Free of their “final” final exams, the Class of 2025 has Denison all to themselves for much of the week leading up to their Saturday Commencement.
It’s a time of cheers and tears, of closed chapters and new beginnings. Over the next few days, we’re chronicling their last few days as students on The Hill. Follow along as we update through the week!
Saturday, May 17
‘An amazing experience:’ Proud parents greet their graduates
Edward Kenny stood outside the Mitchell Center clutching a handful of sticks, each one topped with a superimposed photo of his daughter’s smiling face.
As he waited for Pippin Kenny ’25 to emerge in her black gown, the father addressed what it’s like to see a child walk across the stage at Commencement. “It’s an amazing experience,” he said. “I know the rollercoaster ride is just starting, but as she leaves this beautiful little sanctuary of Denison, I know she’s prepared for life.”
Parents of the freshly-minted graduates radiated with pride after watching sons and daughters toss their caps toward the Mitchell Center rafters. Emotions hopscotched across the spectrum. “Relief, excitement, awe,” said Sarah Lempia, whose son, Maarten Lempia ’25, stood by her side. “I’m getting verklempt. His grandfather just passed away last week. He was a professor, and he would have been so proud.”
The father of Matt Lehmann ’25 spoke of the long journey to Saturday afternoon. “You save money, you have conversations about what school is the right fit, and you watch them grow and mature,” Bob Lehmann said. “Today is just awesome.”
Life is jazz, baby
“Life isn’t about getting it all right,” jazz icon Dee Dee Bridgewater said in her Commencement address. “It’s about showing up with your heart wide open, even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.”
She told graduates, “You leave (Denison) as someone more complex, more curious, more you. Life is a process. It is a messy, beautiful, unfinished melody. Let it unfold.
“Your life is not a script,” she said. “It is jazz, baby.”
The ‘pulse’ of Denison
Jess Cohen ’25 told her classmates that, poring through the Denison archives earlier in her college experience, she came to see The Hill through fresh eyes, and their place in its future. “I felt Denison’s pulse as a living institution,” she said.
Carell provides words of wisdom to the graduating class
In his opening remarks, President Adam Weinberg informed seniors he recently contacted Steve Carell ’84, seeing if the actor-comedian would offer advice to the Class of 2025. Weinberg relayed Carell’s message from the dais: “The best advice I can give you is to not listen to anything Adam Weinberg tells you. Except If he tells you kindness is underrated, decency is the antidote for hatred, and generosity of the heart will never go out of style.” Seniors had the chance to see Carell in the fall at Swasey Chapel as he returned to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Burpee’s Seedy Theatrical Company. “Steve is a Denisionian, a product of the liberal arts,” Weinberg said.
Faculty salute graduates: ‘It’s a bittersweet time’
Parents and families weren’t the only ones at Commencement celebrating the success of graduates. For faculty, it’s a day to recognize and applaud their students’ achievements. “I don’t speak for everyone, but this is the most bittersweet time of the year,” swimming and diving coach Gregg Parini said. “We love these kids so much, we’re so invested in their lives. On one hand, we’re super proud of everything they accomplished. At the same time, we’re sad to see them go – it’s not that unlike seeing your own kids grow up.” Philosophy Professor Sam Cowling said he takes the same approach to Commencement as he does to classroom instruction. “It feels like every other day in the sense we are trying to provide them with the best experience possible.”
On a clear morning, seniors gather to greet the sun and each other
Seniors arrived on the hill in front of the Sigma Chi House with blankets in their arms and sleep in their eyes. For others, sleep had not been an option, choosing instead to celebrate their final hours together. The Class of 2025 gathered for one last sunrise before Commencement. They huddled on blankets and stood in clusters, listening to competing speakers blare familiar songs. A few had arrived as early as 5:15 a.m., wanting to soak up every minute of the graduation-day tradition. One student came already dressed in full cap and gown. Several brought champagne, and others smoked victory cigars. Then it was time to gussy up for their march into Mitchell Center in front of applauding family and Denison faculty, their four-year journey complete.
Friday, May 16
Creating community connection through AI
A research project by Sophia Hwang and Tony Baldovinos has the potential to create a lasting impact on Licking County.
