The WashU Engage Network is in conjunction with the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement and is for all alumni, parents, and friends interested in civic and community engagement activities and discussions to deepen their connection to each other, their community, and campus life. Through Alumni and Parent Book Discussions, community service opportunities, mentoring, and expert panel discussions, the WashU community is strengthening their knowledge, responding to community needs, and creating lifelong citizen engagement.
Looking for ways to remain actively engaged in your communities during these trying times?
See below for a list of ways you can volunteer at home or out in your communities.
For more ways you can stay involved, specifically in the Chicago or DC area, visit the
WashU Engage Chicago Chapter page or the WashU Engage DC Chapter page.
Let us know what you are doing in your community by clicking here.
- Folding@home. Join the fight against the coronavirus while staying at home with Folding@home. This project, led by computational biophysicist Greg Bowman, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, relies on the collective power of volunteers’ home computers to perform the complex calculations required to simulate protein dynamics. It's one of the largest crowdsourced supercomputing projects in the world racing to develop therapies and vaccines for this new pandemic. Learn more about this project and how you can join by reading this article.
- Make cloth masks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Members of the university community who know how to sew and have supplies on hand are invited to help sew masks that will be made available in the community for nonmedical use. WashU Engage Chciago Committee member Katie McKenzie, AB '07, has put leftover WashU Engage shirts to good use and made them into face masks. Thirteen leftover WashU Engage t-shirts are now part of masks that are being shipped to New York to help people serving food to healthcare workers on the front lines. Learn more about how to participate by clicking here.
Donate blood. Hospitals are reporting huge shortages in blood donations. The American Red Cross is calling for healthy individuals to donate if they can, with extra precautions in place to help with safety of all those involved. Please check to make sure you are
eligible to donate blood beforehand.
FDA Guidelines have recently changed as a response to the current crisis, including a reduced waiting period from 12 to 3 months for various issues.
Here's what alumni are doing in their community! - Picking up trash in their neighborhood
- Volunteering at a Chicago food pantry
- Participating in the JASA (Jewish Association Serving the Aging) Program to support elderly in NYC facing isolation due to the Coronavirus
- Making respirators for the infectious disease teams at Montefiore Medical Center
- Staffing occupational health service COVID hotlines for hospital employees
- Making PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for the Montefiore hospital system
- Supporting colleagues and friends on the front lines
WashU Engage Washington, D.C., Chair,
Claire Wickel, AB '09 , picks up trash while
walking her dog
Ways to get involved
Expand your Network
Join the
WashU Engage LinkedIn Group – an online networking and resource group that brings together alumni, students, parents, staff, and faculty, to network, explore, discuss trends, and share information.
Update your Information – to allow the university to keep you informed of the latest Washington University news, advancements and alumni events, we encourage you to keep your address, phone number and email address updated in our records.
Alumni Directory (login required) –Your alumni profile lets you share information about yourself with other WashU alumni. By editing your profile, you can control which personal details (if any) other alumni and students are able to see.
Attend an Event
WashU Engage events including, Alumni and Parent Book Discussions, community service opportunities, and panels discussions, are hosted across the country. Visit the Events Calendar for opportunities near you.
Volunteer
Volunteers are vital to the success of the WashU Engage Network. There are many ways in which you can share your passion, knowledge, experience, and current community involvement with others. The Network is seeking volunteers to be:
- Alumni and Parent Book Discussion Hosts
- WashU Engage Site Leaders
- Speakers at an event to share expertise and advice
- Provide career support to students and young alumni by offering internships, assisting with mock interviews,
reviewing resumes, and serving as a mentor
If you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities or would like to learn about other ways to contribute, please fill out the volunteer interest form.
If you are interested in being a WashU Engage Site Leader, visit the volunteer resource page to learn more about the support that is available.