Friday, April 8, 2016
2.0
Indiana’s Oldest College Newspaper
pg. 6 & 7
vol. 164, issue 39
Raj Bellani ends his era at the Hubbard Center, accepts position at Denison University BY EMILY MCCARTER news@thedepauw.com
DePauw announced Thursday evening that Rajesh “Raj” Bellani, dean of experiential learning and career planning at the Hubbard Center, will be leaving DePauw at the end of June to fulfill the position of Assistant to the President at Denison University. “It was a unique opportunity to work with a former supervisor, who is now President at Denison, Adam Weinberg. I received a call from him and he asked me to consider an opportunity with him,” Bellani said on the phone Thursday evening. “I’ve known him for seven years, worked with him for six. It was a unique opportunity to work on cabinet at Denison and to implement a unique plan.” Although a unique opportunity, this decision didn’t come with ease. “It was difficult for me to accept because I love DePauw and the Hubbard Center and, of course, the
students and alumni,” he said. Bellani came to DePauw in 2012 after working at the Rhode Island Institute for Design and Colgate College. He has dedicated his last four years at DePauw to improving the Hubbard Center for Student Engagement. For many, the Hubbard Center will be Bellani’s lasting legacy. “The Hubbard Center is like his baby,” said senior and Student Body President Craig Carter on the phone Thursday night. “Whenever you think about the Hubbard Center, you think Raj.” Bellani sees it a little differently. “The center is much larger than one person,” he said. “This center has institutionalized the commitment and the message that every student should have a plan of action for a life of direction. That’s what Kathy [Hubbard] has done for us, I cannot thank her enough for her support, and Dr. Casey.” He continued to list many more names for their support: the Coquillette family, the St. John family, Kathy
and Al Hubbard, the Darnall family, the Neville family, the entire alumni base and trustees, among others. Throughout all of his time and hard work at DePauw, Bellani will miss the students the most. “The students are just amazing individuals here,” he said. “I’ve had lots of conversations with them. The best part of my job is just talking with them and helping them and seeing them in town. That will be the most difficult part because my new job will not have as high student contact as I did at DePauw.” Although students have faith in the Hubbard Center staff, many are shocked and saddened by this news. “The thing I’ll miss most is
Raj to Denison cont. on pg. 4 Photo courtesy of depauw university
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