Since its completion in 1924, Swasey Chapel has been Denison’s most iconic structure and one of its most beloved places.
Here we gather for important lectures and performances by our students and faculty and also by internationally renowned artists and opinion leaders, who bring the world to Granville.
Performers in Denison’s Vail Series, for example, have included Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax, Renee Fleming, Leontyne Price, Wynton Marsalis, Béla Fleck and Dizzy Gillespie.
Lecture series speakers include authors, artists, scientists, civil servants, and thought leaders from every aspect of life. (And, best of all, our visiting artists and speakers tend to get outside Swasey Chapel, too, spending time with students in classrooms, studios, workshops, and casual dinners.)
Swasey Chapel is also home to interfaith religious services and to some of the college’s most celebrated moments, like the Academic Awards Convocation, for which the campus stops in the middle of a busy spring day to honor students and faculty for their scholarly and civic achievements.