Dr. Patricia Wolff, a St. Louis pediatrician who left her private practice last year to devote her time to providing food and medicine to malnourished children in Haiti, is one of three individuals receiving honorary degrees at five commencement ceremonies at the University of Missouri–St. Louis May 12 and 13.
“Good. Better. Best. We just met the best.” Those were the words of Ruth Bryant in 1986. Bryant was president of the Chancellor’s Council at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, and the council had just completed interviews of three finalists for the position of UMSL chancellor. The council members agreed: The final candidate, Marguerite Ross Barnett, was number one.
Donald K. Anderson Jr. stands in front of an iconic railroad image. It’s a painting by Leslie Ragan that’s on display in the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. A smile crosses his face as he talks about the artwork, the era, the trains.
Among the more than 1,500 students graduating from the University of Missouri–St. Louis Saturday, four of them stand out for what they have in common. They’ve all earned high honors, entered college at the sophomore level and are 20 years old. (Since 1974, only 217 of more than 60,000 UMSL graduates were 20 years old or younger.) Not surprisingly, they’re highly focused individuals with grand plans.
You’re a college student and you get invited to a dinner with 12 strangers. Do you say yes? Of course you do if you’re a student at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. That dinner pairs you with five other students and six UMSL alumni. The lively conversation usually lasts for hours and often results in relationships that benefit everyone at the table. And no one leaves a stranger.
With a $1 million gift to the University of Missouri–St. Louis, Chancellor Tom George announced the Monsanto Company will fund a community education center in the university’s new building in Grand Center. George also announced funding of the “transformative” redesign of a portion of Natural Bridge Road from Hanley to Lucas and Hunt roads that runs through the campus in North County.
A $1 million gift from Monsanto Company to build a community education center in Grand Center, will mean the University of Missouri–St. Louis can further its urban mission and strengthen the partnerships it has with the region’s media, arts and educational institutions.
The threat of bad weather Saturday morning kept some volunteers away. But the people who did show up at the University of Missouri–St. Louis for the final community service project of the semester had plenty of enthusiasm.
How about a French vanilla cappuccino with your muffin? A fresh salad? Enchiladas with Southwestern corn? Welcome to the Southside Café. Right on schedule, a new eatery at the University of Missouri–St. Louis opened for business April 25. And at least one customer is positively ecstatic about the change from vending machine fare to fresh food.
It’s an annual report befitting a public university. No slick publication. No high-priced consultants. The report is delivered in person to the people who have invested in its outstanding product – an educated work force for the St. Louis region.
