Our Community Stories
Everything is possible
Sahit Liyanage
What is the value of undergraduate research? One is the experience itself: the chance to learn and engage…
Meet Sahit Liyanage
Empowering Change
Erika Marchant
Because of my interest in Chinese language, culture, history and philosophy, I declared a major in Chinese…
Meet Erika Marchant
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
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
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
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
Freedom to Explore
Erik Wielenberg
Since 1999, Erik Wielenberg has been a fixture of the philosophy department at DePauw University. Not…
Meet Erik Wielenberg
Living Weirdly
Nate Nichols
Nate Nichols ’05 has no interest in conformity. On the surface, his life contains all the hallmarks…
Meet Nate Nichols
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
Appetite for Discovery
Ibilola Fasogbon
Ibilola Fasogbon ’28 has always been driven by curiosity and adventure. As a child, she found nearly…
Meet Ibilola Fasogbon
Innovative Artistry
John Berry
Success and accomplishment flow from the challenging work done in the classroom and studio at DePauw…
Meet John Berry
Confidence In Leadership
Christian Rivera
I came to DePauw as a Posse Scholar from an inner-city high school, already credited for my leadership…
Meet Christian Rivera
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
Learning how to cut the fat
Zach Taylor
Zach Taylor graduated as a poetry and studio art double-major. Initially he was on an English literature…
Meet Zach Taylor
Meaningful Connections
Mike Bogers
Mike Bogers applied to exactly one college. “I showed up in Greencastle during the fall, the weather…
Meet Mike Bogers
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
Endless Curiosity
Marielle Gearding
Theatre. Neuroscience. Creative writing. True crime. Dance. Marielle Gearding ’27 has no shortage of…
Meet Marielle Gearding
Global Impact
Sharon Crary
Professor Sharon Crary has studied the devastating effects of the Ebola virus for 15 years. Since the…
Meet Sharon Crary
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
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
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
Community Builder. Documentarian.
Meru Sharma
At DePauw, I was a Media Fellow. I was lucky enough to go off-campus for a semester to the New York Arts…
Meet Meru Sharma
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
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 Full Plate
Jacob Zerull
When Jacob Zerull ’29 arrived at DePauw from his hometown of Lake Forest Ill., he wasted no time making…
Meet Jacob Zerull
Empowering Students
Leslie James
Since I recognize that each student brings a unique dimension to the collective, it is problematic to…
Meet Leslie James
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
Fostering Personal Connections
Sarah Rowley
What excites me about teaching? Everything! The magic that happens in the classroom is completely dependent…
Meet Sarah Rowley
Living with purpose
Ivan Villasboa
While I was growing up in Argentina, I dreamed of becoming a big-city banker in the United States — the…
Meet Ivan Villasboa