CELEBRATING EXCEPTIONAL MEMBERS OF THE WASHU COMMUNITY.
Founders Day is an opportunity to reflect upon the university’s many milestones and accomplishments—and the people who helped make them possible. Washington University began celebrating Founders Day in 1953 to commemorate the university’s 100th anniversary. Since then, this special event has honored WashU’s distinguished alumni, outstanding faculty, and most treasured friends.
2026 Honorees
Robert S. Brookings Award
Jacqueline N. and W. Randolph Baker
Distinguished Trustee Andrew M. Bursky, AB ’78, BS ’78, MS ’78, and Jane M. Bursky, AB ’78
Distinguished Alumni Award
Trustee Jared Della Valle, MArch ’96, MS ’96
CEO and co-founder
Alloy Development
Nellie Anderson-Hutt, AB ’75, JD ’78
Federal administrative appeals judge, retired
Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings and Appeals
Honorary Emeritus Trustee Louis G. Hutt Jr., BSBA ’76
Managing member and CEO
The Hutt Company
Sanjai Kohli, MS ’81
Founder and chief technology officer
CspeedIO Inc.
James A. Schlie, MSW ’67
Colonel, U.S. Army, retired
Nonprofit consultant, retired
Distinguished Faculty Award
Joseph A. O’Sullivan
Samuel C. Sachs Professor of Electrical Engineering
Professor and dean, UMSL/WashU Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program
McKelvey School of Engineering
Paul J. Scheel Jr., MD
Vice chancellor for clinical affairs, WashU Medicine
CEO, WashU Medicine Physicians
President, WashU Medicine/BJC HealthCare Physician Provider Organization
Professor of medicine, Division of Nephrology
Arthur Holly Compton Faculty Achievement Award
Anjan V. Thakor
John E. Simon Professor of Finance
Director, Wells Fargo Advisors Center for Finance and Accounting Research
Olin Business School
Carl and Gerty Cori Faculty Achievement Award
Timothy M. Miller, MD/PhD ’98
David Clayson Professor of Neurology
Co-director, ALS Center
Vice chair of research in neurology
WashU Medicine
Take a look back: 2026 Founders Day Ceremony
