Dorothy joined the ChargerREC team in 2023 as a group exercise dance fitness instructor. In December 2025, she began her current role as Assistant Director of Campus Recreation.
Classen has been working closely with students for over twelve years, starting as a full-time tutor at St. Thomas More School (STM). In her eight years at STM, she also served as a teacher, Director of International Students, and coach for both Varsity Cross Country and JV Baseball. Eventually, Dorothy transitioned into higher education and with Admissions at the University of Bridgeport and then later, to Student Affairs with UNewHaven's Office of Graduate & International Student Life.
Growing up, she played and later captained Varsity Field Hockey at Lyman Hall High School while simultaneously dancing Jazz, Tap, and Hip Hop. Currently, Dorothy holds licenses and certifications to teach Zumba Fitness®, MixxedFit®, and Commit to You® Dance Fitness.
Classen has been fortunate enough to visit 16 countries across six continents. She loves to learn about other cultures, especially via dance. While she currently only speaks English, it has been a life-long dream of Dorothy's to be bilingual. She is very proud of her most recent 1,066-day streak of Spanish on Duolingo.
