DePauw Stories

Wyatt Brewster ’28 grew up on a small farm in New Castle, Ind. After winning a highly competitive Lilly scholarship and having his pick of any college in the state, he selected DePauw as the ideal choice for him.

“I enjoy the smaller feel of DePauw and the culture of the surrounding areas,” he says. It reminds him of his hometown, where close relationships were a foundational part of community life and a hard day’s work was something to be proud of.

“I love to work,” says Brewster. Not only did he maintain an internship during his senior year of high school at a manufacturing company in town, but he also operated a small moving company in his spare time. “I was raised to be independent. I’m out there, I’m forward thinking, and I’m unafraid of meeting new people.”

Now, as a first-year student at DePauw, he’s eager to take that same gritty ethos and see how he can make the most of it on campus. He can’t wait to get started in the Management Fellows Program, and he’s interested in checking out the Real Estate Group as well. He even has a collection of side hustle ideas – including one that involves installing a massage chair somewhere on campus. Although he plans to pursue a major in finance, he’s gearing up for a college experience that extends far beyond the classroom.

“I want to find out where I fit in,” he explains.

Amelia Roser ’28 is a fountain of pure energy – and with good reason. She’s been looking forward to this moment since she first visited campus as a high school junior, walked into the admission office and realized that this was where she belonged. “I felt like these people really wanted me here,” she recalls. “They took the time to get to know me.”

Now that she’s here, she’s ready to dive in. She effortlessly rattles off a list of all the things she wants to explore during her time at DePauw: dance, intramural volleyball, yoga, hiking, choir, film, mentoring, study abroad. Oh, and don’t forget about the cat club. Clearly, she has no plans to sit around and be bored.

Roser’s excitement is palpable. But it’s also purposeful. “Every single day, I try to be the person for someone else that I wish I would have had,” she explains. “I was a really shy kid growing up, and I got left out of a lot of things. Now, I take it upon myself to make everyone feel seen and be included – to be the person I wish I would have had.”

Perhaps that’s part of the reason why she’s interested in studying psychology and leaning into the practice of ethical inquiry as a Prindle scholar. Already after just a few days of classes, she’s finding the academic environment at DePauw to be right up her alley.

“I love the small class sizes here. I knew that’s what I wanted.”

As a high school student in Lebanon, Ind., Ava Lehmkuhler ’28 did it all. She was a three-sport athlete, a class council member, an ambassador, a lifeguard, a DECA member, a Key Club member and the class valedictorian.

“People called me a ‘try-hard’ in high school,” she says with a laugh. It’s a title she wears as a badge of honor. “I found ways to define my own success, and I hold that very dear. I’m proud of the work I put in.”

Even though she had a strong DePauw connection thanks to her father Jon Lehmkuhler ’92, her original plan was to go out of state for college. But after receiving the Robert Lee Copeland Award and being given an offer to play tennis for the Tigers, Lehmkuhler changed her plans and redirected her path toward Greencastle. “It wasn’t my first choice,” she says, “but it’s honestly the best choice.”

Long term, Lehmkuhler is interested in medical school and a future career that helps to advance women’s health and advocate for maternal care. She hopes to explore her options for research on campus, take part in the Disney College Program and pursue the opportunity to study abroad. She’s currently leaning toward a major in biochemistry.

Despite facing numerous challenges in the years leading up to this one – including a torn ACL and the loss of her grandparents – Lehmkuhler is bringing a spirit of resilience to her DePauw experience. She’s ready for a fresh start and a bright future.

Most people don’t begin their first year of college having already grown – and sold – their own business. But Cooper Grabow ’28 is not most people.

As a student at Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis, Grabow was an Eagle Scout, he worked with kids at a summer camp, and he was actively involved in a litany of clubs and organizations. Somehow in the midst of all that, he also managed to start a specialty lawn care business that upheld his passion for environmental sustainability by exclusively using electric equipment.

It’s a background that he hopes to build on here at DePauw. He’s leaning toward a major in economics with a minor in political science, and he wants to use that to propel himself toward a future in consulting or public policy. Ideally, he’d love to end up in Washington, D.C., where he could find a way to merge his interests in business and the environment. It’s a path that has been shaped in large part by the combined example of his mom – whose work as a philanthropy executive allowed her to be involved in state politics – and his dad – who is a commercial banker and also a DePauw alum (Brad Grabow ’85).

“I’ve always been fully dedicated to everything I do,” says Grabow. “I tend to notice things that other people don’t. I want to get stuff done.”

“It was over a lot quicker than I thought it would be,” says Wyatt Brewster. Although he admits that his first semester wasn’t all smooth sailing, he knows it had a positive impact on his development as a person.

His Italian class with Francesca Seaman is just one example. “I felt like my head was literally growing every time,” he says. “She was cramming so much information in there. She was the most demanding professor I had, but also my favorite. She’s so wise it’s scary.”

In addition to the academic value of that class, Brewster also came away with several new friendships. In fact, he just recently spent a few days in Chicago over the holiday break visiting one of the friends he met in that class. It’s one of many new relationships that Brewster has been able to develop so far here on campus.