This past spring, seniors Sophia Hwang and Tony Baldovinos were charged with helping to design and build ways to strengthen the local community. As members of the Forward Scholars program, Hwang, Baldovinos, and their six-student cohort were guided by Richard Brown, associate dean of student life.
Each year, the scholars partner with Red Frame Lab director Steve Krak as they learn to apply consulting tactics to their spring research project.
Their objective: “to raise awareness of social and cultural similarities and build an inclusive community in Licking County” for the Community Intercultural Relations Conference in nearby Newark.
Changing the light
Seniors and families filled every seat in Swasey Chapel as they gathered for the Baccalaureate service of gratitude and blessing. At the end, each senior stepped forward to extinguish a candle in Denison’s ritual of Changing the Light. The ceremony symbolizes the transition from being a student on The Hill to spreading the light into the many places the senior class heads next.
Mining every moment to create
Families flooded into the Denison museum gallery to admire the culmination of their students’ years in the visual arts program. Professors Ron Abram, Sheilah ReStack, and Keith Spencer took turns calling each graduating senior forward to reflect their pride, joy, and genuine appreciation of their students’ achievements — and to bestow the stole that will mark their status as artists at tomorrow’s Commencement.
Senior Nick Falter and Big Red open NCAA regionals in style
After throwing 116 pitches over seven innings, Nick Falter ’25 is the one Denison baseball player guaranteed not to play Saturday afternoon. If he desired, Falter could participate in Commencement with ample time to walk across Pearl Road and cheer on the Big Red in the NCAA regional winners’ bracket game at 3:30 p.m.
But Denison (36-5) has not risen to No. 2 nationally by individuals putting themselves ahead of the team. “I will not go,” said Falter, the NCAC Pitcher of the Year. “This senior class is about doing things as a team. The school is having a ceremony for the seniors Monday, and that works for us.” Falter allowed six hits and struck out six in the Big Red’s 8-2 win over Manchester University. The 6-foot-5 pitcher raised his record to 11-0, feeding off the presence of his extended family and Denison classmates. “I love pitching in front of a large number of people that care about me,” Falter said. “The support brings out the best in me.”
Two President’s Medals, one proud family
The Denison Legacy Lunch is a celebration of family tradition and shared experiences spanning generations. That was best illustrated in the gold medals hanging from the necks of Noah Chartier ’25 and his mother, Tanya Harman Chartier ’93 on Friday.
Last month, they made history becoming the first parent/child combination to be awarded a President’s Medal – the most prestigious student honor at Denison. While three sets of siblings and one pair of cousins also have been recognized, the Chartiers are multi-generational winners.
Tanya Chartier, an educational therapist and reading specialist in Davidson, North Carolina, dug out her medal once her son added to the family collection. Noah Chartier is actually a third-generation Denisonian, his grandmother, Carolyn A. Harman ’51, starting the tradition.
Thursday, May 15
Voicing their support
A chorus of Denison students, including nine in the Class of 2025, enthusiastically joined instructor Emily Noël’s inaugural opera ensemble.
Denison voice instructor Emily Noël had an idea, but she wasn’t sure how many of her students would go for it.
Inspired by their vocal talents, Noël suggested starting an opera ensemble in Fall 2024.
“I thought three people might sign up,” she said. “Maybe five, tops.”
She was delighted when 15 students did, nine of them seniors: Megan Barker, Gabe Donnelly, Maisey Frederick, Brooke Halaby, Izzi Howard, Katie Kress, Lilah Landsman, Elizabeth Lyon, and Cassidy Orange.
Together, they dug into an art form many view as difficult and unapproachable. And over the course of the workshop-style class, which culminated in a reimagined and contemporary performance of the classic opera, Dido and Aeneas, they showcased the timelessness of operatic storytelling and created enough buzz that Noël hopes will keep the ensemble going.
“There is that stereotype of opera being inaccessible, and I think that stems from the fact that opera, historically, used to be inaccessible,” said Frederick, a biology major and music performance minor who is headed to graduate school for microbiology.
“Professor Noël’s class has opened the floodgates,” Frederick said. “After we put on that show, I had people coming up to me saying, ‘How do I do this? This is so cool! How can I be a part of this?’”
