Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
April 29, 2025
April 29, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

News & Features




 Courtesy of Samantha Seto
Student groups, such as MSE and other arts groups, will have to find alternative venues for their events.

Shriver Hall will close for the fall semester

The University’s largest auditorium space on campus, Shriver Hall, will undergo renovations at the end of this summer. The building will remain open through Sept. 4. Shriver hosts widely attended performance events like the Orientation Shows (O-Show) and the Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium (MSE).







Students reflect on gap year experiences

Senior year is the time when many students ask themselves, “What do I want to do next?” Instead of immediately continuing on to the next stage of education, some students decide to plunge into the ambiguous world of “gap years.”



MEDPanel advocates for ethics in medicine

Partnering with the Berman Institute of Bioethics, the Hopkins MEDPanel hosted a roundtable discussion on Saturday, March 4, on the topic of genetic modification. The event opened with a presentation by Jeffrey Kahn, followed by a small group discussion between students and Berman Institute representatives and ended with a talk by Travis Rieder.


SGA seeks to increase school spirit during Homecoming

The Student Government Association (SGA) discussed ways to promote inclusivity and tradition on campus at its weekly meeting on Tuesday, March 7. These methods included increasing funding for the Intercultural Greek Council (IGC) and BlueJays Fly.


 COURTESY OF SAMANTHA SETO
Hopkins students marched for gender equality as a part of International Women’s Day.

Students march for International Women’s Day

A group of roughly 30 Hopkins graduate and undergraduate students gathered at the top of the Beach and walked to People’s Park at 2011 N. Charles Street to join a larger protest march to mark International Women’s Day in Baltimore on Wednesday afternoon.


Authors explore the debate around reparations for slavery

Daina Ramey Berry and Ray Winbush led a panel on the complex history of slavery in the United States at Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse on Saturday, Feb. 25th. The discussion revolved around providing reparations for slavery, which involves making amends for the abuses that black slaves faced in the past.  


 Courtesy of Alice Jiang
Since 2006, seniors have worn golden stoles at commencement.

Changed graduation attire upsets seniors

On Wednesday, Feb. 22, the University announced that the regalia for this year’s commencement would not include the golden stoles, a decision that surprised many in this year’s graduating class. Stoles, which are a type of scarf associated with graduation attire, became part of the University’s official commencement regalia in 2006.


 COURTESY OF MORGAN OME
Some members of the Lacks family believe that the NIH, Rebecca Skloot and Hopkins Hospital have distorted Henrietta Lack’s legacy.

Henrietta Lacks’ estate to sue Hopkins Hospital

In 1951, the Johns Hopkins Hospital took cervical cancer cells from Henrietta Lacks, a black Baltimore resident, and developed the HeLa cell line. Her cells contributed to major medical discoveries, including the development of polio vaccine.


 COURTESY OF ROLLIN HU

Appointment of new chair stuns Humanities Center

For the last six months, the Humanities Center (HC) has defended its right to exist as a department. In January, Dean of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) Beverly Wendland announced that the University would not close the Center.


 Gage Skidmore/ CC BY-SA 3.0
Trump was declared president-elect after winning more electoral votes than Clinton.

How has Trump’s win changed our courses?

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election last November, some Hopkins professors have adapted their courses to address how Trump may change the United States. These instructors encourage their students to think critically about the academic implications of the new president’s rhetoric and policies.


KUNAL MAITI/photography staff
Payton Head spoke about racial inequalities and social activism at his talk at OMA.

Mizzou protest leader urges student activism

Payton Head, recent graduate and former student body president of the University of Missouri, shared the experiences that led him to become a social activist, at a talk hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) on Feb. 28.


Courtesy of Annette Favetta
Two Hopkins mock trial teams will be competing in the Championships.

Mock trial teams prep for Championships

For the first time in their history, two Hopkins mock trial teams will be competing in the upcoming Opening Round Championship Series (ORCS) at the University of Delaware in late March. If Hopkins places within the top six teams, they will proceed to the National Championship Tournament at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in April.


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