The Insider: 1.14.15

Washington University senior Sarah Mae Ettinger is a fashion designer to watch. Her resume already includes internship stints at powerhouses Marchesa, Michael Kors and Kate Spade. Now, the fashion design major can add recipient of the 2014 Fashion Group International (FGI) St. Louis Scholarship Award. She was selected as one of three recipients based on her resume, three design projects, an essay, recommendations, and a Q&A. Ettinger also recently won another major scholarship from the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund in New York.
Photo: Bonner Williams Photography

Happy Birthday, Raja! The Saint Louis Zoo’s homegrown bull elephant (pictured above) just turned 22 and celebrated with a party in River’s Edge. Zookeepers filled giant balloons with some of his favorite things—cereal, melons, bananas and popcorn—and he was given big trees to knock over. Raja was the first Asian elephant born at the zoo and has since sired four female calves.
Photo: Robin Winkelman

Local artist Susie Tenzer, who draws with colored pencils, had an impressive 2014. Her piece Group Hug was chosen for inclusion in Ann Kullberg’s book, CP Treasures Vol. III, an international collection of colored pencil masterworks featuring artists from 16 countries. Tenzer also won a first place award at the Queeny Park Art Fair and had two drawings accepted into the Canadian Pencil Art Society’s International Show in Montreal.

Dr. Samuel Wickline received the Chancellor’s Award for Innovations and Entrepreneurship at Washington University. He was recognized at the Faculty Achievement Awards ceremony for his work with nanotechnology to help those with diseases like cancer, HIV and muscular dystrophy. Also recognized with faculty achievement awards were David Balota and Dr. Steven Teitelbaum.
Pictured: David Balota , Dr. Steven Teitelbaum and Dr. Samuel Wickline
Photo Courtesy of Washington University

St. Louisan Megan Kennedy suffers from Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that results in the progressive loss of vision and hearing. But that has not gotten in her way. Kennedy started The Megan Foundation to establish educational scholarships, develop youth camps and travel expeditions for those with the disorder, and raise research funds. It has already donated more than $100,000 to research. Her story was published online by Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping magazines.