A special ceremony for tennis seniors
The graduating seniors on Denison’s No. 2-ranked men’s tennis team were celebrated early in a special ceremony on Thursday, before leaving for California. The team will miss Denison’s traditional Commencement exercises on Saturday so that they can compete in the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis Championships in Claremont California. The Big Red have earned a program-high 17 wins in a row and are 25-2 for the season, heading into their championship tournament berth against No. 10 Johns Hopkins.
One last Snagel as seniors
Lauren Dyer ‘25, who’s been involved in the Denison band scene for several years, was asked about her level of nostalgia on her final trip to Bandersnatch. “I was excited about the free Snagel, if I’m being honest,” Dyer said. She wasn’t the only one. Seniors got one last taste of a Denison favorite: a toasted bagel with cream cheese and brown sugar. Dyer, who used to live on East Quad, said her Snagel consumption waned with the move across campus, but when she attended events at Bandersnatch she still bought one. More than 200 Snagels are eaten on a normal night at the campus venue.
Transported across the cosmos
Seniors were invited to observe a presentation in Denison’s Marilyn P. McConnell Planetarium, a 45-seat facility hosting an all-digital, state-of-the-art dual projection system with advanced imaging software, displayed on an 26-foot diameter dome. The recently renovated planetarium is frequently used as teaching resource in astronomy classes.
'I wanted to say thank you'
Grace Cirimele ’25 wasn’t finishing her Denison academic career with a spelling error. Especially not when writing a thank-you card to an English professor. It’s why Cirimele consulted her smartphone for guidance to complete her note to Assistant Professor Julia Kolchinsky Dasbach. Cirimele was one of many students who stopped at a table in front of Swasey Chapel to fill out cards for faculty members. She wrote to three professors. Her friend, Alec Macomber-Straight ’25, wrote to two others. After penning words of appreciation, they put the name of the faculty member on an envelope and dropped it into a plastic bin. “I wanted to say thank you to some professors and this was a great way to do it,” Macomber-Straight said.
Slip sliding away
On a hot afternoon, Zoë Barclay ‘25 and her friends cooled down by slipping and sliding down and out a giant mouth — making a few last memories amid a chorus of laughter and splashes.
Sitting at the President's desk
Four seniors stood behind the desk of President Adam Weinberg, an administrator they admire for seemingly being everywhere. “He comes to our recitals,” Dawson Kimbell ’25 said. “You see him all over campus,” Tom Raith ’25 said. “He dropped the puck at our last hockey game,” John Yavari ’25. Sitting at Weinberg’s desk is always a popular stop on the Senior Bucket List tour. The president asks only that students write down their favorite professor or class. Not only do students get to visit his office, they receive a free white bucket hat with a Denison logo on the way out the door.
Strolling through ‘the boneyard’
“So,” Fred Porcheddu-Engel ’87 said to the gathered seniors, “interested in hearing about the boneyard?” For the next 45 minutes, the professor of English and master weaver of words had a rapt audience for his tales of friends, mentors, and shapers of Denison who are interred in this quiet corner of The Hill. “Will you be buried here?” asked journalism major Caroline Zollinger ’25. “As a matter of fact, follow me! …”
A special moment at the Eisner Center
Nicolas Nguyen’s mother and father, Thuy Tran and Duc Nguyen, arrived from Hanoi, Vietnam, yesterday. Today, he is showing them Denison. “It’s their first day on campus. We’re exploring from the bottom up!” They stopped at Eisner for a photo before heading up The Hill.
Here comes the sun
Sun, glorious sun! Spared the storms that dogged some of Senior Send-Off’s earlier events, the Community Cookout on Reese-Shackelford Common, saw the Class of 2025 finally using the big tent as shelter from rays instead of raindrops. Long after the last burger was served, a group of friends lingered, sharing laughs, and a sudden realization of post-Commencement logistics. “Have you figured out how he’s getting home yet?”
Big Red lacrosse team gets surprise send-off
Women’s lacrosse star Anna DeVuono ’25 thought qualifying for the third round of the NCAA tournament in Lancaster, Pennsylvania meant missing all the emotion of Senior Sunrise and Commencement. She was wrong — and had tears in her eyes to show it. Good friends of DeVuono and the five other Big Red seniors surprised them outside of Mitchell Center before the team boarded the bus for its 320-mile trip. Denison plays Franklin & Marshall College on Saturday at 1 p.m., which meant Thursday was the last opportunity seniors would see their friends on campus. There were hugs, tears, smiles, and homemade signs wishing the players good luck. “Such a sweet gesture,” said DeVuono, the NCAC Offensive Player of the Year. “It’s nice getting to say goodbye.”
