Founded in 1837, DePauw’s mission to educate leaders the world needs remains strong today. As the 21st president of DePauw University, Lori S. White embodies this commitment to transformative education. In her inaugural address on October 1, 2021, she framed the value of a liberal arts education in today’s increasingly complex world:
"In a country, where sadly, we are increasingly living physically and virtually in echo chambers, a small, residential, liberal arts university is one of the few places left where students from diverse backgrounds and experiences can learn to live, study, work and communicate with people who are different from those in the neighborhoods in which we grew up. We will forever remain committed to this endeavor, to equip students to explore and seek answers to historical, philosophical, scientific and moral questions about the human condition. That is why I believe that liberal arts colleges like DePauw are crucial, now more than ever, to our ability to create a better, more just and more humane world."
President Lori S. White
