R Connections

LINDA BOGSTAD TOMAINO ’81 of Arlington Heights, Illinois, died Dec. 30, 2012. At Ripon, she studied economics and politics and government and participated in basketball. Survivors at that time included her husband, GREGORY A. TOMAINO ’82. He died Dec. 18, 2022.

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

GREGORY A. TOMAINO ’82 of Arlington Heights, Illinois, died Dec. 18, 2022. At Ripon, he majored in history. He was the devoted owner of several dogs and cats, including Gracie and Georgie. His wife, LINDA BOGSTAD TOMAINO ’81, died in 2012.

Full obituary: legacy.com/us/obituaries/chicagotribune/name/gregory-tomaino-obituary?id=38435963

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

JON W. WEISE ’61 of Murrieta, California, died Jan. 18, 2022. At Ripon, he majored in economics and speech communication and participated in debate, track, football and Phi Kappa Pi/Merriman, and as a 50th reunion committee volunteer. He earned a master’s degree in economics from Northwestern University. He had been managing director at J&R Consulting, doing market studies, retail location analysis and acquisitions, and retired in 2002. He enjoyed visiting Door County, Wisconsin, Inverness, Illinois, and Tucson, Arizona.

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

Dear Classmates,

As I write this letter, the first month of 2023 has already flown by. That means our 50th Reunion is now only five months away. Your Reunion Committee has been working hard on putting together a busy and fun weekend. Detailed information will be coming out in the next few months. There is a golf outing on Friday, and we are putting together some sort of cocktail gathering that night. Our “Golden R” Ceremony is going to be on Saturday morning. That means the dinner on Saturday night will be more of a party than a ceremony.

I am hoping many of you will be in attendance. I have heard from a number of you like BRUCE CLAUTER ‘73, MICHAEL MIZEN JR ‘73, MARTY MORRIS ‘73, KATHY GRAUNKE ‘73, BRONNA WOLLMAN ‘73, KEITH KNESER ‘73, and others that they plan on being there. DEBBIE WILLIAMS ‘73, who was in a car accident where she was rear ended by a truck, has told me if she is out of her wheelchair by June she will be with us. We all need to be rooting for DEBBIE’s speedy recovery!!

As you know, on reunion years the Class tries to give the College a significant gift. For our 50th, we are hoping for at least 50% participation. If you have never given, or have not given for a long time, this is the perfect time to donate. “Participation number” is what we are going for, so please try and contribute something! All gifts need to be into the College by June 30th and any gift given this year will go towards our Class Gift. Thank you, for whatever donation you can make. Honorary Life Trustees DOREEN CONFORTI CHEMEROW ‘73 and BILL MACLEOD ‘73, our gift chairs, will be sending you a letter soon. Ripon has made a significant difference in many of our lives and continues to do the same for students who attend today. 

If you have not made reservations in the Ripon area for the weekend, I suggest you do so sooner than later. There is some sort of regatta on Green Lake Reunion weekend so hotel rooms are going fast. The College also has room in the dorms and information regarding staying there will be in the packet about the weekend.

I have put a notice on the Class of 1974 Facebook page and written a note to JAN PETROVSKI MACLEOD ‘74 (Class Agent 1974) inviting them to attend any or all of our reunion events. I am hoping some from that Class will show up!

Even if you, a member of the Class of 1973, are not going to attend the reunion, I hope you will fill out the questionnaire for the Memory Book if you have not already done so. A copy of the survey is included with this letter. Please submit your responses by March 31st. Also, if you wish to submit any photos for inclusion in the memory book, whether from your time at Ripon or any time since, please mail them to [email protected]. 

Here is what I have heard from our classmates:

MARTY MARRIS ‘73: “New Year’s greetings to all my classmates. I’m looking forward to the reunion this Summer. In the meantime, I started a new hobby and got an amateur radio license. Something to do during the rainy Pacific Northwest Winter.”

MICHAEL MIZEN ‘73: “Looking forward to June. Younger daughter, Jennifer, works for the USGS out of Laurel MD. She applied and was accepted for full remote work and they are relocating to Lakewood. Closed on a home in late December. Sense of timing is important as they are expecting their second child in May 2023… We will ski in February. RV adventure towards western Canada next summer is the grand idea. Details still to be worked out.”

