Special Events

Alumni have always been strong supporters of career fairs at DePauw.  This year alumni from companies including Accretive Health, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Citizen Schools, DePauw Opportunity Through Collaboration Program, DyKnow, LLC, Noble Street Charter Schools, Uncommon Schools, Unique Home Solutions, Teach for America, Welch Packaging Group came on campus to interview students. 

Angie's List has been a strong advocate for hiring DePauw students. 

Welch Packaging, seen at right, has been another DePauw managed company that has hired many DePauw graduates.

One senior who attended the fair reported getting three immediate call backs from employers!   

Each year, about two-thirds of each graduating class seeks employment after graduation.  Career fairs have been a way for employers seeking DePauw students to easily access them for jobs and internships.  Employers report that DePauw really bucks a national trend against career fairs.  They report that DePauw students come out in large numbers and are well prepared for the experience.  Career fairs are hosted in the fall and spring.  One fair is just for graduate and professional schools and provides students with the opportunity to explore planning, application, and financial aid.   

Where would you choose to work?

The staff of the Center for Student Engagement helps students and alumni connect with employers around the globe. 

What does winter term, on campus, and medical school have in common? A highly intensive medical school and MCAT Preparation course. 

After three years as a class of 2014 student senator, I took the reigns of a DePauw student government senate committee on pre-professional school planning.  We were charged with brainstorming and researching ways in which DePauw students could better prepare themselves for professional schools and entrance exams.  An idea to bring an on campus Kaplan course to DePauw, along with my inability to afford winter term a trip abroad this year, left me with a thought.  What if we made a winter term course?
After meeting with the Dean of Experiential Learning, Raj Bellani, and the Director of Career Development, Steve Langerud, an idea became formalized into a course.  Kaplan was able to provide a group discount upwards of $400 off their course as well as train a DePauw student to be a Kaplan employee and the courses instructor.  Steve and CGPops, were able to coordinate a strength finder seminar, a lesson on personal statements, and organization to the course.  In all, we created a highly intensive and hopefully largely effective winter term course. We met a minimum of three days a week each meeting for 3 hours of intense instruction, ranging from reviewing an entire semester of physics in a single day to learning the intricacies of bodily systems.  Outside of the instruction, we had a Kaplan outline with homework that included access to over 40,000 MCAT questions, a multitude of practice tests, and review materials for every subject.
We worked in the classroom, outside of the classroom, and with each other in order to make it through a winter term course that was spanned two semesters of physics, two semesters of organic chemistry, two semesters of inorganic chemistry, four semesters of biology, and not to mention verbal reasoning.  Although winter term is over, the course meets weekly until its completion in April. With the preparation this course delivered, the MCAT isn’t so daunting, but rather another challenge that an eager student will face.

Have you considered a career in health care? 

Pre-Health advisor Ken Kirkpatrick and The Center for Student Engagement can help you plan you professional school. 

The annual "Energy Games" competition kicks off this week. This year, the competition is a three-part challenge. It includes a dorm competition, Greek competition, and the first-ever Asbury vs. Harrison challenge. Each building will be judged according to its percentage reduction in water and electricity usage. The tie breaker will be determined by the amount of waste recycled by each building. The competition ends on March 10.

If you are one of those people still wondering, "how do I make the biggest energy saving?" It's simple! Challenge your habits. Cut out showers, unplug mini-fridges, turn off the water when brushing your teeth, only do full loads of laundry, and use public spaces that are not part of the competition for studying. These spaces include Roy O. West Library, Julian Science and Mathematics Center, Peeler, Watson Forum, and the Green Center for Performing Arts. Every year students in residence halls compete to reduce their water and electricity consumption. Those who win usually get some form of prize. This year it's exciting to see the competition expand to include Greek houses and academic buildings since the majority of DePauw students live in fraternities and sororities.

Let the energy games begin & may the odds be ever in your favor!

Allison Orjala '14, Intern in the Office for Sustainability contributed to this post. She is a junior Spanish and Conflict Studies double major from Minneapolis, MN.

