DePauw Stories

The East College lawn was full on Sunday, May 18, as the Class of 2025 gathered with loved ones to receive their degrees and formally join the distinguished ranks of DePauw University alumni. It was a day filled with thankfulness and celebration, honoring a group of students who have left an indelible mark on the community.

“Standing before you, I am overwhelmed with immense gratitude for DePauw University,” Ashley Long ’25 told her fellow classmates during her address as this year’s Walker Cup recipient. “This institution opened my eyes to a wealth of untapped knowledge in the classroom, challenged me to examine the world through a critical lens and encouraged my growth as a servant leader.”

President Lori S. White added her own message of gratitude, thanking the graduates for the significant contributions they have made over the last four years and celebrating the work they have done to rebuild DePauw’s student life in the aftermath of a global pandemic. “You are certainly leaving this university even better than when you found it,” she said.

White also encouraged the graduates to put what they have learned into action, particularly in light of the complex challenges awaiting them in today’s world. “It is my sincere hope that you will take DePauw’s values – our equal commitments to freedom of expression and to welcoming, supporting and affirming a diverse community whose different experiences, perspectives and viewpoints are the foundation of a liberal arts education – out into the world in which you are entering.”

DePauw alumnus Justin Jordan ’03 served as the ceremony’s featured speaker, offering practical insights gleaned from his own professional journey – a journey that began as an intern at an advertising company and has since evolved into a highly successful career in television and film. After sharing a collection of eight life lessons such as, “Your work is your signature,” and, “Dare to do the unthinkable,” Jordan encouraged DePauw’s newest alumni to go out and chart their own path. “Class of 2025, I believe in you,” he said. “You are powerful beyond measure, and you are ready for this journey. Go out and write your story!”

During the ceremony, Jordan was also presented with an honorary doctor of fine arts degree in recognition of his many creative contributions. Joining him as an honorary degree recipient was Mark Alesia, an award-winning journalist who serves as Senior News Editor at WFIU/WTIU Indiana Public Media. Alesia’s reporting for the Indianapolis Star on the sexual abuse scandal at USA Gymnastics helped facilitate a worldwide reckoning in Olympic sports. He received a doctor of journalism degree.

To view images from the event, visit the Commencement Photo Gallery.