Koch Returning to Classroom
Dennis Koch, DLS Class of 1994, is returning to the classroom, after serving as the Director of Alumni Relations, an arm of the DLS Advancement Department, for the last several years. Vito Chirco, Class of 2011, is stepping into the Alumni Relations Director role.
Koch is returning to the Business Department, teaching Accounting, Entrepreneurship/Marketing, and Introduction to Business. He will also be moderating the DLS Stock Market Club and the DLS DECA team - both activities he initiated in his first teaching role at DLS from 2004 - 2018 before stepping into the Alumni Director role.
He will also be continuing as the DLS Varsity Golf Team’s assistant head coach.
During his six years in the Advancement Department, from 2018 until late June, Koch was closely involved with numerous events, including the annual Christian Brothers’ Dinner and the annual Christian Brothers’ Classic Golf Outing.
Additionally, Koch worked closely with alumni in the establishment of four professional associations: the Pilot Medical, Bar, Business, and Construction Associations. Koch also worked with alumni to organize numerous class reunions, as well as the two annual luncheons for senior alumni. His responsibilities also included working with alumni who are interested in making a planned gift, as he established the Planned Gift Program.
Koch also established two summer golf leagues at The Orchards; now in its sixth year, the leagues have 40 weekly players.
When Business teacher Mike Rice decided to return to the Business world after two years at DLS, Koch decided it was time to go back into the classroom.
“I genuinely love teaching,” Koch said. “I went to school to get an education degree so that I could have a positive impact on young people's lives.”
Koch attended St. Anne Grade School, and along with several of his classmates, came to De La Salle for its outstanding Catholic education.
As a high-schooler, Koch played some freshman and JV basketball and baseball, and played “everything” intramurals.
Although Koch did not play golf in high school, he picked up the game in college. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1998 with a degree in Marketing.
Koch’s road to the classroom had a detour through a career in sales and marketing for the Coca-Cola company.
He began coaching at St. Anne Grade School after college graduation, in 1998, and decided to pursue a degree in education. He initially earned his teaching credentials at the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM), and later picked up a master’s in education from Saginaw Valley. Koch also completed a master’s in Economics in 2016 at UDM, and has secondary administration certifications. He has been accepted into the online Economic Policy doctoral program at Liberty University.
When Koch began teaching at DLS, he picked up the Accounting, Economics, and Basic Computers courses, taught by the late Brian McGinnis (who had retired).
Koch also worked with the late John Schmid, who headed the Business Department and retired in 2005.
During Koch’s teaching years, he developed the International Baccalaureate Business Curriculum and the Advanced Placement Economics curriculum.
Koch began the DLS Stock Market Club and later the DECA Club. DLS students have done extremely well each year in DECA competition, with a number of students becoming state champions.
Koch has taught Financial Markets (FIN 310) at Walsh College, Micro and Macroeconomics at Oakland Community College, and currently teaches Macroeconomics as an Adjunct Professor at Macomb Community College.
He has coached golf with head coach Doug McKay since 2018.
Koch and his wife Erin married in 2011, and live in Royal Oak. Erin works for the City of Royal Oak.