Four Valparaiso University Seniors Named Orr Fellows

Caleb Alles ’20, Juan Arellano ’20, Danny Dalenberg ’20 and Nathaniel Weber ’20 have been named to the prestigious Orr Fellowship, recognizing them as future business leaders of Indianapolis.

Orr Fellowship is a prominent, two-year, post-graduate program combining a full-time position at an innovative, Indianapolis-based company with a curriculum focused on community involvement, professional development and leadership. With an annual acceptance rate of 5%, it is not an easy achievement.

Alles, a native of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, will receive his bachelor’s in marketing, with a minor in business analytics. He is an active member of fraternity life and a variety of intramurals on campus, as well as the Intramural Advisory Council. Alles is a recipient of the Phi Kappa Psi 2016 Excellence Scholarship, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund 2016 “Take Heart” Scholarship, the Sigma Phi Epsilon 2016 Balanced Man Scholarship and Phi Kappa Psi 2018 Winston R. “Win” Tate Scholarship.

“I am excited to start my professional career in such a tight knit network of tech firms in Indianapolis,” Alles said. “For two years I will continue my education in a professional network of successful entrepreneurs while in a full-time position at my host company, Kinney Group.”

Arellano, a native of Chicago Heights, Illinois, and a first-generation student, will receive his bachelor’s in computer science and math. He has served as a residential assistant in Wehrenberg Hall and in a variety of executive positions for the Association of Computing Machinery, and he is involved in fraternity life. Arellano is a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship and the William Randolph Hearst Scholarship. He was also honored with the CIS Commit Award from the computer science department, awarded to only two graduating seniors each year for academic and professional excellence.

Going into this journey, Arellano has been impacted by a number of people who have helped him get to where he is today.

“All of my math and computer science professors at Valpo have been so supportive of me in my four years, especially Professors Wainwright, Rosasco, Kolba and Szaniszlo,” Arellano said. “Along with them, one of the greatest support systems I have found at Valpo was in the Office of Residential Life. In my sophomore year, my residential learning coordinator in Guild-Memorial Hall, Samantha Brooks, was the most helpful mentor I’ve had in my time at Valpo. She saw me eating alone and made conversation with me. After a great talk, we met every Tuesday for the rest of the year. She, like many of the people I’ve met at Valpo, genuinely cared about me and my personal development. She helped me develop a sense of ambition that eventually led me to apply for the Orr Fellowship. I am forever grateful to her and the Valpo community for this achievement, and hopefully many more.”

Dalenberg, a native of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, will receive his bachelor’s in sports management with a minor in business administration. He is involved in fraternity life, WVUR Sports Broadcasting and Dance Marathon. He is a recipient of the Transfer Scholarship.

At Valpo, Dalenberg couldn’t narrow down the list of people who have made an impact on him.

“I have made so many incredible connections at Valpo and each has helped me grow in their own unique ways. Between my friends, classmates and professors, I have met so many amazing people who pushed me to make the most out of my time at Valpo,” Dalenberg said.

Weber, a native of Round Lake Beach, Illinois, will receive his bachelor’s in computer science with a minor in general engineering. He is involved in fraternity life at Valpo.

For Weber, one professor stands out in having impacted his Valpo experience.

“Professor Nick Rosasco has been my mentor for the past years and has been by far the most helpful and supportive of my life. Without him, I would not be where I am today.”

Alles, Arellano, Dalenberg and Weber are among the 1,371 qualified applicants of 2020 and are four of the 70 new Orr Fellows.