Murray Close | Warner Brothers

Dumbledore’s Army (above) helped inspire the name of the new Wash U Harry Potter group, WUmbledore’s Army.

This form of muggle Quidditch, based on the fictional game depicted in the popular “Harry Potter” series, has yet to make a permanent mark on the Washington University community despite its popularity at other schools such as Webster University and Marquette University. This will soon change if sophomore Laura Desch has her way.

Desch is the founder of WUmbledore’s Army, a Harry Potter fan group that offers a unique way to bond with other students over a shared love of the bespectacled boy wizard. She created the group after taking part in Harry Potter Week, which the Congress of South 40 sponsored, in November 2010 and has already been contacted by the captain of Webster University’s Quidditch team for a possible match.

There is more to WUmbledore’s Army, though, beyond discussing all that is Harry Potter. The group is also an official chapter of the Harry Potter Alliance, a non-profit organization that works for human rights, equality and other world issues addressed and advocated in the Harry Potter canon.

“The Harry Potter Alliance is fighting for everyone. Values promoted in ‘Harry Potter’ need to be better promoted in the muggle world,” sophomore Cassandra Galluppi, a club officer, said.

The group has already taken action with the Alliance by participating in a campaign effort called Not in Harry’s Name. The campaign’s goal is to make Harry Potter chocolate Fair Trade and not reliant on child slavery. Members of WUmbledore’s Army were able to create a petition for the cause and send it to the distributor, Warner Brothers.

“The main idea [of the group] is taking ideas and what we love about the HP series and translating that to fundraising ideas,” Desch said. “We’re all good people. We want to do good in the world, and working with the HP Alliance was an easier way to communicate that.”

Such outreach ideas and efforts were some of the main reasons that freshman Archer Brock, the treasurer, joined the club.

“Having a Harry Potter club sounds silly and borderline nerdy, but it has evolved a lot into a community service thing, which I like. It’s something more substantial to bond over and something to aspire to,” Brock said. “You’ve gotten really familiar with the general idea and motives [of Harry Potter], and you can apply them to something you are less familiar with.”

The fun is not lost in the group’s pursuit of applying literary themes to social justice. Each group meeting tends to go over the allotted time period as members introduce themselves, say what Houses they are in, and play various Harry Potter-themed games. The members are very diverse, and sometimes the interest in Harry Potter is the only thing they have in common, according to Brock.

On Feb. 18, WUmbledore’s Army will be bringing the excitement that it experiences to the University community in the form of a Yule Ball, a semi-formal event. The location of the event will be announced by the group through their Facebook page and posters.

WUmbledore’s Army meets every Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. in Shepley’s first-floor common room.

Although his background is in music and film, Stepp recently wrote his first novel, “Lost and Found,” which draws heavily on his time here at the University. His burst of creative energy was chiefly inspired by the writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald, specifically the classic “This Side of Paradise.”

“I was about 30 or 50 pages into it—and I just went to my computer and started writing,” Stepp said.

At first, the novel simply revolved around the main character Jacob, who serves as the embodiment of Stepp’s memorable days as a freshman. However, this was not enough for Stepp, who was looking to write a more profound piece than simply the story of a kid at college.

Taking the plot in a darker direction, Stepp introduces a conspiracy thread as Jacob and his older mentor, professor Yuri, hunt for a valuable music manuscript. This journey is littered with references to the University.

“There is a basement in [the music school], and it’s creepy as hell. I snuck down there one night; it’s full of just old filing cabinets and stuff from the ’70s,” Stepp said. “I always had this idea that the basement was something secretive or hidden. That sort of spawned the whole manuscript that somehow got lost in this basement that nobody ever goes to.”

While Jacob strongly reflects Stepp and his experiences at Wash. U., other characters in the novel were completely original or amalgams of people he knew or encountered. This includes Yuri, whose relationship with Jacob is the primary focus of the novel.

“I wanted to write a story about the relationship between the young and old—not in like a romantic way, not in an evil way. Just sort of these two wandering souls that happen to meet each other,” Stepp said.

