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A warm hello to our Denison family!

September 2018

The 2018-19 academic year has officially begun, and the campus is buzzing with all the excitement a new academic year brings. Throughout the academic year, you will receive periodic emails written explicitly for Denison family members, designed to bring you timely information and to help you support your Denison student.

Student Involvement on Campus

In student-led organizations, students are able to make friends and feel more connected to campus, all while developing key life skills. Pursuing meaningful experiences outside of the classroom is often the first step in discerning a major and preparing for their future career. Nearly 170 campus organizations, including campus governance, club sports, social justice and advocacy groups, service-oriented organizations, fraternities and sororities, honorary and academic organizations, and student publications are open to our students. It can be intimidating to meet so many new people at once and to take the initiative to attend an organization’s meeting where you don’t know anyone yet.

Here’s what you can do to help:

Ask your student about his or her experience at the Involvement Fair held on September 6. It can be tempting to sign up for lots of new and different groups, but that’s not the best strategy to make meaningful connections. Suggest that your student focus on the quality, not the quantity.

Reassure your student that it is entirely normal at Denison to show up to campus organization meetings and events without knowing anyone there yet. And because it’s such a close community, there is a good chance they will see someone they know anyway! In any case, stretching your comfort zone is what college is all about.

Let your student know that the Alford Community Leadership & Involvement Center (CLIC) is here to help! If your student is wondering where to start, they can visit CLIC located on the third floor of Slayter Hall. CLIC staff also hold open advising hours on the first floor of Slayter from 3:30-4:30 Mon-Thur.

A message from Hank Malin P’15, Executive Director of the Austin E. Knowlton Center for Career Exploration

On behalf of the Knowlton Center, I welcome you all to the 2018-2019 academic year and particularly to the families of the Class of 2022! Personally, I am starting my “sophomore” year at Denison, so I am enjoying that wonderful blend of knowing (usually!) how things work and that nervous energy about what I (still) don’t know.

The most common question parents ask us is “when should my student start working with the career office?” And my answer is always the same: ‘It’s never too early, and it’s never too late!” In fact, 47 students showed up the first day of classes and made appointments with career coaches for the following week...now that's a great way to start!

Another way for students to "get started" is to activate their Handshake profile. Handshake is our one-stop career center that includes all our career exploration resources, internships and job postings, and signups for career programs and coaching appointments. Last year we hosted 180-plus programs and conducted more than 2,500 coaching appointments. There are plenty of opportunities for your student to get engaged with our office. So first-year parents, ask your student if they have signed on to Handshake! A new program we launched this fall: CRISP (Career Ready for Interview Success Program) includes the foundational elements (résumé and cover letter review, networking workshops, and mock interview) needed for students pursuing an internship, job, or graduate school. While targeted towards sophomores specifically, any student in any class is welcome to participate in this program. Again, it’s never too early, and it’s never too late. Beyond reading our column in this newsletter, here are a couple of other ways to stay in touch with what’s happening at the Knowlton Center:

Follow the Knowlton Center Facebook page

Finally, we will be hosting Open Houses during Big Red Weekend from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 28; and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 29. I hope you’ll stop by our offices in the Burton D. Morgan Center at some point that afternoon — or anytime you are on campus.

Register for Big Red Weekend, September 28-30

On one special weekend each fall, alumni, parents, and friends of Denison are all invited back to “the Hill” for Big Red Weekend, our annual celebration of all things Denison. We have a full array of events planned that you won’t want to miss.

Highlights of the Big Red Weekend schedule include:

A Conversation with the President

Arts events

Athletics events

Food truck dinner

And more! Register now and get ready for all the fun. We hope to see you back on campus.

Fall Break

Fall Semester Study Break is scheduled for October 18-19. This break provides an excellent opportunity for students to catch up on studies. Some students travel home for the break; many stay on campus. Students should do what they feel would benefit them the most. For students wanting to return home, the university partners with SHARE for shuttle service to and from the airport, for a fee. Your student can sign-up for a timeslot here. Airport shuttles also will be available for Thanksgiving and winter breaks, and sign-ups can be found on the same webpage.

Thank you for partnering with Denison to support your student’s success. We are so pleased that you and your student are part of the Denison family.

Go Big Red!

Kristy Barngrover Clear ’10
Associate Director
Alumni and Family Engagement

P.S. We invite you to encourage your student to check out an incredible networking and professional development opportunity on campus, ReMix Denison Entrepreneurship Summit, on September 19-20. There are still a few spaces available, so encourage your student to register soon.

P.P.S. You might be interested in reading The Varsity Letter, a sampling of recent news and notes from Denison Big Red Athletics.

Office of Alumni & Family Engagement | 740-587-6634 | denison.edu/parents

Denison University 100 West College Street Granville, OH 43023 740-587-0810 denison.edu

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