火爆社区

At Denison University, students are encouraged to explore their interests 鈥渋n and out of the classroom.鈥� This is encouraged and enabled by a faculty full of 鈥渢he most caring, supportive, and knowledgeable human beings鈥� and students having 鈥渧oting powers on many administrative councils, committees, and task forces,鈥� which allows them to help shape the school鈥檚 decision-making. That cooperation may explain why, when it comes to academics, undergrads find the coursework 鈥渃hallenging but certainly worth it.鈥� It may also be from the presentation of the work itself: 鈥渃lasses are rarely taught in the form of lectures...rather they feel like focus groups dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.鈥� The vast majority praise teachers as 鈥渆nthusiastic about their area of study鈥� and as 鈥渃aring, thoughtful, and always [challenging] you without ever letting you fail.鈥� The consensus is that they鈥檙e 鈥渢ruly focused on students鈥� learning and development鈥� and want 鈥渢o see you succeed and become a better person.鈥� As one undergrad concludes, 鈥淚 have built a team of faculty who I can lean on.鈥�

Denison students are 鈥渂oth ambitious and also open minded...curious, innovative thinkers that are motivated by making a wise impact.鈥� While you can still see 鈥渢he remnants鈥� of a 鈥減redominantly white鈥� and 鈥渨ealthy East-coaster鈥� background, the overall consensus is that you can now meet 鈥渁ll types of students on campus.鈥� One undergrad elaborates further, 鈥淎s an Ohioan, it is really special to go to an in-state school where I can have roommates, friends, and classmates from Britain, India, and China.鈥� Driven and diverse, students agree that it鈥檚 鈥済reat to see people support each other in athletic events, theater performances, and even Bluegrass ensembles,鈥� all of which makes the school feel like a real community. Indeed, 鈥渋t is the type of campus where...you keep your head up and say 鈥榟i鈥� to everyone that you pass.鈥� Adds another undergrad, 鈥淚 feel really safe at Denison because I know that if something were to happen to me, students that I know and don鈥檛 know would step up to help.鈥� Ultimately, when it comes down to it, 鈥淭here is someone representing every personality, character, experience, and friendship style at Denison, so you are guaranteed to find a great group of friends.鈥�

Life at Denison can be hectic. Thankfully, students maintain 鈥渁 good balance of academics, extracurriculars, and fun.鈥� The university itself sponsors plenty of activities including 鈥渇ood trucks, movie nights, [and] trivia nights鈥� along with 鈥済uest speakers and performances.鈥� You can also find numerous student-run clubs for a variety of interests. Groups range from 鈥渢he Burpees Improv group, which does lots of great shows with high campus engagement,鈥� to Quidditch, ski club, and Habitat for Humanity. Students appreciate the way arts are handled: 鈥渦nlike bigger schools, it鈥檚 less competitive and just focused on fostering a community鈥� and resources are generally open to students, like 鈥渕usic facilities that we can use at our own leisure.鈥� Those into sports appreciate the way that the school helps them juggle 鈥渁 competitive, serious career in athletics and a rigorous, rewarding academic experience.鈥� Outside of structured events, 鈥渉undreds of students...pass time lounging on the main academic quad between classes.鈥� And once the weekend rolls around, there tend to be apartment-based parties on Fridays and frat-based ones on Saturdays, though it鈥檚 noted that while 鈥渟tudents are typically social, [they are] not necessarily party animals.鈥� That said, those who want to hang together can do so 鈥渞egardless of Greek life status, which is cool,鈥� and those who need a break from the hustle and bustle of college life can visit the quiet village of Granville or 鈥渄rive to Columbus and explore the city.鈥�

Undergrads at Denison receive a tremendous amount of 鈥渃areer support鈥�[from] the college.鈥� And they are quick to sing the praises of the Knowlton Center for Career Exploration, which 鈥渙ffers a variety of help with career decisions.鈥� Here, students 鈥減ractice interviews, [get] career coaching, r茅sum茅 building, and more.鈥� The center also runs more than one hundred innovative career programs, such as First Looks, which helps students at the start of their professional journey to gain a better understanding of certain jobs and industries via job shadowing, networking opportunities, and company tours. Through these events, undergrads connect with industry insiders to ask questions about company culture, daily responsibilities, and individual career paths. Other programs through the center include three-day Career-Ready Bootcamps during winter break, Career Communities, and Sophomore Month, in which second-year students attend a month of career exploration events and learn about the help available to them across all departments via the Sophomore Resource Fair. These programs and resources pay off: 96 percent of Denison graduates are working in their desired field, and Payscale.com reports a starting median salary of $63,100 with 50 percent stating that their jobs give them a high level of meaning.