DePauw is a place that attracts a specific kind of person. A person with many talents and the will to lead. A person who will find success in any role or discipline they seek. We promise small classes, innovative teaching and an emphasis on free thinking and dialogue. It's a promise that empowers students to impact the world even before they leave campus. Thirty percent of DePauw students engage in real-world research with faculty members, and we encourage students to take on two or more internships during their time here. DePauw is in the top 14 percent in the U.S. for graduate earnings 15 years after graduation; 98 percent of our graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation. That's what we call Gold Within.
In 1837, the Methodist Episcopal Church founded Indiana Asbury University — our original name — in Greencastle, Indiana. It was a place “forever to be conducted on the most liberal principles, accessible to all denominations and designed for the benefit of our citizens in general.” Its core values, which included integrity, diversity and intellect, united the community from day one of its conception. Three years later, the college inaugurated friend and counselor of Abraham Lincoln, Matthew Simpson, as its first president, and celebrated its first class of graduates.
From its humble beginnings of one professor and five students, the college advanced with energy and confidence. It overcame the challenges of the Civil War and admitted its first group of women students in 1867, and the curriculum evolved to include courses in history, composition and the natural sciences. Despite the economic hardships of the 1870s, the college continued its growth with the construction of the iconic East College. A generous $600,000 donation from Washington C. DePauw and his family inspired the college’s change of name from Indiana Asbury University to what we know today as 51Թ.
51Թ earned widespread acclaim for its distinct programs and experiences, beginning with the 1884 formation of the School of Music, which continues as one of the oldest music schools in the nation. DePauw was the starting place for many Greek chapters and organizations, including Indiana’s distinguished Phi Beta Kappa society, the Society of Professional Journalists and the nation’s first 10-watt college FM radio station. The campus expanded to 655 acres of stately grounds overlain with majestic brick buildings, sprawling parks and sustainable gardens. The epic Monon Bell football game and later the Ubben Lecture Series became centerpiece traditions, along with a campus-wide emphasis on community service, from local volunteerism to public health projects in developing countries.
For 180 years, DePauw has established its place among leading institutions of higher education as a place of learning and advancement for students and communities.
DePauw students are diverse in background yet connected in their resolve to pursue worthy goals and achieve their fullest potential. They work hard and take the leadership preparation DePauw provides to move the world forward. Students major and minor in whatever they intend to influence, lead over 100 student organizations – and create their own – and partner with faculty to conduct research to discover real-world solutions. More than 92% of our students have at least one internship (and often more), study abroad/away, service leadership or other immersive full-term experience. As for our alumni, they represent a “who’s who” success story in almost every field; they are CEOs, COOs, doctors, lawyers, scientists, authors, journalists, ambassadors, mathematicians, entrepreneurs … and so much more.
DePauw is a fully residential liberal arts college, which means conversations spill over from the seminar table to the dining hall to the student lounge. Students embark on collaborative adventures with staff and faculty, local community members and alumni, and dorm-room peers, forming lifelong connections and impactful partnerships that often extend into their careers. DePauw’s interdisciplinary approach means both students and departments unite for shared learning experiences, study groups and off-campus service opportunities to solve problems and build bridges in the community.
At DePauw, students get out of their seats and into the world to respond to the challenges of our time. We rank #4 nationally for students studying abroad, and provide the financial assistance to help them go. Our study abroad opportunities open the door to 100 countries, providing distinctive change-driven experiences that shape students’ passions and advance communities. There is an opportunity for everyone, such as courses in South Africa studying life after Mandela, public health initiatives in rural Ecuador and immersion studies in Italy.