Last Wednesday, February 6, the Off-Campus Study staff hosted our semi-annual Welcome Back! event for students returning from off-campus study. Fall 2012 OCS students studied and interned in locations all over the world, including Paris, Beijing, Beirut, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Istanbul, Cape Town, Philadelphia, Santiago, and many more. The Welcome Back! event is a chance for students to gather and share their experiences with each other, as well as consider how their OCS experience might connect to their future professional, academic, and personal goals.

This semester's event featured opportunities for small and large group discussion, a slideshow of student photographs, an art project, and a keynote address by Prof. Bob Steele, the Phyllis W. Nicholas Director of The Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics and Distinguished Professor of Journalism Ethics at DePauw. Prof. Steele spoke to students about the concept of "place" in their lives and the importance of reflection, both solitary and in coversation, as they return to DePauw from their OCS experience and as they consider and take their future steps, reminding them of these words from T.S. Eliot

"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring 
Will be to arrive where we started 
And know the place for the first time."

Several smaller Welcome Back! events will be held throughout the semester, including a conversation with a DePauw alum whose OCS experience has greatly influenced his life's path, a service opportunity sharing OCS stories and snacks with the residents of a local elderly care facility, and a forum where students have a chance to present independent research projects they conducted on OCS to the campus community.

How have you reflected on a transformative experience?

The staff of the Center for Student Engagement supports students before, during, and after their off-campus study experiences to help them achieve meaningful goals that circle back to enhance their DePauw education.

This past Sunday provided a wonderful opportunity for students and community members.  The School of Music brought the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to DePauw for an amazing performance featuring Milos Karadaglic, a classical guitar player.  He played beautifully and I enjoyed the mix of classical guitar with a traditional orchestra.  That was something I hadn't heard before.  The tickets were free for students, and Kresge Auditorium was packed!

After the ISO finished their performance, the audience applauded so enthusiastically for so long that they even gave an encore performance!  The best part is that the ISO is coming back to DePauw again second semester...I cant' wait!

I love being a College of Liberal Arts (CLA) student at DePauw because while I am not actually part of the School of Music (SOM), I can enjoy the concerts and events such as these frequently!  The music school provides over 150 concerts and performances a year, so there is always something to watch!  

November is an important month for any DePauw fan because of the Monon football game.  This athletic event is the last football game of our season where we play Wabash College.  The winner of this esteemed challenge receives the Monon Bell, a large bell that used to sit on top of a train, painted half gold for DePauw and half red for Wabash until the following year's game.  This tradition has been going on since 1890 and is one of the oldest college athletic traditions.  Check out this video which highlights the history of the Bell!

For several weeks prior to the Monon game, student life revolves around the healthy rivalry between DePauw and Wabash.  For a small liberal arts college, this rivalry is comparable to a Big 10 school!  The swimming, ultimate frisbee team, and rugby teams all have Monon competitions, a showdown of each particular sport against Wabash for a year's worth of bragging rights. 

Unfortunately, DePauw lost the game this year, and the bell will remain at Wabash until next November when it can return to its rightful home...DePauw!!

     There is no where else I would have rather been Tuesday night than at DePauw's Election Watch Party. Our Union Building Ballroom was filled with students and professors from every political background discussing and watching the nights results. Surrounded by multiple TV projections and official polling data screens, you couldn't help but become a mini expert in the 2012 Election.

     As found in all successful college special events, free pizza and cookies  were available to all. You could even pick up a Republican or Democratic decorated cup, as seen on the left. I admit I picked up two- one of each!

    Besides the physical atmosphere, it was the conversation between students and professors that truly made the evening great. Our radio and TV stations, WGRE and D3TV respectively, also had a strong presence as they made sure the campus was kept in the know. Joining them, three panels of selected professors and students took turns discussing relevant topics such as: the Ethics of Voting, Women in the 2012 Election, and Outside Influences on the Election.

