Student athletes bring electric vehicles to Denison University

In between varsity baseball practices and homework assignments, Colin Ravin and Chase King envisioned different ways to make their college campus more sustainable. Ravin and King, both Environmental Studies and Economics double majors at Denison University, took a holistic look at the university to see where they could be most impactful.

When they realized that Denison's car fleet consisted solely of internal combustion vehicles that run on gasoline, Ravin and King saw an opportunity to bring electric vehicles to campus, and bolster the University's commitment to environmental sustainability. In late September, the pair attended a University sponsored entrepreneurship summit in hopes of connecting with an alum to work alongside them.

At the summit they met Chris Wolfington ('90), a Denison alum and professional fleet electrification consultant. Wolfington was happy to mentor the pair, providing them with both feedback and advice on how to go about the daunting task of bringing electrical vehicles to Denison's campus. Wolfington made himself available to the pair, meeting with them upwards of once a week as they worked together.

The trio got to work this winter, creating a presentation to outline their endeavor and the sustainable future that they wanted for Denison. The presentation included environmental impact statistics, cost benefit analysis, and a detailed plan for the university to consider.

"It's been great to work with Chris. He does this for a living, so he really knows what he's talking about", King elaborates.

After perfecting their presentation with Wolfington, the pair pitched their research to various departments for feedback. They held meetings with the Financial Office, Campus Safety, and the Office of Sustainability and Campus Development, among others.

"It was really easy to work with Denison. The University was very open to our ideas, and encouraged us along the way", Ravin assures.

After weeks of presentations, revisions, and coordination the pair finally saw their project come to fruition this past week.

As of December 12, Denison University has officially signed a contract with Enterprise, to lease its first electric vehicle. Now, when students make appointments to take a Denison car off campus, they have the choice to opt for the electric vehicle.

"Students can take the electric car off campus, to interviews and internships. It's a huge win for the community", says Ravin.

Colin Ravin and Chase King started their Denison careers with hopes of increasing campus wide sustainability. Now as juniors, through hard work and ingenuity, with help along the way, the pair has achieved what they set out to do. Their efforts will outlast their time at the University, and benefit the entire Denison community for years to come.

"And this is only the beginning," King asserts confidently.

"We're starting with one electric vehicle, but we're going to keep working to add more to Denison's fleet", Ravin finishes.

King nods his head vigorously, and the two of them share a grin.