DAVID GROSSMAN ‘73: Bailey Marie Grossman was born on January 22, 2023, exactly 72 years after his grandfather, DAVID GROSSMAN was born. “Boy, what a present!, “ exclaimed DAVID. “No cards, no wrapped gifts. Those things can’t replace the gift of life.” Bailey Marie resides with her father, Benjamin (DAVID’s youngest son) and her mother, Brittany Ward, in Yarmouthport, MA.

JOE SANDRIN ‘73: “Good Day – Planning to attend the reunion with my wife, at least for the dinner, pending a look at the full itinerary for the weekend. On the personal front, I am retiring from full-time work on January 27. I may still take on small focused assignments. I have been with CH2M Hill, now part of Jacobs Solutions since May 2, 1988. Janice and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on December 23. Yes, we got married on winter break senior year. It has been an amazing adventure! We are planning our retirement now with trips planned this year to Kearney, NE in March for the Sandhill Crane Migration, Washington, D.C. in April for Cherry Blossoms, Madeline Island, WI in June where Janice will be in a quilting class and we will be staying in our RoadTrek Sprinter RV. Hopefully, Hawaii in September/October and a trip or two to visit our daughter in Colorado. All of that plus a lot of uncompleted tasks around the house after spending 12 years in Saudi Arabia and one year of health recovery. Looking forward to seeing a few people in June!”

I received this from MARK CONRAD ‘73 last September: “I offer a simple, but heartfelt, thank you for the hundreds (thousands?) of hours you’ve devoted to Ripon College, its students and graduates. I’m sort of a ‘72 and ’73 class individual, perhaps one reason why I haven’t been that active, nor well associated with other ’73 folks. Residing in Minneapolis with Jane. Forty-three years together. Had two oral surgeries during the summer. I’m left with a speech impediment, although if I speak slowly I can typically be understood. I’m fortunate that my position teaching political science courses online for UW-Eau Claire continues. Life events can be very humbling.”

CHRISTINE WOLK ‘73 provided a new email address: [email protected]

For other news check out www.ripon.edu/news.

GARY LEDERER ‘72 and I look forward to hosting a reception for College President Vickie Folse on February 16th in our home. If this letter arrives before then and you are in the area, we would be delighted to see you.

I was listening to Glen Campbell on the radio earlier today singing: “You can’t make old friends.” I am looking forward to seeing many old friends on campus June 22-25!

Cheers,

Jean ’73

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, Apr. 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agent: Jean Kirkpatrick Lederer

Dear Class of 1960,

I am happy to report that there is news this time. I really appreciate it when you send me news of your life. I am sure that everyone likes to hear what their classmates are still up to.

February in Phoenix is the Super Bowl and a big golf tourney. There is also a Presidential Welcome Reception for an opportunity to meet President Victoria N. Folse in Arizona! It is on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. Trustee MARK FRANZEN ’83 and JANICE HEINZ FRANZEN ’83 are hosting at their home in Paradise Valley. This is a great opportunity to visit with Vickie and other alumni and parents as she provides initial remarks about her vision for the future of the College and answers questions. For more information, or registration, go to ripon.edu/about-ripon/president/welcome-receptions/.

CLASS UPDATES

PAT CARROLL CARSON ’60 is now living in a small house in Aurora. She has created a garden on her deck and has a colorful array of flowers when they are in bloom. Unfortunately, she had to bury her last cat who was 17 years old. She is also busy with a lunch group and lots of game nights.

KARL PIOTROWSKI ’60 is still managing his construction business with his son, Brian. His daughter, Joy, and her husband, Hunter, have returned from Kenya and have bought a home in Silver Springs, Maryland.

SAD NEWS

WILLIAM PUERNER ’60 of Calvert City, Kentucky, died Jan. 30, 2023. At Ripon, he majored in chemistry and participated in Sigma Nu/Theta Sigma Tau.

VERNE LEWELLEN JR ’60 died Nov. 5, 2022 in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He worked in sales for the majority of his career in Montgomery County, Maryland.

DAVE REDEMANN SR ’60 of Lakewood, Washington died Sept 14, 2022. After 2 tours in Vietnam and 30 years, he retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel. His grandson DAVID REDEMANN III ’14 is a Ripon graduate of 2014.

Alumni Weekend is coming up quickly! This year, it is June 22-25, 2023. Below you can find information if you are planning to attend!

The College is three hours north of Chicago, and served by airports in Milwaukee (a two-hour drive from Ripon), Madison (a 1.5 hour drive), and Appleton (a 45 minute drive). Milwaukee offers the most frequent service. From the Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and Appleton airports guests may choose to rent a car. Ripon is served by taxi to and from the Appleton airport.