Pausing to contemplate nature
It’s a quiet, sunny morning, and birdsong fills the air. It’s the perfect time to pause from Senior Send-Off activities and contemplate nature.
Wednesday, May 14
'A contagious energy for serving others'
Jacob Eppley ’25 is a rising star in a field where job opportunities are plentiful. He wants to take what he’s learned and apply it to good causes.
After four years and more than 640 hours of community service, Jacob Eppley ’25 is reserving a rare Saturday for himself — and, you know, his 2025 classmates.
Eppley will participate in the Senior Sunrise celebration and attend Commencement in the Mitchell Center. In the four hours between those activities, he likely will resist urges to drive off campus to work in a community garden, assemble furniture for Habitat for Humanity, or collect clothing for the needy.
“Jacob cares deeply about making a positive social impact,” said Emily Vermillion, associate director of the Alford Community Leadership & Involvement Center (CLIC). “He is a servant leader by example who brings people along for the journey and makes sure they have a good time. He fosters a contagious energy for serving others.”
The significance of stoles
Standing outside Chamberlin Hall, Lindsay Lewis-Persue ’25 and Diamond McClellan ’25 described the stories behind their colorful stoles.
Seniors wear these banners over their robes during Commencement; each is a tangible representation of a significant milestone or personal reflection from their time at Denison. The stoles pictured here and their meanings include:
- Black with gold, red, and green stripes: Participation in the Black Student Union
- Red with white board: A Denison Legacy
- Light Blue: An educational studies major
- White with red border: Captain of the Denison Cheer Squad
McClellan and Lewis-Persue each added personalized stoles to their repertoire. McClellan, a communication and psychology double major from Newark, Delaware, chose to memorialize a favorite Bible verse, a photo of her family, and a list of the various positions and roles she’s undertaken during her four years at Denison.
Lewis-Persue, an educational studies major from Brooklyn, New York, also chose to highlight a favorite Bible verse. She also celebrates her new career as a kindergarten teacher, which she will begin this fall in Westerville, Ohio.
Grills, games, and lots of fun
Minutes after leaving the foam pit, Lauren Richner ’25 was still wiping the soapy remnants from her eyebrows. “It was fun,” she said. The foam pit was a highlight of “Grills and Games” in the Silverstein Hall courtyard. Seniors packed the area to dine on hot dogs and participate in activities set up at five stations. Some chipped foam golf balls, others threw giant darts with velcro tips. In one game, students attempted to land volleyballs into red plastic trash cans. When a volleyball bounced into the foam pit, a student instructed his teammate: “Hurry up before the foam starts.”
Mortarboards imbued with meaning
Four friends display their mortarboards, each one filled with meaning and memories of their years together at Denison.
Liberty Kingsley ’25: “I knew I wanted to do something with flowers to match my pink dress — and make something my dad will be able to see.” After graduation, Kingsley will start her career at Cross Country Mortgage company.
Maisey Frederick ’25: “The stones are painted with the letters YSYLYNA, which mean ‘You’re safe, you’re loved, you’re never alone.’ My mom has been saying that to me ever since I was born and I wanted to represent her. And I love mushrooms, flowers, and moss.” Next fall, Frederick plans to pursue a graduate degree in microbiology in the fall.
Amelia Senior ’25: “My quote, ‘No paths are bound’ is from the Heaven Officials’ Blessing book series. It means nothing is set in stone; you can tackle your future on your own terms; hard work and perseverance will always pay off. And the red and white are Denison colors!” After Commencement, Senior will gain experience as a nursing assistant in preparation for attending a graduate program in nursing.
Cassidy Orange ’25: “I embroidered my cap with staples of my time here. I applied to work at the costume shop (spool of thread) on my fourth day at the involvement fair. I also got involved with the Denison Survivor game my freshman fall and have been involved in both things for all four years! My global health major is represented by the globe and heart, and the musical notes and quote, ‘thank you for the music,’ is for the memories, the songs I’m singing, the relationships and all the time together.” Orange plans to move to Boston to pursue a master’s degree at the Boston School of Public Health.
