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Giving Thanks: A Message from Dr. Lori S. White

Giving Thanks

December 2, 2024 

Dear DePauw students, faculty, staff, alumni, family and friends,

A fire is burning in the fireplace, and I can see the last of the golden leaves outside the window in the crisp December air. My Thanksgiving leftovers have mostly been consumed, the good china has been put away until the next holiday, and my family members who joined us for Thanksgiving are making their way back to their homes, leaving behind sweet memories of our time spent together. As I turn my attention to addressing my holiday cards (yes some of us still engage in this tradition) I am thinking about how thankful I am for the many blessings of this year. Among those blessings, I count our DePauw students, their families, our staff and faculty, our alumni and friends and all of the great things that have occurred at DePauw this fall. In the midst of the busyness of the end of the calendar year, I want to take a moment to say thank you. Each of you inspires me and my work. You are the reason DePauw is such a special community.

Thank you, students. Our unwavering commitment to ensure DePauw is the finest university we can imagine is because of you. As I watch you study, create, compete and perform, I am in awe of your intellect, talent and your uncompromising commitment to excellence. You are learners, exploring the most important issues and complex questions with an insatiable curiosity. You are innovators, infusing your work with fresh perspectives and original ideas. And you are leaders, utilizing your full range of talents and abilities to serve your communities and build a better world for all of us. You are the reason we are here, and I am grateful that each of you has chosen to be a Tiger. 

Thank you, families. As impressive as our students may be, we know they did not get to this point on their own. You have supported them and helped them realize their potential. Although we are so privileged to shape these students for the brief years they are at DePauw, you are the ones who have empowered them to become the remarkable, respectful and kindhearted young people they are today. You have made – and are making – an incredible investment in their lives such that they can receive a DePauw education, one that our alumni have demonstrated will pay dividends for decades to come.

Thank you, faculty. You have dedicated your lives to the pursuit of knowledge and the transformative power of higher education. Through years of research, collaboration and world-class scholarship, you have established yourselves as experts in your fields. Every day you arrive in your classroom eager to share that expertise, generously cultivating life-changing moments of insight and inspiration. Our students are fortunate to have you as teachers and mentors, and I love when students tell me (and they all do) about the classes and professors that have inspired and challenged them. As the daughter and sister of two faculty members, I know how hard you work. You are a real-life example to our students of what it means to be called to teach. 

Thank you, staff. It takes a special team of people to support all aspects of what is essentially a mini 24-hour city. I know you are all here, many of you for 20 years or more, because you love students and you love DePauw. Your dedication to this place and our mission is what helps make DePauw such a special place. Regardless of your office or department, each of you makes a vital contribution to this vibrant and thriving community. You are the reason that being a student-centered university is not just something we talk about – it is something we do. 

Thank you, alumni. I have always remarked that among the many colleges and universities of which I have been a part, the dedication of DePauw alumni to their alma mater is second to none. You have given back to the university in innumerable ways and are wonderful role models to our current students of paying your DePauw education forward to the next generation. You also make us proud every day with your incredible accomplishments. No matter where you work, serve or lead throughout the world, you carry forward – and add to – an extraordinary legacy that dates back 187 years. Thank you for being such vital members of the global DePauw family and for your Old Gold pride.

Whenever I hear each of us talk about what makes DePauw so special, it always comes back to one thing: the people and our shared bond as DePauw Tigers. I was reminded of this bond as I saw so many sharing Tiger pride during Monon weekend. In the same way the holidays bring together loved ones to celebrate the season and observe time-honored traditions, the Monon Bell has a way of uniting us from near and far in a spirit of camaraderie and kinship. Whether you were on the field, in the stands, behind the scenes, at the telecast parties near and far, or watching the game on your phone, on Saturday, November 16, we were all united in spirit as one DePauw. This special Monon energy showcased and reinforced what DePauw is all about. This is the same positive energy that flows through our classrooms and offices, at performances and recitals, during reunion weekends and commencement ceremonies. During this time of year, we can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the expectations of the holiday season and the stress of our to-do list as we wrap up another calendar year. When those feelings come, let us remember the incredible spirit of this place and the people who are DePauw. Know that I appreciate each of you and thank YOU for making DePauw such a special, special place.

President Lori White with students on move in day

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Students walking through campus with East College in the background

Chris Ducharme

Executive Assistant to the President