences, four each in the College of Business Administration and the College of Nursing, two in the College of Optometry, one in the School of Social Work and one in UMSL Libraries.
University of Missouri–St. Louis names Holly Sheilley new executive director of athletics
Sheilley will succeed retiring Director of Athletics Lori Flanagan after spending the past 11 years as director of athletics at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky.
Professor Susan Brownell discusses ‘panda diplomacy’ with PBS News Hour
The Curators’ Distinguished Professor of Anthropology shared her expertise on U.S.-China relations in a news report that coincided with the arrival of two new pandas at the San Diego Zoo.
UMSL, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department partnering to provide educational opportunities to officers looking to advance their careers
Police Commissioner Robert Tracy and Chancellor Kristin Sobolik signed the educational partnership agreement on Thursday at the department’s downtown headquarters.
Decade since Ferguson unrest has brought changes for criminal justice system and those who study it
Professor Lee Slocum talked to UMSL Daily about criminal justice reforms and changes in criminal justice research that have occurred in the past 10 years.
Microbiologist Lon Chubiz part of a team of researchers studying effects of increasing drought, fire on forest recovery
The team, led by colleagues at the University of Idaho, received a six-year, $15 million grant from NSF’s Biology Integration Institutes program.
UMSL’s membership in Oak Ridge Associated Universities will bring new opportunities for faculty, students
The consortium of more than 150 major colleges and universities works with federal, state, local and commercial customers to advance national priorities and serve the public interest.
KSDK salutes retiring Director of Athletics Lori Flanagan
Sports Director Frank Cusumano, a 1984 UMSL alum, interviewed Flanagan for a feature story during last Wednesday’s newscast.
UMSL Athletics puts together another stellar year in competition and in classroom
UMSL sent five teams to NCAA Championships, had 10 All-Americans and set a school record with 187 student-athletes earning academic all-conference recognition.
UMSL political scientists researching pressures faced by local election officials and decisions to remain in their roles
Yuguo Liao and David Kimball are partnering on the research project with the support of a grant from the Bipartisan Policy Center.
St. Louis Mercantile Library Endowed Executive Director John Neal Hoover receives 2024 Jonas Viles Award
The award, established in 2004 and presented annually, is meant to recognize individuals or institutions who have made significant contributions to the preservation of Missouri’s history.
State of Missouri makes significant investments in new academic programs and ongoing campus transformation at UMSL
Capital funding will support a new on-campus engineering program, plus workforce and business innovation centers.
Chancellor Kristin Sobolik welcomes seven new members to UMSL Chancellor’s Council
Alumni Dan Isom, Sam Ganga, Wayne DeVeydt, Dave Reifschneider, Richard Winter, Evelyn Bailey Moore and Steve O’Loughlin are assuming their positions on the council in July.
MIMH’s Precision Health Research team studying effects of COVID infection in HIV patients, with implications for wider population
Director Robert Paul has been collaborating with colleagues at Yale University and the Military HIV Research Program with funding from the National Institute of Mental Health.
Rob Wilson, Amy Banken and Stephanie Eaton 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.
Michael Cosmopoulos celebrates induction into Academy of Athens, receives honorary professorship from University of Peloponnese
Cosmopoulos, the Hellenic Government-Karakas Family Foundation Professor in Greek Studies, has been celebrated for the excavation he’s led of the ancient Peloponnesian village of Iklaina in southwestern Greece.
Geospatial summer camp helps expose area high school students to emerging technology
A group of 30 students from 20 area high schools attended the second annual summer camp over four days last week. Each received a $200 stipend for their participation.
UMSL alum David Drinkard has built nearly two-decade-long career in U.S. Foreign Service
Drinkard currently serves as the economic unit security chief for the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium.
UMSL hosts Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities’ Anchor Learning Network Action Summit
The two-day event showcased efforts by UMSL and its partners in the St. Louis Anchor Action Network to promote greater prosperity across the region.
UMSL winds down year-long celebration of its 60th anniversary, looks to build for the future
The university gathered to celebrate the anniversary of its founding on Sept. 15 and honored successful alumni and contributed to a legacy of service throughout the year.
August graduate Luis Schneegans bound for doctoral program at Stanford after earning degree in mathematics
Schneegans benefitted from the Missouri Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and his involvement in several NSF-supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates.
MPPA graduate Taylor Cook lands director position at Covenant House after internship in chancellor’s office
Cook assisted with coordinating and communicating events and activities around the 60th anniversary and Transform UMSL as the project management and communications intern.
Retiring Dean Ann Taylor has left lasting mark on College of Education
The college has continued its strong reputation for teacher preparation while expanding its research activity and adding new programs during Taylor’s eight years as dean.
New graduate Kristen McDonald lands on right career path with degrees in data science and analysis, economics
McDonald started her college career majoring in nursing at MU before transferring to UMSL. She graduated cum laude and is on track to earn her master’s degree in economics next spring.
Biology graduate Jesse Laseter getting acclimated in new job with Missouri Department of Conservation
Laseter, who graduated magna cum laude, is working as a resource management technician as part of the department’s community conservation team.
Natissia Small helping prepare girls for future success as CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri
Small stepped into the role of CEO in April 2023 after nearly 28 years working at UMSL, most recently as vice provost for access, academic support and workforce integration.