Whenever a Denison alum moves to a Gary Fleisner ’13, associate director of regional new city, chances are someone has put out a Big Red welcome mat for them, thanks to the launch of the regional network program.
“We want to extend the magic of connections and relationship-building that happens on campus and help our alumni engage with other Denisonians in their communities,” said Sallie Sistare, associate vice president of institutional advancement.
Regional networks are set up in 10 cities across the country, with more in the works. Local Denison residents — alums, students, parents, newcomers, long-timers, and everyone in between — are invited.
Each volunteer committee plans their region’s Denison Everywhere event, which becomes a springboard for additional gatherings spread throughout the year. “Our regional networks support our graduates’ personal and professional networks,” said Sistare. “They help our alums build social networks and make connections that help advance their professional success, too.”
As fall colors begin to glow, special Welcome to the City opportunities introduce recent grads and Denisonians new to the area to in-the-know local alums who answer questions, help them to establish local networks, understand area job markets, and sometimes even help locate housing.
In Cincinnati, Andrew Hesch ’16 said he’s seen the program in action, and it’s working. “I think we made some headway connecting a couple of recent grads with local networks,” he said. “They appreciate it so much they’ve even brought non-Denison people to our events.”
Hesch has benefited too. “I shared that I was interested in joining a nonprofit’s board, and two alumni offered conversations regarding opportunities they were familiar with.”
Gary Fleisner ’13, associate director of regional and lifelong engagement, said every city is different. “Our core volunteers have boots on the ground and understand their city’s culture,” he said. “They are the regional experts and know what works best.”
Hope Cherubini ’21 knows from experience just how important these connections in a new city can be. The Denver native took a new position with a national employee wellness company in Boston, relocating there in the fall of 2023. “When I took a leap and moved, I was hoping to lean on Denison,” she said.
Fleisner tapped her to be part of the Beantown regional team, and she “went for it,” becoming the young alumni representative on her committee. She helped plan the Welcome to the City event (at a Red Sox game, naturally). They also put together a summer event in Charlestown and a service event in the spring.
The Boston Big Red team includes Denison alums that span decades, from the ’80s into the early 2000s. Cherubini has enjoyed getting to know everyone.
“I’ve learned their stories,” she said. “We always make time to catch up with each other.”
These relationships have enhanced her experience. Cherubini, who had “never lived on water,” now loves her new hometown on the East Coast. “Boston is a beautiful city with so much history and many things to do,” she said. “Being part of this network made me even more comfortable here. It’s a great fit for me.”
On the West Coast, Danny Pritz ’11 welcomes new Denisonians to his city, San Francisco.
They held their own Welcome to the City event at a Giants game. Pritz’s group takes advantage of San Francisco’s park culture for their summer event.
“We just take a blanket, a picnic and hang out at Golden Gate Park on a beautiful day,” he said. “Just a nice, casual park hang to kick off our alumni network.”
“It’s super simple to meet some new people and see your friends from different age groups, careers, and interests,” he said. “You learn something in every interaction, and this opens up so many opportunities and connections.”
By way of contrast, Pritz said that his wife, Amy, a University of Illinois graduate, rarely sees anyone from her college. “She says there’s something special about Denison that keeps people connected long after you graduate.”
“This is super-unique to Denison — there’s a sort of huge, overwhelming feeling,” he said. “We have so much in common. It’s like we’re a family. And we’re always asking, ‘What can I do to help you?’”