Our Community Stories
Formed by Faith
Tanaa Jones
Growing up in Nashville, Tenn., Tanaa Jones ’26 was taught from an early age how to see the world through…
Meet Tanaa Jones
Discovering Connections
Danielle Sommerman
I chose DePauw because I wanted a school with a small student body where I could make personal connections…
Meet Danielle Sommerman
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
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
Empowering Students
Leslie James
Since I recognize that each student brings a unique dimension to the collective, it is problematic to…
Meet Leslie James
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
Freedom to Explore
Erik Wielenberg
Since 1999, Erik Wielenberg has been a fixture of the philosophy department at DePauw University. Not…
Meet Erik Wielenberg
Endless Curiosity
Marielle Gearding
Theatre. Neuroscience. Creative writing. True crime. Dance. Marielle Gearding ’27 has no shortage of…
Meet Marielle Gearding
A Good Fit
Jon Fortt
It was the Media Fellows Program that drew me to DePauw. I also wanted to experience an environment…
Meet Jon Fortt
Exploration through liberal arts
Evan Steffy
Being from the Greencastle area, DePauw has always been present in my life. I knew I wanted a smaller…
Meet Evan Steffy
A Place to Flourish
Miriam Linton
When Miriam Linton ’29 began her college search process, she knew that finding a tight-knit community…
Meet Miriam Linton
Wisdom and Probability
Elisha Amadasu
Growing up in Brooklyn, Elisha Amadasu ’26 identified his intellectual passion at a young age. “Math…
Meet Elisha Amadasu
Building Connections
Naima Shifa
The biggest part of my teaching is building connections with my students and creating a community in…
Meet Naima Shifa
Global Impact
Sharon Crary
Professor Sharon Crary has studied the devastating effects of the Ebola virus for 15 years. Since the…
Meet Sharon Crary
The Silver Lining
Suzanne Spencer
After beginning her television news career as a multimedia journalist in South Bend, Suzanne Spencer…
Meet Suzanne Spencer
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
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
Innovative Artistry
John Berry
Success and accomplishment flow from the challenging work done in the classroom and studio at DePauw…
Meet John Berry
An Appetite for Adventure
Sheraya Smith
Growing up near Crawfordsville, Ind., Sheraya Smith ’20 had always been familiar with DePauw University…
Meet Sheraya Smith
Orchestrating Connection
Paige Burgess
As a music education major, Paige Burgess ’25 understands how a collection of otherwise dissimilar notes…
Meet Paige Burgess
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
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
Experiencing it All
Nushla Pradhan
I was interested in natural sciences and social sciences, and I wanted a good blend of different classes…
Meet Nushla Pradhan
Pivotal Moments
Ha Chu
“It changed my life,” says Ha Chu ’26, recalling an interaction early in her time at DePauw with Larry…
Meet Ha Chu
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
A Life-Changing Invitation
Hanna Coffel
When DePauw’s softball coach invited Hanna Coffel ’26 to campus as a high school sophomore, it was the…
Meet Hanna Coffel
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
Adaptable and Inspired
Nicole Lorch
Nicole Lorch grew up in Valparaiso, Indiana. As a teenager, she found herself a few hours south in Greencastle…
Meet Nicole Lorch
Finding Their Voice
Kay Sikana
“A big part of my identity is my pan-African upbringing,” says Kandafula (Kay) Sikana ’25. Born in Zambia…
Meet Kay Sikana
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