Room Blocks:
Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online at www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1
Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500

I hope you call, or text if you are in town. Please remember to send me the updates on your life, loves and ailments.

Your Class Agent,

Deb ’60

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, Apr. 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agent: Deb Johnson Van Slyke

Greetings!

NIKKI ZENS LINDBERG ‘89 and I are off and running in 2023 and we both enjoy keeping up with many of you as you traverse the globe. NIKKI and JT ‘89 will get some time in the sun at the end of February (going to Cabo for a few days), so looking forward to warmer temps and soaking in some vitamin D. She was in Milwaukee in January to spend time with TOBI CAWTHRA ’89 and SCOTTIE NICHOLS GIROUARD ’89 – and reports that it was great to see them! She also gets to travel with both these lovely ladies this year: TOBI and NIKKI are going to Antarctica and Buenos Aires in March, and SCOTTIE is joining NIKKI on a women’s trip to Greece in May. JT and NIKKI are also going to Ireland at the end of August, so 2023 is shaping up alright!

As for me, I am still consulting and splitting time between homes in NY, CA, and HI. As many of you see on Facebook, pre-pandemic travel is slowly returning to my life, although all of it is domestic these days. I do miss the days of commuting to India (although not that one time when the State Department sent me on a day trip to Chennai . . . yup a day trip) but I am doing well on the domestic front. I’m also enjoying as many Broadway shows as possible, when in town. Nothing beats being able to walk to Times Square. If I am ever in your area, drop me a note . . . it would be great to catch up over a drink, coffee, or (for MARC HEALY ‘89) a Tuna Tears Soju. Life is just stampeding ahead and don’t forget that our 35 Reunion Weekend is only one year away!

                                                                   NOTES FROM THE CLASS
JON ANDERSON ’89: “Hey everyone. Towards the end of February I will be going with the Ray of Hope team to Uganda. The sandwich shop will open towards the middle to end of March. Please keep on your radar and support this wonderful mission.”

ALICE GALLAGHER ARCHABAL ’89: “Welcome 2023! Grateful to celebrate the holidays with our family and friends! Looking forward to the new year – new challenges, adventures, joy, love and health.”

CAROLYN AGACINSKI CLARK ’89: “I thought this interview about alcohol in the July Sun Magazine was interesting and thought that some of you might like it also.”

PATRICK FLORENCE ’89: “Looking at an old financial aid award letter from 1986. It says tuition, fees, and room & board were $11,232. Today’s Ripon website lists the same expenses as $57,190. Inflation has averaged around 2.8% per year since ’86 ($1 in 1986 dollars is worth about $2.70 now). But this difference would indicate an average increase of more than 4.6% per year ($1 in 1986 tuition is worth about $5.09 now).”

TED HARWOOD ’89 (via MARC HEALY ‘89): ”Try adding some gin and lime. Does wonders to the taste of tonic. One time when I was about ten, for reasons I still don’t understand, I pulled some empty bottles of tonic water out of the recycling, refilled them with tap water, and put them back in the family bar stock. My parents didn’t normally have cocktails unless they were entertaining, which was not frequent but also not uncommon. So one weekend some guests arrive and my parents offer them a cocktail, and gin and tonics was kind of the house drink back then. So of course they serve their guests up these drinks with still water instead of tonic unknowingly. Once people started imbibing, it became abundantly clear that something was off. Also, having at least average intelligence, my parents automatically understood that one of the kids had something to do with it. Being actually somewhat clever, they were most certainly considering ME the prime suspect, or so I reckoned. I confessed to my crime, but since they couldn’t pin a motive on me my case was dismissed. I have never abused alcohol in such a way ever since. But really, try the gin and lime trick. The quality of the tonic is negligible, but beware cheap counterfeits supplied by unscrupulous hucksters. As for gin, the Canadians do a fine job, and let’s keep our dollars in North America, instead of the UK.”

MARC HEALY ’89: “I’m thinking seriously of trying to retire early. I’ll open a taco stand. Just hang around and sell tacos to people and befriend cool peeps. I’m open to suggestions on concept, location, whatever. We can even use MITCH’s name first for marketing purposes. M&M’s Tacos . . . Mitch & Marc’s Tacos. I won’t sell any merlot though.”

