Our Community Stories
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
Everything is possible
Sahit Liyanage
What is the value of undergraduate research? One is the experience itself: the chance to learn and engage…
Meet Sahit Liyanage
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
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
Endless Curiosity
Marielle Gearding
Theatre. Neuroscience. Creative writing. True crime. Dance. Marielle Gearding ’27 has no shortage of…
Meet Marielle Gearding
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
A coast-to-coast college adventure
Peyton Rohr
West Coast: The First Visit from Sunny California Peyton Rohr ’27, a student-athlete and media fellow…
Meet Peyton Rohr
From Greencastle to Colombia
Sarah Salazar
I came to DePauw as a Posse Scholar from Chicago who understood the value of education for students from…
Meet Sarah Salazar
Fostering Personal Connections
Sarah Rowley
What excites me about teaching? Everything! The magic that happens in the classroom is completely dependent…
Meet Sarah Rowley
Wisdom and Probability
Elisha Amadasu
Growing up in Brooklyn, Elisha Amadasu ’26 identified his intellectual passion at a young age. “Math…
Meet Elisha Amadasu
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
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
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
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
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
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
Freedom to Explore
Erik Wielenberg
Since 1999, Erik Wielenberg has been a fixture of the philosophy department at DePauw University. Not…
Meet Erik Wielenberg
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
Curiosity and Conservation
Tommy Manning
“My whole life I've been into environmentalism and sustainability,” says Tommy Manning ’26. Although…
Meet Tommy Manning
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
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 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
Joy at the Intersection of Music and Service
Rafael Toro-Quiñones
“I’m kicking myself for dropping a leadership class with Dr. McKelligan,” laughs Rafael Toro-Quiñones…
Meet Rafael Toro-Quiñones
Set Up For Success
Tom Kominsky
Tom Kominsky recalls the broad outlines of how he first became interested in DePauw. He says, “I saw…
Meet Tom Kominsky
Empowering Students
Leslie James
Since I recognize that each student brings a unique dimension to the collective, it is problematic to…
Meet Leslie James
Building Connections
Naima Shifa
The biggest part of my teaching is building connections with my students and creating a community in…
Meet Naima Shifa
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
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
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
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