Writing the divide: North St. Louisan, MFA alumnus wins RAC artist fellowship

Jan 2, 2017

Ron Austin is one of 10 local artists to receive a $20,000 artist fellowship from the Regional Arts Commission.

MFA students launch lively Natural Bridge podcast now available on iTunes

Jan 2, 2017

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.

Water expert Natalie Johnson new executive director of Save the Dunes

Jan 2, 2017

The UMSL alumna will put to work her dual degrees in biology and education to help save the Indiana dunes and lakeshore.

Interdisciplinary studies grad looks toward med school, volunteers with local immigrants

Dec 18, 2016

Ageena Hass says the greatest joy of returning to school as an older adult is simple – it’s the privilege of getting to sit still and learn.

21-year-old music grad leaves college with no regrets and lots of lessons

Dec 18, 2016

Illinois resident Marta Kersulis credits UMSL faculty members with helping her grow as a pianist – and as a person.

Dec. 17 commencement features 3 ceremonies, 3 honorary degrees and 1,000 graduates

Dec 15, 2016

UMSL welcomes new graduates into the ranks of 96,000 alumni while honoring and hearing from local successes.

Public policy administration grad already applying his knowledge as Pine Lawn alderman

Dec 15, 2016

Elwyn Walls was elected to the board in April as part of a three-person slate hoping to improve government practices in the north St. Louis County suburb.

Genocide survivor pursues international relations degree with goal of one day doing humanitarian work

Dec 14, 2016

Justin Kimenyerwa is a central character in the documentary “The Last Survivor” after fleeing the Congo and coming to the United States as a refugee.

Student center manager, history prize winner, translator: Meet graduating senior James Bragado

Dec 13, 2016

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.

Leaf pattern, auxin levels and more shape grad’s research projects, path to molecular biology career

Dec 13, 2016

Stephanie Theiss did research on campus and at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center while also serving as president of the UMSL Biological Society.

A sweet deal: Sicilian graduate studies sugar chemistry, lands Monsanto job

Dec 12, 2016

Salvatore Pistorio will be a chemist II at Monsanto after recreating sugar molecules at UMSL using chemical synthesis and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.

Black Lives Matter panel tackles tough questions, creates space for positive discourse

Dec 12, 2016

Social justice experts, students, faculty and staff recently gathered together at UMSL to promote unity and healing and push for change.

Soccer teammates Joe Rund, Evan Garrad earn recognition as Academic All-Americans on way to medical school

Dec 11, 2016

UMSL was one of two men’s soccer programs nationally to put two players on the Division II Academic All-America First Team.

Engineering creative spirit: Emma Seidel builds eclectic foundation, lands job

Dec 11, 2016

Nidec Motor Corporation will welcome her on board after she graduates this December.

Women’s Chorale members mentor young St. Louis singers all semester, put on unique concert

Dec 8, 2016

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.

In her own words: Actor and director Jacqueline Thompson finds empowerment on stage, fosters healing in audiences

Dec 7, 2016

Genuine connection with audience members comes first for the assistant professor of theater.

Economics graduate Majana Reis among women featured in The Resilient Souls Project

Dec 6, 2016

The photography exhibit tells stories of survival, including Reis’. She fled civil war in Bosnia as a teenager and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UMSL.

Teach in 12: Pivoting careers and talent where they’re needed – in the classroom

Dec 5, 2016

The innovative teacher certification program helps future educators take an accelerated path through training.

Eye on UMSL: Chaucer banter

Dec 4, 2016

Professor Frank Grady and his Chaucer class react as one of the students makes a trenchant and amusing observation about a 14th-century tragic romance.

Political science department aims to prepare students for changing world with new international relations degree

Nov 30, 2016

The program is the first of its kind in the UM System, and it will take advantage of a wealth of international expertise that already exists at UMSL.

Alongside local teens, Matthew Washausen merges music and design, plans Dec. 16 showcase

Nov 29, 2016

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.”

Instruments from past inspire double major Dana Channell’s future

Nov 29, 2016

A perfect summer internship opportunity sent the UMSL junior on an exploration that was equal parts music and archaeology.

Women in science: 3 science departments, 3 women chairs

Nov 28, 2016

Wendy Olivas, Erika Gibb and Cynthia Dupureur serve as the UMSL department chairs for biology, physics and astronomy, and chemistry and biochemistry, respectively.

Philosophy alumnus becomes roastmaster, explores the deeper mysteries of coffee

Nov 20, 2016

Micah Svejda, who opened Bootstrap Coffee Roasters in 2014, shares his journey from existential questions to business success.

Economics Professor Sel Dibooglu to deliver keynote address at international conference in Turkey

Nov 20, 2016

Dibooglu will present research he’s done with colleagues in Turkey and Kazakhstan on forecasting bank defaults at the UMSL-sponsored event.

