Dear Alumni and Friends,
This fall, I become the Chair of the Board of Trustees of DePauw. It is an honor and privilege to help lead this great university at a time when there are so many innovative initiatives happening at DePauw.
I recently spent some time on campus, and the energy and enthusiasm around DePauw was intoxicating! Students, faculty and staff were proudly wearing their DePauw gear on a Black and Gold Friday. The fall colors were out, and the campus never looked better. However, the best part of my visit was observing and interacting with students and faculty. The professors' genuine care and commitment to teaching and challenging students was evident in their classrooms and on campus. The students are smart, engaged and engrossed in all the academic and extracurricular opportunities. The visit brought back so many fond memories of my DePauw experience.
On my walk around campus, I lingered in the academic quad. A 30-million-dollar renovation of Roy O. West library, of which 75% was funded through gifts from alumni, was opened to our students at the beginning of spring term. The new Roy O. is a spectacular addition
to campus. It is a 21st century library that has incorporated the technology, learning resources and study spaces that will be the centerpiece of academic activity. The reviews are in, and students, faculty and staff love it. I encourage all of you to get back to DePauw and experience the positive energy and optimism on campus.
Most of you have read about our Bold and Gold Stategic Plan
.The plan focuses on ways to enhance the students’ academic and non-academic experience and builds upon the strengths of our uniquely DePauw residential liberal arts and sciences institution. We are just beginning to implement facets of this dynamic, innovative plan. I believe the new School of Business and Leadership opening in the fall of 2023 and the Creative School opening in the fall of 2024 will flourish under the umbrella of a liberal arts education.
DePauw was very much a transformational experience for me. I encourage and invite you to campus, take a walk, connect with our students, attend a performance or athletic event. Join your alma mater when DePauw is in your neighborhood for an alumni event. To this day, I still lean on the lessons I learned inside and outside classroom to help shape my decisions. It is a very exciting time at our alma mater! Go Tigers!
Sincerely,
Douglas I. Smith '85
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Upgraded Roy O. West Library debuts
Thanks to the efforts of many on-campus and contracted professionals and over $20 million in contributions from more than 100 alumni and friends, Roy O. West Library officially reopened to students and the community on January 30, 2023, just in time for the beginning of the spring semester. Highlights of the new space include the grand reading room and fireplace room, the Tenzer Technology Center, the Learning Commons (formerly known as the Academic Resource Center or ARC), the Wood Study, prominent and state-of-the-art facilities for the Archives and Special Collections and Café Roy, the many private and group study spaces, and the return of the treehouse study carrels.
Record number of students apply for admission
With the February 1st application deadline having passed for prospective students, Vice President for Enrollment Management Mary Beth Petrie reports we have achieved a new milestone with admission applications. This is the first time in DePauw history that we have received more than 7,000 applications for admission. “Increasing the number of admission applications is critical to attracting the brightest, most diverse first-year class to DePauw, so this is an important achievement to be celebrated. We anticipate a strong class entering next fall,” Petrie said.
Mourning Registrar Emerita Eleanor “Ellie” Ypma
DePauw’s beloved former registrar has died leaving behind a legacy of more than 30 years of service to the university community, as well as generous financial contributions that have helped DePauw students to study abroad. You can read more about Ellie’s story in this past issue of the DePauw Magazine and leave a remembrance of her on this memorial site.
Black History Month on Campus
Student Events
The DePauw community began Black History Month with a kickoff celebration at the Justin and Darrianne Christian Center for Diversity and Inclusion. The celebration marked the start of a month of activities related to Black history on campus.
This year’s Mendenhall Lecture spanned two nights, coincided with the kickoff of Black History Month and featured not one but four distinguished speakers on the topic “ The Criminal Injustice System: On Death, Faith, and Black History in America .”
Philanthropy in Action
Fitzgerald Scholar thrives on variety of opportunities at DePauw
Taylor Fleming , a junior in the Class of 2024, says DePauw has brought her so many opportunities. A communication major, history minor and Media Fellow, she also participates in Festival Choir and Improv Club, is a member of the WGRE board of directors and a Chapel Intern at Gobin United Methodist Church, participated in faculty-student collaborative research and is currently interning at a radio station in New York City. “I am so honored to be chosen for the Fitzgerald Scholarship. It means so much to me to know that others see my potential and are willing to help me succeed. Thank you so much to the Fitzgerald Family, and especially Celine Fitzgerald, who I met recently via a Zoom call,” Fleming says.
