1992–Spring ’18 Class Letter
Class Agents:
JuDee Stojsavljevic Fischer
Bonni Dembroski Fredrick
Erin McCormack
Spring 2018
Hello Fellow Class of 1992 members –
It’s hard to believe that it’s already heading into spring of 2018. It feels like just yesterday that we gathered on campus last summer for our big reunion! Those of you who attended the reunion may remember that the Willmore Center was in the process of being finished.
Well, it’s done, it’s open, it’s operational and it’s an amazing addition to campus. Here’s some information for you if you haven’t been on campus to see it yet.
Willmore Center is the main health and wellness facility on campus and houses the athletics and exercise science departments. Named for alumna and Honorary Life Trustee Dena G. Willmore, the center opened in August 2017 after a $22 million renovation and expansion.
Located on the corner of Union and Thorne streets, Willmore Center houses the KERMIT “DOC” WEISKE ’50 Gymnasium and the John M. Kohler Swimming Pool. The new 65,000 sq. ft. field house includes an indoor NCAA-regulation track, complete with field events and four performance courts for basketball, tennis and volleyball.
Additionally, within Willmore Center are three fitness studios, a weight room and a cardio balcony. The new field house is home to Ripon’s indoor track and field teams.
The track/cross country coach’s office is named in honor of Coach Dick Hendricks of Ripon, who was a long-time cross-country and track coach for the college. Alumni, friends and family shocked Dick in early January at a ceremony to dedicate the office. He thought he was just there to attend a track meet and an alumni event. Surprise!
I know I really enjoyed my June sneak peek and can’t wait to get back to see the Willmore Center in all its glory. It was so much fun to wander around it during reunion weekend with Coach Hendricks, while knowing that he had no idea of what we were plotting and planning for him.
As always, Ripon keeps a full schedule of engagements for students and the community. Late winter and spring events include:
- The Center for Politics and the People held a panel discussion about democracy
- Award-winning poet Maggie Smith spoke on campus
- “The 25Th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” a Tony Award-winning musical was performed by the Ripon College Department of Theatre and Department of Music
- A Candidate for Wisconsin’s 6th District Congressional seat visited campus
- Doug Feith, Director and senior fellow of the Center for National Security Strategies at the Hudson Institute, visited campus for a discourse upon national security
Events like these and others are often supported through your generous donations. Please don’t forget that when we were students at Ripon, alumni donations and endowments underwrote the cost of our undergraduate education. Pay it forward and send a donation to Ripon. And now for some class notes…
JOANNA MALENFANT FISCHER ’92 of Cambridge, Massachusetts, has joined the board of Friends of Vassal Lane Upper School, a charity organization supporting her daughter’s school.
ERIN MCCORMACK ’92 of Colorado Springs, Colorado, relocated from Raleigh, NC to Colorado Springs, CO in the fall of 2017. She is now employed with the United States Olympic Committee as the Senior Technology and Innovation Advisor for the Strategy and Business Consulting team. Go Team USA!
Since relocating to Colorado Springs, Erin has been able to visit with LORI STICH OBLUDA ’91 who, with her husband, maintains a residence in Colorado Springs. On a recent engagement with USA Boxing, one of the National Governing Bodies for sport, Erin ended up collaborating with CLAY DUTCHER ’93. Ripon connections are truly everywhere. In her free time, Erin and her boyfriend enjoy all the great active outdoor activities in CO (running at altitude is much harder than running at sea level for sure) and supporting local craft breweries and restaurants.
All the best,
JuDee, Bonni, and Erin