1997 – Spring ’21 Class Letter
Greetings, Class of 1997!
I hope this newsletter finds all of you well during these unprecedented times. As you may have seen, Ripon College began classes in person in August and again in January after an extended winter break. They have done an incredible job keeping students and staff safe. Huge kudos to everyone who helped make it happen!
I encourage you to visit https://www.ripon.edu/news/ often to learn about what is happening at our Alma Mater. You can also go to class pages through https://www.ripon.edu/rconnections/ and see updates from alumni from around the world and from every class year. Another wonderful way to stay connected is by subscribing to Ripon’s monthly eNewsletter. You may subscribe here: https://www.ripon.edu/alumni/monthly-newsletter/.
I am looking forward to interacting with you all during #OneDayRally on Wednesday, April 28th. If you haven’t been part of it yet, jump in and engage via email, LinkedIn, Facebook, or whatever your favorite platform is to join in on the fun with the College. I have also set up a virtual happy hour via Zoom for our entire class on Thursday, April 22, at 6:30 p.m. CDT and accessible via https://ripon.zoom.us/j/91987534990. This is planned for just before #OneDayRally, and I hope as many of you join this as possible. It should be a good time!
The College just announced plans for virtual and in-person programming for Alumni Weekend 2021! Although it is not our reunion year, all alumni are welcome to “come home” to Ripon during this special time. Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.
JUNE 2021
- In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.
- The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.
AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.
- Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.
- In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, and will focus on alumni awards recognition, 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations, and other outdoor events such as Rally Run and prairie walk.
- Additionally, the Class of 2020 will officially be welcomed to our alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.
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.”
Class Notes:
JENNIFER EMMERT HENLEY ’97 of San Francisco, California, earned her doctorate at age 28, taught philosophy briefly, joined the Peace Corps, and met her partner in Cameroon. After spending 15 years building an AAT Program at the San Francisco SPCA, Jennifer is currently studying Creative Writing at UC-Berkeley and may work toward an MFA in Writing.
DAWN STOLLFUS HART ’97 lives in Dalton, Wisconsin, with her husband, Isaac, and their two children. They own and operate Hart Mercantile, a home and gift store, on Watson Street in downtown Ripon. You can follow Hart Mercantile on Facebook and Instagram. More information can be found in a feature story in the 2021 winter edition of the Ripon Magazine.
GREG SCANLON ’97 of Neenah, Wisconsin, started a company called Sun Ray Exhibits. They seek companies that travel to trade events to provide them with unique-looking booths to attract attendees. The company also provides environmental experience enhancements to corporate and point of sale locations.
JULIE WEDDING SCOTT ’97 of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, is the Director of Philanthropy and Communications for Judi’s House/JAG Institute, a Denver-based non-profit dedicated to providing connection and healing to bereaved children and families. Judi’s House was founded by former NFL quarterback Brian Griese and his wife Dr. Brook Griese, a clinical child psychologist.
Wishing you and your families a happy and healthy year ahead!
KRISTIN BAZZOLI PIOTROWSKI ’97
4609 North Marlborough Drive, Shorewood, Wisconsin 53211
(414) 841-8577
Your 1997 Class Agent