Our Community Stories
Building Connections
Naima Shifa
The biggest part of my teaching is building connections with my students and creating a community in…
Meet Naima Shifa
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
Global Impact
Sharon Crary
Professor Sharon Crary has studied the devastating effects of the Ebola virus for 15 years. Since the…
Meet Sharon Crary
Set Up For Success
Tom Kominsky
Tom Kominsky recalls the broad outlines of how he first became interested in DePauw. He says, “I saw…
Meet Tom Kominsky
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
Branching Out
Sydney West
I’ve always been fascinated by the ability to turn a string of seemingly meaningless words into a master-crafted…
Meet Sydney West
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
Spiritual Self-Discovery
Zoe Green
Growing up in a military family, Zoe Green ’27 became accustomed to transition at a young age. Having…
Meet Zoe Green
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
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
Honoring Heritage
Moises Rivera
My heritage impacts my daily life in almost every way, from the way I interact with people and how I…
Meet Moises Rivera
Uncovering the Story
Mariam Lobjanidze
I chose DePauw because of its rigorous academics, amazing opportunities to get experience in media and…
Meet Mariam Lobjanidze
Endless Opportunities
Kate Pederson
I chose DePauw because of all the opportunities here. A few aspects that stuck out to me were the Management…
Meet Kate Pederson
Innovative Artistry
John Berry
Success and accomplishment flow from the challenging work done in the classroom and studio at DePauw…
Meet John Berry
Pivotal Moments
Ha Chu
“It changed my life,” says Ha Chu ’26, recalling an interaction early in her time at DePauw with Larry…
Meet Ha Chu
From Guernsey to Greencastle
Tanner Austin
“I came out here on a limb,” says Tanner Austin ’28. “It's just unbelievably lucky how it all worked…
Meet Tanner Austin
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
A Collaborative Approach
Craig Paré
I love that our students come to classes and rehearsals hungry to learn and, when challenged, respond…
Meet Craig Paré
Freedom to Explore
Erik Wielenberg
Since 1999, Erik Wielenberg has been a fixture of the philosophy department at DePauw University. Not…
Meet Erik Wielenberg
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
Fostering Personal Connections
Sarah Rowley
What excites me about teaching? Everything! The magic that happens in the classroom is completely dependent…
Meet Sarah Rowley
In the Swim of Things
John Marshall
When I started my college search, I wasn’t 100 percent settled on a path. I had enjoyed economics in…
Meet John Marshall
Empowering Students
Leslie James
Since I recognize that each student brings a unique dimension to the collective, it is problematic to…
Meet Leslie James
Formed by Faith
Tanaa Jones
Growing up in Nashville, Tenn., Tanaa Jones ’26 was taught from an early age how to see the world through…
Meet Tanaa Jones
Promoting Peace Through Music
Andrew Brown
I chose DePauw because it is the kind of place where students can explore fields of studies that are…
Meet Andrew Brown
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
Wisdom and Probability
Elisha Amadasu
Growing up in Brooklyn, Elisha Amadasu ’26 identified his intellectual passion at a young age. “Math…
Meet Elisha Amadasu
Speak Now
Eliana Jolanda Alzate
“Why International Student Orientation is Essentially a Taylor Swift Concert.” Eliana Jolanda Alzate…
Meet Eliana Jolanda Alzate
From Greencastle to Colombia
Sarah Salazar
I came to DePauw as a Posse Scholar from Chicago who understood the value of education for students from…
Meet Sarah Salazar
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