Stepp does not solely consider himself a literary author. He also has a tremendous passion for writing music, a process that captured his interest when he was only 8 years old. He contends that the two art forms are actually very similar.

“[The process of writing] is very organic. The stuff I write musically, I don’t sit down and think ‘OK, I’m going to write a song about X, and it’s going to sound like this,’ I just sort of start playing it. It’s exactly the same way with my writing,” Stepp said.

Stepp comes from a family of authors—both his mother and father are published writers. And now, Stepp has become part of the family legacy with his own unique style that cannot yet be slotted into any single genre.

Fans of “Lost and Found” can look forward to another novel from Stepp in the future, which will be more action-focused and surreal. For Stepp, writing will always be a part of who he is.

“[Writing “Lost and Found”] was a really rewarding experience. It’s made me realize that this is what I want to do. I love my job; I love the industry I work in, but when I’m 40, 50 years old, I would much rather be writing novels. This is where my head’s at long-term,” Stepp said.

Read a review of “Lost and Found.”

Matt Mitgang | Student Life

Then junior Rachel Atkins (left) runs toward the finish of the 10k road march event at Ranger Challenge last year.

Matt Mitgang | Student Life

Atkins speaks with other cadets during land navigation training at Fort Leonard Wood on Sept. 25.

Senior Rachel Atkins has challenged this misconception over the past three-plus years as a member of the Gateway Battalion, the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) battalion hosted by Washington University. This year, Atkins was appointed cadet battalion commander, and she is the first female to attain the rank at Wash. U.

The position of cadet battalion commander is considered a great honor and is the highest post that a student cadet can hold. Atkins was chosen based on a multitude of factors: peer reviews; her level of participation; knowledge of the battalion; leadership potential; and the national cadet ranking earned during an extended evaluation given during a cadet’s junior year.

Atkins is responsible for the entire Gateway Battalion, which consists of students from Wash. U. and Saint Louis University, as well as nine other colleges in the St. Louis region. She has high hopes for the battalion and wishes to work closely with all of the cadets under her command.

“In [the] ROTC battalion, I think that my duties are a little bit more than they would be in just a general unit because we have a lot of people that are really busy with school work and things like that,” Atkins said. “I do a lot of information dissemination and keeping track of people that I probably wouldn’t have to keep track of in a normal battalion.”

Atkins is able to interact with cadets of all levels and help them through the program due to the nature of her position.

“I have to know every in and out of the unit,” she said. “Over the years, participating in every event [ROTC] had to offer, I have gotten an expansive knowledge on how the program works and what we offer.”

As the job description implies, being a cadet battalion commander takes a lot of talent, time and dedication. Fortunately for Atkins, she hasn’t had many issues gaining the respect that her position deserves.

“It’s been interesting,” Atkins said. “I feel that everyone respects me just as much as they would a guy, except [for cadets from] some of the schools we work with, but you just have to deal with [it on] a case by case basis. You learn how to handle those kinds of issues as a female in the military from the beginning; there’s always going to be a little bit more adversity.”

Sexual harassment is potential concern. “My mom was in the military in the ’70s, and she was sexually harassed a lot,” Atkins said. “She was really worried about me joining [the army] because it happened to her. It has been an issue, but very minimally. It’s definitely policed up, and I don’t really see any big issues with it, so I’m really happy about that.”

According to Atkins, her family’s history in the military played a big part in her desire to enlist in the army. As a fourth generation member of the military, she was surrounded by the culture from a very young age. The decision to join ROTC, however, was entirely her own, and she is satisfied that joining was the right course of action.

“Wash. U.’s been a great experience. If I just went straight to enlist, I don’t think I would have gotten half as much out of the military as I have this way, and I can’t wait to get into it and work with people who didn’t go to college or just to see different sides of the military,” Atkins said.

After graduating, Atkins plans on studying to enter the explosives ordinance disposal unit of the army. This section of the army does not include many females, according to Atkins, because of its heavy lifting requirement.

“I’m trying to bulk up right now…we’ll see where that goes,” she joked.

