1985 – Fall ’19 Class Letter
Heather McFadden Barrie
262-628-1377 / [email protected]
The Powerful Impact College Has on Our Life Beyond Graduation
While we may reminisce about our high school years – sporting achievements, academic successes, first dates, first break-ups, homecoming, prom, graduation, etc. – those memories represent a chunk of time in our life that is finite. It’s four years, surrounded by four walls, that left a stamp on our lives forever between the ages of 14 and 18.
Reminiscing about our college experience, however, has no border. Our college experience resonates within our daily lives from the moment we graduate to the day we die. Our college experience shapes our lives forever.
Ripon College has … in some shape or form …
- Developed our independence
- Made us our own best self-advocate
- Sharpened our risk-taking skills
- Tested our ability to negotiate
- Mastered our problem-solving abilities
- Forced us to be excellent communicators
- Armed us to persevere during any headwind
And most importantly …
- Set the stage for us to become lifelong learners
Our college years tug at our heart strings, too, as classmates respond to “The thing I miss most about college life is … ”
- Seeing all my best friends from Ripon every day! – JULI WELK JENSEN ’85
- Playing cribbage with friends. – JOHN SHORT ’85
- Hanging out with RUTH ANNE GERO ADAMS ’85 every day. Talking to Dr. Schang. – KATHIE BRINKMAN ’85
- … feeling I was actually in control of my schedule! – JIM ESTEN ’85
Ahhhh, to go back to our college days … not necessary. We live those days every day by the person we’ve become because of our college experience.
However, if those heartstring memories of your college experience are tugging at you more and more, then it’s time, my fellow classmates, to mark your calendar for our 35th Ripon College Reunion – June 25-28, 2020!
Stay tuned for more information! And, if you’re interested in serving on the 35th Ripon College Reunion planning committee, let me know! I know I’m looking forward to next year’s reunion.
Here’s to memories – living them every day!
HEATHER MCFADDEN BARRIE ’85