Last fall, we were thrilled to learn that Denison had been invited to participate as a QuestBridge partner college. QuestBridge helps highly-talented, low-income high school students pursue education at some of the best colleges and universities in the country. We knew this opportunity would be transformational for Denison; QuestBridge has long had a reputation for identifying and counseling incredibly gifted students. QuestBridge Finalists rank colleges from the partner college list as part of the competitive National College Match process. It has been a long journey, and on December 1, we proudly admitted our first class of QuestBridge Scholars!
These 33 Match Scholars will come to Denison from 19 states — Massachusetts to California, Florida to Utah, South Dakota to Texas — and many places in between. An incredible 55% of Denison’s first QuestBridge cohort are first-generation college students, and 70% are students of color. Increasing access and equity for low-income and traditionally underrepresented students has been a top priority at Denison for several years. Our partnership with QuestBridge has enabled us to engage with impressive students from communities we’d typically have difficulty reaching.
Speaking of impressive, the stories and backgrounds of our QuestBridge cohort is as impressive as their academic credentials. These students have overcome significant obstacles in their pursuit of higher education. They’ll arrive on campus next fall having already proven they have the determination, talent, and intrinsic motivation to be great Denisonians. With access to the resources we have at Denison — world-class professors, one of the nation’s best career centers, and a deeply compassionate community of mentors and peers — there is no limit to what these QuestBridge Scholars can accomplish.