Despite Atkins’ success, ROTC hasn’t always been a breeze. Getting to graduation, she admits, wouldn’t have been possible without her extensive support system.

“I couldn’t have done it without my best friends in ROTC and at Wash. U.,” Atkins said, specifically citing her freshman year roommate as someone who helped her overcome adversity. “Friends and family have really helped push me through this.”

Student Life Archives

The upcoming production marks the 11th year of the show, and its growth is evident just by looking at the changes in venue: Carnaval has moved from Brookings to the Gargoyle to, most recently, the Edison Theatre.

Despite the exponential rise in both popularity and the number of performers, the main attraction of the event has stayed true to its educational purpose: the dances.

“The dances are the most involved with the whole campus,” sophomore and Carnaval Co-Chair Edward Poyo said. “[They] are our biggest outreach to show people our culture and the different things that we do.”

While the dances are indeed the biggest draw for most people, the other half of the show, the skit, remains important. Within the skit, ALAS can emphasize the message they want to send to audience members each year, such as exploring and exposing stereotypes of the culture and relating these to other cultures. This year’s show, according to Poyo, specifically focuses on issues Wash. U. students can connect with.

“One of the things in this year’s theme is class differences, which we sort of touched on last year, but this year, it’s slightly bigger,” Poyo said. “The main character [of the skit] lives in the slums in Brazil, and she is trying to fight for her people, who get taken advantage of by the upper class and rich politicians. Wash. U. is pretty diverse, so, by being aware of class differences there, you [can] think about where you came from, what you do, what you spend your time on, and who you help.”

Carnaval hopes to ignite more community involvement among students after they reflect on the skit. A recent example of such service comes from within this year’s Carnaval cast, where one group of dancers took the initiative to go to nearby middle schools and teach the students their dance routine. That way, the students could enjoy some exercise and have fun in an unusual fashion.

Carnaval continues this theme through its collaboration with the Niños y Cambios program this year. The group tutors Hispanic elementary and high school students in the St. Louis community for whom English is a second language. The program also works toward its main goal of providing scholarships for the students to go to college.

“We wanted to do something more St. Louis-based [this year]; that way if people wanted to get involved, they would know that we are trying to change things here too and work with groups here,” Poyo said.

Tickets for Carnaval are on sale now for $10 at the Edison Theatre box office. Showtimes are Friday, April 9 and Saturday, April 10 at 7 p.m.

During an internship made possible through GlobeMed and the grassroots organization Uganda Developmental and Health Associates (UDHA), sophomores Akhila Narla and Preethi Kembaiyan witnessed firsthand the poverty that the Ugandan youth face. While they were in Uganda, Narla and Kembaiyan were asked to help in a youth center set up by the UDHA to aid in the development of an income-generating project for the youth. In order to find out the best way to go about this, Narla and Kembaiyan went to the Olin Business School’s Skandalaris Center, where they were told to get in touch with an organization called Blessing Baskets.

“[Blessing Baskets] does this unique thing in that they sell handicrafts, but they provide the artisans three times fair trade wages,” Narla said. “They call it ‘prosperity wages,’ so it’s really trying to break the cycle of poverty for [the youth] and spur a little entrepreneurship.”

Applying this idea to the youths of the Ugandan youth center who were already making handicraft jewelry, Narla and Kembaiyan spearheaded the Crafts by Youth project. In this program, the jewelry made by the youths is sold to promote much-needed income.

“[The youths] make environmentally friendly, recycled paper jewelry; they take posters, magazines and advertisements, and they cut up and roll them into beads. Then they garnish them and make the jewelry [out of the paper],” Narla said.

This process allows the participating youth to earn money through a stable work-type environment so that they can support themselves instead of settling into the role of “receivers” of charity. In this way, the program works in a practical way, something that GlobeMed and its affiliates focus on. Here, the buyers of the jewelry pieces are, in a sense, working alongside the youth and empowering them to face their economic barriers head-on as opposed to relying heavily on donations.

“[Crafts by Youth] is just something that is propelling [the youth] toward a goal that they want to reach,” Narla said. “We’re hoping that the sales will generate enough so that they’re able to prove some of the basics for their families, but also emphasizing the fact that their parents do have an obligation as the providers.”