       Though groups were facilitating discussion, I was most stuck by the impromptu academic conversations between campus members. With respect and reason we listened to one anther's opinions, adding our own thoughts and ideas to create a wider conversation about politics in the United States. No matter blue or red, each member of campus had something of value to bring to the table. It was the opitome of a liberal arts edcuation, as the Election Watch Party was a meeting ground for diverse ideas, experiences, and differents takes on the 2012 Election.

Some extra pictures:

JR and Sam decorating the Ballroom. Don't worry, they had some help!

Ryan, JR, and Sam having great conversation about the future of the Republican and Democratic Parties.

Carroll, Chris, Pat, and Anisha checking polling updates during a study break.

Two of our election maps that watched national, states, and local elections.

Our fourth panel, which discussed "Beyond the Candidates: Outside Influences on the Election."

"If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run, yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, and - which is more - you will be a man, my son!", ends a British poem that would inform the title of Craig Mullaney's coming of age story, "The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education".

On Monday, The Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics hosted Craig Mullaney, author of The Unforgiving Minute. A Westpoint graduate, Craig graduated second in his class, was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, led an infantry platoon trapped in a deadly firefight in Afghanistan, and returned from war to teach at the US Naval Academy before working in the Obama Administration.

During lunch hour, we had the opportunity to meet Craig and ask questions about his riveting account. Later in the afternoon, we had a reading and book signing session at the new bookstore, Elli Books located downtown before his main discussion event in the Union Building Ballroom. During my time at DePauw, I can testify that special events like these that are woven into academics and student life are not uncommon.

The Unforgiving Minute is one of the assigned readings for Dr. Robert Steele's first-year seminar "This I Believe: Storytelling About Our Core Values" which focuses on stories about the values that reflect our paths and passions in life and the meaning of values on a personal and societal level. Not only do first year students in Dr. Steele's first-year seminar get the priviledge to engage with gripping texts at a top liberal arts school, but they also get the chance to meet and talk to the authors, ask important questions, and grow intellectually.  Do you have a book that has had a significant impact on your life?

DePauw Unversity students are incredibly involved on campus. From raising money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to raising money for Suicide Prevention Education on college campuses. As director of Building Tomorrow I try to highlight the importance of building primary education schools in Uganda. Yesterday former President Bill Clinton (who came to speak to DePauw students last November) and his foundation gave Building Tomorrow $500,000 to help build 6 new schools!

To find out more check out the artilce in the Indianapolis Star: http://www.indystar.com/article/20120924/NEWS/209250330/1001/news?nclick_check=1 

The Building Tomorrow DePauw Chapter is hosting an Eat for Education event at Dairy Castle Wed. October 3rd - proceeds will go towards building a DePauw University Building Tomorrow School in Uganda. I hope to see you there! 

As students, we are reminded of DePauw's academically challenging environment especially during weeks like this.  Midterms have kept almost all of us busy for the past two weeks, so at this point, we're all looking forward to our full week-long fall break!! 

While we have been studying and writing papers constantly this week, there have also been some amazing study break opportunities to take advantage of.  

Last weekend was one of the athletic hallmarks of the school year.  For the Old Gold Football game, many alums come back to see DePauw and interact with current students.  It was also Dad's day at my sorority, so my dad came down to watch the game with me!

  Another student life favorite event happened last night.  The Greek God and Goddess competition is a dance competition between all of the fraternity and sorority houses.  The level of effort put into routines ranges from several hours of practice to several weeks of practice and all of the houses show off their routines in the Lily Gym.  Kappa Alpha Theta won for the sororities, and here's their winning routine if you want to check it out! 

Last night was also one of the Guest Artist Performances hosted by DePauw's School of Music.  Voces8, a British acapella group, sang in Kresge!  Not only did they perform for students, faculty, and Greencastle residents, but they also worked with the music students throughout the day and hosted a master class.  During their performance, they took a break from their planned pieces and called up the DePauw Chamber Singers to perform a piece for the entire audience.  It's opportunities like these that make me appreciate my small liberal arts college environment where as a science major, I can still enjoy the incredible events hosted by other departments, or in this case, the School of Music. 