'Denison is well known back home'
Julia Renetzky ’25 and Tatum McNally ’25 perched themselves on a giant inflatable chair in the corner of Slivy’s, posing for a picture likely to trigger fond memories years from now. They have known each other since arriving on campus and became good friends their sophomore year. Senior Send-Off Week spawns many emotions, including having to say goodbye to classmates. That won’t be the case for Renetzky and McNally, however. After Commencement, they are both going home to Chicago — a haven for Denisonians past and present. “We’ll definitely see each other,” Renetzky said. McNally said she’s part of a group chat with about 50 current students from that area. They get together in the summer to just hang out or attend Chicago Cubs games. “There are seven or eight students here right now that went to my high school, New Trier High School,” McNally said. “Denison is well known back home.”
'They’re about to graduate and go out and change the world'
Nathan Graves moved among the tables at the Student Life Brunch, visiting as many seniors as he could. The Class of 2025 is a special one for Graves, associate dean of student support and the director of orientation & first-year experience. This class arrived on The Hill in 2021, the same year Graves did. He’s come to know them by name. He’s met their parents and siblings. He’s attended their sporting events and artistic performances. “This is my first class,” he said, beaming. “And they’re about to graduate and go out and change the world.”
A toast to their years on The Hill
Glasses raised, the Class of 2025 toasted their years on The Hill and a future brimming with unlimited possibilities. Katherine Mims ’25 and Tom Vodrey ’25, co-governors of the Denison Campus Governance Association, urged classmates at the Student Life Brunch to soak up their last few days on campus. Vodrey transferred to Denison as a sophomore and said it was among his best decisions. “I came from an institution where community was hard to find, to a place where community is, quite frankly, hard to escape,” he said, to a ripple of knowing laughs. Mims told her class, “I love Denison more now than I did on my first day, and that’s because of you.”
Tuesday, May 13
‘Making a statement on campus’
Three friends from this Class of 2025 challenged themselves to make each day at Denison count.
Every so often — struck by the trio’s success at landing internships and other opportunities while at Denison — someone will remark, “you guys are so lucky.”
At those times, Adonte Mays, Ryan Dawson, and Tef Tewoldeberhan all think the same thing:
Luck had very little to do with it.
'Your journey with this college has just begun'
How many more times would they climb these stairs to Slayter’s third floor? The Senior Send-Off was officially underway, starting with the traditional Presidential Reception. “From now on, anytime you come to a Denison event, there will be free food and free drinks,” a smiling President Adam Weinberg told the boisterous Class of 2025. He kept his remarks brief, thanking the class for their contributions to Denison and assuring them that they would feel the pull and influence of The Hill for decades to come. “Your journey with this college has just begun,” he said, adding to savor their last week as undergraduates.
'Four years doesn’t seem long enough to contain it all'
On her first day of classes at Denison, Beril Gültekin ’25, from Ankara, Turkey, posed outside her residence hall, Beta. It was a spur of the moment decision so she could remember that pivotal moment four years later. She recreated that moment today to “reflect on the huge amount of change and growth — four years doesn’t seem long enough to contain it all.”
A special moment on the steps of Swasey
A light rain falls as a friend takes a few special graduation photos of seniors Travis Dunson and Ethan Scott on the stairs of Swasey Chapel. They are just steps away from the seal, which they won’t step on until after graduation. This summer, Dunson, an East Asian studies major from San Antonio, will head to Columbus to take a position in supply logistics with BBI Industries. Scott, a computer science major from New York City, will head west to Bentonville, Arkansas as a software engineer with Walmart.
'I’m ready to spend time with friends'
Cameron Hunt ’25 literally drew a line in the sand — much to the consternation of three players on the opposite side of the net. “I wasn’t cheating, I was just putting it where it belonged,” Hunt said of his boundary gerrymandering. It was all in good fun, which was the theme of the day. The final round of tests were taken Tuesday and Denison seniors who had yet to transition to leisure mode flipped the switch. Pep Viveros ’25 walked out of the classroom and onto the sandy courts near Lamson Lodge, a large speaker blasting tunes. “Weird,” Viveros said, describing his new-found freedom from the academic grind. “I’m ready to spend time with friends who also have been working very hard.” While plenty of activities are planned for the week, seniors enjoy unscripted hours like the one spent on the beach volleyball court. Morgan Gilmore ’25 and Caroline Schumacher ’25 combined for a spectacular play, which had it been captured on video, would have ascended into Senior Week lore. Gilmore had a serve carom off her head, sending the ball arcing backward, before a quick-thinking Schumacker stuck out a leg and kicked the ball to teammate Henry Kline ’25, who tapped it over the net. “No, we did not practice that,” Schumacher said laughing.