“I was nervous about making the right connections with people,” he admits. “But so far I think I have. I’ve met a lot of smart people. The people I’m around make me proud.”

As Brewster gets ready for the challenges of a new semester, he’s embracing the responsibility that comes with it. “This is a year I’ll never get back. I have to keep doing things my future self will thank me for.”

Amelia Roser’s favorite class during her first semester was in the psychology department. In this new term, she’ll have two more. She couldn’t be more excited to dive in. “I’ve loved my psychology experience here so far,” she says. “Every time I show up to class, I’m like, ‘This is what I want to do. This is it.’”

She’s already forming meaningful relationships with faculty members – she’s particularly fond of Phoenix Crane, assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience – and she’s finding ways to connect what she’s learning across different disciplines. “All my classes blend together. I’m always taking stuff from one class into another. It’s so interesting.”

On the social front, Roser has adopted a simple strategy: “I just joined stuff.” From there, the relationships have arisen naturally. She’s now a part of two dance teams, she recently volunteered at the high school ethics bowl, and she’s just recently found a home on campus with her new sisters at Alpha Chi Omega.

“It’s definitely been a fresh start being here,” she says. “I was excited to go where nobody knows who I am. But I feel like I’m wanted here. It’s like I have an entire society of support.”

That isn’t to say that it’s all been easy. Roser admits that it’s challenging to be away from her siblings, she misses her cat, and she’s found herself moving away from some of the values and expectations that shaped her in her earlier years. But she’s learning how to navigate the changes and embracing the new opportunities in front of her.

“Getting out of that shell has been really good for me.”

“It was.” That’s how Ava Lehmkuhler sums up her first semester at DePauw.

“Socially, it was great,” she explains. “I love the atmosphere, and it’s been fun going to the different houses and getting into the tennis season.” But in the classroom, not everything went as smoothly as she had hoped. “I spent a lot of time struggling academically.”

One big reason for that was a class that, in her words, “really pushed my buttons.” For someone who was accustomed to academic success throughout high school, this was a new position for her to find herself in. Yet Lehmkuhler’s resilience allowed her to persevere through the challenges and find the silver lining in the experience – such as closer relationships with fellow students who also struggled in the same class. They bonded over their shared experiences and supported one another through the difficulties. “From the ashes, something grew,” she says.

With a new semester ahead of her, she knows she’ll need more of that resilience. “I’m in a class this semester that is going to be challenging, too,” she says. And then there’s the added pressure of spring tennis season ramping up. “I’m looking at my schedule and wondering how I’m going to survive this semester.”

But Lehmkuhler knows she’s maturing each and every day. “It’s been less of an abrupt transition and more of a gradual flow. Being at college has given me an outlet for discovery. I’m understanding more of what is expected of me and learning how to study and manage my time.”

Just a few days ago, Cooper Grabow found himself in the front row of the gallery at the Indiana Statehouse, sitting next to the president of DePauw Student Government (DSG). “Never in a million years would I have expected to be there,” he says. Yet after taking over a role within DSG as the vice president of allocations, he’s been working on a major project with ramifications for state legislation, and now he’s doing things like going to Indianapolis on a random weekday to take part in the state legislative process.

In many ways, this is an apt summary of Grabow’s first few months at DePauw. “I got so much more involved than I thought I would,” he says. In fact, it’s one of the key differences he’s noticed between his college experience so far and his friends at other schools. “They’re already noticing how involved I am, how active I am in the life of the school. It really stands out.”

In order to sustain that level of involvement, Grabow has been forced to be more proactive about organizing his time. “I had to adapt to the schedule,” he says. “I’ve definitely double-booked myself a few times without realizing it. But now, I use a calendar for everything. Even eating lunch.” He’s also found that his professors have been highly accommodating.

Although he still wants to pursue a future career that brings together business and politics, his focus has certainly shifted since arriving on campus a few months ago. “I’m leaning more toward the politics side right now,” he explains – even to the point of considering political science as one of his majors. “It’s cool to have a span of different classes I’m taking in one semester. I’m not getting burned out by concentrating on one thing all the time.”

“I went through the rush process as a guy who wasn’t really interested in joining a house,” says Wyatt Brewster. “But after rush, the choice was pretty clear to me that there’s a lot of value at this school in a Greek house.”

Brewster’s decision to join Sigma Chi has profoundly shaped the direction of his second semester on campus. Not only did it open up the door to many new friendships, but it also led to him running for a leadership position with the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the governing body for ten of DePauw’s Greek-letter organizations.

“I lost, but I was thrilled,” says Brewster. “I knew I did all that I could. I think it’s great to put yourself out there. I had to have a set of goals, I had to prepare a speech, I had to be the best dressed guy in the room. I still lost, but I learned so much from that. And I think you don’t really lose if you learn something.”