A crusader for peace and author of the Arias Peace Plan, former two-time president of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Dr. Oscar Arias spoke at yesterday's Ubben Lecture in Kresge Auditorium located in the School of Music. The former President's visit and lecture comes a few weeks after DePauw University's first ever International Education Week (IEW) Celebrations themed after the Millennium Development Goals, a topic that reverberated throughout Dr. Arias' speech. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Arias founded the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress, and the Center for Peace and Reconciliation to work for demilitarization and conflict resolution in the developing world.

"We make our world more dangerous when we invest in war instead of moral choices."

-(President Oscar Arias)

In his speech, Dr Arias asserted that even though we could not have prevented the earthquake in Haiti,  we could have prevented what followed. The provision of clean water could have prevented the cholera epidemic. What followed after the earthquake was not inevitable. It was not just unfortunate but immoral, he said. The President also discussed how poverty is a major barrier to education, especially among older girls in developing countries. Dr. Arias' Center for Human Progress helps to promote equal opportunities for women in all sectors of Central American society. He also reminded the audience that the power to eradicate preventable diseases is in our hands. "If we reduced the U.S military spending by only 5%, we could provide enough mosquito nets to protect the entire populations of developing countries from malaria three times over, but we are caught up in military spending," he remarked.

"Moral Leadership has always been about making the choices that enhance Human Life."

-(President Oscar Arias)

Dr Arias also emphasized the need to protect the environment for future generations to come. I had the chance to ask President Oscar Arias what the toughest challenges in meeting the Millennium Development Goals are, what needs to be done and by what means? The President is a staunch proponent for disarmament, cutting millitary spending, and channelling resources where they are needed the most. "We declared peace to the world when we decided to get rid of our army. We chose the right path... We don’t have to spend our resources this way but we do it by choice... The decision to choose life does depend on us and the choices that we make... There is a reason to believe in a better future, a future that our children deserve... What we need is a world guided not by greed but by our ideals... If we all prioritized our moral choices our countries would never, never be the same," he responded.

"As a student, it's very difficult to find free time to get involved, but I think as DePauw students we prioritize and contribute our time to causes that really mean something to us."

-(Molly Nolden, '10)

Last Friday, Angie Hicks Bowman, founder of Angie's List and DePauw graduate of 1995, gave the 175th Anniversary Distinguished Alumni Lecture on "Making a List and Checking It Twice: How to Succeed as an Entrepreneur". David Becker '75, CEO of First Internet Bank, moderated the lecture. I had the opportunity to intern for one of David Becker's Companies, RICS (Retail Inventory Control System) Software two summers ago. My internship experience at RICS Software introduced me to the corporate world, and helped prepare me for a Computer Science Career at a Fortune 100 company. It's always motivating and inspiring to see distinguished alumni from a small liberal arts college like DePauw come back to share their experiences with students. It's a great networking opportunity too. This week, Bill Rasmussen '54, founder of ESPN, will be on campus for another 175th Anniversary special event.

In her lecture, delivered on Family Weekend, Angie Hicks shared her personal life experiences as a mother and an entreprenuer helping consumers and homeowners find which contractors, doctors, and service professionals they should hire or avoid for local services. Her secret to success is "working with people I have a lot of respect for and can learn from", she told us, and advised us to take advantage of opportunities in life. What's your secret to success?

Tonight I had the chance to meet CNN's chief political correspondent and moderator for the upcoming presidential elections debate, Candy Crowley. Crowley visited DePauw University today to speak at the Ubben Lecture Series, made possible by a generous gift from DePauw Alumni Timothy and Sharon Ubben, both graduates of 1958. I am grateful for the uncommon opportunities that DePauw continues to offer me everyday. As an international student, I have been following the election campaign from afar, but I am interested in what the candidates have to say about the U.S Foreign Policy towards Africa. So, during my conversation with Candy Crowley, I asked her to ask the presidential candidates -- during the foreign policy debate -- how they are going to ensure that the slaughter of innocent civilians in Sudan does not continue on our watch and with tacit U.S support. A petition is available online. After dinner, Candy Crowley gave her lecture "Campaign 2012: A View from the Frontlines" in the Kresge Auditorium located in the School of Music. My favorite quote from her speech was, "This race really is about what do you want your government to be responsible for?"

