Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis (nicknamed Wash. U. or WUSTL) is a private research university fifteen minutes west of downtown St. Louis, Missouri. It includes schools of arts & sciences, law, business, medicine, social work, design & visual arts, and engineering. In the 2004 U.S. News & World Report rankings, its undergraduate program was tied for ninth in the nation; in the 2005 list, it was ranked 11th. WUSTL's medical school is ranked third in the nation and the social work school is ranked second. Tuition for both in-state and out-of-state undergraduates is $31,100.00.

Overview

History

Washington University was co-founded as a nonsectarian, private institution in 1853 by the Unitarian minister William Greenleaf Eliot, grandfather of the Nobel Prize laureate poet T. S. Eliot, and by St. Louis leader Wayman Crow. It desegregated its undergraduate divisions in May of 1952.

Related Topics:
Unitarian - William Greenleaf Eliot - Nobel Prize - T. S. Eliot

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The university's original name at the time of foundation was "Eliot Seminary." The name was a tribute to St. Louis minister/teacher William Greenleaf Eliot. Eliot, however, was not in favor of the name, and in 1854, the Board of Trustees recommended changing the name to "Washington Institute in St. Louis." In 1857, the name was modified to simply "Washington University." Often confused with the other 17 institutions sharing the Washington name in their titles, the university again changed its name in 1976, adding the "in St. Louis" suffix to distinguish it.

Related Topics:
St. Louis - William Greenleaf Eliot - 1854 - 1857 - Washington - 1976

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Campus

The university's Hilltop campus is known for its gorgeous collegiate Gothic architecture. Its construction was accelerated through a profitable lease of several buildings to the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. Thanks to the efforts and influence of David R. Francis, an alumnus and former mayor of St. Louis, Missouri governor, and U.S. Interior Secretary, newly-constructed campus buildings on the edge of Forest Park became the Hilltop campus when the Fair was over. This included facilities used by the six-day 1904 World Olympics, such as Francis Field and Francis Gymnasium http://magazine.wustl.edu/Summer04/AGloriousWorld%27sFair-np.htm. The campus is close to St. Louis' Delmar Loop.

Related Topics:
Gothic architecture - 1904 St. Louis World's Fair - David R. Francis - Missouri governor - U.S. Interior Secretary - Forest Park - 1904 World Olympics - Delmar Loop

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Since 1995, more than 25 new buildings have been erected.

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The campus was the venue for 3 Presidential debates: the first 1992 Presidential debate on October 11, 1992, the third 2000 Presidential debate on October 17, 2000, and the second 2004 Presidential debate on October 8, 2004. It was also scheduled to host one in 1996, but that debate was cancelled when the two candidates chose not to participate.

Related Topics:
Presidential debates - October 11 - 1992 - October 17 - 2000 - 2004 Presidential debate - October 8 - 2004 - 1996

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Athletics

WUSTL's sports teams are called the Bears. They participate in the University Athletic Association, an NCAA Division III conference. They were the NCAA Division III champions in women's basketball four years in a row, 1998-2001, and women's volleyball eight times, 1989, 1991-1996, and 2003.

Related Topics:
University Athletic Association - NCAA Division III conference - Basketball - Volleyball

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Media

Washington University supports three full-student run media outlets. KWUR (90.3 FM) is WUSTL's and the surrounding community's official radio station. Although KWUR only broadcasts at 10 watts, it has enjoyed a strong following through an underground music selection and WUSTL sports coverage by offering streaming content through the Internet where listeners can enjoy KWUR from all over the globe. WUSTL's student run newspaper, Student Life, is one of the oldest college newspapers in the nation. Student Life is printed thrice weekly and widely enjoyed by the campus community. WUTV is WUSTL's close circuit television channel.

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