Our Community Stories
Diving In
Meghan Shearer
Four months after graduating from DePauw, Meghan Shearer ’13 took a giant risk and moved across the country…
Meet Meghan Shearer
Initiative and Empathy
Moeez Islam Malik
“I never knew that I would be a leader,” admits Moeez Islam Malik ’27. Yet just a few years into his…
Meet Moeez Islam Malik
Empowering Students
Leslie James
Since I recognize that each student brings a unique dimension to the collective, it is problematic to…
Meet Leslie James
Never Say No
Brace Mullett
Brace Mullett ’26 didn’t have a master plan to come to DePauw, double major in biochemistry and religious…
Meet Brace Mullett
Business Executive
Elisa Villanueva Beard
Elisa has been an integral part of Teach for America for 25 years. It all started in 1998 as a TFA Phoenix…
Meet Elisa Villanueva Beard
Social Change Agent
Kyle Smitley
Kyle Smitley launched an organic children’s clothing line at age 23, just a year out of DePauw. Inspired…
Meet Kyle Smitley
Global Impact
Sharon Crary
Professor Sharon Crary has studied the devastating effects of the Ebola virus for 15 years. Since the…
Meet Sharon Crary
Where Opportunity Meets Hustle
Daniel Villa
Daniel Villa ’26 never envisioned himself spending a winter term in another country. It’s not that the…
Meet Daniel Villa
Innovative Artistry
John Berry
Success and accomplishment flow from the challenging work done in the classroom and studio at DePauw…
Meet John Berry
Orchestrating Connection
Paige Burgess
As a music education major, Paige Burgess ’25 understands how a collection of otherwise dissimilar notes…
Meet Paige Burgess
The Unifying Power of Art
Gerard Pannekoek
“Art is a great place to start a conversation,” says Gerard Pannekoek ’11. “It’s a place to build trust…
Meet Gerard Pannekoek
Discovering Connections
Danielle Sommerman
I chose DePauw because I wanted a school with a small student body where I could make personal connections…
Meet Danielle Sommerman
The Freedom of Learning
Priscilla Smith
Since she was four years old, Priscilla Smith ’29 has spent much of her time in the pool. Like any athlete…
Meet Priscilla Smith
A Life-Changing Invitation
Hanna Coffel
When DePauw’s softball coach invited Hanna Coffel ’26 to campus as a high school sophomore, it was the…
Meet Hanna Coffel
Freedom to Explore
Erik Wielenberg
Since 1999, Erik Wielenberg has been a fixture of the philosophy department at DePauw University. Not…
Meet Erik Wielenberg
Applied learning. Real solutions.
Scott Wilkerson
Out of graduate school, I worked for 3.5 years gaining invaluable experience with Exxon Production Research…
Meet Scott Wilkerson
Working Together
Greg Schwipps
I am a DePauw professor but also a 1995 DePauw alumnus. I started my first-year at DePauw a would-be…
Meet Greg Schwipps
Embracing Different Perspectives
Miguel Angel Navarro Jr.
I chose DePauw because I wanted to be somewhere where I felt at home. As a student, I was exposed to…
Meet Miguel Angel Navarro Jr.
Joy at the Intersection of Music and Service
Rafael Toro-Quiñones
“I’m kicking myself for dropping a leadership class with Dr. McKelligan,” laughs Rafael Toro-Quiñones…
Meet Rafael Toro-Quiñones
Starting Early
Gigi Nguyen
"Before I even arrived at DePauw in Fall 2021, I had a conversation with a senior student that changed…
Meet Gigi Nguyen
A Place to Flourish
Miriam Linton
When Miriam Linton ’29 began her college search process, she knew that finding a tight-knit community…
Meet Miriam Linton
The Difference is in the Details
Andrea Sununu
For over 30 years I’ve taught literature at DePauw and welcomed the chance to serve not only as teacher…
Meet Andrea Sununu
Hope Is the Solution
Bella Zollner
Bella Zollner ’27 isn’t the type to sit on the sidelines. She prefers to be in the heart of the action…
Meet Bella Zollner
Building Connections
Naima Shifa
The biggest part of my teaching is building connections with my students and creating a community in…
Meet Naima Shifa
Focusing in on Film
Victoria de Dios
I originally chose DePauw as it seemed the best fit for my interests – both academically and socially…
Meet Victoria de Dios
Embracing Unpredictable Moments
Deepa Prakash
What excites me about teaching is the opportunity to discuss and learn about the pressing issues that…
Meet Deepa Prakash
Enriching a Global Perspective
Marwa Aarab
As an international student keen on medicine and research, I chose DePauw University after careful examination…
Meet Marwa Aarab
Wisdom and Probability
Elisha Amadasu
Growing up in Brooklyn, Elisha Amadasu ’26 identified his intellectual passion at a young age. “Math…
Meet Elisha Amadasu
Making Connections
Sydney Schloemer
No matter what activity Sydney Schloemer ’26 has found herself doing at DePauw, her ultimate goal has…
Meet Sydney Schloemer
The Perfect Place for Filmmaking
Jordan Sjol
Jordan Sjol may be relatively new to the DePauw University faculty, but as assistant professor of film…
Meet Jordan Sjol