A Destiny That Began on Campus

In the early 1990s, when Derek Empie spotted a "beautiful blonde woman" while walking through Bowman Park at DePauw University, he had no idea he was about to meet his life partner. With help from his fraternity brothers and the fortunate coincidence of being enrolled in the same mass communication class, Derek '95 and Amber Walker '94 Empie soon connected and have been together ever since.

Thirty years later, their story remains filled with DePauw's signature black and gold. They are not only proud alumni but also parents of three children—Carson '26, Adisyn '27, and Aubree '27—all currently enrolled at the university.

An Unexpected Beginning

Amber applied to DePauw before even visiting campus. Growing up in Carmel, Indiana, she had originally planned to attend a state university and had promised to be roommates with a friend. However, after receiving her acceptance letter from DePauw and visiting Greencastle, her plans changed immediately.

"As soon as I arrived, I thought, 'This is where I need to be.' I didn't know exactly why, but I just had that feeling. So I had to call my high school friend and tell her we wouldn't be roommates anymore."

Derek's path was even more serendipitous. A promising high school baseball player from Georgia, he had attracted strong interest from college scouts. However, he tore his meniscus before his senior year, and Division I coaches informed him they couldn't offer a scholarship due to the uncertainty of his recovery.

"That made me reassess what I was looking for in a school. That summer, my father and I drove through the Midwest and East Coast, visiting about 12 schools. For some reason, DePauw stood out. I applied for early admission, got accepted, and that was that."

Campus Life Footprints

Though they came to DePauw through indirect routes, both Amber and Derek actively engaged with the community.

Derek's Activities:

• Starting pitcher for the baseball team
• Student assistant in the sports information office with Bill Wagner
• Feature writer for The DePauw newspaper
• English writing major
• New York Arts Program participant
• Sigma Chi member

Amber's Activities:

• Communication and French major
• Freshman tennis player
• Collegians choir ensemble participant
• Putnam County community service volunteer
• DePauw TV reporter
• Multiple leadership roles in Alpha Phi
• 1993 DePauw Old Gold Queen

Amber recalls, "The leadership roles in my sorority and my communication major helped not only in my career but also in the leadership and service roles I've taken on in life since. Organization, communication, coordination, respecting others' perspectives, considering everything when making decisions—it was really the breadth of experiences that made DePauw special."

Their campus involvement proved invaluable preparation for their subsequent careers. Derek works in sports media and law, while Amber is active in corporate communications and volunteer services.

The Next Generation of Tigers

Like his parents, Carson initially didn't think he would attend DePauw. Growing up, he attended several Monon Bell family-friendly viewing parties and visited campus with his father for alumni baseball games and with his mother for her 25th reunion.

However, when it came to his own college journey, Carson found his way to DePauw. The fact that all three children are currently enrolled at DePauw simultaneously demonstrates this family's deep bond with the university. Carson '26, Adisyn '27, and Aubree '27 are each creating their own stories on the same campus their parents walked 30 years ago.

A Bond Spanning 30 Years

The Empie family's story means more than simply attending the same university. It demonstrates how chance encounters can develop into lifelong connections and how those connections can continue into the next generation.

The "beautiful blonde woman" walking across Bowman Park and the baseball player who changed his path due to injury—each arrived at DePauw through different routes, but they met there, formed a family, and now their three children are following in their parents' footsteps on the same campus.

This is a story that proves a university can be not just a place to earn a degree, but a place that changes life's direction and creates lifelong connections.