At the university-wide Commencement ceremony on May 12, three students will represent Arts & Sciences by carrying banners for the College and the Office of Graduate Studies. These student marshals have each demonstrated exemplary efforts in their respective fields. Ahead of the big day, we asked them to reflect on their favorite memories, proudest accomplishments, and lasting lessons from their time at WashU.
James Lewis, AB ’25
Majors: Chemistry, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Arts & Sciences has been a huge part of my college journey. I came to WashU not knowing exactly what I wanted to do, and the interdisciplinary focus of the College of Arts & Sciences has allowed me to explore different avenues that have interested me. With majors in chemistry and East Asian languages and cultures with a focus on Chinese, the College of Arts & Sciences has allowed me to explore both of these passions to their fullest.
One of my proudest accomplishments is my involvement with the WashU Emergency Support Team, an on-campus, 24/7, free emergency response system. Through my time on the team, I’ve been able to gain a leadership role in our public health initiatives, and it’s been a very meaningful part of my WashU experience. It has also allowed me to further my interest in healthcare while working on public health initiatives like free CPR courses for students and “Stop the Bleed” classes. This role has also allowed me to conduct important research in the gender disparity that exists in CPR.
I’m taking a gap year after graduation, and I plan to go home and find a job as an EMT or a medical assistant. I’m also trying to secure a work-study internship in China to further my study of the Chinese language. After my gap year, I plan to go to medical school.
Taylor Damann, PhD ’25
Concentration: Political Science
I began my PhD at a different school and chose to start over at WashU because I wanted to be part of an ambitious department that prioritized letting me expand my skill set. I also wanted to be close to home, which, for me, is St. Louis. WashU’s Department of Political Science is incredibly well-respected in the field, and I loved that I didn’t have to go to a coast to find what I was looking for.
I have fond memories of my first year in the PhD program. The end goal is to become a researcher, but you don't start there; you start with math. I have great memories of staying up late with some of my colleagues and collaborating on math and statistics homework. It was actually a lot of fun, and we had healthy debates over the right way to do things.
After graduation, I’ll be starting as an assistant professor of political science at Rice University in Houston, specializing in international relations. It wouldn't have been possible without the WashU political science faculty, who worked with me every step of the way for the last several years to make that a reality.
Violette Terjanian, AB ’25
Majors: Art History and German
One of my favorite WashU memories was traveling solo to Scandinavia the summer after my sophomore year thanks to the Ottoson Summer Travel Awards. I’ll never forget sitting alone in a jazz bar in Copenhagen, surrounded by these really cool Danish locals, listening to this weirdly beautiful music, and feeling so grown up, independent, and worldly. It was one of those moments when I realized that WashU was there for me as both a scholar and a person learning to move through the world.
I think my biggest takeaway from my time here has been the sense of confidence WashU instilled in me. I was a very shy student when I came to St. Louis. But the challenges I've experienced — presenting in front of a classroom of people I admire, learning to travel independently, developing leadership skills working with the Art History Club and The Learning Center — have helped me discover that I can trust myself and I can move toward uncertainty with confidence.
After graduation, I’m taking a gap year in New York, where I’ll be working full-time at an art gallery. During that year, I also plan to prepare a Fulbright application and apply to master’s programs in art history in Germany.
Meet the 2025 the undergraduate ceremony and graduate ceremony speakers.
