Elizabeth Ellis ’97 never thought of attending law school during her time on The Hill.
A second-generation Denisonian, she found English professors fostered her love of writing and research. Lisa McDonnell, Fred Porcheddu-Engel, and Dominick Consolo were all significant influences.
Ellis mulled careers in academia, public relations, and marketing. But as she spent her first year after Denison caring for her grandmother, she thought about the adaptability of her liberal arts education.
“The research and writing I had done at Denison had trained me perfectly for a legal career,” said Ellis, who ultimately graduated from University of Dayton School or Law.
After two decades working in prosecutor’s offices, Ellis was appointed a judge for the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in 2023. She must win election in November 2024 to retain the seat for the term expiring in 2027.
“In law, you have to read and think carefully, and everything I did at Denison prepared me for that,” Ellis said. “I started at Denison thinking I was going to be pre-med, and then I took a Shakespeare course with Dr. McDonnell and I was hooked.”
Ellis likes to tell the story of how she and her mother, Shirley Raizk Ellis ’64, both took literature classes from Consolo.
While Ellis made other college visits, she knew from an early age Denison was in her future.
“My mom took me to one of her reunions when I was about 5 years old,” Ellis recalled. “I remember thinking, ‘This is the place for me.’