work of poetry dedicated to a college admission director. While most of its 19 stanzas are spent proving the thesis, it evokes Wittich and his memory early on: We came from towns near, we came from afar Some arrived by plane, but mostly by car John Wittich selected each with critical eye He knew what it took and his standards were high
Young alumni learned to give through their DePauw experience
John was impressive, he knew us by name Hello Vernon, Hello Peg, Hi Larry, Hi Jane His greetings meant much for we all knew Selected by John Wittich was really a coup The tributes did not end there. Leading up to the Class of 1957’s 55th reunion in 2012, class chair Don Hamilton ’57 asked classmates to donate to DePauw’s Annual Fund in Wittich’s name. Their contributions established a one-time scholarship, the Dr. John J. Wittich Annual Fund Scholarship, which was awarded to Thomas L. Miller ’16 of Goshen, Ind. The result was so popular among the Fifty-Sevens that they renamed their own endowed scholarship in honor of their longtime friend and mentor – a promise that the man who remembered everyone would never be forgotten. Wittich wrote in thanks, “I reflect back to the years I spent as dean of admission at DePauw University as an almost enchanted and magical span of time. It passed so quickly, but the fond memories have lasted a lifetime. And, so the love.”
Edmund B. and Rebecca Hedge Nightingale, both 2002 graduates of DePauw, met while planning Relay for Life during their sophomore year. That venue was part of a much bigger public service backdrop to their DePauw careers, which has shaped them in profound ways. “Our past philanthropic work at DePauw fuels our giving now,” Rebecca says. “Part of our DePauw experience was learning to help others.” That exposure to public service and philanthropy led the couple to be among the youngest non-GOLD alumni in The Washington C. DePauw Society. “We want other students to have the kind of DePauw experience we both shared,” Ed says. During their four years at DePauw, the couple was active and, as Rebecca puts it, had “the quintessential liberal arts experience.” Rebecca, a native of Greencastle, helped lead and reorganize the Speaking and Listening Center
(S-Center) during a crucial phase of transition, assisting students preparing for presentations, speeches and interviews. She studied in Australia for a semester and did research with Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Jacqueline R. Roberts one summer. She topped off her DePauw career as the 2002 recipient of the Walker Cup. After college, she worked for the American Cancer Society and now raises the couple’s two young children. Ed was a Management Fellow and interned with James W. Emison III ’52. The legendary alumnus “always taught his interns the importance of giving back to DePauw,” Ed says. Ed also spent a summer in research, under the guidance of Professor of Computer Science Carl Singer ’66, and he designed his own Winter Term experience as well, backpacking through Italy and Sicily to learn about his family’s heritage. Ed earned a Ph.D. degree in computer science from University of Michigan and now works as a principal architect for the Microsoft search engine, Bing. “DePauw’s liberal arts program ensured I had a breadth of experience, which has repeatedly given me an advantage during the last decade since graduation,” Ed says. The Nightingales are happy to give generously to DePauw, knowing that through their gifts, today’s students can gain as much from DePauw as they did.
SUMMER 2013 DEPAUW MAGAZINE 37