In the News: Belo, Blazer, Smith, Hall, Le, Stewart, Fatton, Schoelhammer, Basketball, Chess, Students and Alumni

This regular column features links to the most significant stories about Webster University or stories that quote Webster faculty and staff members.

Belo Discusses the "Two State Solution"

International Relations Professor Dani Belo was interviewed by Canadian Television about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating his opposition to a “two state solution” with the Palestinian authorities.

Blazer on a New Program for Older Students

Lisa Blazer was quoted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about Webster’s plan to launch a new program to encourage older students to return to finish their degrees.

Smith Talks About Media Trends and "Cheapfakes"

Julie Smith was interviewed by KMOX twice about media trends. On Jan. 1, she discussed what happened in the world of media in 2023. Then on Jan. 2 she discussed what the public should watch for in the media in 2024.

Smith also was interviewed by the online news organization The Daily Beast about “cheapfakes,” real images that are digitally altered to change the context of the photo.

Hall Discusses Israeli-Palestinian Protests and Republican Impeachment Attempts

Bill Hall was interviewed by Newsweek Magazine about a chant used in protests in the U.S. about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and how many of the protesters admitted they didn’t quite understand the meaning of the chant or many of the details about the conflict itself.

He also was interviewed by Al Sharq Newspaper (a Middle Eastern news service) about the current efforts by Republicans in Congress to find a reason to impeach President Joe Biden ahead of the national fall election.

The Chess Team Qualifies for the National Championship and Takes First Place in a New League

KMOX ran a short story several times during the evening of Jan. 9 and morning of Jan. 10 that said Webster’s chess team qualified for the national collegiate chess championship (The President’s Cup) for the 12th consecutive time, after placing in the top four teams during the annual Pan American Collegiate Chess Tournament. (Clip not online). Several television stations and newspapers also ran articles about the results of the Pan American tournament.

Chess.com reported that Webster University joined the Collegiate Chess League and made a strong showing by taking first place in its first tournament.

Stewart Discusses Rebuilding Campus Life After the Pandemic

Jennifer Stewart, director of student life, and several Webster students were quoted by the Chronicle of Higher Education about how the pandemic impacted student life on many campuses, and the current efforts to rebuild student activities.

The Women's Basketball Team is Undefeated (So Far)

KSDK ran a feature story about Webster’s Women’s Basketball and its (so far) undefeated season.

Fatton Discusses North Korea's Attempts to Build Long Range Missiles

Geneva International Relations Professor Lionel Fatton was quoted by Reuters Press Agency about North Koreas attempt to build long-range missiles. The story ran in numerous newspapers around the world.

Schoellhammer on the "Hammer and Sickle" Symbol and Protests in Germany

Vienna Assistant Professor Ralph Schoellhammer was interviewed by the Herald Sun about his comments that the right will soon adopt the hammer and sickle as a protest symbol.

Schoellhammer also was interviewed by Sky News Australia about numerous protests against government policy being organized by farmers in Germany.

Nathan Lee Graham Discusses His Latest Role

Playbill Magazine interviewed Webster alumnus Nathan Lee Graham about his role in the off-Broadway hit “Titanique: Une Paradie Musicale.”

Paige Walden-Johnson Discusses Her Non-Profit

Webster University Alumna Paige Walden-Johnson was featured in a story on St. Louis Public Radio about the non-profit CommUNITY Arts STL.

Jennifer Johnson Cano to Perform in Oregon

Webster Alumna Jennifer Johnson Cano was profiled by Happening Next, a news aggregator. Cano is expected to perform at Linfeld University in Oregon in early February.

2019 Commencement Speaker Katy Sullivan in a Shakespeare Play

Webster Alumna and 2019 Commencement Speaker Katy Sullivan was profiled in the Chicago Tribune about her current stage performance of Shakespeare’s “Richard III.” The Guardian had a similar story.

Raskas and Her Art

The Riverfront Times had a feature story on Webster graduate student (counseling) Jasmine Raskas who also has a reputation as a local artist.

Sudduth and Her Murals

The Riverfront Times had a feature story on local artist Simiya Sudduth who is a Webster alumna.