WashU has several student professional organizations and support groups, including many that are part of larger national organizations. While by no means exhaustive, we hope that this list may serve as a starting point.

Professional Organizations

Association for Women in Science in St. Louis

The Association for Women in Science in St. Louis (AWIS) is a national nonprofit organization working to promote women’s activities in all fields of science, mathematics and engineering. AWIS has more than 70 chapters nationwide, including one in St. Louis, founded at Washington University School of Medicine!

AWIS is for students, fellows, staff and faculty, women and men, practitioners of academic, industry-based and community-oriented science, and more!

The National Association of Graduate Professional Students

The National Association of Graduate Professional Students (NAGPS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of graduate and professional student life in the United States. To this end, NAGPS works to actively promote the interests and welfare of graduate and professional degree-seeking students in public and private universities, as well as in the public and private agencies at the local, state and national levels. In addition, through its national office and regional networks, NAGPS acts as a clearinghouse of information on graduate and professional student groups at all stages of development. NAGPS offers special benefits to graduate and professional students, such as information on grants and fellowships, a job bank, health and dental plans and an 8 percent discount on GEICO car insurance. At Washington University, the Graduate Professional Council and the Graduate Student Senate are members of NAGPS and regularly send graduate students to its national and regional conferences.

WashU Student Groups

Association of Black Biomedical Graduate Students (ABBGS)

ABBGS (Association of Black Biomedical Graduate Students) is a network of Wash U graduate students that is dedicated to strengthening the social, cultural and academic well-being of black biomedical graduate students while enhancing the graduate experience for all members of the campus community. In addition to meeting regularly, the group sponsors programs that promote diversity and cultural awareness within a social and professional environment. As it relates to professional growth, we organize sessions ranging from senior graduate student panels on how to be efficient in lab to inviting speakers to share about career options outside of academia. ABBGS also makes sure to incorporate fun, which include simple things like our signature Last Wednesday Socials (LWS), where we order food and socialize on the last Wednesday of the month, to our larger events, namely the bi-annual B.O.S.S, or Blowing Off Some Steam events, which have recently included paintballing, laser tag and ziplining trips. Please contact Ninecia Scott, ninecia.scott@wustl.edu​ for more information.

Connections

Connections is a student group that works to facilitate campus-wide inclusion through 3 primary avenues:

  • Educational Experiences
  • Guided Discussions
  • Social Events

Students in Connections will explore their identities with respect to socioeconomics, culture, religion, sexual orientation and race. They will also learn how these identities impact their personal and professional relationships in the Wash U community. Visit our website for more information about Connections and upcoming events.

Women in STEM (WiSTEM)

Women in STEM (WiSTEM) is determined to give women a place to feel comfortable in science and other STEM fields. As such, WiSTEM seeks to give student diversity in DBBS visibility and a voice. WiSTEM hopes to meet the needs of its students through professional development opportunities, campus and community outreach, and inclusive programming for DBBS. WiSTEM hopes to create an inclusive environment for women within the DBBS graduate program as a forum for the unique challenges that female graduate students face within DBBS both on a daily basis and on a larger scale.

Graduate Association of Latin American Students in DBBS (GALAS)

GALAS was created in 2006 in response to the growing Latin/Hispanic student community in DBBS. Our group strives to:

  • Work to increase diversity within DBBS by supporting the recruitment of more Hispanic/Latin graduate students
  • Assist in establishing a professional network among Hispanic/Latin graduate students, faculty and staff of DBBS
  • Share the Hispanic/Latin heritage with the DBBS community by organizing educational and cultural events that foster diversity and tolerance among the graduate population
  • Serve as an advocate for the Hispanic/Latin graduate community in DBBS.

We work during the year to create several educational and cultural events that include Latino Thanksgiving Dinner, Salsa Outing, Hispanic Biomedical Roundtable and Hispanic Scientists Display for Hispanic Heritage Month.

InPrint

InPrint is a trainee-run scientific editing network and resource that brings together students and postdocs interested in writing careers and provides free, confidential editing of scientific communications to the Washington University research community. InPrint editors work with clients to provide prompt, concrete edits and writing suggestions for manuscripts, abstracts, fellowship proposals, presentations, cover letters, and more. In addition, InPrint’s Schema Design Service facilitates the creation of high-quality scientific illustrations for manuscripts and presentations. The group also hosts writing- and communication-related events and workshops such as writers cafes and illustration workshops to promote and improve scientific communication.

Jewish Graduate Student Association (JGRADS)

JGrads seeks to provide Jewish graduate students with a sense of Jewish community in the St. Louis area. We provide Jewish students with cultural, religious, social and political programming to foster a sense of Jewish identity within our small community. JGrads programming is open to other Jewish graduate students at nearby schools along with recent graduates in the St. Louis metropolitan area. If you have questions or would like more information, email us!

Washington University Spouses and Partners Association (WUSPA)

WUSPA is a support network for the spouses and partners of Washington University affiliates (spouses/partners of students, postdocs, staff and faculty). There are many students, postdocs and employees at Washington University who move with their spouses/partners to St. Louis from abroad or from other states. In addition to starting their own studies or work, their spouses/partners must settle in and get used to their new neighborhood, lifestyle and culture. The goal of WUSPA is to help these spouses/partners make their start easier and their lives in St. Louis more enjoyable by providing useful information and various activities.

Chabad on Campus

​Rohr Center for Jewish Life is a leading resource for Jewish students at St. Louis-area colleges and universities. Chabad aims to engage students with accessible and meaningful Jewish experiences, helping to ensure a Jewish tomorrow. Chabad offers students weekly Shabbat dinners, Jewish learning opportunities, social projects and free trips to Israel with the Taglit-birthright Israel program. The Barry H. Levites Chabad House is located at 7018 Forsyth Blvd., just west of Big Bend Boulevard, near Washington University’s Danforth Campus. For more information, contact Rabbi Hershey Novack at (314) 721-2884 or via email.

OUTgrads

OUTgrads is the university-wide group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer (LGBTQ) graduate and professional students, faculty and staff. OUTgrads promotes a sense of community among Washington University graduate and professional students, faculty, and staff of all genders and sexual orientations, raises awareness of the issues that affect our communities, and facilitates community involvement by our membership. More information about what we do can be found on our website.