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Washington University in St. Louis
WashU St. Louis seal.svg
Latin: Universitas Washingtoniana
Former name
Eliot Seminary (1853–1854)
Washington Institute (1854–1856)
Washington University (1856–1976)
Motto Per veritatem vis (Latin)
Motto in English
"Strength through truth"
Type Private research university
Established February 22, 1853; 172 years ago (1853-02-22)
Accreditation HLC
Academic affiliations
  • AAU
  • COFHE
  • MISA
  • NAICU
  • ORAU
  • URA
  • Space-grant
Endowment $13.3 billion (FY2022)
Chancellor Andrew D. Martin
Provost Beverly Wendland
Academic staff
4,151 (2021)
Administrative staff
12,609 (2018)
Total staff
19,646 (2021)
Students 16,244
Undergraduates 7,803
Postgraduates 8,441
Location , ,
United States

38°38′53″N 90°18′18″W / 38.648°N 90.305°W / 38.648; -90.305
Campus Large suburb, 355 acres (1.44 km2)
Tyson Research Center, 1,966.5 acres (3.07 sq mi; 795.81 ha)
Newspaper Student Life
Colors Red and green
         
Nickname Bears
Sporting affiliations
Mascot Bear
Washington University in St. Louis logo.svg

Washington University in St. Louis (often called WashU) is a private research university in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It was started in 1853. The university is named after George Washington, who was the first president of the United States.

WashU has eight schools for students studying for their first degree, or for those going on to advanced studies. These schools include Arts and Sciences, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Olin Business School, Washington University School of Medicine, McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University School of Law, School of Continuing & Professional Studies, and Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. About 16,550 students from all 50 U.S. states and over 110 countries attend WashU.

Since 1923, Washington University has been part of the Association of American Universities. It is known for its "Very high research activity." In 2021, the National Science Foundation ranked WashU 25th in the U.S. for how much money it spends on research and development. The university's sports teams are called the Washington University Bears. They play in NCAA Division III and were a founding member of the University Athletic Association.

Many famous people have been part of WashU. As of 2023, 26 Nobel Prize winners, 11 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 4 United States Poet Laureates have been connected to the university. WashU graduates also include university presidents, members of the United States Congress, and many Rhodes Scholars.

University History

Starting in the 1800s

WGEliot
William Greenleaf Eliot, a key founder of the university
The manual training school, comprising a full statement of its aims, methods, and results, with figured drawings of shop exercises in woods and metals (1906) (14596307140)
The Manual Training School at Washington University
WUFranGat
The Washington University crest at the entrance to Francis Field
1904 World's Fair Administration Building (Brookings Hall, Washington University) seen from the southeast with the Italian Pavilion in the foreground
Brookings Hall during the 1904 World's Fair

Washington University was started by 17 leaders in St. Louis. They were worried because there weren't enough colleges in the Midwest. Wayman Crow, a Missouri State Senator, and William Greenleaf Eliot, a minister, led this effort. Eliot was the grandfather of the famous poet T.S. Eliot.

The university's first leader was Joseph Gibson Hoyt. In 1853, Crow helped get the university's official charter from the state. Eliot became the head of the board of trustees. Unlike many other big American universities, WashU did not start with a lot of money from one person or a religious group. It was built with support from the local community.

For its first three years, the university had different names. It was first called "Eliot Seminary," but William Eliot didn't want it named after him. He also wanted a university that wasn't tied to one religion.

So, the board decided to name it the "Washington Institute" in honor of George Washington. This was also because the university's charter was approved on Washington's birthday, February 22. Naming it after George Washington was important. It happened just seven years before the American Civil War. Washington was a symbol of unity for the country during a very divided time. The university wanted to be a force for unity in Missouri. In 1856, the name was changed again to "Washington University."

Robert S. Brookings
Robert S. Brookings helped the university grow

At first, Washington University was mostly a night school in downtown St. Louis. It used public buildings because it didn't have much money. Classes started on October 22, 1854. Over time, the university got enough money to build its own buildings. It then split into different departments like the Manual Training School and the Mary Institute.

In 1867, the university opened the first private law school west of the Mississippi River. By 1882, WashU had many departments in different buildings. Medical classes began in 1891 when the St. Louis Medical College joined the university. This created the School of Medicine.