A major goal of Crafts by Youth is to allow the participants to earn enough money to attend school so that they can continue their education.

“While we recognize the importance of a free clinic, we knew that without opportunities for an education, these youth wouldn’t be able to escape the cycle of poverty that we witness within their families and their community,” Kembaiyan said. “That’s why we started Crafts by Youth, to ensure that the youth had a steady source of income, through which they could meet their immediate needs while also saving for their futures, so that they might be able to realize their dreams of becoming nurses, pharmacists, social workers and businessmen.”

Currently, Crafts by Youth is participating in the Youth Bridge Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition, which is co-sponsored through the Skandalaris Center, in order to earn outside support to ensure the success of their program. The group is one of seven finalists in the competition, in which five monetary awards are given out. Those in the U.S. can directly help Ugandan youths as well by hosting Crafts by Youth fundraisers or simply by purchasing the jewelry the youths make.

“What’s unique about the Crafts by Youth model is that we serve as an avenue for socially conscious youth in the U.S. to engage their passion for social change halfway around the world,” Kembaiyan said. “We hope to use our Web page as a platform for youth around the world to engage in a dialogue over issues that they feel are relevant and to discuss what they feel the role of youth is in securing rights for our generation, regardless of where we live.”

For more information about Crafts by Youth, upcoming events, or to see the online store, click here, or find the organization through their Facebook page.

Created last year by sophomore Rebecca Hunter, the BBC is an interest group that advocates for students with dietary restrictions, primarily vegans and vegetarians. While unique in the sense that most communication within the club occurs on Facebook instead of in meetings, the club does host numerous events for its members, centered on food and culinary education.

“[The club] just had an event where we had a chef’s table [at the Village],” Hunter said. “We were sitting in the back of the Village kitchen, and we were having dinner, where the chefs made different dishes that we tried out, and they talked to us about what we thought.”

The informal conversation between the BBC and Wash. U.’s chefs is an essential part of the club’s mission, which is to bring more healthy eating options, especially those that are meat-free, to campus. The main purpose of the club is to allow members to make comments and suggestions about the eating arrangements offered to Hunter.

She then takes these comments to available chefs, or more specifically to Nadeem Siddiqui, the resident district manager for Bon Appétit.

“A lot of it is people will post quotes on the [Facebook] wall, or they’ll shoot me an e-mail and say, ‘Oh, I have a suggestion.’ I’ll give it to Nadeem Siddiqui and say, ‘We have these awesome ideas…could we see more of this?’” Hunter said.

The dining staff takes these suggestions seriously, Hunter said, and many have already been implemented, such as an increase in the offerings of potatoes and green vegetables. Such changes are good for everybody wishing to partake in a healthier diet, which is just what the club works toward. In addition, Hunter emphasized that “meat eaters” are indeed welcome to join the club if they have an interest.

“We really try to appeal to everybody. We don’t preach either way—be what you want to be,” Hunter said. “If you have more options, the better it is for everyone. We just want people to be able to eat, enjoy their food and be happy and healthy.”

Referring to the educational aspect of the BBC’s events, Hunter said, “We want people to learn how to feed themselves after college if they want to continue being healthy. It’s also an aspect of ‘You are a vegetarian, now what do you do?’”

Recipe options, what to buy food-wise at the grocery store, and how one can explore the options on campus and make changes are all topics addressed by the interest group.

If you are interested in joining, simply look up “BlackBean Burger Club” on Facebook, where you will find the group’s main page.

“The main goal [of the club] is that there are no hungry vegetarians on campus and that everyone else is eating healthy as well,” Hunter said. “We’ll get there.”

Junior Jeremy Perkins and almunus Thom Wall ’09, members of the Washington University National Prestigious Society of Collegiate Jugglers, provide instruction on how to juggle. The group hosted a juggling showcase on Friday and Saturday featuring juggles from as far as Sweden and Las Vegas. Watch the video above for a Student Life exclusive.

