How does a college course move beyond imparting knowledge to creating lifelong impact? Students in Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Connie Schultz’s classes will tell you it’s a winning combination of writing and self-reflection, open and far-ranging conversation, and a caring professor who challenges you to grow.
For Delaney Brown ’26, a double major in journalism and politics and public affairs, Schultz’s political writing class was a “great intersection” of her two fields of study, and a master’s course in finding her own voice.
Schultz pushed Brown to acknowledge her personal views and encouraged her to use them as a framework for her writing. That wasn’t easy for Brown, who was drawn to journalism in part because the focus is on other people’s lives, rather than her own.
“She asked me questions that made me reflect and figure out what was important to me,” Brown said. “She helped us realize that we have to understand our own beliefs and values so we can recognize them in our writing, and report more fairly.”
Schultz, a former columnist for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and USA Today, and author of the bestselling novel The Daughters of Erietown, was recently recognized by Columbus Monthly as a 2026 Inspiring Woman, noting that she “uplifts overlooked voices in her writing and mentors the next generation of journalists.” Schultz is also one of several professors of practice at Denison, experts in their field who offer real-world information, connections, and guidance to students.
“It’s no secret I have strong views, but in reporting, your political affiliation doesn’t matter, and mine doesn’t either,” said Schultz. “It’s important to know our biases so we understand what we’re not seeing in the big picture.”
“I think an informed citizen is the true definition of a patriot,” said Schultz, who leads by example. She sees her style of journalism — sharing knowledge made personal and pertinent through human experience — as a form of public service. In her work and in her teaching, Schultz asks lots of questions and digs deep to find those moments that resonate and build a connection between the story and her audience.
Her classrooms are likewise an exercise in creating community. Everyone sits in a circle, fronted by table tents inscribed with their names. Schultz requires class participation, and as the year progresses, even quiet students open up into the flow of discussion.
“Some of my students don’t want to talk, but I really want them to get to know one another,” Schultz said. “They come on fire across the semester. I love watching them come alive.”
Students are given the freedom to write on subjects that hold meaning to them. For one of her pieces, Brown wrote about an issue she “wanted to change in myself and for those I care about.”
Tapping into both her personal insight and writing skills, Brown created a compelling piece about phone addiction and the demise of face-to-face interaction. It’s an invitation for readers to recognize the loss in their own lives, too.
“She taught me to find my voice and stick with it, and to trust myself,” said Brown.
Schultz teaches her students to get to know the people they are writing about and to recognize their commonalities. “It can be easier to advocate for others than yourself, but if you don’t speak up for yourself, others will speak for you,” she said.
For journalism major Sarah Sollinger ’26, Schultz’s opinion writing course “was the greatest class I’d ever taken,” and she searched for ways to “get back into that room, and stay in her orbit.” Landing a plum role as Schultz’s teaching assistant, she relished a ringside seat in her op-ed classes over several semesters.
“Each class was entirely different, and there was always more to learn,” Sollinger said. She leaned into the opportunity to polish her “purely journalistic skills,” including interviewing, extrapolating information, and building an opinion.
Classroom learning branches into life-impacting skills, as well. Students learn to pay attention to what makes them uncomfortable and cultivate the curiosity to figure out why. They develop resilience in stressful situations and gain confidence in themselves and their work. “She gives you the tools you need to stand your ground,” said Brown.
Schultz, who gives her cell number to her students, telling them to call or text any time — except between midnight and 6 a.m. — realizes she’s imparting much more than journalistic excellence to her students.
“Of course I’m going to teach you to write better, prepare you for a career. Those are my jobs,” she said. “It’s also my job to teach you the importance of showing up, writing thank-you notes, and keeping your word.”
Schultz has found teaching Denison students is an investment in the future, and not just their future. “They care about the world,” she said. “It’s impossible to be cynical or hopeless when you are around them.”
“I love teaching here, and I hope I bring something of value to them, because they are certainly doing that for me.”
