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
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
Brandon Collins
Forming a Path in Public Health

Brandon Collins

Brandon Collins '23, a neuroscience and global health double major, chose DePauw because of the small…

Meet Brandon Collins
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
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
 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
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
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
Drew Cosgray
Guaranteed Success

Drew Cosgray

I came to DePauw for a Copeland Scholarship interview. I had never been on DePauw’s campus, but as soon…

Meet Drew Cosgray
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
Chi Nguyen
Healing through Art

Chi Nguyen

When Chi Nguyen ’25 found out that she had won first place and the Museum Purchase Prize at the Putnam…

Meet Chi Nguyen
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
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
 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
Brace Mullett
Never Say No

Brace Mullett

Brace Mullett ’26 didn’t have a master plan to come to DePauw, double major in biochemistry and religious…

Meet Brace Mullett
Ben Schroeder
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
John Marshall
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
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
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
Zach Taylor
Learning how to cut the fat

Zach Taylor

Zach Taylor graduated as a poetry and studio art double-major. Initially he was on an English literature…

Meet Zach Taylor
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
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
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
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
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
Elisha Amadasu
Wisdom and Probability

Elisha Amadasu

Growing up in Brooklyn, Elisha Amadasu ’26 identified his intellectual passion at a young age. “Math…

Meet Elisha Amadasu
Meghan Shearer
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
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
Hanna Coffel
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