Run For Congo Women is a group devoted to supporting health care and education. A local charity run will be held this Saturday. (Courtesy of Women For Women International)

Supporters of Women for Women Internatinoal perform a cultural dance in a park. (Courtesy of Women For Women International)

It was night, and Lucienne M’Maroyi was home alone with her two children when a group of armed men carrying flashlights suddenly burst into her house and dragged M’Maroyi violently away. The men forced her to walk with a group of other women and her brother until they reached a forest, where she was then raped while her brother was killed for refusing to hold the men’s flashlights. Her captors kept M’Maroyi as a sex slave for three and a half months until finally she escaped, pregnant with a child; upon her daughter’s delivery, M’Maroyi named the baby Luck because she felt lucky to be alive when so many others who were with her did not survive.

Stories like this one about the hardships facing women living in Congo are what motivated Lynda Hermsmeyer, a massage therapist from Chesterfield, Mo., to take action. Hermsmeyer’s initial interest in the cause developed when, by chance, she read an article featured in Oprah’s magazine about five women from Congo who had all been greatly affected by the conflict.

“What I read was just unimaginable to me. Even in the farthest reaches of my mind, I could not imagine what the living hell these women had experienced,” Hermsmeyer said.

The conflict that led to these conditions in Congo was sparked when extremists responsible for the infamous Rwandan genocide crossed the border into Congo and started terrorizing the local civilians. Militia groups were then brought in to contain the rebels, but the situation worsened as a full-scale war erupted.

“[Congo] is probably the richest country in the world, with things anywhere from diamonds to the metal we all have in our computers. And all these armed groups…their motive is to continue to create chaos so people can continue to steal these resources,” Hermsmeyer said. “And one of the methods that they are using to create chaos is rape.”

This crisis in Congo has amounted to what is currently the highest civilian death toll since World War II, half of which is made up of children under the age of five. However, there are things being done to stop the violence. One group that is participating in the movement forward is Women for Women International, which assists women in war-ravished countries, helping them move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency.

This group was mentioned in the Oprah article that Hermsmeyer read, along with another event that brought the possibility of making a difference closer to home: The Run for Congo, started by Lisa Shannon of Oregon. The Run for Congo Women is a race that is held in support of the Congolese women to raise money so that they can receive health care and education. Participants can run a timed 4.5 mile or do a one mile walk with family.

“I immediately e-mailed [Lisa] and asked, ‘Has anyone done [the race] in St. Louis?’ She said no, so the next thing I knew, I had volunteered to become the run in St. Louis organizer,” Hermsmeyer said, “Now, I’ve never even been to a run, and I certainly had no idea how to organize one. But I was just so inspired to do something.”

Since then, Hermsmeyer has successfully been heading the race in St. Louis for three years, along with her co-organizer Mary Jo Burkhart. And, just this past summer, Hermsmeyer was able to see part of what her efforts are going toward when she went to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on a mission trip. It was on this mission trip that Hermsmeyer met another friend who was willing to help her in her endeavor: Perpetue Djona, a refugee from Congo.

“I want to help women in developing countries, especially in my home town—my home country. This is something that is very deep in my heart…This is a way to show that even though people are living very far [away], they can care about other people, especially the less privileged,” Djona said.

Indeed, sponsoring a woman in the Congo for just $27 brings much-needed assistance to her and her children. A big factor within this support project is education, in which the sponsored woman is taught job skills such as tie-dying or ceramics in addition to reading and writing. She is then given seed money to start her own business with her learned skills.

“In my country, there is a saying that when you are bringing education to a woman, this is bringing development for the future generation because the woman is the one who is caring about the kids and their education,” Djona said.

A big motivator for both of these women is that they are bringing hope to the women of Congo, showing that someone cares for them and is trying to help them in every way possible. Unfortunately, travel to the eastern part of Congo is forbidden due to the violence, but both Djona and Hermsmeyer share the dream to go there one day and directly interact with the refugees.

“It would be great to see those people, laugh with them, share your dreams and expectations with them. It’s different than just doing the same thing far away. They will see your face knowing that yes, someone came and helped them,” Djona said.

