Washington University in St. Louis ( WashU ) is a private research university in St. Louis, Missouri , United States. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington , the first president of the United States .
59-505: Washu can refer to: WashU, an abbreviation for Washington University in St. Louis Washū , another name for Yamato Province , Japan Washu Hakubi , a fictional character the manga series Tenchi Muyo! Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Washu . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
118-693: A Whig to the Missouri State Senate and again in 1850. Crow helped in getting charters for the Hannibal and St. Joseph and Missouri Pacific Railroads. In 1846 he secured the charter for the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association, the oldest library west of the Mississippi River . Crow also helped in attaining a charter for the St. Louis Asylum for the Blind. In 1853, while attending
177-488: A music rehearsal room on the second floor. Wayman Crow Wayman Crow (March 7, 1808 – May 10, 1885) was one of the founders of Washington University , a St. Louis businessman, and a politician. Born in Hartford, Kentucky , on March 7, 1808, Crow was the youngest of eight children. His parents, Joshua and Mary Wayman Crow, came to Kentucky from Maryland. Joshua practiced law until his death in 1830. Until Wayman
236-633: A founding member of the University Athletic Association . As of 2023, 26 Nobel laureates , 11 Pulitzer Prize winners, four United States Poet Laureates , and six MacArthur Fellows have been affiliated with the university as faculty or alumni. Washington University alumni also include 16 university presidents, 21 members of the United States Congress , 30 Rhodes Scholars , seven Marshall Scholars and two Churchill Scholars . Washington University
295-452: A greater number of applicants from across the nation. By 1964, over two-thirds of incoming students came from outside the St. Louis area. In 1971, the board of trustees appointed Chancellor William Henry Danforth , who guided the university through the social and financial crises of the 1970s, strengthened the School of Medicine , and improved the often tense ties between the university and
354-521: A legislative session in Jefferson City, Missouri , Crow drafted an act of incorporation for an institution of higher education that would eventually become Washington University in St. Louis . Crow initially called the school Eliot Seminary to honor his friend William Greenleaf Eliot. Eliot had no knowledge of this plan and was surprised to be named one of the incorporators, along with Crow and fifteen members of their Unitarian congregation. In 1854,
413-530: A major gift from former U.S. Congressman Richard Gephardt . Major activities of the Gephardt Institute include the hosting of speakers series, internship and career placement services, granting of money to faculty and students for community-based teaching and learning, supporting co-curricular activities with the community service office, and a summer stipend program, where the university financially supports students who take uncompensated internships in
472-689: A member of the Association of American Universities since 1923 and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". In 2021, the National Science Foundation ranked Washington University 25th among academic institutions in the United States for research and development expenditures. The university's athletic teams, Washington University Bears , play in NCAA Division III as
531-504: A nonsectarian university. Under pressure from Eliot, the board of trustees created a task force charged with naming the university, headed by Samuel Treat . Several months later Treat's committee proposed naming the university the Washington Institute , after the nation's first president George Washington . In 1854, the board of trustees changed the name to "Washington Institute" in honor of George Washington and because
590-404: A row of Collegiate Gothic quadrangles inspired by Oxford and Cambridge Universities. The cornerstone of the first building, Busch Hall, was laid on October 20, 1900. The construction of Brookings Hall , Ridgley, and Cupples began shortly thereafter. The university delayed occupying these buildings until 1905 to accommodate the 1904 World's Fair and 1904 Summer Olympics , which allowed
649-685: A series of renovations. Today, the basement level houses the West Campus Library, the University Archives, the Modern Graphic History Library, and conference space. The ground level still remains a retail space. The upper floors house consolidated capital gifts, portions of university advancement, and information systems offices from across the Danforth and Medical School campuses. There is also
SECTION 10
#1732791576843708-621: A student group, the Student Committee for the Admission of Negroes (SCAN), was founded and began advocating for full racial integration. In 1951, then-vice chancellor Leslie Buchan argued that full desegregation would isolate the university from the community and potentially lead to incidents on campus. The following year, in May 1952, the board of trustees passed a resolution desegregating the university's undergraduate divisions. During