By the 1890s, the university was in financial trouble. Then, Robert S. Brookings, who was head of the board, helped a lot. He raised money and bought land for a new campus. Brookings took over fundraising after Eliot died.

In 1896, a professor named Holmes Smith designed the university's modern seal. It uses parts of the Washington family's symbol and the symbol of Louis IX of France, who St. Louis is named after.

For its first 50 years, Washington University was in downtown St. Louis. But by the 1890s, with the medical school growing and Robert Brookings' help, the university started to move west. They found a large piece of land near Forest Park. This land was high up, like the Acropolis of Athens, which gave the campus the nickname "Hilltop." In 2006, it was renamed the Danforth Campus.

In 1899, the university held a contest to design the new campus. A famous firm, Cope & Stewardson, won. They designed buildings in the Collegiate Gothic style, like those at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in England.

The 1900s and Beyond

WashU Graham Chapel
Graham Chapel on the Danforth Campus
WUBrook
Brookings Hall, a famous building at WashU

The first building, Busch Hall, began construction on October 20, 1900. Other buildings like Brookings Hall were started soon after.

The university didn't move into these new buildings until 1905. This was because the 1904 World's Fair and 1904 Summer Olympics were held on the campus. This event allowed the university to build more buildings than planned. The style of these first buildings has guided how the Danforth Campus has grown ever since.

By 1915, a new medical complex was finished in St. Louis's Central West End. In 1918, Washington University welcomed its first women medical students.

During World War II, WashU played a small role in the Manhattan Project. A machine called a cyclotron was used to make tiny amounts of a new element called plutonium. This plutonium was then sent to the University of Chicago for more studies.

After the war, Arthur Compton, a Nobel Prize winner, became WashU's chancellor in 1946. He brought back the football team and made sure sports were played fairly without special scholarships. Under Compton, many more students joined the university, especially World War II veterans using their GI Bill benefits.

Washington University began to end racial segregation in 1947, starting with the School of Medicine and the School of Social Work. The university fully ended segregation for undergraduate students in 1952. This made it the last college in the area to do so. Students and community groups worked hard to make these changes happen.

In the second half of the 1900s, WashU changed from a local college to a world-famous university. In 1957, they started building the "South 40," which are modern dorms for first-year and second-year students.

With more housing on campus, the university started attracting students from all over the country. By 1964, more than two-thirds of new students came from outside the St. Louis area.

In 1971, William Henry Danforth became chancellor. He helped the university through tough times in the 1970s. He made the School of Medicine stronger and improved relationships with the St. Louis community. During his 24 years, he created many new teaching positions, built dozens of buildings, and greatly increased money for student scholarships.

To be better known nationally, the university added "in St. Louis" to its name in 1976.

In 1995, Mark S. Wrighton became the 14th Chancellor. During his time, the number of applications to WashU more than doubled. Since 1995, the university has added many new teaching positions, updated its Arts & Sciences classes, and built over 30 new buildings.

WUSTL Danforth Campus
The Danforth Campus at WashU

WashU's reputation grew with two big fundraising efforts. From 1983 to 1987, the "Alliance for Washington University" raised $630.5 million. This was a record at the time. From 1998 to 2004, the "Campaign for Washington University" raised $1.55 billion. This money went to scholarships, teaching positions, and research.

The 2000s and Today

In 2002, Washington University helped start the Cortex Innovation Community in St. Louis. Cortex is a big center for new ideas and businesses in the Midwest. Companies like Square and Microsoft have offices there. It has created thousands of tech jobs.

In 2005, WashU started the McDonnell International Scholars Academy. This is a global network of top research universities. It helps future leaders from around the world study at WashU.

In 2006, the MetroLink train system added new stations that serve the university. Since then, WashU has offered free Metro passes to all full-time students and staff.

In 2019, Andrew D. Martin became the 15th chancellor. On his first day, he announced the "WashU Pledge." This program helps students from Missouri and southern Illinois from lower-income families attend the university for free.

In 2021, Washington University announced it would invest another $1 billion to help students with financial aid. The university uses "need-blind admissions," meaning they don't look at how much money a student's family has when deciding if they can get in. They also promise to meet 100% of a student's financial need.

