Button Menu

Our Community Stories

  • About
  • Our Community Stories
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
Marielle Gearding
Endless Curiosity

Marielle Gearding

Theatre. Neuroscience. Creative writing. True crime. Dance. Marielle Gearding ’27 has no shortage of…

Meet Marielle Gearding
Ivan Villasboa
Living with purpose

Ivan Villasboa

While I was growing up in Argentina, I dreamed of becoming a big-city banker in the United States — the…

Meet Ivan Villasboa
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
Marwa Aarab
Enriching a Global Perspective

Marwa Aarab

As an international student keen on medicine and research, I chose DePauw University after careful examination…

Meet Marwa Aarab
 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
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
Molly Madden
Making Time for Both

Molly Madden

Where others see a choice, Molly Madden ’18 sees an opportunity. For most of her life, she’s approached…

Meet Molly Madden
Christian Rivera
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
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
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
 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
Ibilola Fasogbon
Appetite for Discovery

Ibilola Fasogbon

Ibilola Fasogbon ’28 has always been driven by curiosity and adventure. As a child, she found nearly…

Meet Ibilola Fasogbon
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
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
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
Erika Marchant
Empowering Change

Erika Marchant

Because of my interest in Chinese language, culture, history and philosophy, I declared a major in Chinese…

Meet Erika Marchant
Tyson & Kady Becker
Still Learning

Tyson & Kady Becker

When an opportunity arose to advance in his career within General Motors, Tyson Becker ’04 knew it was…

Meet Tyson & Kady Becker
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
Rafael Toro-Quiñones
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
Arley Johnson
Where Passion Meets Opportunity

Arley Johnson

Since she was in high school, Arley Johnson ’26 has been intrigued by athletic training. As a track and…

Meet Arley Johnson
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
Miriam Linton
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
Leslie James
Empowering Students

Leslie James

Since I recognize that each student brings a unique dimension to the collective, it is problematic to…

Meet Leslie James
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
Zoe Green
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
Deepa Prakash
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
Sarah Salazar
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
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
Meru Sharma
Community Builder. Documentarian.

Meru Sharma

At DePauw, I was a Media Fellow. I was lucky enough to go off-campus for a semester to the New York Arts…

Meet Meru Sharma