Nor Osborne, Features Editor–
Katie Kress is a music performance major with a music theatre minor from Dayton. Throughout her time at Denison, she has enjoyed producing and directing shows through the Denison Independent Theatre Association, playing the mandolin and singing with the American Roots Music Ensemble, and performing in musicals.
After graduation, Kress will be performing at the Weathervane Playhouse, a professional theatre in Newark. She will be playing Jan in “Grease” and Mary Magdalene in “Jesus Christ Superstar.” After these shows, she will be traveling with her family and then taking on an internship at Disney.
She encourages Denisonians to “pursue things they’re not immediately good at.”
Rebecca Reichert is an earth science major with American roots music minor from Cincinnati, Ohio. Some of her favorite moments at Denison included serving as the president of Club Frisbee, where she’s been able to travel to tournaments to play frisbee with friends, and being apart of the American Roots Music Ensemble, especially when she was able to perform at the International Bluegrass Music Association festival in Raleigh, North Carolina.
After graduation, Reichert will be conducting research at a geologic field station in the Rocky Mountains in Montana.
“At Denison, you can do whatever you want to do. I was able to be involved with STEM, music, and a club sport. It’s so easy to get over involved” Reichert said. “Put your time and energy into what you really love. Don’t overcommit yourself.”
Selena Mendez is a women’s and gender studies and politics, philosophy, and economics double major local to Colorado Springs and Billings, Montana. Mendez has enjoyed being involved with the Burpees and Singer’s Theatre Workshop at Denison. She has also worked as a manager at Chipotle for her entire Denison career.
Post grad, Mendez plans on moving to Columbus to work with City Year, an Americorp program for a year. She will be working hands-on with students in underfunded public schools as a student success coach.
“Something that I’ve learned from Denison is that you can’t be afraid of taking risks and trying new or old things! I knew I loved performing in musical theatre and improv, but I wasn’t too sure about doing it in college,” Mendez said. “However, I took the plunge and tried out for both things and loved every second of it!”
Isaac Appel is a cinema major with a music minor from Kansas City, Missouri. Some of Appel’s favorite adventures on campus have included making films, performing in the Denison Independent Theatre Association’s Cabaret for the last two years, singing with DUWop, performing in musicals and plays, and working on Eisner’s tech crew.
After graduating, Appel plans to complete a technical theatre internship at the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival in Kansas City. He hopes to move to Chicago, Illinois afterwards.
Appel would like to tell Denisonians to “make the most of your time here, but be selective. It’s easy to burn yourself out with too many commitments.”
Ellie Owen is a journalism major from Silver Spring, Maryland. Some of her favorite Denison memories include working at the Office of Admission, being a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, and being Editor-in-Chief of The Denisonian.
After graduation, Owen will be interning as a student reporter for WOSU Public Media.
“My advice to younger students is to get really involved on campus and try to hang out with new people as much as you can,” Owen said. “I’ve loved being part of the journalism department and I’m really gonna miss everyone I’ve met here at Denison.”
Henry Kline is a physics and Spanish double major with a math minor from Columbus. At Denison, he has enjoyed being a part of the society of physics students along with playing cello in the orchestra and the chamber music group.
Henry will be attending Purdue University to pursue a PhD in medical physics.
“Make strong connections with your professors!” Kline said. “Not only are they great people, but also very supportive and helpful.”