Button Menu

Our Community Stories

  • About
  • Our Community Stories
Jason Soto-Vega
Deep Roots

Jason Soto-Vega

Originally from Costa Rica, Jason Soto-Vega ’25 grew up being taught the importance of community, hard…

Meet Jason Soto-Vega
 Sarah Rowley
Fostering Personal Connections

Sarah Rowley

What excites me about teaching? Everything! The magic that happens in the classroom is completely dependent…

Meet Sarah Rowley
Leslie James
Empowering Students

Leslie James

Since I recognize that each student brings a unique dimension to the collective, it is problematic to…

Meet Leslie James
Scott Wilkerson
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
Naima Shifa
Building Connections

Naima Shifa

The biggest part of my teaching is building connections with my students and creating a community in…

Meet Naima Shifa
Sheraya Smith
An Appetite for Adventure

Sheraya Smith

Growing up near Crawfordsville, Ind., Sheraya Smith ’20 had always been familiar with DePauw University…

Meet Sheraya Smith
Ben Schroeder
Getting Exposure

Ben Schroeder

Ben Schroeder came to DePauw on the recommendation of a family member who graduated in the 1980s. Having…

Meet Ben Schroeder
Deepa Prakash
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
Azzaya Gansukh
Light up the City

Azzaya Gansukh

The liberal arts proved to be the right fit for Azzaya Gansukh. The computer science and communication…

Meet Azzaya Gansukh
Tina Irvine
Making Sense of the Past

Tina Irvine

“I’ve been obsessed with history since I was a kid,” says Tina Irvine ’09. “I love a good story, and…

Meet Tina Irvine
Mahmoud Abouelkheir
Embracing Community

Mahmoud Abouelkheir

I felt hesitant about coming to DePauw because of its location in a rural part of Indiana. Growing up…

Meet Mahmoud Abouelkheir
Priscilla Smith
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
Marielle Gearding
Endless Curiosity

Marielle Gearding

Theatre. Neuroscience. Creative writing. True crime. Dance. Marielle Gearding ’27 has no shortage of…

Meet Marielle Gearding
Brian Perry
It's never the last time at DePauw

Brian Perry

Brian Perry is forever connected to DePauw. A philosophy major at DePauw, he went on to earn a JD from…

Meet Brian Perry
Craig Paré
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
Arley Johnson
Where Passion Meets Opportunity

Arley Johnson

Since she was in high school, Arley Johnson ’26 has been intrigued by athletic training. As a track and…

Meet Arley Johnson
John Berry
Innovative Artistry

John Berry

Success and accomplishment flow from the challenging work done in the classroom and studio at DePauw…

Meet John Berry
Elise Johns
A Journey Worth Taking

Elise Johns

Every prospective student has a vision for what they want out of their college experience. I knew I wanted…

Meet Elise Johns
Sharon Crary
Global Impact

Sharon Crary

Professor Sharon Crary has studied the devastating effects of the Ebola virus for 15 years. Since the…

Meet Sharon Crary
Amelia McLaren
At Home in the Lab

Amelia McLaren

As a biochemistry major with plans to pursue her M.D. and one day work in a teaching hospital, Amelia…

Meet Amelia McLaren
Rafael Toro-Quiñones
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
Tanner Austin
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
Erin Pasch
Committed to Community Service

Erin Pasch

My time in the Bonner Scholar Program was the most meaningful experience I had at DePauw. I met a lot…

Meet Erin Pasch
Paikea Early-Aden
Reaching Through the Past

Paikea Early-Aden

“This dig has been on my radar since the first day I visited DePauw,” says Pai Early-Aden ’29. “It was…

Meet Paikea Early-Aden
Nate Nichols
Living Weirdly

Nate Nichols

Nate Nichols ’05 has no interest in conformity. On the surface, his life contains all the hallmarks…

Meet Nate Nichols
 Elisa Villanueva Beard
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
Zach Perrine
Environmental Geosciences Exploration

Zach Perrine

When Zach Perrine stepped foot on the DePauw University campus, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do.…

Meet Zach Perrine
Andrea Sununu
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
Greg Schwipps
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
Moeez Islam Malik
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