Button Menu

Our Community Stories

  • About
  • Our Community Stories
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
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
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
Joshua Thompson
Take on the Challenge

Joshua Thompson

Joshua Thompson ’04 is passionate about unlocking the power of music. “I use music to give a sonic narrative…

Meet Joshua Thompson
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
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
Ivan Villasboa
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
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
Lena Tuttle
A Preview of the Future

Lena Tuttle

When Lena Tuttle ’29 walked into the study abroad fair as a first-year DePauw student, they assumed they…

Meet Lena Tuttle
Jordan Sjol
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
Steeve Nsangou
Trading Places

Steeve Nsangou

Steeve Nsangou ’25 didn’t find out until the week before graduation that his proposal for a Fulbright…

Meet Steeve Nsangou
John Marshall
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
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
Kyle Smitley
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
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
Marwa Aarab
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
Shea Nickell
Passion to serve

Shea Nickell

Shea Nickell ’81 considers the greatest payday of his career to have been one that didn’t involve a check…

Meet Shea Nickell
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
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
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
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
Tom Kominsky
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
Ibilola Fasogbon
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
Tyson & Kady Becker
Still Learning

Tyson & Kady Becker

When an opportunity arose to advance in his career within General Motors, Tyson Becker ’04 knew it was…

Meet Tyson & Kady Becker
Nate Spangle
The Voice of Influence

Nate Spangle

Talk to Nate Spangle ’19 for a few minutes and “media personality” will seem like an obvious career destination…

Meet Nate Spangle
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
Thom Jackson
An Envelope and an Opportunity

Thom Jackson

Over the course of his lifetime, Thom Jackson ’82 has been no stranger to professional success. He’s…

Meet Thom Jackson
 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
Jacob Zerull
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