The Run for Congo Women will take place in Queeny Park in Ballwin on Saturday, Oct. 17. Those interested can sign up on the Web site http://www.runforcongowomen.org/index.html or show up before 9 a.m. at the park to register on the spot. Registration is $25 for the timed race and $20 for the one-mile walk.

If you would like to register or find out more about Run for Congo Women, please visit their site.

Don’t blame your lack of creative party ideas on the fact that they’ve all been used up, because that’s simply not true! There are plenty of unique ideas that will have people lining up at your doorstep and ready to have a good time.

Coming up with said ideas requires some thought, but, rest assured, they are out there. Even if you have trouble creating a brand new idea, you can always take an already established theme and simply give it a new twist.

Still skeptical? Well, below is a list of some innovative party themes that are just waiting for you to take them under your wing. The most important thing is to get creative and have fun!

Gargantuan gatherings: These require a lot of space and are ideal for frat parties or large groups.

Around the world: Each party area or room is set up with a theme that represents different parts of the world. The drinks, mood and decorations for each room center on a particular city or area so that people feel as though they are traveling around the world. For example, a Paris-themed room would provide French hors d’oeuvres and Parisian decor. This theme is perfect for those looking for diversity and some culture-centered fun.

Musical mayhem: For all those music buffs and groupies, a music-oriented theme party is a perfect way to rock out on the weekend. You can pick a well-known group, such as the Beatles, and have imitation bands play songs all night while guests dress up in band attire (or as one of the band members). Feeling even more creative and daring? Try centering the party on a local band.

Highlighter party: For this wild theme, everyone shows up to the party wearing a white T-shirt (or long-sleeve shirt) and dark pants. Guests are given a couple of highlighters, and everyone writes on each other with said highlighters. Black lights are a must for this type of party so that by the end of the night, everyone will be glowing with drawings and phrases. Also, make sure to provide plenty of “glow items,” such as glow sticks and brilliantly colored hats, to brighten the party.

Anything but clothes: Pretty self-explanatory. Guests must wear anything but what is considered an actual item of clothing. For example, people can cover themselves with trash bags, bubble wrap or even caution tape. The more creative you are, the better.

Dorm debauchery: These are smaller-scaled evenings that you can host right in your dorms.

Murder mystery: While the number of guests for this theme is limited according to plotline, this party nevertheless is entertaining for all. Each person is given a character card for someone they will dress up as and act like throughout the night. Then, as guests are enjoying the evening (usually with a meal during which people converse with other characters to get to know their personalities and backgrounds), a murder is committed! The rest of the night is then devoted to figuring out who the culprit is and why he or she killed the victim. Murder mystery parties are a cinch with boxed sets, cheap kits that can be purchased at a local party store, which come with all the necessary items.

Breakfast for dinner: There is no wrong time to eat pancakes. Or, at least, that’s the idea for this party theme. People can get together around dinnertime and create breakfast dishes such as waffles, omelets and biscuits, making for an entertaining and delicious night.

Pajama party: Innocent and fun, this themed party allows guests to show up in comfortable attire. Activities can be centered on sleepover-type games such as Truth or Dare and massive pillow fights. Wind it down a notch with popcorn and a movie—something classic and funny that everyone will want to watch.

Game night: Everyone loves a simple board game, especially when playing with a multitude of others. Take advantage of this by asking people to bring their favorite board games. Guests can split up into teams and play to their hearts’ content. The dice are in your hand, so to speak, so play it up.

Slightly scandalous: Parties that may have a more mature nature or for those 21 and over.

Carnaval/Rio de Janeiro: Based off of the four-day Carnaval celebration in Brazil, this theme requires guests to cover themselves in glitter and body paint while masquerading around in outrageous costumes and masks. If hosting this, you must go over the top with decorations, making everything as sparkly and colorful as you can. Music should be upbeat and danceable. If you have enough space and strings to pull, hiring performers for this event would really make you stand out. Even better, get someone who can make a show out of mixing drinks because beer bottles simply won’t cut it for this type of party.

