Off-campus orientation trips create bonds for first-years

Within days of her arrival, Claire Bishop ’29 was side-swiped by fellow first-year students. The collisions didn’t require a call home to her parents — unless it was to tell them how much fun she had behind the wheel of a go-kart.

As tires screeched and engines whined, Bishop negotiated the 12-turn, quarter-mile indoor track in suburban Columbus, Ohio, as part of Denison’s off-campus orientation experiences. Riding among a pack of drivers, Bishop was literally making new friends by accident.

“I got crashed into a couple of times by different people,” Bishop said after removing her helmet in pit row. “It was really good. I only wish I could have gone faster.”

The three-day trip to Columbus was one of 17 adventures offered to 531 students in the Class of ’29 by the Denison First-Year Experience office. The trips, provided at no cost, involved a wide range of options — from whitewater rafting in West Virginia to exploring caves in Kentucky, to connecting with alumni in Cleveland. Each trip included members of Denison’s faculty and staff as well as student team leaders.

Some first-years stayed in downtown hotels while others slept beneath the stars in tents. The multitude of experiences gave students with similar interests a chance to bond before the start of Aug. 28 classes.

“We also had on-campus orientation, but there was a lot of work involved with that,” said Bishop, part of the Denison by Design group. “The trip was more relaxing and gave us quality time with classmates.”

Denison used to provide a limited number of off-campus excursions. The First-Year Experience office found that students who went on the trips often transitioned with greater ease into campus life because they had spent several days making friends on the road.

Four years ago, university leaders began discussing ways to expand the program. With first-year participation now mandatory, except for fall sports varsity athletes, the numbers have more than doubled since 2023.

The adventures feature built-in academic and career-building components.

For example, the World of Sports group met with personnel from the Columbus Blue Jackets and Columbus Crew to learn how they broke into the business. Alex Mysiw ’14, director of analytics for the Crew, told how his liberal arts education at Denison allowed him to pivot from a pre-med track to becoming a data scientist for the three-time Major League Soccer champions.

“I want to do what Alex does in sports,” said Luke Rubin ’29, a data analytics major. “It was cool to hear about his career arc. I talked to him about the models I have made to predict the outcome of sporting events.”

Kate Tull, associate director of orientation and first-year experience, said her office relies on feedback from students to improve off-campus experiences. In 2025, trips were reduced from four to three days to allow students more on-campus time to prepare for the first day of classes.

Several years ago, Red Frame Lab director Steve Krak had his Red Corps fellows speak with student focus groups and collect critical data to create the itinerary for the Denison by Design group. The idea was to find the perfect blend of learning, fun-filled activities, and down time.

“There is a focus on entrepreneurship, and the trip helps introduce students to the Red Frame Lab,” Krak said. “But half of our trip is unstructured. It gives students time to get to know each other.”

Fiona Kogan ’26, a creative writing-communication double major, enjoyed her first-year trip so much she volunteered to be a student team leader the past three years. She recalled the natural feelings of anxiety and homesickness the day after her mom dropped her off at Denison.