Buckets of beaded bracelets, spelling out “Denison,” “Life on The Hill,” and “Class of 2028,” lined the registration table as sophomores filled the Provost’s Dining Hall for Major Day, Denison’s annual celebration where students officially declare their academic paths.
Abby Crady and Cheyenne Frye paused to admire the “Class of 2028” bracelets before heading off to find their respective program tables — sustainability & environmental studies, economics, and politics & public affairs — where they would connect with professors and fellow majors over shared academic interests and enjoy snacks and swag offered at each table.
Four friends, four majors
Four friends, Ariana Gravely, Patrycia Szlembarski, Derek Aponte-Rosado, and Angie Fernandez Alvarez grabbed small signs declaring their majors and stood in front of the camera for a once-in-a-lifetime selfie.
Gravely has declared a major in finance. “I want to work in banking or finance,” she said. “I’m so excited Denison has implemented the finance major.”
Data analytics and economics double major Szlembarski said she “loves her data systems class with Dr. Miller.” This summer, she’ll be interning with Microsoft, a big step toward a career working with numbers.
Aponte-Rosado signed up for majors in politics & public affairs and latin american & caribbean studies. His goal is a career in consulting and public policy.
“We need better urban planning and community engagement, and to create places where people can congregate,” she said.
Global commerce major Fernandez-Alvarez will focus on Latin American countries in her program. “Global commerce has lots of different courses,” she said. “I feel like you can pursue so many interests.”
Seniors share wisdom and career plans
Major Day is also an opportunity for upperclass students to welcome their newest colleagues and share some of their hard-earned wisdom. Global Health Fellows and majors Haimanot Assefa, Kendrah Mpare, and Alex Carlton — all seniors — discussed the impact of their degree on their careers.
Assefa and Mpare are applying to master’s of public health programs but looking for different outcomes. Assefa is interested in “factors beyond biomarkers that affect health,” while Mpare, who worked in the Hoaglin Wellness Center, is more focused on societal aspects of health.
For Carlton, who initially considered a career in medicine, a global health course with biology professor Jessica Rettig helped him realize his interests were less in patient health and more oriented toward community. Carlton has been accepted at two master’s programs and is deciding between Boston and Tufts universities for his next step.
History major Anna Gill ’26 will pursue a law degree after graduation and says her major will be an asset.
“My history major made me a better reader and writer,” she said. “I know how to synthesize material and locate the resources I need to answer questions.”
At the chemistry and biochemistry table, chemistry major Grace Cates ’26 shared her plans to attend dental school. She said her major taught her to approach topics broadly.
“It’s a very interesting way to think more intentionally, across all things,” she said.
Psychology professor Sydney Green staffed the organizational strategy & leadership table, a new minor at Denison.
“OSL prepares our students for careers and graduate schools for all aspects of business,” she said.
Psychology major Molly Noga ’26 chimed in with praise for the program’s off-campus trips that connect students with alumni and business leaders across the country. “You get direct exposure to high-level people,” she said. “It’s a wonderful way to build your network.”
Dance majors Gabrielle Hrivnak ’27, Grace Lukens ’26, and Whiting Webster ’27 welcomed sophomore Cindy Sobtafo to the clan. They agreed that dance is one of the best programs on campus.
The dance culture is very cooperative, Lukens said.
“We’re all in each others’ performances,” she said. “Underclassmen too.”
Because dance majors generally major in an additional program, their senior research projects must synthesize both disciplines, and as a result are incredibly interesting, said Hrivnak.
“We see projects that combine dance with majors like biology, psychology, and English literature and create something totally new,” she said.
For Denison sophomores, Major Day marks a public declaration of their intellectual passions and a glimpse into their futures.
Whether pursuing careers in public health, law, finance, or the arts, these students left the event with something more valuable than beaded bracelets: connections to faculty mentors, peer communities, and a clearer vision of their paths forward, on The Hill and beyond.
