Button Menu

Our Community Stories

  • About
  • Our Community Stories
Suzanne Spencer
The Silver Lining

Suzanne Spencer

After beginning her television news career as a multimedia journalist in South Bend, Suzanne Spencer…

Meet Suzanne Spencer
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
Ha Chu
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
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
 Elisa Villanueva Beard
Business Executive

Elisa Villanueva Beard

Elisa has been an integral part of Teach for America for 25 years. It all started in 1998 as a TFA Phoenix…

Meet Elisa Villanueva Beard
Danielle Sommerman
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
Eliana Jolanda Alzate
Speak Now

Eliana Jolanda Alzate

“Why International Student Orientation is Essentially a Taylor Swift Concert.” Eliana Jolanda Alzate…

Meet Eliana Jolanda Alzate
Erik Wielenberg
Freedom to Explore

Erik Wielenberg

Since 1999, Erik Wielenberg has been a fixture of the philosophy department at DePauw University. Not…

Meet Erik Wielenberg
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
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
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
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
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
Tanner Austin
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
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
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
Nushla Pradhan
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
Bella Zollner
Hope Is the Solution

Bella Zollner

Bella Zollner ’27 isn’t the type to sit on the sidelines. She prefers to be in the heart of the action…

Meet Bella Zollner
 Troy Tien Nguyen
Giving Back

Troy Tien Nguyen

For domestic students, going to college is a new and exciting thing. But for international students,…

Meet Troy Tien Nguyen
Taylor Fleming
Leading with Purpose

Taylor Fleming

In addition to the gorgeous campus, I chose DePauw because I wanted to go where people would see my potential…

Meet Taylor Fleming
 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
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
Tanaa Jones
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
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
Ainsley Boras
Part of the Family

Ainsley Boras

Ainsley Boras ’25 is no stranger to the DePauw family. Visiting campus as a child with her parents Amy…

Meet Ainsley Boras
Erin Pasch
Committed to Community Service

Erin Pasch

My time in the Bonner Scholar Program was the most meaningful experience I had at DePauw. I met a lot…

Meet Erin Pasch
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
Daniel Villa
Where Opportunity Meets Hustle

Daniel Villa

Daniel Villa ’26 never envisioned himself spending a winter term in another country. It’s not that the…

Meet Daniel Villa
Maggie Perry
Art for All

Maggie Perry

The Brooklyn Museum. The Art Institute of Chicago. The Sarah Gormley Gallery in Columbus, Ohio. Anyone…

Meet Maggie Perry