2006 – Spring ’22 Class Letter
Hello Classmates,
Time continues to fly by, whether it’s with family activities, participating in or watching sports (Olympics), shopping for new cars, or even playing the latest craze, Wordle. What continues to be amazing is how much Ripon College has changed since we attended, but is still the same great place. If we’ve learned anything these past few pandemic years, it is to appreciate and foster connections like the ones we made at Ripon. Let us know who you are staying in touch with from Ripon and how – We’d love to hear from you.
While we just celebrated our 15th Reunion this past summer, we are way too young to be sharing such somber news. ANDY BESWICK ’06 passed away on January 26, 2022 from colon cancer. Initially diagnosed in August 2017, his wife, JESSICA FUOCO BESWICK ’07, shared that he went peacefully and pain-free at the end. News like this hits hard as we reflect on our own memories of ANDY while on campus or after college. Those memories and days seem like just yesterday.
Hard to transition to brighter news… we have a few updates from classmates to share:
MICHELE BERGMAN ’06 and Max Lamberg of Madison, Wisconsin were licensed for foster care and public adoption in Fall 2021. They welcomed two amazing siblings shortly after that and are loving being parents.
ANDY KITSLAAR ’06 and Laura Kitslaar of Monona, Wisconsin welcomed their second son, Oliver Rowdy Kitslaar, in January 2022. Their hospital stay was made that much better because their attending doctor was Ripon grad, NICOLE BAUMANN-BLACKMORE ’01. They will be getting a mini-van for their expanded family, mainly to provide adequate space for their dog, Bodie.
JILLIAN BURRIS BLAZIEWSKE ’06 of Kenosha, Wisconsin, writes, “We have expanded our family! We welcomed a healthy baby boy into the world on February 15 and his big sister also turns two in the same month!”
REBECCA NOWAK ENDERS ’06 of Omro, Wisconsin, writes, “My husband and I welcomed our first baby in December of 2021. She is our pride and joy! We couldn’t be happier!”
Please send any updates you have now or in the future so we can share them in our next Class Letter! You can do so easily through this Google form.
In campus news, things have been busy. As you likely know, President Zach Messitte left the college and our Interim President is Dr. Andrea Young. You can follow her activities on Twitter and Instagram. The search for a new president is ongoing with a hopeful conclusion later this spring.
Also changing is where you can find your Ripon apparel when on campus. The new Rally Store is inside the Ben Franklin in downtown Ripon. I’m sure we’ve all been there, now we have a great excuse to visit to not only pick up Tic Tacs but also a Ripon t-shirt. Finally, the Class of 2006 has always had great attendance during Alumni Weekend. This year it’s moved back to the usual summer date so mark your calendars for Alumni Weekend on June 23-26, 2022.
Thanks to those who continue to support Ripon College and thanks to everyone for staying in touch. Again, we look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, take care, be well, and have some fun!
Your 2006 Class Agents,