767-836: Is bordered by the Forest Park section of St. Louis and Clayton and University City, Missouri . A large portion of the Danforth Campus is recognized as the Washington University Hilltop Campus Historic District , which achieved National Historic Landmark status on February 27, 1987. The Barry Flanagan bronze statue, " Thinker on a Rock ," widely known, simply, as "The Bunny", is currently on permanent loan to Washington University and features prominently near Olin Library, Graham Chapel and Mallinckrodt. Founded with
826-417: Is controlled by a board of trustees that, by charter, appoints its own members. During the three years following its inception, the university had three different names. The board first approved "Eliot Seminary", but William Eliot was uncomfortable with naming a university after himself and objected to the establishment of a seminary which would implicitly be charged with teaching a religious faith. He favored
885-588: Is the largest innovation hub in the midwest , home to offices of Square , Microsoft , Aon , Boeing , and Centene . The innovation hub has generated more than 3,800 tech jobs in 14 years. In 2005, Washington University founded the McDonnell International Scholars Academy, an international network of premier research universities, with an initial endowment gift of $ 10 million from John F. McDonnell . The academy, which selects scholars from 35 partnered universities around
944-553: The Commission on Presidential Debates to host more presidential and vice presidential debates than any other institution in history. The campus was the venue for four Presidential debates, and one Vice-Presidential debate: the inaugural 1992 Presidential debate on October 11, 1992, the third 2000 Presidential debate on October 17, the second 2004 Presidential debate on October 8, the sole 2008 Vice Presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin on October 2, and
1003-645: The Delmar Loop . The university acquired the building and adjacent property in 2004, formerly home to the Angelica Uniform Factory. Several university administrative departments are located at the North Campus location, including offices for Quadrangle Housing, Accounting and Treasury Services, Parking and Transportation Services, Army ROTC , and Network Technology Services. The North Campus location also provides off-site storage space for
1062-687: The Performing Arts Department. The West Campus is located about one mile (1.6 km) to the west of the Danforth Campus in Clayton, Missouri , and primarily consists of a four-story former department store building housing mostly administrative space. The West Campus building was home to the Clayton branch of the Famous-Barr department store until 1990, when the university acquired the property and adjacent parking and began
1121-615: The "WashU Pledge", a financial aid program allowing full-time Missouri and southern Illinois students who are Pell Grant-eligible or from families with annual incomes of $ 75,000 or less to attend the university cost-free. In October 2021, Washington University announced it would invest an additional $ 1 billion in financial aid for students. The university practices need-blind admissions and meets 100% of admitted students' demonstrated needs. The new financial aid initiative, called Gateway to Success, included $ 800 million in endowed funding to support need-blind undergraduate admissions, meaning
1180-446: The 1890s the university was on the brink of financial collapse until Robert Sommers Brookings , president of the board of trustees, undertook the task of rebuilding the university's finances and acquiring land for a new campus. Brookings was instrumental in raising money for the university, since Eliot, the primary fundraiser for the university, had died. In 1896, Holmes Smith, professor of Drawing and History of Art, designed what became
1239-555: The 1980s. From 1983 to 1987, the "Alliance for Washington University" campaign raised $ 630.5 million, which was then the most successful fund-raising effort in national history. From 1998 to 2004, the "Campaign for Washington University" raised $ 1.55 billion, which was applied to additional scholarships, professorships, and research initiatives. In 2002, Washington University co-founded the Cortex Innovation Community in St. Louis's Midtown neighborhood . Cortex
SECTION 20
#17327915768431298-618: The Benton School building. At first the university paid for the evening classes, but as their popularity grew, their funding was transferred to the St. Louis Public Schools . Eventually the board secured funds for the construction of Academic Hall and a half dozen other buildings. Later the university divided into three departments: the Manual Training School, Smith Academy, and the Mary Institute . In 1867,
1357-543: The School of Social Work. The university ended racial segregation in its undergraduate divisions in 1952, making it the last local higher education institution to do so. During the 1940s, the university faced criticism from the local African American media, which included a letter-writing campaign by churches, the local Urban League, and legal briefs by the NAACP , seeking to strip the university of its tax-exempt status. In 1949,
1416-407: The St. Louis community. During his 24-year chancellorship, he established 70 new endowed professorships, constructed dozens of buildings, secured a $ 1.72 billion endowment, and tripled the amount of student scholarships. To better distinguish itself in national media, the university's board of trustees added the phrase "in St. Louis" in 1976. In 1995, Mark S. Wrighton , former provost at MIT ,
