Administrators and faculty at Denison University have long recognized that the skills, values and habits attained through a liberal arts education are also those that contribute to successful entrepreneurship. Through Denison’s Red Frame Lab, its hub for design thinking, entrepreneurship, and innovation, students are honing those skills while also connecting generations of entrepreneurial alumni and current students at the ReMix Entrepreneurship Summit.
This year’s summit, hosted for the second year in the Burton D. Morgan Center at Denison University in September, was designed to provide high-value professional development and networking for alumni, helping them to further their own success. ReMix also exposes students to entrepreneurship, nudges them to see their own entrepreneurial potential, and helps them to build networks, hear the journeys of alumni, and gain insight on topics like resilience, risk-taking, raising capital, or branding.
“ReMix is such a powerful experience — bringing together 220 alumni and students,” says Julie Tucker ‘09, assistant vice president for student development and organizer of the event. “Many successful and innovative alumni return to campus to network with and learn from each other. Attendees tell us the energy of the summit and the insights they gained fuel new levels of passion around their existing entrepreneurial ideas and help inspire creative new ones.”
Presenters ranged in experience and expertise, including Terry Jones ’70, founder of Travelocity; Sara Abou Rashed ’21, creator of the one-woman performance “Map of Myself;” Jack Tankersley ’72, founder and managing director of Meritage Funds; and Meghan Powers ’01, vice president with Pace Public Relations.
Sessions covered brand messaging, emerging technology, operations and execution, medicine, and engineering, among others. Though the formats and content varied, each session provided an opportunity to peek behind the curtain to see real entrepreneurial journeys. ReMix attendees heard about failures and challenges their peers faced, providing a rare veracity compared with other conferences. The candor provided a rich learning opportunity for alumni and students alike.
“ReMix is especially unique because of the authentic relationships alumni build with one another during and after ReMix. Attendees regularly share that connecting with fellow enterprising alumni is a defining feature of the experience,” says Tucker.
Alumni and students are excited, already thinking about the next ReMix. The date for that summit will be announced later this fall.
