1990 – Fall ’20 Class Letter
ROBERT E. CORKERY, JR. ’90
283 Sylvan Court, Saunderstown, RI 02874
(508) 930-9027 / [email protected]
CHRISTINA L. MAGGIO-KELLERSTRASS ’90
24 Windsor Drive, Elmhurst, IL 60126
(708) 764-1881 / [email protected]
Greetings Classmates!
As we pen this letter it’s hard to believe the surreal time we are all facing. We hope that you and your families are safe, healthy and doing as best as possible under these extraordinary and overwhelming circumstances.
Despite the cancellation of our 30th Reunion, a big ‘hats off’ to our class for the 30th Reunion gift of $32,995! This was a wonderful and generous contribution in these challenging times. Grateful thanks to everyone who made donations in honor of our class and for all who helped solicit gifts!
We are fast-forwarding to a hopeful next year! Our reunion has been rescheduled to late June 2021 so mark your calendars for Alumni Weekend 2021 (June 24-27). With much hope (and a vaccine) we will be able to gather together in Ripon in the summer of 2021. Until then … be well!
Here are a few notes from our classmates:
RICHARD T. ELROD ’90 Attorney of Herrling Clark Law Firm Ltd. was appointed in early 2020 to serve as a member of the Paralegal Advisory Committee for Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. Richard focuses his practice on personal injury cases, including those who have been injured in the workplace. In addition to personal injury, he also handles labor law matters.
SUSAN FRIKKEN ’90 of Madison, Wisconsin, writes, “It feels like after 30 years, my Ripon education and experiences and friendships, and subsequent life have come together in a really wonderful way.
I feel that Ripon, along with my family, was my foundation and springboard for a rich life, one measured by experiences and relationships. My work as a physical therapist in private practice (yaharatherapy.com) feels like a culmination of these experiences and people. I get to help people get better, but I also get to focus on prevention, wellness, and trying to be part of a reimagined system of health care.
Dance Company was at the core of my Ripon experience; affecting every realm of my life (physical, organizational, emotional, social, environmental). After a winding journey, I finally landed on a certification in massage therapy and then a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in my 40s. Along the way, one of the experiences I had was as a ballroom dance instructor. Non-profit work (Whitman-Walker Health in metro DC) gave me crucial experience with administration, fund-raising, support-group facilitation, and coordinating volunteer programs.
One of my projects, Ballroom Basics for Balance(TM) [ballroombasicsforbalance.org], started as a whim and has grown. It’s a class that helps improve balance and prevent falls in a fun way, using dance. We collaborate with students, educational institutions, government and private agencies, community members, and more. Recently, UW-Madison created a video about it. Please enjoy and share! https://news.wisc.edu/ballroom-balance/
This video feels like a representation of my good fortune to have a loving and valuable community, which includes Ripon College. What I get to do every day is not work, but a culmination and continuation of the education and experiences and people. I want to share with my classmates and alma mater and future grads as a proud one, myself!
My life includes a happy home in Madison with my wife and many critters.”
If you have news that you want to be included in the class letter, please send it our way so we can make sure it’s shared!
Cheers to 30 years classmates! Please be well!
Fondly,
Bob
Christina