DREW PETERSON ’89: “Let’s know some unknown facts about Messi today. Those who love football and keep regular updates on football must know Messi. Messi is the best footballer in the football world. But we don’t know everything about it. He’s an even better human! Do you know? 48 percent of UNESCO’s charitable trust’s income comes from Messi’s donations. That’s almost half of the total! Messi has single-handedly built 9847 schools in 189 countries. You will be surprised to hear that he himself bears all the school expenses of 40 million children in the world. You will be surprised to know that Messi alone bore the majority of the expenses of the Argentina team in the 2018 World Cup. Messi received millions of Euros from Barca as a fee, but donated a large part to Barca’s youth development project. It is located in La Masia. Messi himself grew up here. He helps 15 million street children of the world from his charitable trust. Argentina was the runner-up in the World Cup when Messi was there. He donated the entire money of the runner-up to hospitals in Argentina. Messi is one of the top 50 donors in the world according to a Forbes survey. Makes you think.”

JAMES MADDISON ’89: “I dunno. We raised our daughter on lots of 60s, 70s, and 80s music yet she’s still a Swiftie and a big fan of the music of her generation overall.”

DON MCCREATH ’89: “Are those used cigarette pieces and a piece of a pickled egg stuck to the outside? Nothing better than a good frozen ice cream with pickled eggs!”

MAURA MURPHY ‘91: “On Tuesday, the Democratic Party got 51 percent of the vote statewide. This got the Democrats 30 percent of the seats in the Wisconsin state legislature. Any reasonable definition of ‘a Republican Form of Government’ cannot possibly include this kind of result. It is completely and utterly a product of grotesque partisan gerrymandering.”

LAURA WOLF STORZER ’89: “I have moved to North Naples, Florida. I live in the Everglades! Sold the COVID capsule. Bought a convertible. Now a Florida resident. Guess the map I won worked!”

Alumni Weekend is coming up quickly! This year, it is June 22-25, 2023. Below you can find information if you are planning to attend!

The College is three hours north of Chicago, and served by airports in Milwaukee (a two-hour drive from Ripon), Madison (a 1.5 hour drive), and Appleton (a 45 minute drive). Milwaukee offers the most frequent service. From the Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and Appleton airports guests may choose to rent a car. Ripon is served by taxi to and from the Appleton airport.

Room Blocks:

Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online at https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1
Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500

Cheers,
Mitch

Nikki

1989 Class Agents

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, Apr. 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agents: Mitch Rosin and Nikki Zens Linberg

Dear Classmates,

As we are still in winter it seems a good time to think of the warmer days ahead. This year, those warmer days will include June 22-25, which marks our 55^th Reunion, so please, mark your calendars. What a great time to catch up with classmates from our days on campus.

We will again be fortunate to begin our class activities on Friday night at the home of JUDY WILKINSON NEILL ’68 and BILL NEILL ’67, at 617 Hillside Terrace in Ripon. The Neills have opened their home to our class for many years and we want to thank them again for their great hospitality! Our Saturday class dinner will be part of the Golden R  Reunion to be held in the Pickard Dining Room at Pickard Commons, where we will celebrate with the Class of 1963 and all other Golden R Club alumni. The many other events to be held throughout Alumni Weekend, including the Weiske Golf Scramble and a Green Lake boat cruise, will be shared in later communications to you.

There are special room rate blocks at both The Heidel House and the Cobblestone Suites:

Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online at www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1 (may also call)
Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500 (must call to book)

I hope you will try to attend. Many of us have stayed in touch with at least a few from our class.  If we each contact that group, we could reach a large number of our classmates. If each of us who plan to attend can get one more to attend, we will have a great turnout!

COLLEGE NEWS:

Ripon College again has been placed on national rankings lists of the best institutions for undergraduate education.

• Ripon is ranked the top school in Wisconsin for promoting social mobility by U.S. News & World Report. The ranking is included in the 2022-2023 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings. It ranks 38th among colleges, nationally.
• Ripon is included in The Princeton Review’s 2023 edition of The Best 388 Colleges. Ripon also was named to its Best Regional Colleges list for the Midwest.
• Ripon was named to Money Magazine’s 2022 Best Colleges in America and Best Liberal Arts Colleges lists. The list ranks schools that successfully combine quality and affordability, based on factors such as tuition costs, family borrowing and career earnings.

For more information about Ripon and what is happening on campus, visit ripon.edu/news.