In 2022, WashU joined the Kessler Scholars Collaborative. This program helps first-generation students (those whose parents didn't go to college) who are studying science and math. Also in 2022, WashU developed a new needle-free nasal vaccine for COVID-19.

In March 2024, Washington University agreed to buy the campus of Fontbonne University, which will close in 2025.

Presidential Debates Hosted at WashU

Washington University has hosted more presidential and vice-presidential debates than any other school.

Wustldebate08
The 2008 Vice Presidential Debate at WashU's Field House

The campus was the location for four Presidential debates and one Vice-Presidential debate:

The university was supposed to host a debate in 1996, but it was canceled. Hosting these debates gives students special learning chances. It also brings national and international attention to St. Louis.

University Campuses

Danforth Campus

The Danforth Campus is 169 acres (about 68 hectares) big. It is next to Forest Park and the towns of Clayton and University City, Missouri.

Gfp-missouri-st-louis-looking-at-danforth
A view of the Danforth Campus

A large part of the Danforth Campus is a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place.

A bronze statue called "Thinker on a Rock" is on permanent loan to WashU. It's often called "The Bunny" and is a popular spot near the Olin Library.

Gephardt Institute for Community Engagement

This institute helps students get involved in community service. It offers internships, helps faculty teach community-based classes, and supports student activities that help the community.

Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum

Eliasson Your Imploded View
Inside the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum

The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum started in 1881. It is one of the oldest teaching museums in the country. It has art from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries by American and European artists. Famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock have works here. The museum also has the Newman Money Museum, which shows a collection of American coins. In 2006, the Kemper Art Museum moved into a new building designed by Fumihiko Maki.

Medical Campus

JeffersonLake BJC
The Washington University Medical Center seen from Forest Park

The Washington University Medical Center covers 186 acres (about 75 hectares) across 18 city blocks. It is in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis. This campus is home to the Washington University School of Medicine and its teaching hospitals, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children's Hospital. Many buildings are connected by skyways and walkways.

The School of Medicine's doctors also work at Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals. WashU and BJC HealthCare work together on many projects, like the Center for Advanced Medicine.

In 2019, WashU received a $7.6 million grant to help improve cancer care in parts of Missouri and Illinois. In 2022, the university got a $61 million grant to focus on personalized medicine and health fairness.

Tyson Research Center

Tyson Research Center is a large field station, about 1,966 acres (nearly 800 hectares), located west of St. Louis. WashU got Tyson from the government in 1963. It is used for studying biology and as a research and education center. In 2010, a building there became one of the first "living buildings" in the country.

Other Campuses

Washington University's North Campus and West Campus mainly hold offices that are not for students. North Campus is near the Delmar Loop in St. Louis City. It has offices for housing, accounting, parking, and technology.

The West Campus is about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the Danforth Campus in Clayton, Missouri. It is a former department store building that now holds many administrative offices. The basement has the West Campus Library, university records, and a graphic history library.

Academic Programs

College/School founding
College/School Year founded
College of Arts & Sciences 1853
James McKelvey School of Engineering 1854
School of Law 1867
College of Art 1879
School of Medicine 1891
College of Architecture 1910
Olin Business School 1917
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences 1922
George Warren Brown School of Social Work 1925
School of Continuing & Professional Studies 1931
Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts 2005

Arts and Sciences

Holmes Lounge
Holmes Lounge, a study area on campus

The College of Arts & Sciences is the main place for undergraduate students at WashU. It has 40 academic departments in areas like Humanities, Social sciences, and Natural sciences. The average class size is 18 students. Almost half of the classes have fewer than 10 students. There is one teacher for every 7 students.

The College of Arts & Sciences offers classes in many languages, including Arabic, Spanish, German, Chinese, and Japanese.

Business School

The Olin Business School started in 1917. It was named after businessman John M. Olin in 1988. The school offers programs for undergraduate, graduate, and executive students. In 2002, an Executive MBA program was started in Shanghai, China.

Olin Business School
Simon Hall, part of the Olin Business School.