1475-483: The Washington University football team, making the declaration that athletics were to be henceforth played on a "strictly amateur" basis with no athletic scholarships. Under Compton's leadership, enrollment at the university grew dramatically, fueled primarily by World War II veterans' use of their GI Bill benefits. The desegregation of Washington University began in 1947 with the School of Medicine and
1534-549: The basis for the modern-day university seal. The seal is made up of elements from the Washington family coat of arms and the symbol of Louis IX , whom the city is named after. Washington University spent its first half century in downtown St. Louis bounded by Washington Ave., Lucas Place, and Locust Street. By the 1890s, owing to the dramatic expansion of the medical school and a new benefactor in Robert Brookings,
1593-480: The campus of neighboring Fontbonne University when it closes in 2025. In April 2024, Washington University administrators called the police on a pro-Palestinian demonstration and encampment, resulting in more than 80 arrests. Those arrested included Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and the president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen . A local professor's ribs and hand were broken during his arrest, leading to his hospitalization. In August 2024,
1652-488: The charter was coincidentally passed on Washington's birthday, February 22. Naming the university after the nation's first president, only seven years before the American Civil War and during a time of bitter national division, was no coincidence. During this time of conflict, Americans universally admired George Washington as the father of the United States and a symbol of national unity. The board believed that
1711-460: The city, where, in 1835, he partnered with his cousin, Joshua Tevis in a business, Crow and Tevis. The business later became Crow, McCreery, and Company and was eventually called Crow, Hagardine, and Company. Crow was the head of this firm until he died. Crow became interested in local politics in St. Louis. In 1840, Crow was elected president of the Chamber of Commerce. In 1840, he was elected as
1770-603: The complex is the 3,000 sq ft (300 m ) Newman Money Museum exhibiting the collection of American numismatist Eric P. Newman . In October 2006, the Kemper Art Museum moved from its previous location, Steinberg Hall, into a new facility designed by former faculty member Fumihiko Maki . The Kemper Art Museum is located directly across from Steinberg Hall, which was Maki's first commission in 1959. Washington University Medical Center comprises 186 acres (75.3 ha) spread over 18 city blocks, located along
1829-565: The eastern edge of Forest Park within the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis . The campus is home to the Washington University School of Medicine and its associated teaching hospitals, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children's Hospital . Many of the buildings are connected via a series of skyways and corridors. The School's 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also serve as
Washu - Misplaced Pages Continue
1888-688: The federal government in 1963. It is used by the university as a biological field station and research/education center. In 2010, the Living Learning Center was named one of the first two buildings accredited nationwide as a "living building" under the Living Building Challenge, opened to serve as a biological research station and classroom for summer students. Washington University's North Campus and West Campus principally house administrative functions that are not student focused. North Campus lies in St. Louis City near
1947-446: The field of public service. The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, established in 1881, is one of the oldest teaching museums in the country. The collection includes works from 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century American and European artists, including George Caleb Bingham , Thomas Cole , Pablo Picasso , Max Ernst , Alexander Calder , Jackson Pollock , Rembrandt , Robert Rauschenberg , Barbara Kruger , and Christian Boltanski . Also in
2006-576: The land was thought to resemble the Acropolis and inspired the nickname of "Hilltop" campus, renamed the Danforth campus in 2006 to honor former chancellor William H. Danforth . In 1899, the university opened a national design contest for the new campus. The renowned Philadelphia firm Cope & Stewardson (the same architects who designed a large part of the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University ) won unanimously with its plan for
2065-422: The latter half of the 20th century, Washington University transitioned from a commuter college to a world-renowned institution. In 1957, planning began for the construction of the "South 40", a complex of modern residential halls which primarily house freshmen and some sophomore students. With additional on-campus housing, the university, which had been predominantly attended by commuter students, began attracting