 CLASSMATE NEWS:

JILL SCHIRMER PAYNE ’68 reports, “A big thank you to my brother, Scott, for arranging a family  dinner with Steve Martin, Billy Crystal and Martin Short. It was four hours of stories and laughs we will never forget. The next evening, we loved seeing Billy Crystal in his Broadway show, ‘Mister Saturday Night’, all in New York City”.

As reported in my fall 2022 letter, RICK KAMMEN ’68 has written two novels. The first, Tortured Justice: Guantanamo, is soon to be published by Peppertree Press. It will be available on Amazon and most online sellers. His main character, a criminal defense attorney, finds himself involved in a high-profile case that takes him, and his client, into some complicated and dark places.

Another author from our class is GENE KLANN ’68. He has written a book, The Iconic Warrior, which is available on Amazon. It is “a series of fast moving and informative historical fiction novels describing the combat experiences and exploits of protagonist Jean-Paul Debert.” Check online for more details.

And speaking of books, Charles Graeber Jr., son of CHARLES GRAEBER ’68, and the late DIANN WATERBURY GRAEBER ’68, wrote, The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness and Murder, which was published in 2013 and has now been made into a movie available on Netflix. See link to a story about the book and author.
capecodtimes.com/story/entertainment/2022/10/27/netflix-good-nurse-serial-killer-charles-cullen-nantucket-author-charles-graeber-redmayne-chastain/10594671002/.

OBITUARIES:

SCOTT MATHOT ’68 of Loudon, Tennessee, died September 9, 2022. At Ripon, he majored in mathematics and Physics and participated in athletics. He was a Phi Delta Theta and a member of Alpha Phi Omega. He received his MBA in 1970 from Indiana University and later completed an Advanced Management Program at Harvard University in 1988. He worked in various management roles for Timken Co. until his retirement in 2000, including locations in France, Ohio, and New Hampshire. In retirement, he was an active leader in the Tellico Village community. He also served with the Kiwanis Club. He enjoyed volunteering, boating, watching the Green Bay Packers, traveling and golfing. Survivors include his wife, Karen and three sons.

Jack Powers, Professor of Chemistry from 1957-1969, passed away on October 28, 2022.

FACEBOOK CONNECTION:

Please visit our Facebook group page, Ripon College Class of 1968 (facebook.com/groups/140754113196612/). Information about our College and our class can be found here and additional information about our 55^th Class Reunion will be here, as well.

As always, if you have news to share, please send it to me or to Savanah Cousert ’22, Engagement and Communications Specialist in the alumni office at Ripon, at [email protected].

Finally, I want to again thank all of you who have supported the college through the Ripon Fund and #OneDayRally, as well as those who have made other provisions for supporting Ripon. It is this generosity that is allowing Ripon to embark upon exciting new plans including groundbreaking for a remodeled science center and the new on-campus stadium. Our class has shown strong support in the past and for this year, you have until June 30^th to donate to the Ripon Fund.

Peter ’68

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, Apr. 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agent: Peter Uhring

Class of 1983
Join us for our 40th Class Reunion
June 22 – June 25. 2023

Our spring class letter is dedicated to celebrating our 40^th Reunion. Please join in the fun with our class and other Ripon alumni, and if you can’t make it for the entire weekend, come to the events that work for you!

• Registration and the list of events can be found at alumni.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend
• Please attend these and other events to bring our class together throughout the weekend:

• Over our 40 years, the Class of 1983 has provided immense support to Ripon College. Let’s continue that tradition and also focus on increasing our class participation to meet or beat 40%. Donations of any amount assist in supporting the amazing work of the College. To kick off our class giving opportunity, there is a special giving event, Apr. 20-23, coinciding with the inauguration of Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and celebrating the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

• Please join us for Alumni Weekend and donate in honor of our 40th! Also, check out our class Facebook page “Ripon College Class of 1983 Reunion”. As your Class Agent, I look forward to seeing you in June.

Happy 40^th ,

Barb ’83

Submitted by: Class Agent: Barb Williams Clay

Hi All,

The main takeaway to remember from this class letter is that our 30^th Reunion is this summer! Alumni Weekend 2023 will be held June 22-25 and you should plan to attend—save the date and mark it on your calendars right now. The turnout for our 25^th was small, but mighty, and we had a great time! A few of us have already started meeting with Ripon staff to plan reunion events for our class, but if you are interested in joining the planning committee or just have ideas on what you’d like to see or do, let me know!

