The Office of Government & Community Relations at Washington University in St. Louis serves as the nexus for university relationships with governmental officials, neighborhood associations, as well as civic leaders and organizations.
From working with local, state and federal representatives to connecting community members to appropriate university resources, the staff of the Office of Government & Community Relations promotes positive university engagement with its various constituencies.
We welcome you to explore the site to learn more about how the university is engaged in the community and how to connect with us in a meaningful way.
Please contact Ellie Spitzfaden at 314-935-5752 if you have any questions.
A Commitment to St. Louis
At Washington University in St. Louis, we are “in St. Louis, for St. Louis.” Our university provides good jobs, invests in construction, delivers world-class medical care, offers an exceptional education to talented students regardless of their ability to pay and conducts vital research that benefits us all. We are proud to partner with school districts and other civic organizations to meet our region’s biggest challenges.
Learn more about Washington University’s Economic Impact on the St. Louis Region.
Neighbor News Archive
Neighbor News is a digital newsletter published by the Office of Government and Community Relations as part of the university’s commitment to share information with the communities neighboring the Danforth Campus. Click below to see previous issues. To join our mailing list, click here.
Recent News
WashU receives grant to address economic mobility of Black youth
Washington University in St. Louis will receive a $650,000 grant for a collaborative community project focused on improving economic mobility for Black youth in the St. Louis area.
WashU College Prep Program welcomes new cohort of high school students
Washington University in St. Louis has announced the 11th cohort of the College Prep Program, a free multi-year program that prepares first-generation, limited-income students for college. This summer, the new cohort of 37 rising high school sophomores will engage in two weeks of on-campus academic and social programming.
‘The people we were meant to be’: WashU Prison Education Project holds first commencement
The School of Continuing & Professional Studies Prison Education Project held its first commencement May 16 at the Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Vandalia, Mo. The ceremony followed a May 15 commencement, the project’s third, at the Missouri Eastern Correctional Center for men in Pacific.
A Q&A with J.D. Burton, vice chancellor for government relations, who leads the team responsible for representing the university at all levels of government.