Olin has a large network of over 16,000 former students around the world. New buildings like Knight and Bauer Halls were opened in 2014. These buildings have spaces for classes and faculty offices.

Undergraduate students in business take most of their classes within the business school. They can also take classes in other areas at WashU, like law.

Design and Visual Arts School

Kemper Art Museum at Wash U
The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum

The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts was created in 2006. It brought together the Architecture and Art schools with the university's museum. The school includes:

  • College of Architecture
  • Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design
  • College of Art
  • Graduate School of Art
  • Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, which has one of the best university art collections in the country.

The art museum was the first west of the Mississippi River, started in 1881. It holds many of the university's art pieces. These include works by famous artists like Jackson Pollock and Pablo Picasso.

McKelvey School of Engineering

Cupples I Building at Washington University in St. Louis
Cupples Hall

The School of Engineering focuses on research in areas like medicine, health, energy, and security. It receives about $27 million each year for research.

On January 31, 2019, the School of Engineering & Applied Science was renamed the James McKelvey School of Engineering. This was to honor Jim McKelvey Jr., a graduate and co-founder of Square, who made a large donation.

School of Continuing & Professional Studies

In 2023, Washington University renamed its University College to the School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS). CAPS helps adults who want to continue their education. It focuses on growing fields like data analytics, healthcare, and management.

School of Law

WashUABhall
Anheuser Busch Hall, home to the School of Law

The Washington University School of Law offers programs that combine law with other subjects. These include business, medicine, and social work. It also offers different law degrees. The law school is in Anheuser-Busch Hall, which opened in 1997.

School of Medicine

Washington University School of Medicine2
Washington University School of Medicine

The Washington University School of Medicine was started in 1891. In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked it sixth for research among U.S. medical schools. The McDonnell Genome Institute is part of the School of Medicine. It is one of the main centers in the U.S. for studying DNA sequencing. It played a big part in the Human Genome Project. In 2022, the School of Medicine was ranked third among U.S. medical schools for funding received from the National Institutes of Health.

The medical school works with St. Louis Children's Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. All the doctors at these hospitals are also teachers at the medical school.

Social Work and Public Health School

The George Warren Brown School of Social Work was founded in 1925. It offers degrees in social work and public health. The school was named after George Warren Brown, a St. Louis helper and co-founder of the Brown Shoe Company. It was the first school in the country to have a building just for social work education.

Former Dental School

The Washington University School of Dental Medicine started in 1866. It was the first dental school west of the Mississippi River. It was the sixth dental school in the United States. The school closed in 1991.

University Rankings and Reputation

U.S. university rankings

ARWU World 25
THES World 57
USNWR National University 24
Washington Monthly National University 27
Forbes 27

Washington University is ranked among the top universities in the nation and the world. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked it 24th among national universities. The Wall Street Journal ranked it 17th in 2018. The Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked it 25th in the world in 2019.

SeigleHall
Seigle Hall, used by the Law School and Arts and Sciences

Getting into Washington University is very competitive. For the class entering in Fall 2022, only 11.3% of students who applied were accepted. Most of the admitted students were in the top 10% of their high school classes.

The Princeton Review has given WashU high marks for its dorms, food, and financial aid. In 2022, it was also ranked highly for entrepreneurship programs. Niche named it the best college for architecture in 2020. The Washington University School of Medicine is consistently ranked among the top medical schools. Its genetics and physical therapy programs are tied for first place.

WashU was called one of the "25 New Ivies" by Newsweek in 2006. It has also been called a "Hidden Ivy."

WashU Danforth Campus
Eads Hall
Ridgley Hall - West Brookings Quadrangle at Washington University in St. Louis
Ridgley Hall

WashU is working to make college affordable for more students. In 2015, the university planned to increase the number of students who receive Pell Grants (money for low-income students). By 2019, 15% of students were eligible for Pell Grants. In 2019, Chancellor Andrew D. Martin announced the "WashU Pledge." This program gives a free undergraduate education to students from Missouri and Southern Illinois who meet certain income requirements.