Women’s lacrosse team blocking out distractions
After a 90-minute practice, Mary Daniel ’25 and Anna DeVuono ’25 spoke of temptation, and how they would shut it down like so many opponents this season. “We’ve kept a pretty strong mindset,” Daniel said. While the Big Red (15-4) prepare for a third-round NCAA regional tournament game, most of the campus is celebrating the countdown to Commencement. The six seniors on the women’s lacrosse team have sidelined any thoughts of letting loose and focused on Saturday’s matchup against Franklin and Marshall College. Denison’s men’s baseball and tennis teams, along with the women’s golf squad, are in similar situations. Daniel said blocking everything out is not difficult given what’s at stake. “We’ve lost in the Sweet Sixteen the last three years,” she said. “We want to go further this time.” Athletes who miss Saturday’s Commencement due to competition will receive their diplomas in a special ceremony Monday. “Friendships outside of lacrosse will always be there, but we don’t have this sport forever,” DeVuono said. “We’re down to the last few days of having the incredible privilege to be part of this team.”
Monday, May 12
‘You can be whatever you want to be at Denison’
Micah Stromsoe DeLorenzo spent three years as a tour guide. It never felt like a sales pitch, but a collection of personal stories about what made campus life special.
As she led her final tour, Micah Stromsoe DeLorenzo ’25 began backpedaling to face prospective students and their parents while addressing them on their walk across campus.
She’s enjoyed working as a docent for the Denison’s Office of Admission even as the job has bled into her social life.
“I find myself walking backwards in my day-to-day life now,” Stromsoe DeLorenzo said. “My friends call me out on it. If there’s a big group of us walking together, I’ll just go ahead and turn around so I can see everybody and they’re like, ‘Oh, my god, tour guide, stop it.’”
Orientation leaders honored for their service
Noah Chartier ’25 summed up the experience of being an orientation leader as “one of the few jobs that never stops.” Throughout their first year, students often seek advice from their orientation leaders in adjusting to campus life. Chartier was among 70 seniors honored for their service at the Orientation Leaders Graduation Celebration at Slivy’s. The inaugural event was sponsored by the Office of First-Year Experience. Orientation leaders in attendance were fed, toasted and given pins for their graduation gowns. Ten seniors received special recognition for being three-year leaders, earning them an additional “GOAT” pin and a Denison padfolio containing a certificate and a letter of appreciation.
Big Red baseball team prepares for regionals
While extracurricular activities have ceased across much of campus, several Denison athletics teams are competing at the NCAA level this week. The Big Red baseball team, ranked No. 2 in the nation, spent the afternoon training in the weight room. There was lifting, stretching, broad jumping, and plenty of hand slapping as players prepared to host this weekend’s double-elimination regional tournament. The host Big Red (35-5) face Manchester University (29-12) in their first game Friday.
Registering for this week's activities
More than 600 seniors began picking up their wristbands at Slayter Hall for this week’s activities. Students were required to stop at a handful of stations, including one allowing them to remove their names from the Licking County voting roll. The station that produced the most smiles featured a Class of 2025 photo that had been taken four years earlier on Reese-Shackelford Common. Students scanned the large image, searching for themselves and friends before signing it. “I remember that day vividly,” Eliza Roach ’25 said. “I was on crutches from an ankle injury. It was so hot, and we were standing next to our classmates we just met.”
Getting campus ready for the big day
Campus hummed with the sounds of cleaning and decorating ahead of Commencement. There was whirring, whining, squeaking, grunting, and beeping. The big white tent was raised on Reese-Shackelford Common. Banners were hung. Slayter Hall and Burton Morgan Center received a power-washing courtesy of a drone, which splashed 12 gallons of water per minute on some of the harder-to-reach windows.