There are several reasons why I enjoy our class reunions. Here they are, in no particular order:

• To stroll the campus and see what changes have been made (and what is still the same). It’s a beautiful campus!
• To take advantage of the fun events the College has planned for us.
• To catch up with classmates and other alumni I don’t see very often.
• To spend time reminiscing about our college years. For me, my years at Ripon are tucked in among my best memories.
• To add to my collection of Ripon gear! We usually get a discount coupon for the Ripon store downtown, so it’s also a great chance to see what’s going on around town. The downtown area has changed a lot from when we were students with so many shops and restaurants to enjoy.

Room Blocks:
Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online at choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1
Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500

This summer I’m looking forward to all of the above, PLUS meeting the new College president, Dr. Victoria N. Folse.

Thanks to all of you who supported Ripon this past fiscal year, especially those who donated to the Ripon Fund and/or #OneDayRally. Since we’re a reunion year, this year we want to see some additional participation, so think about a little extra support for your alma mater. You’ll be hearing more about this opportunity in the coming months.

Make sure you keep your contact information updated so you don’t miss any Ripon news. Contact the Alumni Office directly with changes at [email protected] or via U.S. mail to Alumni Office, Ripon College, P.O. Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971.

Check in on www.ripon.edu and /or social media for the latest College updates. If you’re not part of the Ripon College Class of 1993 Facebook page, please join!

See you all this summer, right? 😉

Melinda ’93

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, Apr. 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agent: Melinda Trainor Hutchinson

Dear Class of ’98,

This is the last class letter before our 25th Reunion this summer! I don’t know about the rest of you, but I feel like our 15th and 20th Reunions just happened. Looking forward to seeing as many of you in person as I can! Watch your inboxes for more reunion-related communications, but for now, there’s a lot going on on campus between now and Alumni Weekend.

President Folse’s welcome tour continues; I had the pleasure of meeting her in Chicago last fall – to see if there’s a reception near you, check the schedule at ripon.edu/about-ripon/president/inauguration/.

Details about the Inauguration Ceremony on Saturday, April 22, can be found at the same link.

Also coming up this spring is the groundbreaking of the new Science Center – this will be a complete renovation of the existing building (Farr Hall) and will include instrumentation upgrades and more than 19,000 square feet of new construction. Included will be new laboratory, classroom and collaboration spaces.

Groundbreaking will also begin on the Red Hawks Stadium: a mixed-use space that will house the football and soccer teams, allow for a better fan experience for students and families, and provide a setting for concerts, intramurals and other student and community activities.

For more about these exciting projects, visit ripon.edu/infrastructure/.

Reunion Reminder

Save the date for Alumni Weekend, June 22-25! Our party will be on Saturday the 24th, but I’m planning to be around all weekend, and hope you are as well.

If you’re planning on off-campus lodging, there are room blocks at Heidel House in Green Lake (choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1), and at Cobblestone Suites in Ripon (920-748-5500). On-campus lodging will open up in April, and will have plenty of capacity.

Class News

JOSH BOHNEN ’98: “After making it through the pandemic and getting laid off during the first six months, I work as a supervisor for Atkore in Harvey, IL overseeing their slitting dept on third shift.”

KRISTIN DODDS ’98 participated in the Women’s Basketball Alumni Game on February 11. She writes, “We had a great turnout overall & there’s lots of energy on campus surrounding RC Athletics, as well as with President Folse! Also, Roadhouse is still amazing.”

SARAH ENG ’98 started a new job as a Lead Regulatory Expert at FundApps, a UK-based tech firm. She’s enjoying both the job itself and the flexibility of remote work (especially the part where she gets to WFH at her sister’s house in Florida).

LORI WARD KANAREK ’98 is hoping to make the 25th Reunion. IVAN KANAREK ’98 started with ER Wagner as a Program Manager. Lori will be celebrating 10 years at GRAEF (and GRAEF is part of the team working on the new Farr Science building).

STEVE KENNELLY ’98 returned home from his fifth deployment in November and has been spending the time being with family. He is looking forward to our 25th Reunion.

CARLOS RUIZ ’98 joined the Ripon College Alumni Association Board of Directors!

JOSH SATZER ’98: “Busy chasing 6-year-old and 13-year-old to their extracurricular activities. Chasing clients around getting them to take advantage of new IRA and tax advantages as a result of Secure Act 2.0! Looking forward to a 25 year class reunion and catching up in Ripon! Doing everything possible so the 22 year old version shows up instead of the 47 year old version!”