Leaving Las Vegas: Out-of-state student Addy Lai finds a world of opportunity at UMSL

Nov 16, 2016

Through a happy accident, the senior psychology major ended up at UMSL four years ago, and she’s been making her mark across campus ever since.

Ciphers and cryptograms: Students explore ancient writing systems at UMSL

Nov 15, 2016

Anthropology Professor Laura Miller guides her students through a complex series of hieroglyphics, graphs and syllabaries to uncover the common roots of language.

Melissa Shenoy’s journey to Google job started with UMSL physics degree

Nov 15, 2016

A business analyst, Shenoy tracks insights for the company, supporting projects including Google Express, Google Play Books and Google Trusted Stores.

Science Learning Building grand opening celebrates new labs, closer coffee

Nov 14, 2016

Nearly 300 attendees of the grand opening received tours of the four-story, 75,000-square-foot facility as students demonstrated experiments and showed off their new space.

Food for thought: ‘Breakfast with the Deans’ changed UMSL senior’s life forever

Nov 14, 2016

Kathryn Loucks, president of the Student Government Association, shared her experiences with high school students during this year’s event before UMSL Day.

Exit-polling project helps political science students get up-close look at electoral process

Nov 14, 2016

Students were on hand at 20 polling places on Election Day in a stratified sample of St. Louis County, and they collected more than 400 surveys.

UMSL raises the flag for Veterans Day

Nov 13, 2016

Dozens of students, faculty and staff assembled outside Woods Hall early on Nov. 11 for a ceremony to raise the American flag and sing the national anthem.

Godly Miracle Coupons and ad-libbed odysseys: Brain Stew enters its 26th year of publication

Nov 10, 2016

Meagan Burwell, Zachary Lee and Nicole Gevers continue the student publication’s traditions of satire and irreverent humor.

TASH conference comes to St. Louis this month, boasts strong ties to UMSL

Nov 10, 2016

Several members of the UMSL community, including education Professor April Regester, will take part in the conference under the theme “Gateway to Equity.”

Poetry, prose and applause: UMSL Writers Group draws eager crowd to open mic night

Nov 9, 2016

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.

Graduate students compete for cash and bragging rights in thesis presentation contest

Nov 8, 2016

Sydney Harris, Stephan Germann and Mike Deckard took first, second and third place, respectively, in last week’s Three Minute Thesis contest.

Criminology students get glimpse of what traffic stops are like for law enforcement officers

Nov 7, 2016

Students from the Criminology and Criminal Justice Undergraduate Student Association went through a series of role-playing exercises with the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

St. Louis youth, University Singers spend rare hour with the most awarded a cappella group in history

Nov 6, 2016

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.

Alumna Stacy Isermann finds her entrepreneurial spirit

Nov 6, 2016

Embracing all educational opportunities in her pursuit of a degree in criminology proved to be the catalyst for her future business success.

Eye on UMSL: Autumn majesty

Nov 3, 2016

Though the new Science Learning Building on the south side of the science complex is presently getting all the attention, this lovely scene sits on the north side.

Entomology expert talks pest genetics, control leading up to 2016 Whitney and Anna Harris Conservation Forum

Nov 3, 2016

Titled “Mosquitoes: Ecology, Disease Vectors, and Control,” the 2016 Whitney and Anna Harris Conservation Forum is Nov. 10 at the Saint Louis Zoo.

A timely play, a week at UMSL and critical thinking in iambic pentameter

Nov 2, 2016

Six days with the visiting Actors From The London Stage left students, faculty and local youth invigorated by Shakespeare – and also out of breath.

UMSL named ‘Best for Vets’ three years running

Nov 1, 2016

Military Times’ 2017 rankings place the university at No. 40 on a list of 130 four-year schools recognized as the most military-friendly institutions in the country.

A creepy-crawly Halloween in UMSL entomology class

Oct 31, 2016

Halloween transformed more than 30 students in an entomology course into beetles, butterflies, praying mantises and more at UMSL.

Two Japanese majors join faculty member for ‘Conflicts of Interest’ symposium, art exhibition

Oct 31, 2016

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.

Criminology major Jeph Jones finds purpose in raising awareness of veteran suicide

Oct 30, 2016

The student veteran served two tours in Iraq and struggled to adapt after returning home, so he’s using his experience to help others.

Eye on UMSL: Warming up to Shakespeare

Oct 27, 2016

Under the direction of a professional British actor, UMSL students warm up during a unique class session bringing to life one of the texts they’ve been studying.

‘ABC & Politics’ event generates dialogue on local issues, importance of engaging in political process

Oct 27, 2016

Local politicians took part in the panel discussion Tuesday evening in the Century Rooms of the Millennium Student Center.

All things percussion: Matthew Henry grows UMSL program’s reputation and repertoire

Oct 26, 2016

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

Oct 24, 2016

Marie Carol Kenney and Jessie Eikmann are each on track for back-to-back UMSL degrees after finishing their undergraduate studies earlier this year.