History Giving Forward

Transcript

When students talk about DePauw feeling like a family, that’s the literal truth for Emma St. John. She’ll be the 11th member of her family to graduate from DePauw. Emma also spends time in DePauw’s career center helping other students connect with alumni for dream internships and job offers right out of college. Tell us about the DePauw family, Emma. Take it away.

Thanks, Alex, and hello. I come from a long line of DePauw Tigers, so you might assume that my first choice would’ve been DePauw, but I wanted to be the black sheep of my family. After a year of trial and error somewhere else, I decided I needed a change and that change was DePauw. And let me tell you, I’ve never been happier. I grew up hearing stories from my family about their time and connections made at DePauw, and now I experience the same traditions in the atmosphere that they lived through, but in my own way. I feel a sense of history everywhere I go on campus, and it’s not just a family connection. DePauw’s rich history can best be experienced through our impressive and dedicated network of alumni. It’s a community that stretches far beyond the streets of Greencastle, evident by how eager our alumni are to offer connections for current students on campus. I work as a consultant within our career development and off-campus study center. My position is made possible thanks to DePauw alumni who feel strongly about developing career and life skills. As a trained advisor, I guide fellow students on how to use DePauw’s many resources, including how to successfully tap into our alumni network. Throughout my exploration, DePauw alumni have been present at every bend and turn, whether through an email, taking the time out of their busy schedule to accommodate a personal meeting, or connecting me to a trusted friend and colleague who could help answer my questions. Now as a senior, my time at DePauw is coming to an end. While it’s bittersweet to move on, I know how proud I am to become an alumni and help the next generation of DePauw students. That’s all from me. Back to you, Alex.

Thank you, Emma. It’s always amazing to see someone pay it forward. DePauw’s career center keeps the school top five in the nation for study abroad and its alumni in the top 7% for career earnings. With a support network of people like Emma, it’s easy to see why. That was awesome. Thanks a lot.