Dear Denison Students,
Happy New Year!
I hope you were able to spend some time recharging over break, doing things that bring you joy, and getting some downtime. As we kick off another semester, I wanted to write to welcome you back to campus and to share some updates.
MLK Day 2023: Though January 16 is the federal observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, as a campus community we will celebrate and honor his legacy on Monday, January 23. A committee of students, faculty and staff planned this year’s theme “Moving the Legacy Forward,” a full day of events that reflect Dr. King’s teachings. We invite you to participate in the day’s many events that provide an opportunity to learn and reflect and also inspire self-expression through art. All events qualify for the Center for Belonging and Inclusion IDEA certificate.
Distinguished Leadership Awards: For decades, Student Life has historically recognized seniors who have made a lasting impact on our campus. Over the summer, Student Life reimagined that process--wanting to expand how we recognize and celebrate student leadership. This year, we will recognize many forms of leadership across class years--from wellness champions and student employees, to student organizations and engaged citizens in residence halls. We invite you to join us on March 1 for this all-campus celebration of student leadership. We’ll share more information next month.
Campus Swingset: I am excited to report that the swingset, initiated by Mac Hammett ‘23 and financially supported through the DCGA Reserve Fund, is being installed over these next few days and will soon be available for your enjoyment. You can find it near Silverstein Hall.
Student Voice: This Fall, we gathered student voice on a variety of topics, especially through Pulse Surveys and RED Corps’ work, gathering student input on dining, transportation, academic advising, and wellness. You can view their findings here. The group focused on meal plans was especially instrumental in helping us to understand more about the limitations of our current meal plans. Pulse Surveys and RED Corps are two important ways we engage student voice on a variety of topics. This Spring, we will have two very important institutional surveys, we’ll ask students to participate in: the National College Health Assessment and the National Survey of Student Engagement. These are two of the most important surveys we do at Denison, so I ask that you take 15-20 minutes to complete those surveys when you receive them later this Spring.
Upcoming Events: Spring Semester is full of many exciting events, and these first five weeks have some opportunities I’d encourage you to take advantage of. Here are some highlights:
January: Fraternity & Sorority Recruitment
January 18: Senior Social Hour at Slivy’s
January 19: Winter Involvement Fair
January 21: Lunar New Year
January 23: MLK Celebration
February 3: Snow Tubing
February 5: Step Afrika!
February 10: Airbrush T-Shirt
February 14: Knitting Night at Hoaglin
February 15: Tailgate at Basketball Game
February 23: Production of Here Us
February 25: First Year Connect Bowling Trip
March 1: Distinguished Leadership Awards
March 24: Moon Hall Roller Disco
March 25: empowHERment conference
We look forward to welcoming you back to campus this weekend. Safe travels!
All my best,
-Alex