I don’t know about you, but I spent part of my summer transfixed by the FIFA World Cup. As Norway made an improbable run to the quarterfinals, I was mesmerized by the scenes of thousands of fans doing the “Viking row” and chanting in unison to motivate their team. Watching those crowds, it occurred to me that, unlike paddling a canoe or a kayak, rowing involves facing the back of the boat. You look backward to move forward — an apt metaphor for the transitional moment in which we find ourselves here at WashU Medicine. Only by understanding where we’ve come from can we move proudly and resolutely into the future, each of us playing a vital role.
Moments like these are full of marvelous potential and I am as energized by the possibilities I sense walking our halls as I am deeply honored and humbled by your warmth and excitement in welcoming me.
As I look back and reflect on your accomplishments under Dean Perlmutter’s leadership, it is clear that the last 10 years have seen increased size and scale in your capacity to care for patients, perform transformative research and educate the next generation of leaders in their fields.
I can see that everyone here is steadfastly dedicated to WashU Medicine, and each person — from clinician to scientist to faculty member to staff — contributes to the tripartite mission. The groundwork that’s been laid is truly amazing to behold and we now have an opportunity to deepen our impact and strengthen our ties to each other and to the community around us.
I’m thinking of the opportunities presented by our new clinical affiliation agreement with BJC, and the tremendous potential that can only be fully realized if we work together as a team. I’m thinking of the way we can grow the connective tissue between our campus and Danforth. And I’m thinking of how those of us on the medical campus can strengthen our ties to each other, not just through the collaboration based on shared goals we’re known for but by becoming familiar with work that falls outside of our collaborative hubs. I want everyone to see what I see — the breadth and depth of education, clinical care and research happening in our classrooms, clinics and labs.
If you take the Link from the MCC toward EPNEC and the McDonnell Pediatric Research Building and take a moment to look down, you’ll see The Ellen S. Clark Hope Plaza, a space originally designed by Maya Lin, now being restored after years of construction on the Steven & Susan Lipstein BJC Institute of Health Vertical Expansion. When I walk that portion of the Link, I can’t help but stop and take a moment to look at the progress on the plaza. There’s something very beautiful about seeing the trees, the gardens, the pond — a tranquil space beginning to take shape amid the tall buildings after the bustle of construction.
I’m taken by the rush of beauty that can come after a period of steady activity. So much has been built on this medical campus over the last decade — not just state-of-the-art buildings but an incredible team of clinicians, scientists, educators and staff, and a unified sense of mission and purpose. All that growth is dazzling.
That this beautiful plaza sits at the nexus of BJC and WashU Medicine feels particularly appropriate. Together, our two institutions are now rowing forward in sync, knowing where we’ve come from and committed to a bright future of delivering exceptional, compassionate care to every patient, supporting the research that will transform that care, and educating those who will deliver it and push it even further.
By the time you read this, The Ellen S. Clark Hope Plaza will be completed and ready for those who need some time by the water or among the trees. As our seasons begin to change once again, please join me in looking back at what has been built, and moving forward toward the depth of beauty we will all create, together.
Sincerely,
Bruce D. Levy, MD
Executive Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs
Joseph Erlanger Distinguished Professor
George and Carol Bauer Dean, WashU Medicine
Published in the Autumn 2026 issue