On Wednesday, I had the amazing opportunity to meet and speak with Dr. Mansukh Wani, one of the co-discoverers of Taxol, a crucial anti-cancer drug.  This special event was hosted by the Biochemistry department and Dr. Wani gave a lecture to anyone interested in the afternoon.  I was lucky enough to hear Dr. Wani speak three times on Wednesday: once in my Cancer Biology class, at his open lecture, and again in the evening at my Science Research Fellows Seminar.  The best part is, these experiences are not unusual at a liberal arts school like DePauw!

Dr. Wani is an incredible man.  In his mid 80s, he still travels and speaks about his days working with Dr. Monroe Wall and the years they spent in the lab synthesizing the anti-cancer drugs Taxol and Camptothecin.  He even showed us pictures of him and his coworkers from the 70s!  The opportunity to not only listen to Dr. Wani, but also ask questions about his life, scientific research, and advice is one of my favorite things about DePauw's academics.  The learning extends beyond the classroom and as students, we have the ability to meet, speak with, and question professionals in a variety of disciplines. 

After his lecture, Dr. Wani took pictures with some of us (celebrity status) and even passed out his business cards telling us to contact him if we were interested in doing medicinal chemical research-he had contacts he could set us up with.  Can you say networking?!? 

It was a great lecture, and all of us took away pieces of the advice he gave including, "Never give up...if I had, Taxol wouldn't exist," and "Do something you love, not what your parents want you to do, or what society wants you to do."

Everyone has been touched by cancer in some form or fashion whether they are a survivor, caregiver, or just a friend. There are no barriers of age, sex, ethnic background. Every year, Depauw University hosts Putnam County's Relay for Life annual fundraising event. As one walks into the Blackstock Stadium, they are greeted by a mixing and blending of children, college students, adults, seniors and everybody united to support the cause of finding the cure.

Last weekend DePauw University hosted the annual Relay for Life fundraising event at the Blackstock stadium. Through this event, Putnam county managed raise $126 000 for the American Cancer Society. With 92 teams represented and over 1 000 participants, this 24 hour event began on Saturday afternoon and was a wonderful opportunity to hang out with some friends and walk on the track for a noble cause. Various campus bands played at the event and the Greencastle Mayor Sue Murray and DePauw University's President Brian Casey graced the occassion. I attended the  Luminaria Ceremony later in the evening with a friend. Each Luminaria bore the name of someone who had battled cancer and glowed resplendently in the dark as we disapperared into the ample crowd of DePauw students and countless other community members who had come together to remember their loved ones lost to cancer, and honor those who have won their battle. Do you have a cause you feel most passionate about and support every year?

This year, Earth Day falls on Good Friday, so happy Earth Day and happy Easter! This week, DePauw Sustainability and the Environmental Club co-hosted several events to celebrate and foster the appreciation of the earth's environment, and to increase awareness on the issues that threaten our environment. On Monday, we watched Matt Demon's "Plan B 3.0:  Mobilizing to Save Civilizations" followed by a scintillating discussion from both students and professors. I spoke on Tuesday's panel of discussion on "Conflict Minerals and Electronic Waste."  Two guests came to present and talk about their environmental sustainability projects. Art Donnelly presented his work designing and building highly efficient sustainable stoves that benefit Latin American women's health by reducing the risk of smoke inhalation. DePauw University students had the opportunity to build their own stoves after the presentation.  Most students enthusiastically showed up to this event, having had prior experience during their 2011 Winter Term In-Service trip to Costa Rica. What I liked about Art Donnelly's work is that besides just building these the stoves, he also educates the indigenous Latin American communities on how to use the technology through training sessions. Professor Julian Agyeman from Tufts University gave a presentation on "Just Sustainability, Equality, and Re-Imagining Communities of the 21st Century."  He highlighted the fact that we live in a world where 4.5% of the world's populations owns 25% of the world's resources, which says a lot about our global sustainability and equality. Borrowing John Barrow's words, I learned that while we seem to be consuming without limits and have slowly developed a throw-away culture, we throw away stuff and the natural resources that make it possible. We throw away people by turning a blind eye and we throw away ideas when they don’t fit into our ideological norm.   By mobilizing to save civilizations, we are not only trying to make a difference but we are creating a different world where stewardship, resourcefulness and thrift are valued. What do you think can and should be done to promote environmental justice in your local community?

