WashU Alumni

10/21/2026

What if a once-a-year injection could reverse joint tissue damage caused by osteoarthritis?

A WashU Medicine team is preparing to move a groundbreaking new treatment into clinical trials that could improve the quality of life for millions of people living with the condition.

🔗 Visit the link in the comments to learn more.

10/20/2026

A slice of nostalgia 🍕

Who remembers grabbing a bite at Talayna's on Skinker? The historic Arthur Building, once home to the late Mike "Talayna" Faille's beloved Italian restaurant, was demolished 25 years ago this month after WashU purchased it in 1998 and determined it was too dilapidated to renovate. The university constructed a new building on the property, which today houses WashU Marketing & Communications and Kaldi's Coffee.

📸: University Archives

10/19/2026

The student becomes a master ❤️ 🥼 💚

As a pediatric neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, S. Hassan A. Akbari, AB ’08, MD ’12, MS ’18, improves the lives of children with cerebral palsy and other muscle spasticity disorders.

His areas of expertise include selective dorsal rhizotomy, a procedure he learned from the late WashU Medicine professor T.S. Park, MD, who pioneered the mobility-enhancing surgery. Akbari credits the connections he maintained with Park and other WashU mentors for shaping his career in medicine.

🔗 Read more in WashU Magazine at the link in the comments.

10/18/2026

When Carol and John Hamilton's eldest son started attending WashU in 2017, they had no idea their engagement with the university would outlast their status as parents.

Yet, three years after their youngest child's WashU graduation, the Hamiltons remain integral members of the university community through their leadership, philanthropy, and service.

The couple most recently extended their generosity to the Bursky School of Public Health, endowing a distinguished professorship in support of With You: The WashU Campaign. The position will support the work of the school's Food and Agricultural Research Mission, spearheading projects and partnerships that help create a healthier, food-secure future for people around the world.

🔗 Read more about the Hamiltons and the professorship at the link in the comments.

10/17/2026

While studying at WashU Medicine, Margaret Duncan, MD ’21, didn't think the medical and creative sides of her life would ever converge.

Then a friend asked her to co-host a mental health podcast.

Duncan's show, "How to Be Patient," ponders a more comprehensive approach to mental healthcare, calling out systemic issues and championing the practitioners and researchers changing it for the better.

🔗 Read more in WashU Magazine at the link in the comments.

10/16/2026

Enrollment in the WashU Brown School's Master of Social Work program rose nearly 30% this fall, and more than 50% of its admitted students chose to enroll — the school's highest yield rate in more than three decades.

These achievements come as the Brown School doubles down on removing financial barriers to a social work education, notably by introducing the MSW Practicum Support Award earlier this year. Supported by donor generosity through With You: The WashU Campaign, the award provides all MSW students with a living support stipend and covers tuition for required practicum credits.

🔗 Visit the link in the comments to learn more.

10/15/2026

Talk about a throwback! Do any of our still own this classic WashU apparel?

It’s finally sweater season in St. Louis! 🍂 Check out these cozy vintage sweaters from University Archives.

10/15/2026

From hand-me-down uniforms to back-to-back national championships, discover the origin story of the WASHUBears women's soccer team and meet the alumnae who, quite literally, got the ball rolling. ❤️ ⚽ 💚

🔗 Read more from WashU Magazine at the link in the comments.

10/14/2026

"I am happiest when I paint — though it is a struggle and full of disappointments.”

During his more than 35 years on the WashU faculty, Edward E. Boccia trained generations of artists while exhibiting his own work across the U.S. and Europe. A new book takes an in-depth look at Boccia's life and career.

🔗 Learn more at the link in the comments.

10/14/2026

As his wife, Sue, slowly declines from Alzheimer's disease, John Ludwig is taking action by investing in groundbreaking new research that brings together two of WashU Medicine's greatest strengths: neurology and immunology.

The former pharma executive recently established spendable funds at the medical school that will support investigations by David M. Holtzman, MD, and Jonathan Kipnis, PhD, into the role the immune system plays in Alzheimer's — work that could one day lead to treatment and prevention strategies tailored to individual patients.

Ludwig's gift supports the university's efforts to promote healthier lives through With You: The WashU Campaign.

🔗 Visit the link in the comments to read more.