School Rankings
Ranking #
U.S. News & World Report (Medicine) 6
U.S. News & World Report (Law) 16
U.S. News & World Report (MBA) 30
U.S. News & World Report (Social Work) 2
BusinessWeek (BSBA) 25
Financial Times (EMBA – World Rank) 8

Research at WashU

More than 60% of undergraduate students at WashU get involved in research with professors. This is a big priority for the university. There is an office to help students find research opportunities and get grants to support their work.

Brown Hall
Brown Hall

In 2021, Washington University spent $989 million on research and development. This ranked it 25th in the nation. The university has over 150 inventions that were funded by the National Institutes of Health. Many of these have been used by private companies. Government groups like the NIH and NASA provide most of the research money. WashU is one of the top schools to receive NIH grants.

Washington University and its Medical School played a big part in the Human Genome Project. They contributed about 25% of the finished DNA sequence.

NASA has its Planetary Data System Geosciences Node at WashU. Professors and students have been involved in many missions to Mars. Professor Raymond Arvidson worked on the Mars Exploration Rover mission.

In 2019, Folding@home, a project that uses volunteers' computers to study protein dynamics, moved to WashU's School of Medicine. This project helps research diseases like Alzheimer's disease, Cancer, and Coronavirus disease 2019. In April 2020, Folding@home became the world's first "exaFLOP computing system." This means it was much faster than the world's fastest supercomputer at the time.

McDonnell International Scholars Academy

The McDonnell International Scholars Academy (MISA) is a partnership between universities. It helps them work together on research and educational programs. The program is named after John F. McDonnell, who gave $10 million to start it in 2005. MISA offers scholarships for international students to study at WashU. Its goal is to help develop future global leaders.

University Library System

Olin Library wide
Olin Library
WashU Law Library
Reading room in Anheuser-Busch Hall

The Washington University library system has 10 libraries. The main library, Olin Library, is in the center of the Danforth Campus. It has over 5.3 million books and other items. In 2020, the Princeton Review ranked Olin Library among the top 10 "Best College Libraries" in the United States. The other 9 libraries include:

  • Al and Ruth Kopolow (Business) Library
  • Bernard Becker Medical Library
  • Brown School Library
  • East Asian Library
  • Gaylord Music Library
  • Kenneth and Nancy Kranzberg Art & Architecture Library
  • Law Library
  • West Campus Library

Campus Life

Student Body

In 2023, about 16,550 students attended Washington University. They came from all 50 U.S. states and over 110 countries.

Of the new students in Fall 2023, 35% were Caucasian, 27% were Asian, 13% were Latino/Hispanic, and 12% were Black/African-American. About 52% were female and 48% were male.

Student Organizations

Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
Race and ethnicity Total
White 48% 48
 
Asian 18% 18
 
Hispanic 11% 11
 
Black 9% 9
 
Other 7% 7
 
Foreign national 7% 7
 
Economic diversity
Low-income 15% 15
 
Affluent 85% 85
 

Washington University has over 300 student groups. Most of these groups get money from the Washington University Student Union. The Student Union also puts on big campus events like WILD, a concert held each semester. It also provides free newspapers like The New York Times.

Many student groups and campus services are in the Danforth University Center. This building opened in 2008.

WUWomansBuilding
Women's Building
WashU McMillan Hall
McMillan Hall

WashU has many student-run music groups, including 13 official a cappella groups. The Pikers are the oldest all-male group. The Greenleafs are the oldest all-female group. The Mosaic Whispers are the oldest co-ed group. They have made several albums and appeared on compilation albums.

Greek Life

Washington University in St. Louis Fraternities
Fraternity Buildings

Washington University has eleven fraternities and nine sororities. In Spring 2021, about 14% of students were part of Greek life.

Student Housing

Most dorms are on the "South 40" area. It's called this because it's on the south side of the Danforth Campus and is about 40 acres big. All first-year students live here, along with some second-year students. The South 40 is designed for walking. Dorms surround a central lawn called the Swamp. The largest dining hall, Bear's Den, is here. The health center, police headquarters, and sports fields are also on the South 40.

South40
The South 40
WashU Clocktower
Clocktower in the South 40

Another group of dorms, called the Village, is in the northwest part of Danforth Campus. Only older students can live here. The Village has apartments and fraternity houses. Sororities at WashU do not have their own houses. The Village has "Living Learning Communities" where students with similar interests live together.

