Our Community Stories
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
Spiritual Self-Discovery
Zoe Green
Growing up in a military family, Zoe Green ’27 became accustomed to transition at a young age. Having…
Meet Zoe Green
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
Building Connections
Naima Shifa
The biggest part of my teaching is building connections with my students and creating a community in…
Meet Naima Shifa
Freedom to Explore
Erik Wielenberg
Since 1999, Erik Wielenberg has been a fixture of the philosophy department at DePauw University. Not…
Meet Erik Wielenberg
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
Speak Now
Eliana Jolanda Alzate
“Why International Student Orientation is Essentially a Taylor Swift Concert.” Eliana Jolanda Alzate…
Meet Eliana Jolanda Alzate
Endless Curiosity
Marielle Gearding
Theatre. Neuroscience. Creative writing. True crime. Dance. Marielle Gearding ’27 has no shortage of…
Meet Marielle Gearding
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
Getting Exposure
Ben Schroeder
Ben Schroeder came to DePauw on the recommendation of a family member who graduated in the 1980s. Having…
Meet Ben Schroeder
An Appetite for Adventure
Sheraya Smith
Growing up near Crawfordsville, Ind., Sheraya Smith ’20 had always been familiar with DePauw University…
Meet Sheraya Smith
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 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
Starting Early
Gigi Nguyen
"Before I even arrived at DePauw in Fall 2021, I had a conversation with a senior student that changed…
Meet Gigi Nguyen
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
Almost a Local
Cooper Macy
When Cooper Macy ’25 arrived in Italy for an accelerated language program the summer before his sophomore…
Meet Cooper Macy
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
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
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
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
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
Wisdom and Probability
Elisha Amadasu
Growing up in Brooklyn, Elisha Amadasu ’26 identified his intellectual passion at a young age. “Math…
Meet Elisha Amadasu
Empowering Change
Erika Marchant
Because of my interest in Chinese language, culture, history and philosophy, I declared a major in Chinese…
Meet Erika Marchant
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
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
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
Innovative Artistry
John Berry
Success and accomplishment flow from the challenging work done in the classroom and studio at DePauw…
Meet John Berry
Fostering Personal Connections
Sarah Rowley
What excites me about teaching? Everything! The magic that happens in the classroom is completely dependent…
Meet Sarah Rowley
Global Impact
Sharon Crary
Professor Sharon Crary has studied the devastating effects of the Ebola virus for 15 years. Since the…
Meet Sharon Crary
Global Strategist
Phyllis Ferrell
DePauw pride has remained an important part of Phyllis Ferrell's life, even after graduation in 1994…
Meet Phyllis Ferrell