“It was a privilege to meet our scholarship recipient, Taylor, via Zoom before she jetted off to NYC to start her radio station internship!” says Celine Fitzgerald. “I am extremely impressed by how poised, well-rounded, and committed she is to her studies and campus ministry activities. Taylor is on the fast track to accomplishing all her dreams and goals!”
The Fitzgerald Scholarship Fund was established by Gerald F. Fitzgerald Jr., an economics major and Delta Chi Fraternity member in the Class of 1972. The Fitzgerald Scholarship supports a student who is an active participant in campus ministry programs.
If you would like to learn more about supporting students at DePauw, email annualgiving@depauw.edu or call 765-658-4085.
Your DeValentines Warm the Hearts of Faculty and Staff
Last week, we solicited your Valentine greetings for favorite faculty and staff members. We also invited students to participate. On Valentine’s day, we delivered your messages to elated employees. Enjoy this video of the celebration . If you’d like to show a little love for faculty and staff at DePauw, you can designate your Fund for DePauw donation for Faculty and Program Support.
Announcements
DePauw Athletics Hall of Fame Nominations Extended
Nominate alumni, athletics teams, DePauw Athletics coaches and administrators, and individuals who have made a significant contribution to DePauw Athletics by February 28, 2023.
Learn About Alumni Admission Volunteer Opportunities
Are you interested in representing DePauw at college fairs in your hometown? The Alumni Board's Admission Committee & DePauw's Office of Admission will host a virtual info-session for alumni to learn more about volunteering at college fairs. The event will offer details about what you can expect as a volunteer and an overview of how to be involved. Alumni who assisted at college fairs this past fall will also answer questions about their experiences. The program will be offered via Zoom on Wednesday, March 1st at 7:30pm EST.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming events may always be found on our website . Stay tuned for events coming to a city or a screen near you.
February 23- The Robert C. McDermond Speaker Series featuring
McDermond Medal Recipient Peter Ruppert '86
February 23- Translating Blackness: Latinx Colonialities in Global Perspectives
March 1- Registration opens for Alumni Reunion Weekend
March 4- Indiana LatinX Leadership Conference
March 20- Ubben Lecture, featuring Brad Stevens ‘99
March 31- Men’s Lacrosse Alumni Game
March 31-April 1- Indiana Pacers vs. Thunder Game - Indianapolis Regional Alumni Association - SOLD OUT!
April 11- Indy Networking Event at Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library
May 11- Re-dedication of Roy O. West Library
May 21- Commencement
June 8-11- Alumni Reunion Weekend on campus
September 19-22- Class of 1958 Reunion on campus
Recent Events
Thank you to Alex Cole '76, Partner at Perkins Coie LLP for hosting our first alumni/student networking event in Chicago since March 2020! On January 17, we welcomed alumni: Don Olson '96, Matthew Rager '96, Joe Vocisky '70, Gerry Fitzgerald '72, Brooke Bandy, CFA '19, Kyle Garner '19, Liam Byrnes '19, Michael Claus '07, Carolyn Cole '05, Andrew Cole '07, Ben Feden '99, Richard Feicht ' 04, Bryce McClanahan ' 21, Tom Grant '56, David Jones '19, Will Jacob '21, Scott Moen '07, Peter Nicieja '20, Benton Turner '19, Daniel Wilkinson '22 and several current students. Look for more regional events coming your way.
Alumni in the News
See and submit class notes • Update your information • Make a gift •
Recommend a student • Provide an internship opportunity
Please visit our website for different ways you can volunteer to support our students and university.
DePauw University Office of Alumni Engagement
201 E. Seminary Street | Greencastle, Indiana 46135
If you wish to be removed from this group's mailing list, Unsubscribe .
DePauw University
P.O. Box 37
Greencastle IN 46135-0037
Phone (765) 658-4800
