Denison's next chapter

I love being the president of Denison! I am proud of the life-shaping education we provide our students. I am grateful to share our campus with amazing college students who embrace the wonderful values and attributes of Denisonians. And I sit in awe of the faculty and staff who care about and catalyze our students.

Recently, a student wrote me:
“Coming from a low-income background with little support, my opportunities felt limited. High school was bleak and often depressing. After high school, I needed a place with resources, guidance, and mentorship. Denison has provided career coaching, academic mentorship, and support for international programs. Denison’s unique commitment to post-graduate preparation and community has shaped my college experience in profound ways. Because of these resources, I’ve been able to grow not only as a student but as a person with the confidence to step into new opportunities. For that, I am deeply grateful.”

The student goes on to talk about all the ways they have been involved across the campus, the wide range of people who have mentored them, and the excitement for next semester when they will study abroad and then stay abroad for a summer internship.

Every day, students tell me stories about the ways a Denison education unlocks the potential of students to be the architects of their own lives.
Recently, we announced the launch of the most ambitious fundraising effort in the university’s history: What We Can Be, which you’ll read more about in this issue of Denison Magazine.

What We Can Be is Denison’s roadmap for the future. Our goal is to position Denison as a national leader in delivering a truly life-shaping liberal arts education defined by exceptional experiences, proven career outcomes, and strong relationships. We aim to be a college known for its total commitment to students and admired for the ways they flourish on campus and then launch quickly and successfully into their lives and careers.

Thanks to incredible early support from the Denison community, we’ve already raised more than $240 million toward our $400 million campaign goal. We will not only meet this goal, but we will surpass it.

Denison is launching this campaign from a position of strength, building on our momentum and rising reputation, but it’s worth noting that it comes as higher education faces several challenges.

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the workplace and the way we deliver education; state and federal regulations are shifting; our competitive landscape is changing; and the era of name, image, and likeness has created disadvantages for Division III colleges. To add to this, there are fewer students seeking a college degree today, overall.

We’re not immune to the impact of these conditions, but we’re uniquely positioned to meet the moment. More than anything, these challenges underline the importance of this work.

What We Can Be is a movement to ensure that Denison continues to lead with creativity and expand the college’s impact beyond four years on The Hill. These investments will fuel our ability to pursue opportunity, respond to students’ evolving needs, and secure Denison’s future for generations to come.
 

• First, everything begins with affordability.
  Denison is among just 80 colleges — out of roughly 4,000 nationwide — that meet students’ full demonstrated financial need. That’s remarkable progress, but we must go further to ensure that cost is never a barrier to a Denison education.
• Second, we are deeply focused on academic excellence.
  Denison continues to lead with academic programs that are rigorous, relevant, and future-facing. From arts and humanities to data analytics, and global commerce, and now with our newest major in finance (which you will read about in this issue), our curriculum evolves to address the needs of today’s students, families, and employers.
• Third, we are expanding career preparation.
  We’re proud that Denison was ranked No. 2 in the nation for career services this past year, but we’re not stopping there. What We Can Be will strengthen career preparation through the Knowlton Center for Career Exploration, where every student gets the personalized guidance and real-world experience that leads to a meaningful and successful life after graduation, and support as they make early career pivots.
• Fourth, enriching our campus experience.
  We are investing in the vibrant residential community that makes Denison a true living-learning environment. This means investing in things like student organizations, athletics, facilities, and wellness programs. We were recently ranked nationally No. 2 for having the happiest students by The Princeton Review.
• And finally, engaging our alumni network.
  This campaign will strengthen alumni engagement, building bridges across cities, industries, and generations. Denison isn’t a four-year experience; it’s a lifelong community, and our alumni are at the center of what makes it great.

What We Can Be is about investing in students while they are here, and long after they leave. It’s about believing in the power of a Denison education to launch meaningful lives and careers and build lifelong relationships.

Every contribution, whether it’s mentoring a student, sharing an internship, hiring a graduate, providing feedback, attending a regional event, or making a contribution to our annual fund, supports this vision and helps ensure that Denison thrives.

We deeply appreciate your support and encouragement. As you read through the following pages and have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.