2124-997: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Washu&oldid=491515662 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Washington University in St. Louis Washington University comprises eight undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, including Arts and Sciences , George Warren Brown School , 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 . Washington University enrolls approximately 16,550 students across its campuses from all 50 states and more than 110 countries. Washington University has been
2183-840: The medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, which are part of BJC HealthCare. Washington University and BJC have taken on many joint venture projects, such as the Center for Advanced Medicine, completed in December 2001. In 2019, Washington University was awarded a $ 7.6 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to create the Implementation Science Center for Cancer Control to address disparities in cancer care in parts of Missouri and Illinois. In 2022, Washington University's Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences
2242-426: The role of these events in contributing to a national understanding of important issues. Wrighton also highlighted their impact in bringing national and international attention to the St. Louis region, positioning it as one of America's great metropolitan areas. Contrary to the majority opinion of the student body, the university opted not to host a 2020 presidential debate. The university's 169-acre Danforth Campus
2301-438: The school was renamed Washington Institute, and three years later, the state legislature incorporated the school as Washington University. Crow donated a substantial amount of money to the school for scholarships, a chair of physics, and more than two hundred thousand dollars worth of real estate. In 1881, Crow also deeded the memorial he built upon the death of his son to the school as a fine arts school and museum. The building
2360-418: The second 2016 Presidential debate on October 9. The university was scheduled to host a debate in 1996, but that debate was cancelled when the number of scheduled debates was scaled back to two. Following the 2004 debate, Chancellor Wrighton initially expressed skepticism about hosting another debate but later changed his view. He acknowledged the unique educational opportunities for students and emphasized
2419-515: The university began offering free Metro passes—the U Pass—to all full-time students, benefits-eligible faculty and staff, and full-time employees of qualified service providers. In June 2019, Andrew D. Martin , former dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan , was elected the university's 15th chancellor. On the day of his inauguration, Martin announced
Washu - Misplaced Pages Continue
2478-405: The university began to move west. The university board of directors began a process to find suitable ground and hired the landscape architecture firm Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot of Boston. A committee of Robert S. Brookings, Henry Ware Eliot , and William Huse found a site of 103 acres (41.7 ha) just beyond Forest Park , located west of the city limits in St. Louis County . The elevation of
2537-418: The university opened the first private nonsectarian law school west of the Mississippi River . By 1882, Washington University had expanded to numerous departments, which were housed in various buildings across St. Louis. Medical classes were first held at Washington University in 1891 after the St. Louis Medical College decided to affiliate with the university, establishing the School of Medicine . However, by
2596-553: The university rebranded, officially adopting the name "WashU" for marketing and communications, but not formal use, phasing out the use of other names such as "WUSTL," "Washington University," and "WU." These changes were made citing ongoing efforts to form a more cohesive brand, attain name recognition on par with peer institutions, and reduce confusion with similarly-named universities as well as those in Washington or Washington, D.C. Washington University has been selected by
2655-455: The university should be a force of unity in a strongly divided Missouri. In 1856, the university amended its name to "Washington University". Although chartered as a university, for many years Washington University functioned primarily as a night school located on 17th Street and Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis. Owing to limited financial resources, Washington University initially used public buildings. Classes began on October 22, 1854, at
2714-408: The university to construct ten buildings instead of the seven originally planned. This original cluster of buildings set a precedent for the development of the Danforth Campus; Cope and Stewardson's original plan and its choice of building materials have, with few exceptions, guided the construction and expansion of the Danforth Campus to the present day. By 1915, construction of a new medical complex
2773-481: The university will not consider an applicant's financial situation when making admissions decisions while still meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted undergraduates. Another $ 200 million will be designated for financial aid for graduate and professional students in the university's Brown School, the School of Law and the School of Medicine, as well as in business, engineering, art and architecture, and Arts & Sciences. In 2022, Washington University