For Brewster, that lesson extends far beyond his IFC campaign. He’s consistently tried to put himself in situations where he can meet people and explore opportunities – a practice that has helped him land an internship for the upcoming summer months in New Mexico.

His advice to other first-year students is rooted in his own experience: “Try to do something in your first or second semester that in the next two or three years, you’re going to look back on and be happy you did. If you understand what you’re passionate about and you understand your goals, you’re going to do nothing but succeed.”

It’s fitting that one of Amelia Roser’s main reasons for choosing DePauw was the sense that others genuinely wanted her here. One full year into her college experience, that sense is stronger than ever. “If I were to leave DePauw or go somewhere else, a lot of people would be unhappy. It’s such a beautiful thing to know.”

Joining a sorority has been a significant factor in nurturing Roser’s sense of belonging, but so has her involvement with a pair of dance teams on campus, X-Cell and the Heat. “Those have become such incredible communities for me. They are now people I can lean on when I need help. They are just amazing and supportive.”

Even in the classroom, Roser finds that others notice and care about her at an individual level. “My professors check in with me,” she says. “If I’m late to class or I’m not doing well or not looking well, they will make sure I’m okay. I feel valued and appreciated.”

As Roser turns her attention to the next three years, she’s eager to find ways to extend that same care and hospitality to others. Next fall, she’ll take on a new role as a tour guide with the admission office. She’s also joined the Well-Being Collaborative on campus and is hoping to be a mental health peer educator. These roles are a key part of Roser’s college experience – and her personal fulfillment

“I really want to have a leadership position. Those positions have helped me step into myself, and there are so many opportunities at DePauw.”

Whether it’s a new leadership role, a new psychology class next semester or the possibility of studying abroad before she graduates, Roser is ready to tackle new challenges and opportunities as she wraps up her first year and looks forward to the next one.

Although Ava Lehmkuhler entered this semester with a daunting schedule of academic and athletic responsibilities, she’s now just a few days away from summer break. One of the keys to her success has been the support she’s received along the way.

“The first year and the first season is kind of weird, because you don’t really know what to expect with the traveling and the practice and the time management. But most of my professors were accommodating, and they made it less stressful than I thought it would be. I feel really confident going into next year, knowing what to expect.”

The support that Lehmkulher experienced even showed up in some especially profound ways when she lost her grandfather just a few months ago. “That broke me for a minute, but I can’t even express the bounce back that I experienced. Truly, everyone was out to help me. Professors gave me extensions. Coaches gave me mental health days. Teammates got me a care basket. The people on my floor consoled me. It was a really difficult time that was met with so much love and genuine support.”

As she reflects on these events and everything else she’s experienced since arriving on campus back in August, Lehmkuhler is starting to see just how much she’s changed.

“It sounds silly, but I feel like an adult,” she says. “In college, you have total freedom to be around the people you want to be around and to be influenced by the people you want to be influenced by. It's like this beautiful thing where I can be my own individual, but I am not an individual who is alone. I get to learn alongside other individuals every day. It’s this absolutely gorgeous collaboration that occurs when everyone’s different perspectives and ideas come together.”

After an internship this summer in her hometown, Lehmkuhler is ready to come back and apply all these things she’s learned. She’s looking forward to being more involved in Kappa Alpha Theta, where she serves on the recruitment committee, as well as Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“I’ve seen the gradual shift from nervousness to confidence, and now I get to build on what I’ve created. It’s a fun journey.”

“Proud. Definitely proud.” That’s how Cooper Grabow imagines the August version of himself would feel about his current self here in early May as he wraps up his first year at DePauw.

One big reason for that pride is the fact that the legislation which had taken him to the Statehouse earlier in the semester has since been signed into law. It’s a gratifying accomplishment for all the students across the state who helped make it a reality – especially for someone like Grabow whose career interests are so closely aligned with this kind of work. “Being able to say as a freshman that I had a little bit of an impact on a law that could likely save people’s lives is something I never would have expected before coming to DePauw.”

On top of his activism within student government, Grabow is also proud of the way he’s grown as an individual. Despite coming to DePauw with an appreciation for diversity, being here for just a few months has already broadened his perspective immensely. “I’ve been exposed to lots of different people I wasn’t exposed to in high school,” he says. “You’re forced to, right? There are 1,900 people. You can’t just huddle in your little group, even if you wanted to. That’s really special, and it’s pushed me in ways I didn’t expect.”

There’s also a highly practical aspect to Grabow’s development this year. After mastering his use of the calendar during his first semester, he’s now added a new tool to his toolbelt of life management skills. “I keep a database of anyone I’ve ever connected with – their name, where they went to school, contact information, their LinkedIn, notes from our conversation, if they’ve offered me a referral for a job, if there’s a potential internship there, what industry they’re in, all that sort of stuff. It’s super helpful to keep me organized.”

This commitment to organization is just one example of the transformation that Grabow has seen in himself since August. “There were parts of me that needed to change, and those things did change. Self-discovery is something you hear about, but you can never really understand it until you get dropped off on your own and you start to set a new life for yourself.”