Button Menu

Our Community Stories

  • About
  • Our Community Stories
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
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
Jacob Zerull
A Full Plate

Jacob Zerull

When Jacob Zerull ’29 arrived at DePauw from his hometown of Lake Forest Ill., he wasted no time making…

Meet Jacob Zerull
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
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
Mariam Lobjanidze
Uncovering the Story

Mariam Lobjanidze

I chose DePauw because of its rigorous academics, amazing opportunities to get experience in media and…

Meet Mariam Lobjanidze
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
Jason Soto-Vega
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Marielle Gearding
Endless Curiosity

Marielle Gearding

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

Meet Marielle Gearding
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
Sydney Schloemer
Making Connections

Sydney Schloemer

No matter what activity Sydney Schloemer ’26 has found herself doing at DePauw, her ultimate goal has…

Meet Sydney Schloemer
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
Sahit Liyanage
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
Tina Irvine
Making Sense of the Past

Tina Irvine

“I’ve been obsessed with history since I was a kid,” says Tina Irvine ’09. “I love a good story, and…

Meet Tina Irvine
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
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
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
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
Byron Mason
Get weird, make mistakes

Byron Mason

I came to DePauw knowing I wanted to write, but there were a lot of different avenues that I could take…

Meet Byron Mason
 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
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
Mahmoud Abouelkheir
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
Kay Sikana
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
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