Group of students on the quad.
Group of students at the involvement fair.
Student running an obstacle course.
Denison seniors gathered to watch the Senior Sunrise.

We’ve got our own DNA. Things that make Denison…Denison. Some of these traditions and campus favorites have been around for a long time — some are newer — and each one represents what makes our community unique and our campus fun.

  • A capella groups: Three terrifically talented student groups — DUWop, Ladies Night Out, and The Hilltoppers — sing just for the love of it. Even Punxsutawney Phil is a fan.
  • Academic Awards Convocation: During one special hour in April, we cancel classes to cheer (loud and proud) for our accomplished students and faculty. The best-kept secrets on campus are the winners of the President’s Medal — even they don’t know until the big moment.
  • Aestevalia: Every Spring we head outside and dance with abandon to great music. Bouncy houses, carnival rides, and games add to the fun.
  • Big Red Roommates: If you live with the same roommate(s) throughout your time on The Hill, you’re invited to a special dinner with the president during Senior Week.
  • Burpees Seedy Theatrical Company: The longest-running college comedy troupe in America is where Steve Carell ‘84 (of Office fame) got his start.
  • Buzzy the Buzzard: We call ourselves the “Big Red” but we have our not-so-official mascot, Buzzy the Buzzard. Make sure to get a selfie with him at the next athletic event!
  • The Cemetery: If your blood truly runs red (and white), there’s no need to leave the fair college on The Hill…ever. Be sure to catch the Burpees Seedy Halloween show held here every year.
  • Chapel Walk: Probably the most-traveled path on campus, Chapel Walk connects East Quad to the A-quad. And it’s ridiculously gorgeous — in every season.
  • Class banner Your class banner signifies special moments at Denison. At the Induction Ceremony, the students who live closest to and farthest away from Denison carry the banner for their classmates. During Commencement, the co-governors carry the banner and lead their class into the ceremony. At Reunion, banners of attending classes are displayed on Reese~Shackleford Common, and alums march behind their banners during the Parade of Classes.
  • Class Fanfare: Each year, a Denison music professor composes a fanfare in honor of the incoming class. The class fanfare is only played during the most solemn moments at Denison: Induction and Commencement.
  • Community cookouts: Three times a year, we hold an amazing cookout for the whole community — students, faculty, and staff. Join the fun at the Involvement Fair, Denison Day, and Aestavalia.
  • The Denison Hello: A tradition stretching back into the last century. Denisonians say hello to one another on their way to classes — and everywhere on campus. We just can’t help ourselves.
  • Denison Day (also known as D-Day): It stands for Denison Day. For decades, Denison students have rocked out to concerts with the premiere music artists of the day — Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Who, Dave Matthews, Ben Folds, and Mos Def, to name a few.
  • Denison Deer: Yes, you’re going to see deer on campus — the live variety, no taxidermy here. They ARE adorable, but please keep your distance. These are shy woodland creatures after all.
  • Denison News: Three different publications — pick your flavor or choose all three: The Bullsheet is Denison’s Monday-Friday broadside — complete with biting satire and witty observations. Our student-run campus weekly newspaper, The Denisonian — the longest-running campus organization — was founded in 1857. The Reporting Project dishes up local news and event coverage by our journalism program.
  • Doobiepalooza x Culture Jam: A collab between the Doobie and the Black Student Union, we celebrate with great music and an outdoor concert. Do. Not. Miss.
  • The Doobie: Denison’s radio station streams online at DoobieRadio.com — so you can catch our cool blend of rock, funk, jazz, hip-hop, country, Caribbean, K-pop — you name it.
  • Food Truck Friday: Every Friday (when the weather is nice ), head out to the flagpole for your favorite food truck fix.
  • The Gala: Every year, we take over Slayter for a massive party. Enjoy food, dancing, entertainment, and our signature photo booth.
  • Ghosts in the Stacks: You might find more than just your research among the many stacks in the library. Take the haunted library tour around Halloween…if you dare!
  • Graduation tassel: At Denison, your graduation tassel represents all your college experiences. You receive it at the very beginning of your Denison journey and keep it for all four years. Wear it proudly at Commencement.
  • Mt. Denison: Yes, we have our own mountain! Thanks to Kirtley Mather, Class of 1909, the tallest peak in Alaska’s Aleutian Peninsula is named for our fair college on The Hill. Every decade or so, a couple of Denisonians decide to climb it.
  • Pix with Path: The big red sculpture by Alexander Liberman on South Quad is a great place for a photo op that will have people wondering, “What IS that thing?”
  • Senior Send-Off: The long goodbye to Denison, when seniors have The Hill all to themselves. It’s jam-packed with a bucket list, lots of food, parties, and the Senior Soirée.
  • The Scream: During finals week, students pour out of their residence halls at midnight and share a primal scream.
  • Senior Sunrise: On their final morning at Denison, tearful seniors gather at the hill in front of Sigma Chi to watch the sunrise together and usher in Commencement day.
  • Sizzles: Start and end your time on The Hill with music, glow sticks, and dancing at the Sizzle! At the First-year Sizzle, dance the night away as a DJ sprays the crowd with paint. The Senior Sizzle marks the final social event for you and your classmates —until you come back for reunion.
  • Slayter Late Night: Take a weekly study break with your friends. Slayter Late Night is every Thursday night at 9 p.m. on Slayter third floor.
  • The Snagel: A bagel, perfectly toasted and topped with smooth cream cheese and a healthy sprinkle of brown sugar. You can only find this delicious treat (the perfect study break nosh) at the Bandersnatch coffee house.
  • Student Life Awards: At these annual awards, we ​​honor our students, recognizing their outstanding achievements and exemplary commitment to Denison.
  • Swasey Bell Ringers: our own “semi-secret society,” the Swasey Chapel Bell Ringers play tunes that can be heard across campus and in the village three times a day.
  • Watch your step!: The story goes, if you step on the college seal embedded in Chapel Walk in front of Swasey Chapel, you won’t graduate. It’s only a story…really.
  • WinterFest: At the end of the fall semester, just before you buckle down for finals, find frozen fun on A-quad with fire pits, an ice rink, and hot chocolate.

For information on how to get involved, email Alli Kulbago at kulbagoa@denison.edu.