A&S Relationships in Graduate School Dinner Panel

It is often discussed that grad school can be an isolating and difficult experience for individuals. However very rarely do we address the challenges and difficulties for grad students with partners or spouses, and how they navigate these important relationships while succeeding in their program. We have a wonderful opportunity for our students, to hear from married couples with a uniquely expert and experienced perspective so, please join us for an evening of dinner and relationship education!

• Dr. Lisa Moscoso, MD, PhD, and her husband Dr. Tom Wagner, PhD as they discuss the trials, tribulations, and beauty in being a married couple, building a family, during their respective grad educations. Dr. Moscoso is the former Dean for Student Affairs at the WashU School of Medicine, and the current Division Director of Hospitalist Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, and obtained her MD/PhD at Washington University. Dr. Wagner is a relationship counselor, resilience researcher and presenter, and obtained his PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Louis University. Drs. Moscoso and Wagner will share their experience, offer advice, and answer questions all around the navigation of maintaining a healthy spousal/partner relationship while in graduate school. 

In this photo, Dr. Lisa Moscoso, MD, PhD, and her husband Dr. Tom Wagner, PhD

• Jodi is currently a 5th-year Ph.D. student in the Math Department. Jodi (math) first met Richard (physics) in their undergraduate Linear Algebra class, and got to know each other when they both participated in the Mega Menger Project, a worldwide initiative to build a model of a fractal called a Menger sponge. After graduating, Richard went off to San Francisco State University to get his masters in physics, and Jodi joined him a year later to get her masters in math. Being in graduate school at the same time was a challenge - they took turns taking heavier teaching loads, for instance - but they also had a better level of understanding of what the other was going through in terms of being both grad student and instructor.

In this photo, Jodi McWhirter, MA and Richard McWhirter, MS

While we are inviting couples (including non-WashU spouses and partners) to attend, we encourage those currently without a spouse or partner to attend if interested! 

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