DePauw Stories

Speaking to a crowd of 3,600 in DePauw University’s Neal Fieldhouse on April 30, award-winning comedian and author Trevor Noah brought his signature sense of humor to timely questions of personal identity and cultural meaning. His appearance marked the final event in the Timothy and Sharon Ubben Lecture Series, a beloved university tradition that has hosted world-renowned speakers since 1986.

In a wide-ranging conversation moderated by Jeff Dunn, associate professor of philosophy and Phyllis W. Nicholas Director of the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics, Noah spoke about his childhood, his career and his perspective on a full spectrum of topics including authenticity, masculinity and the importance of not taking things for granted.

“Humans are good at constantly readjusting our baseline in life,” said Noah. “It’s why we survive, but it’s also why we get bored. One of the most difficult things I do is to remind myself that many of the things I now see as normal are the things that I once wished for. But if I keep adjusting my wishes, it will seem like none of my wishes have come true. This is one of the hardest things we struggle with as humans.”

Noah also spoke about his experiences growing up in South Africa and his sense of being an outsider has shaped his story and informed his growth.

“Resist the allure of being inside,” Noah said. “There’s a trap with being inside that comes from not having to learn, not having to grow, not having to understand. It feels comfortable when you’re in it, but what’s absent is the friction. I spent most of my life wishing I looked like other kids and sounded like other kids, but when you get on the other side of it, you realize how much of a gift it can be because you’re forced to engage.”

In the latter half of the program, Noah was joined on stage by Deepa Prakash, Frank L. Hall Professor of Political Science, who presented Noah with questions previously submitted by students and audience members. The questions explored Noah’s perception of himself as an activist, his uncomfortable acceptance of adversity as a gift and his outlook on the current state of political satire. In response to a question about the difficulty of having honest conversations in today’s climate of social discourse, Noah made a bold — and humorous — case for unfiltered curiosity.

“Think of every stupid, wrong idea you’ve ever had in your life,” he said. “If you stop having them, you stop learning. That’s why I love learning institutions. I believe these buildings, these campuses, are supposed to be the bedrock of stupid ideas and stupid inquiries. The dumbest questions lead us to the most profound answers.”

During its 40-year history, the Ubben Lecture series has provided the DePauw and Greencastle communities with a total of 121 unique and memorable programs. Its guests have included world leaders, Nobel laureates, civil rights activists, journalists, artists, professional athletes and scientific innovators, each bringing their own unique insights to the most timely and important conversations of the moment. Made possible by the initiative and generosity of 1958 graduates Tim and Sharon Ubben, this lecture series has embodied DePauw’s commitment to curiosity, open dialogue and lifelong learning.

“It was important to put a bow on this package that would be proper and fitting for the impact this series has had,” said Ken Owen, longtime director of the Ubben Lecture Series. “I thought Trevor’s message was spot on. It could not have been better. If there were to be a capstone for anything like the Ubben Lecture Series, tonight was a perfect way to do it.”

After the event, Sharon Ubben reflected on why Trevor Noah was the ideal candidate to close out a series that meant so much to her and her late husband Tim. “I think we crushed it,” she said. “We worked on this for almost two years, trying to find someone for tonight. Trevor is someone who likes to talk to young people, and he’s someone who was excited about coming to a college campus. That was important to me.”

The event drew students, faculty, staff, community members, prospective students and alumni from all over the country — all keenly aware of the unique and bittersweet moment they were witnessing in DePauw’s history as an institution.

“It’s a legacy that in one hundred years, people will look back on and say, ‘Wow, that really happened at DePauw,’” said Owen. “And hopefully in a hundred years there will be something that’s just as powerful to carry on the torch.”