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1818: Episode Two: A Look at SLU’s Two Centuries Shaping St. Louis

In this episode of “1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast,” co-hosts Tony Minor (A&S ‘03) and Meg Connolly (A&S ‘90, GRAD A&S ‘92) delve into how SLU has shaped St. Louis.

A graphic that says 1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast Two Centuries Shaping St. Louis. Jody Sowell is president and ceo of the Missouri Historical Society. Brooks Goedeker is the exective director of st. louis mditown redevelopment corporation. Peg Weathers is president and ceo of Grand Center inc. Three headshot photos are shown.

Listen to 1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast to learn more about SLU’s two centuries in St. Louis, including its important role in Midtown.

About Episode Two

The episode begins with Connolly and SLU alumnus Jody Sowell (GRAD A&S '11), president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society, discussing SLU’s legacy through the contributions of its people. Sowell highlights key figures, including Nobel laureate Edward Doisy, aviation benefactor Oliver Parks and Fr. Claude Heithaus, whose 1944 sermon led SLU to become the first university in a former slave-holding state to desegregate.

Sowell also discusses the Missouri History Museum’s exhibit Mill Creek: Black Metropolis.

Inside the Roundtable Discussion

An old photo of a large brick building on campus.
This image shows DuBourg Hall in 1953. It first opened in 1888 and is the oldest building on Saint Louis University's campus in Midtown.

In the second part of this episode, Connolly and Minor welcome guests Peg Weathers, president and CEO of Grand Center Inc., and Brooks Goedeker (GRAD SW '04), executive director of St. Louis Midtown Redevelopment Group. 

Together, they explore the University’s impact on its surrounding community and on St. Louis as a whole, including its decision to remain in the city. 

SLU was founded in 1818 along the Mississippi River and moved to Midtown in 1888 with the opening of DuBourg Hall. During Fr. Paul Reinert’s presidency, the University had an opportunity to build a brand new campus in St. Louis County.

“Father Reinert said Saint Louis University is of the city, we're not going anywhere,” Weathers said. “And that commitment to the city, to this area in particular, has probably been the most important role that the University has played in the past 50 years, 60 years. It has allowed us to then have these partnerships that have developed over that time.”

An apartment building with a small target store located on the first level.
A Target store opened in 2024, anchoring a $60 million mixed-use development dubbed “The Edwin.” The project is located within the 400-acre redevelopment area that’s guided by the St. Louis Midtown Redevelopment Corp. Photo by Joe Barker.

They also discuss recent redevelopment in the area, including City Foundry, Topgolf, Target, and more. When Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., served as SLU’s president, Goedeker said he challenged his leadership team to come up with a redevelopment plan for the area around campus. In response to that, the St. Louis Midtown Redevelopment Corporation was established in March 2017.

“It's not just about attracting investment to the area, but it's working with the existing residents,” Goedeker said. “It's trying to make sure that economically, that this is really good for the entire city of St. Louis.”

Alumni Perks

SLU has the tools alumni need to start, change or advance their professional path. Learn more about how to access professional development resources for alumni through SLU’s Career Services.

Listen to “1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast” to hear the full conversation.