Sara Denly, director of the Grace and David Nichols Family Nursing Program, and Dave Denly, Major Gifts Advancement Officer, will be the featured speakers at SC’s annual opening convocation Friday, Aug. 21, at 11 a.m., in the Richardson Performing Arts Center.  There is no admission charge and the public is invited to attend.

The opening convocation will wrap up the festivities for Builder Fest 2026 and officially start the academic year. It will feature the recognition of students included on the Dean’s Honor Roll for the spring 2026 semester and the announcement of the Scholar of the College.

“Opening Convocation is an important milestone for ushering in the new academic year that allows us to celebrate accomplishments of the past year and focus in on our goals for the upcoming year,” says Tammy McEwen, associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty.

Sara Denly returns to her Alma Mater with 26 years of experience as a registered nurse, including six years as a nurse practitioner. Her background includes leadership roles such as House Supervisor at William Newton Hospital, Joint Practice Team & Butterfly Mentor for Palliative Care at Children’s Nebraska, and Mentorship Team & Inspire Trained Provider at Catholic Health Initiative.

She assumes leadership as the program enters its second academic year since opening. In August, two cohorts will be in the nursing program, completing didactic and clinical rotations, and two cohorts will be in the pre-nursing track working toward admission to the BSN program. Denly will also serve as the faculty advisor to the freshman and sophomore pre-nursing students.

Dave Denly, who worked at Southwestern from 1996 to 2015 as an assistant men’s basketball coach, head women’s basketball coach, and athletic director, returns to SC after spending the past 10 years as head women’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director at Bellevue (Neb.) University.

In his previous positions, Dave has been an active fundraiser supporting program sustainability and growth. During his tenure as athletic director, Denly partnered with the Development office in support of the Great Performances Campaign. He also offered oversight and project management to capital projects included in the campaign for athletic facilities. He is well acquainted with a broad base of Southwestern College alumni and friends as well as the Winfield community.   

He is a graduate of Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, where he received his bachelor of arts degree in finance and business administration.  He was inducted into the Southwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022. He began his new position of Major Gifts Advancement Officer on July 1.

The couple will share remarks about lifelong inflection points and the decision to come home.