Dear Denison Families,

Campus is back in full swing, with academics, athletics, the arts, and student organizations buzzing with energy and excitement. January was filled with students actively engaging on The Hill, including the Knowlton Center’s Senior Bootcamp, the Red Frame Lab’s UX-AI Design Workshop, a senior celebration of Denison Everywhere at The Lot, and more.

Spring semester always flies by for students, so be sure to engage them in conversations around both their spring break and summer plans. Included in this issue are opportunities for your student as well as resources to support a successful spring. We can’t wait to see what your student will accomplish!

Warm wishes,

Julie Tucker ’09
Director of Family Engagement & the Denison Professional Network

Sara Stasko
Associate Director of Family Engagement & the Denison Professional Network 

With classes underway and spring break just around the corner, now is an excellent time to check in with your student about their current semester progress and their plans for the future. You can ask them questions like:

At Denison, students develop the habits and skills to manage their wellness while at college and throughout their lifetimes. Remind your student that the Hoaglin Wellness Center offers walk-in hours during the week for both medical and counseling services. See the schedule and all available services.

Navigating a meal plan independently can be a new skill for many college students. Denison’s dining team provides several resources to make sure students have a healthy and delicious experience on campus. Encourage your student to utilize the Flex Dollar Weekly Spend Tracker to ensure they have plenty of availability throughout the semester. Remind them that Denison has a registered dietician, Rachel Barich, on staff that any student is welcome to meet with. Rachel can provide guidance on navigating dietary allergies or food preferences on campus. Check out FAQs and more dining information for families. 

Showing up for class is the most basic thing students can do to set themselves up for success. Denison is a residential, in-person, engaged learning environment. Professors want to interact with students and notice when they aren’t in class. Encourage your student to make every effort to attend and be on time for every class.

Talking to professors before or after class is a great way to build mentoring relationships. Utilize office hours, chat between classes, and be responsive to outreach when professors send messages. Good communication and relationships are key to thriving in college.

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) offers free one-on-one tutoring in Higley Hall. Students can request a tutor using the reservation page. Additionally, the Writing Center is available at any stage of the writing process, Peer Learning Strategists can help with metacognition training, the Multilingual Learning Center offers support for second-language learners, and some academic departments offer drop-in group sessions. 

What should you do if your student’s first semester did not go as planned? Read the insights and advice of President Adam Weinberg, who is also a college parent himself.

74 seniors made an early return to campus to engage in three days of rigorous career programming Jan. 15 - 17.

Bootcamp included workshops to ensure students are ready for a successful job search as well as structured job application time with the support of onsite career coaches. Seniors learned to communicate their value, network with confidence, and strategize for a successful job search. They also had the opportunity to connect with alums and gain valuable insights into navigating their career paths with confidence.

Denison Everywhere has been one of the college’s most popular traditions for 20 years. On Jan. 29, alums, family, and friends of Denison gathered to celebrate our college and connect with one another. This year, gatherings drew over 2,000 attendees in over 100 locations across the globe!

The Class of 2025 took part in their own Denison Everywhere celebration at The Lot, participating in their first alumni tradition as they finish their final semester on The Hill.

Truc Hoang ’26 and Charlie Kuchler ’26 are the entrepreneurs behind TruCha, the student-owned-and-operated business that’s been nurtured by the Red Frame Lab and adored by a boba tea-loving campus.

Read how TruCha has become one of Denison’s most successful student-driven enterprises.

Four student-athletes from football secured spots on the 2024 Academic All-District® Team, and four members of the Big Red volleyball team were listed on the 2024 Division III College Sports Communicators All-District® Women's Volleyball Teams.

Basketball seniors Ricky Radtke ’25 and Cameron Smith ’25 were named North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Athlete of the Week while sophomore Abby Cooch ’27 picked up the same title for women’s basketball. Denison’s NCAC recognitions don’t stop there, with three student-athletes receiving weekly honors for their performances in swim, dive, and track & field.

Arts ReMix

At Arts ReMix, held on campus March 5 - 8, your student will hear from alums who have built extraordinary careers in the arts — they’ll watch performances, co-create new art and music together, learn tips and tricks for how to make their next career move, and most importantly, expand their network among professionals across artistic disciplines. Learn more and encourage your student to register today.

Bluegrass Festival

Denison University’s Bluegrass Festival features several renowned performers as well as workshops and rehearsal experiences to showcase the very best of bluegrass. View the schedule of events.

The Vail Series

This series enriches the artistic experience of the entire Denison community, giving the opportunity for Denison students to attend concerts with world-renowned artists for free.

Feb. 5 - 6: GRAMMY® nominated Lorelei Ensemble, recognized across the globe for its bold and inventive programs, collaborates with acclaimed dance company Pilobolus to bring the world premiere of Love Fail, a meditation on the timelessness of love that weaves together details from medieval retellings of the story of Tristan and Isolde, with music by renowned composer David Lang. Learn more about the Vail Series and all upcoming events.

These events are an opportunity for families, friends, and alums to connect with President Adam Weinberg and Denisonians in their region. Mark your calendar if you live near one of our receptions and check out our upcoming events page for the latest information.

Feb. 10: Palm Beach County, Fla.
Feb. 11: Naples, Fla.
Feb. 19: Dallas
Feb. 20: Houston
March 10: Kiawah Island, S.C.
March 11: Bluffton, S.C.
March 18: Los Angeles

7:30 - 8:30 p.m. ET
Feb. 11
Virtual via Zoom

Join the Lisska Center for Intellectual Engagement for a virtual conversation with writer Michael Schulman about his latest book, Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears, which the Wall Street Journal called “the best book about Hollywood’s biggest night,” and this year’s Academy Awards. Michael Schulman is a staff writer at The New Yorker and author of the New York Times bestseller Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep. Register for the conversation.