Senior tour guide Nick Hebebrand(left) leads a group of
prospective students around campus over the summer.
REBECA BAGDOCIMO / THE DEPAUW

Rigorous academics, studious students and a close-knit community attract prospective students to campus; at least those are the selling points used by DePauw University’s Admission Ambassadors. Admission Ambassadors are a select group of students who have a direct impact on how visitors view campus.

They are drilled by defensive dads and apprehensive mothers about everything related to DePauw. The most popular question asked of an Ambassador comes during a tour in the form of “why did you choose DePauw?” We all choose DePauw for similar reasons but stay for different ones.

Meet sophomore Mary Grace Morgese, who was on the quest for a small school that was academically challenging and supported her passion for a broad range of knowledge, otherwise known as the definition of a Liberal Arts college. More than anything, she wanted to be known by both her peers and professors.

“I wanted to be more than a number and more than a name; I wanted to be person with ambition and drive, and, most importantly, a story,” said Morgese.

Her story continues as she shares stories with prospective students about the feeling she got when she was in their shoes. After every college visit, her dad always asked her if she got “the feel.” The feel to Morgese is “complete comfort, a desire to start school now,” and “a place that [she] could call [hers].”

Similarly, junior Grant Walters was attracted by the class size and the academic opportunities DePauw offered such as the Media Fellows program. Walters' favorite anecdote to share on tours supports Morgese’s idea of being well-known on campus. Every tour Walters gives he tells his group about the first tour he gave as a freshman. 

“I had 6 different people wish me a ‘happy birthday’,” said Walters.

If you didn’t know, it is an old DePauw tradition to wish an Admission Ambassador a “happy birthday” when he or she is seen giving a tour. Walters finishes his story by telling his group, “I went with it for that day.”

Sophomore Meghan Burke chose DePauw because of its academic reputation. Burke ultimately saw DePauw as “a special place [where] I could thrive because I would be surrounded by driven and passionate people.” You will be surprised to know why she initially visited.

“I always tell people about my dad's weird obsession with President Casey and how he watched every YouTube video with him in it,” said Burke. “I only came on a visit to please my dad”.

But after spending almost two years here she “ended up seeing that he was rightfully obsessed with DePauw.”

When you ask senior Hope Jordan why she chose DePauw, she will tell you a long running list of reasons but will sum it up with “the liberal arts feel.” She especially likes to share her experience of running a radio show from 12:00-2:00 am on Wednesdays.

However, a good amount of her DePauw experience was spent running much more than a radio show. In fact, it was spent running cross country and track & field.

 “Some of my best memories have been made running in the nature park with my team,” said Jordan.

Senior Nick Hebebrand will answer the infinitely famous question with, “I came because of the scholarship, but I stayed because of how excited and passionate people are about being DePauw students or alumnus.”

To Hebebrand, the energy you find on this campus is unlike any other campus or place for that matter. His DePauw story will not end when he graduates this spring; it will continue on as alum.

 “It's like being in on this really cool secret,” said Hebebrand.

Although the tour route is structured the same, each tour ends differently, depending on the guide. Every student may have a similar start to their DePauw story, such as walking up the steps of the Emision Building, but every student has a different ending.

Whether it’s getting “the feel” as you look up at East College, celebrating your birthday on multiple occasions, racking up the views on YouTube videos of President Casey, running tracks on WGRE or miles in the nature park, or even being in on a 177 year-old secret, everyone has their own story.