WashU also owns other buildings near the Danforth Campus for older students. These include the Rosedale Apartments and University Drive apartments.

Student Media

Washington University has four main student-run media groups. The student newspaper, Student Life, is published twice a week. It started in 1878.

KWUR (90.3 FM) is the student radio station. It plays a variety of music. WUTV is the university's TV channel.

The Washington University Political Review (WUPR) is a student-run political magazine. Students also publish two literary and art journals, The Eliot Review and Spires Intercollegiate Arts and Literary Magazine. There is also WUnderground, a student-run satirical newspaper.

Athletics

Washington University was a founding member of the University Athletic Association in NCAA Division III. Before 1942, WashU played against teams now in NCAA Division I.

The Bears have won 24 NCAA Division III Championships. These include championships in women's cross country, women's indoor and outdoor track and field, men's tennis, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's volleyball, and women's soccer. They have also won 262 conference titles in 16 different sports.

Francis Field 1904
Francis Olympic Field during the 1904 St. Louis Olympics

Washington University has 42 club sports teams. The men's club water polo team has been very successful, winning many national championships.

WashU is home to Francis Olympic Field. This field was the site of the 1904 Summer Olympics. Today, it is home to the Washington University football, soccer, and track and field teams.

University Traditions

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Gates at Francis Field
  • WILD – This is a concert held each semester in the Quad. It features popular music acts.
  • Thurtene Carnival – This is the oldest and largest student-run carnival in the nation.
  • Vertigo – A dance party put on by the Engineering School Council. It features a special LED dance floor built by students.
  • Cultural shows – Student groups put on several multicultural shows each year. These include performances for Diwali, Black Anthology (celebrating black culture), and the Lunar New Year Festival.
  • Brookings Hall – There's a superstition that students should never step on the university seal at Brookings Hall. It's said that doing so will keep you from graduating on time.
  • Convocation – A big gathering for new students and their families to welcome them to the university.
  • DUC N' Donuts – On the first Friday of every month, students can get free coffee and donuts at the Danforth University Center (DUC).
  • Cheap Lunch – Every Wednesday, the Engineering School Council sells pizza, chips, and cookies for a low price.
  • Art Prom – Each Spring, students from the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts host a creative formal dance.
  • Underpass Panels – Students and clubs paint panels along the walls of the underpass connecting the South 40 to the main campus. This is to advertise upcoming events.

Notable People from WashU

Washington University has over 19,000 teachers and staff. It also has over 156,000 living former students. Many people connected to WashU have won major awards. These include the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, and National Medal of Science.

Famous Alumni

Many famous people have graduated from WashU. These include:

  • Avram Glazer, chairman of Manchester United
  • Jon Feltheimer, CEO of Lionsgate Films
  • George Zimmer, founder of Men's Wearhouse
  • Phil Radford, former executive director of Greenpeace
  • Siniša Mali, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia
  • Jim Talent, former Missouri Senator
  • Hank Klibanoff, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
  • David Merrick, Tony Award-winning theater producer
  • Dal Maxvill, baseball player
  • Jonathan Mann, first director of the World Health Organization's Global Program on AIDS
  • Deanne Bell, science show host
  • Susannah Cahalan, New York Times best-selling author
  • Mary Wickes, character actress
  • Johnny Kastl, television actor
  • Kendall Gretsch, Paralympic Gold Medalist
  • Julian W. Hill, co-inventor of nylon
  • Clyde Cowan, co-discoverer of the neutrino
  • James R. Thompson, Governor of Illinois
  • Sam Fox, U.S. Ambassador to Belgium
  • Edward S. Holden, president of the University of California
  • Thomas Lamb Eliot, founder of Reed College
  • Abram L. Sachar, founding president of Brandeis University
  • George Hellmuth, Gyo Obata, and George Kassabaum, founders of HOK, a large architectural firm.

Graduate school alumni include Nobel winners Earl Sutherland, Edwin Krebs, and Daniel Nathans. Businessman Steve Fossett earned his MBA here. Joseph Poindexter, governor of Hawaii during the Pearl Harbor attack, graduated from the law school.

Famous Faculty

Notable teachers at WashU have included:

See also

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