Alumni News

By Ginger O’Donnell | September 2, 2026

The late Janice Jackson Van Buren, MA ’72, PhD ’80, or “Mimi” as she is known to her family, donned a pink sash at her 1980 WashU Commencement ceremony to celebrate being one of the first Black women to earn a doctorate from WashU’s Department of Education in Arts & Sciences, specializing in counseling psychology.

A single mother of two who worked full time throughout her graduate studies, she came to Washington University in St. Louis after earning her bachelor’s degree in math and chemistry from Morgan State University in Baltimore at age 20.

A charming St. Louis house served as the setting for two WashU weddings.

There’s something special about WashU that stays with you long after graduation: the late-night conversations, the unexpected friendships, and sometimes, the beginning of a love story that lasts a lifetime. Here, we celebrate the alumni whose WashU connections blossomed into beautiful love stories of every kind. Search for this year’s submitted stories by name ✕ […]

Pikers young and old gathered to celebrate 40 years of music and memories.

New Alumni Board of Governors Chair Dean Yamamoto encourages other graduates to support and engage with WashU.

Remembering WashU’s Umrathskellar 50 years after its opening day

Alumnus Willie Noble’s involvement in the mid-2000s MetroLink expansion helped usher in a new era of connectivity for the university.

WashU alumni reflect on the ‘Bible As Literature’ and Professor David Hadas.

Alumnus Bert Mandelbaum has seen the best of humanity throughout his long sports medicine career.

We asked alumni on social media to tell us what song instantly takes them back to their time as students. More than 120 Bears chimed in with titles that span multiple decades and genres.