2832-467: The world, was created to develop a cohort of future leaders, strengthen ties with top foreign universities, and promote global awareness and social responsibility. In Fall 2006, the St. Louis Metro opened the Cross–County extension of its light rail MetroLink system. Three of the nine new stations directly serve the university ( Skinker , University City-Big Bend , and Forsyth ). On July 1, 2006,
2891-615: Was awarded a five-year $ 61 million grant from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health , to focus on precision medicine, health equity, and diversity. Tyson Research Center is a 1,966.5-acre (3.07 sq mi; 795.81 ha) field station located west of St. Louis on the Meramec River . Washington University obtained Tyson as surplus property from
2950-472: Was born in 1839 and died in 1920. Cornelia Louisa Crow Carr, was born in 1833 and died in 1922. The couple's son, Wayman Crow Jr., died in England in 1878. Wayman built a memorial in downtown St. Louis to honor his son when he died. Crow employed Boston architects Peabody and Stearns to design the three-story Renaissance/Romanesque building located at 19th and Lucas Place (now Locust Street). The building
3009-495: Was completed on Kings Highway in what is now St. Louis's Central West End. In 1918, Washington University admitted its first women medical students. During World War II , as part of the Manhattan Project , a cyclotron at Washington University was used to produce small quantities of the newly discovered element plutonium via neutron bombardment of uranium nitrate hexahydrate . The plutonium produced there in 1942
SECTION 50
#17327915768433068-580: Was conceived by 17 St. Louis business, political, and religious leaders concerned by the lack of institutions of higher learning in the Midwest . Missouri State Senator Wayman Crow and Unitarian minister William Greenleaf Eliot , grandfather of the poet T. S. Eliot , led the effort. The university's first chancellor was Joseph Gibson Hoyt . Crow secured the university charter from the Missouri General Assembly in 1853, and Eliot
3127-662: Was dedicated as St. Louis School and Museum of Fine Arts and also called the Crow Memorial. The school educated two generations of St. Louis artists and craftspeople. He continued his activities with the university and continued to be a member of the board of trustees until his death in 1885. Crow married Isabella Conn in 1829. Isabella came from Union County, Kentucky. Isabella's sister married Crow's brother, Phillips Crow. Five of Wayman and Isabella's children lived to adulthood: Cornelia Carr, Mary Emmons, Emma Cushman, Wayman Crow Jr., and Isabella Kealhofer. Emma Conn Crow
3186-405: Was elected the university's 14th Chancellor. During Chancellor Wrighton's tenure undergraduate applications to Washington University more than doubled. Since 1995, the university has added more than 190 endowed professorships, revamped its Arts & Sciences curriculum, and completed more than 30 new buildings. Washington University's reputation was enhanced by two major fundraising efforts since
3245-471: Was given responsibility for an entire store in Cadiz, Kentucky. Crow was given the opportunity to buy this business when Anderson and Atterbury moved to Pittsburgh. Crow then sold the business in 1835, amassing what was then a fortune of twenty thousand dollars. Crow began looking for a place to settle farther north. However, he fell ill in St. Louis, Missouri , and was detained there. Crow decided to settle in
3304-467: Was named president of the board of trustees. Early on, Eliot solicited support from members of the local business community, including John O'Fallon , but Eliot failed to secure a permanent endowment. Washington University is unusual among major American universities in not having had a prior financial endowment. The institution had no backing of a religious organization, single wealthy patron, or earmarked government support. To this day, Washington University
3363-544: Was one of 10 universities picked to join the Kessler Scholars Collaborative, which provides support for selected first-generation and Pell-Grant eligible STEM students. The program aims to recruit 20 fully-funded Kessler scholars per year and provide additional opportunities to close the wealth gap . Also, in 2022, Washington University developed a needle-free nasal vaccine to combat COVID-19. In March 2024, Washington University agreed to purchase
3422-486: Was shipped to the Metallurgical Laboratory Compton had established at the University of Chicago where Glenn Seaborg 's team used it for extraction, purification, and characterization studies of the exotic substance. After working for 22 years at the University of Chicago , Compton returned to St. Louis in 1946 to serve as Washington University's ninth chancellor. Compton reestablished
3481-500: Was twelve, he attended the Hopkinsville, Kentucky country school. At that point, he became an apprentice to a dry goods storekeeper, Strother J. Hawkins. At Hawkins' store, Wayman learned bookkeeping and how to run a business while working at the store and sleeping on a cot there. Hawkins retired when Crow was fifteen and he moved to an apprenticeship at another firm, Anderson and Atterbury. After completing his apprenticeship, Crow
#842157