Rubik’s Cube fun: Nerdy-sounding on the outside but quite unique and flirtatious on the inside is how one would describe this type of theme. The general idea is that people must show up with six major items of clothing, each in one of the six different colors of the Rubik’s Cube. While mingling, you find others with clothing items of your chosen color and swap these articles with them. The goal of this is to eventually end up dressed all in one color. Meanwhile, you can have fun meeting new people (and asking them to take their clothes off).

Red, yellow and green: The ultimate social gathering, this theme provides a sort of giant dating and friendship service. Guests wear clothes of a certain color that coordinate with their relationship status: Red is taken, green is single and yellow is unsure/it’s complicated. An excellent party for those who are looking to meet someone new on any level. If you are hosting, make the colored instructions clear so that everyone will be on the same page.

Drink mixers: Looking for a chance to drink and show off your creative side at the same time? For this theme, you pick your favorite or the most exotic drink and base your party off that drink. If you’re lucky enough, there may even be a song that features your drink, such as the Caribou Lou, which has a song (aptly named “Caribou Lou”) describing the drink’s recipe. Decorate the party according to your drink’s theme, and let guests know beforehand so they can dress up.

*Special thanks to sophomore Sharon Sun for some imaginative contributions.

The name itself, based off of a well-known cliché, gives insight into the light atmosphere of the store and the creativity of the two owners—Whitney Wade, a Washington University alumna, and Brittany Crittenden, a graduate of Saint Louis University. Their friendship throughout college helped them create what is now a successful business.

“[Brittany and I] met three years ago; we were in the same sorority. Our sorority has a citywide chapter. Then we became business partners,” Wade said. “[Brittany] graduated with a business degree, and I graduated with a psychology degree, but I’ve been painting all my life.”

After visiting a local pottery place, Wade and Crittenden realized that opening one of their own would be a good idea and an excellent way to use both of their talents. Their business background is evident in the wise choice to place their first store on the Loop.

“We thought the Loop would be an excellent place to put [the shop] with all the young adults, the children from the neighborhood, and families. We thought a lot of people could benefit from putting it here,” Crittenden said. “I definitely think we have an advantage over other studios because we have all the high foot traffic. We get a lot of people who have never been to this type of place before and just happened to walk by.”

In addition to being in a convenient place, especially for Wash. U. students, Your Pot’s Desire offers a fun and unique twist to the art of pottery painting. From its vivid colors to its multitudes of available paints and stencils, the shop definitely has a lot to offer.

“We order from three different companies to get a unique array of products,” Crittenden said. “We wanted to have stuff for everybody and hit all the demographics. When I order, I put myself in other people’s shoes.”

“A lot of people come in and, if they are older, want something that they can use,” Wade said. “Others just want something cute. It just depends on the person.”

Your Pot’s Desire even offers specialties for college students, such as paddles, Greek letters and shot glasses. The store’s convenient prices also cater to those with a tight budget, making it the perfect place to host a night out for suitemates and roommates to design some goods for their dorm room.
If the thought of drawing even a simple design makes you nervous, don’t worry. No experience is needed to participate in the activity; there are stencils and paint colors for every type of idea, and Wade and Crittenden thoroughly explain every step.

“We allow our customers to come back if they don’t finish, so they can finish on their own time,” Crittenden said.

Safe to say, their way of running business has been popular among those who have participated in the creation of pottery. But when Wade and Crittenden first opened up shop, the subject of the store was not always clear to passersby.

“People came in here and asked for drugs,” Crittenden said, explaining how the name of the store was sometimes confused.

“Some guy came in here and talked to me for about 30 minutes about how angry he was about the Red Sea (the previous occupant of the space) closing,” Wade said.

Despite these rocky beginnings, Wade and Crittenden persevered, and Your Pot’s Desire is as successful as ever. The board in front of the store even features advertisements for future themed events, such as a game night, ladies night and date night.

Inside Your Pot’s Desire on the Delmar Loop. (Josh Goldman | Student Life)

More information can be found at their Web site, http://www.yourpotsdesire.com, and through the Your Pot’s Desire fan page on Facebook.