This week DePauw University students took to the challenge of "disconnecting" from their electronics devices and the internet for a day. I'm curious to know how many people actually disconnected, knowing how much digital natives are dependent on technology. At times, I get a little obsessed with tech-gadgets. This past Winter term, I spent at least eight hours a day buried behind my computer screen.

On the day of the challenge, Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia and Nicholas Carr, author of The Shallows came to campus to debate the pros and cons of technology and what the internet is doing to our brains. Most Computer Science students and Information Technology (ITAP) Associates had the opportunity to meet Jimmy Wales during a Q&A session held in the afternoon. I remember walking into the Julian auditorium and seeing Jimmy all "wired up" and ready to answer questions. Wikipedia says Jimmy Wales is a co-founder of Wikipedia. Curious to know who the other co-founders are, I asked Mr. Wales, and even though he indirectly answered my question, he seemed to suggest that he is the sole-founder of Wikipedia. As ironic as it may sound, I'm still a little skeptical about how reliable Wikipedia really is.

Before proceeding to watch the debate in the Kresge auditorium, we had dinner with Jimmy Wales at President Casey's house . President Casey occassionally invites students for dinner and other events at his house. Several professors also attended the dinner and I enjoyed the casual conversations that preceded the delicious meal at the President's house.

As argued by Nicholas Carr in The Shallows, do you think the existence of the online world is making it harder for people to engage with difficult texts and complex ideas?

This week has been one of my most productive weeks this semester. It all began with DePauw Student Government passing a Conflict Free Campus Resolution: a campus commitment to favor verifiably conflict-free electronics products when making future institutional purchasing decisions. Many thanks to all the student senators, representatives and every individual who worked in support of this resolution. This resolution is not about boycotting the use of electronics products we depend on daily, but it's about using that very same technology and consumer purchasing power to demand that electronics companies clean up their supply chains and stop using blood minerals from war-torn regions in the world. 

Despite the weather being disrespectful of spring season, I rode my bike with the Cycling team to Fillmore on Monday afternoon.  I enjoyed the ride even though my toes and fingers were numb by the time I got back to campus. I also had the wonderful opportunity of attending professor O'Bannon's senior seminar class on (Un)Civil War. We spent most of the time discussing the root causes of (un)civil conflicts, why people fight, and the correlation between oil/mineral wealth and civil conflicts.

Wednesday morning was a bit rough. I had a tooth pulled out by the Dentist. Not only did I lose my precious tooth, but I lost my money too -- I hope you get the joke. Dr Mark Umbreit, founding director of the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking at the University of Minnesota was also here yesterday to talk about Restorative Justice practices. We had a training workshop after his talk and I gained a lot of valuable skills on mediating interpersonal conflicts. We also learnt centering meditation skills and it felt extremely relaxing especially after such a busy week.

TGIF: as if that's not good enough, I only had one class today because my other class got cancelled. I'm looking forward to today's "Pizza and Gaddafi" Conversation Cafe. I'm also excited because tonight I'll be watching "Blindsight" with my residents on Bishop Roberts 1. Blindsight is an inspiring documentary about six blind Tibetan teenagers who set off to climb the Lhakpa-Ri peak of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. One important thing I've taken out of this week's experience is that, our greatest conflicts and our greatest fears can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a favorite quote or saying?