DePauw Stories

Two members of the Class of 2026 have etched their names in DePauw history as the latest recipients of the Walker Cup and the Murad Medal, the most prestigious honors the university bestows upon its graduating seniors. Both students were recognized along with several of their peers at the annual Student Awards Convocation in Kresge Auditorium on April 27.

Walker Cup: Robby Ballentine

Awarded to an exceptional graduating senior who has “lived up to the best of DePauw traditions, and done the most to advance the fame and interest of Old DePauw,” the Walker Cup is among the highest distinctions a DePauw student can receive. It was instituted in 1926 by Guy Morrison Walker, an alumnus from the Class of 1890, and it has since honored a long and distinguished line of remarkable students nominated by their classmates. This year’s recipient is a standout student-athlete whose leadership has been recognized on the field, in the classroom and across campus.

Robby Ballentine is an A.L. Lund Scholar from Crown Point, Ind., a biochemistry major and a four-year member of the DePauw football team. In addition to rewriting the record books and leading the winningest class in Tiger football history, Ballentine was a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, he was named the NCAA Division III Academic All-American of the Year, and he achieved honors as a First Team AP All-American, a two-time First Team Academic All-American, a two-time Second Team D3football.com All-American and a Second Team AFCA All-American. Ballentine has also excelled academically, earning a 3.93 GPA and contributing to a cancer research project with DePauw faculty members. He has also served for two years as the Academic Achievement Chair for Phi Delta Theta. Following graduation, Ballentine aspires to continue his football career before pursuing a future in dentistry.

Fellow seniors Mia Martin-Fuller, Jenna Newton and Elijah VanHaaren joined Ballentine as finalists for the Walker Cup.

Murad Medal: Eliana Alzate

Named after Nobel Prize winner Ferid Murad ’58, the Murad Medal recognizes an outstanding graduating senior who has attained the most significant achievements in scholarship or artistic mastery. Since 2014, Murad Medal winners have excelled in diverse fields ranging from scientific research to the arts. This year’s recipient is a multimedia journalist whose award-winning work has left a lasting imprint at DePauw and beyond.

Originally from Cavite, Philippines, Eliana Alzate is completing her degree at DePauw with dual majors in creative writing and computer science and a minor in media studies. She has received numerous recognitions for her work, include the DeWitt Wallace-Reader’s Digest Print Journalism Award, the Mary Smith Hamer Journalism Prize, the Student Excellence in Written Reporting award by the Asian American Journalists Association and the Carole Simpson Scholarship from the Radio Television Digital News Association. During her time on campus, Alzate has served as the editor-in-chief of The DePauw, she has held an editorial role with A Midwestern Review, she has been a Carnegie-Knight News21 fellow, and she has seen her nonfiction writing published by the New York literary publication Mother Tongue Journal. Alzate is a media fellow and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. After graduation, she plans to work in multimedia journalism or data-driven storytelling.

Joining Alzate as Murad Medal finalists were Ayusha Pokharel and Kalina Dickinson.