1997 – Fall ’21 Class Letter
1997 – Fall 2021 Class Letter
Class Agent:
KRISTIN BAZZOLI PIOTROWSKI ’97
(414) 841-8577 / [email protected]
Hello, Class of 1997,
I hope this newsletter finds all of you well. As we start the fall season, I wanted to provide you with some updates from the College.
Alumni Weekend:
Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022 (when we will celebrate our 25th Class Reunion), which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022. Speaking of, if you are interested in helping to plan our 25th Class Reunion, please let me know.
This Past Fiscal Year:
A record-breaking 2,087 donors from around the world supported Ripon’s 4th annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.
Campus Upgrades:
The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science, a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work, recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments.
Endowment:
Ripon’s endowment recently hit an all-time high. As of Thursday, August 19, it was at $112 million.
Start of the Academic Year:
Classes started on Monday, August 30, and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety protocols.
Helpful Links:
- News stories published by the College: ripon.edu/news
- Ripon Magazine, including features of alumni and faculty: ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications
- Ripon College Center for Politics and the People: facebook.com/RiponCollegeCPP
- Ripon College Center for Diversity and Inclusion: facebook.com/ripondiversity
Class Notes:
CHRIS CORSTEN ’97 of Menominee, Michigan, wrote the following op-ed for New York Daily News based on his experience in Afghanistan: “True progress amid Afghan chaos: An Afghanistan veteran reflects on the longest war.” Access the op-ed here: https://bit.ly/3yR836A. He also authored the book “3,000 Days in Afghanistan.”
AARON GOLDSTEIN ’97 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, was named the Police Chief of the Fond du Lac Police Department by the Fond du Lac Police and Fire Commission on September 7. Congratulations, Goldy!
Don’t forget to send along any news or updates to your contact information to me anytime. You can also connect with our class on Facebook via the closed group “Ripon College Class of 1997.”
Wishing you and your families a happy and healthy fall and winter,
KRISTIN BAZZOLI PIOTROWSKI ’97