Denison’s third Big Red Career Expo, designed to connect students with the nation’s top employers and graduate schools, was its biggest yet, reflecting the college’s growing reputation as the nation’s premier liberal arts college for career preparation.
Participating employers increased to more than 50, among them: Google, Oracle, McKinsey & Company, Bath & Body Works, Chipotle, Warner Bros. Discovery, Edelman, Bank of America, Cardinal Health, Nationwide, Ford, and regional and emerging organizations.
“This year, we moved to a bigger space to meet the demand,” said Melanie Murphy, executive director of the Knowlton Center for Career Exploration. “What excites us most isn’t just the number of employers, though, it’s the opportunities it creates for our students, helping them see what’s possible and take the next steps toward careers they may not have imagined yet.”
The biannual event hosted by Denison’s nationally recognized Knowlton Center — ranked #2 for best career services among all 2,400 four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. — attracted more than 500 students to the college’s Mitchell Center.
New for 2025, an internship showcase highlighted students who completed internships over the summer, sharing candid advice with their college peers. From how they landed their roles to the projects they worked on, the showcase offered an inside look at how real-world experiences had shaped their career ambitions.
Representing the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, alum Demi Johnson ’11 networked with students as a way of giving back. Denison prepared her well to become an attorney, she said.
“I think Denison creates great workers for the workforce,” Johnson said. “They cultivate great thinkers here, people who are able to really dig in and understand jobs, do them well, and advance themselves.”
Andrew Touhy ’13, returned to Granville to connect with current students and represent his employer, Golin, a Chicago-based global communications firm.
“I was helped along the way by a lot of people at Denison,” he said. “After I graduated, the Denison network was huge for me.”