MEGAN WISEMAN ’98: “Hello from Florida!! I’m looking forward to our class reunion.”

See you this summer!

Sarah ’98

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, Apr. 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agent: Sarah Eng

Class of 1963,

The Class of 1963 Class Agent, WAYNE WOLFGRAM ’63, has decided to step down as Class Agent following ten years of service. The Ripon College Advancement Office is incredibly thankful for Wayne’s volunteerism in writing bi-annual Class Letters and organizing past reunion celebrations.

If you have any interest in taking the reins from Wayne as Class of 1963 Class Agent, which involves staying in touch with classmates and the College, please contact the Office of Constituent Engagement, [email protected] or 920.748-8126, for more information.

We received a few note of gratitude for Wayne from classmates:

BARBARA SIVER JONES ‘63: “Congratulations to WAYNE WOLFGRAM ‘63. It means a lot to have someone as loyal as Wayne to provide this important service to the Class of 1963 and to Ripon.”

ELLIE ALCOCK ‘63: “First a THANK YOU to WAYNE for being our Class Agent in recent years. Derrick and I do enjoy the news of my classmates.”

We are preparing to welcome all alumni to campus this summer for Alumni Weekend and especially the Class of 1963 for your 60th Reunion celebration (June 22-25). The full weekend schedule is currently being finalized, but here are the 60th Reunion details:

GOLDEN R REUNION – Saturday, June 24
9:15 a.m. // Golden R Club Breakfast and Induction – Great Hall, Harwood Memorial Union
All members of the Golden R Club (all years prior to 1973) are invited to join the Class of 1973 for breakfast as they celebrate their 50th Anniversary and induction into the Golden R Club.

5 p.m. // Golden R Reunion, Class of 1963 60th Reunion, and Class of 1968 55th Reunion – Pickard Commons
Celebrating all class years prior to 1973, this reunion includes beer and wine. Cash bar available.

• 5:00 p.m. Class of 1963 and 1968 Photos (Lower Level, Pickard Commons)
• 5:15 p.m. Golden R Cocktail Hour (Upper Lobby, Pickard Commons)
• 6:15 p.m. Plated Dinner and Dessert (Pickard Dining Room, Pickard Commons)

If you plan on attending, we recommend making your lodging reservations now. The College has set up the following room blocks:

• Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online at choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1
• Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500

The College is three hours north of Chicago, and served by airports in Milwaukee (a two-hour drive from Ripon), Madison (a 1.5 hour drive), and Appleton (a 45 minute drive). Milwaukee offers the most frequent service. From the Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and Appleton airports guests may choose to rent a car. Ripon is served by taxi to and from the Appleton airport.

CLASSMATE NEWS:

ELLIE ALCOCK ‘63: “Our lives changed rather dramatically this past April when we moved from Bloomington, MN, to Orange City, IA. We bought the last of a new group of townhouses to be in the town where our daughter and son-in-law and their family live. The change from a big city to a small Dutch community has been interesting and we certainly enjoy more family time (grandkids are freshmen in the local college and high school). We still travel some and enjoyed a river cruise in France, Germany and Switzerland in the fall. Last summer we flew to CO to spend some time with our son (single) before driving with him to the Black Hills to join the family from Iowa as a celebration of our 55th wedding anniversary. We have a Mediterranean cruise on the agenda for April. We miss our friends and activities in the Twin Cities and make frequent visits as weather permits. We proudly display our British collection (Derrick grew up there) and symbols of our Twins, Vikings and Wild teams. The Ripon reunion is penciled in on our calendar, we shall see???”

OBITUARIES:

CHARLES “CHOOKIE” KILANDER III ‘63 of Oconomowoc, WI, died Jan. 15, 2023. He also attended the University of Wisconsin. He owned and ran a food brokerage business with his father and later was an investment broker with AG Edwards. He was a member of the Lake Area Club and snowmobile clubs. His passion was sailboat racing on Lac LaBelle from the 1950s-1980s. He transitioned to race management, serving on race committees for the Lac LaBelle Yacht Club, Inland Lakes Yachting Association throughout the Midwest, and international regattas in Key West, Florida, and the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Savannah, Georgia. He enjoyed traveling and cruising the Caribbean. Survivors include his wife, Ann; three sons and one daughter.

PETER BERGLUND ‘63 of Albert Lea, MN, died Jan. 24, 2023. He attended Ripon, before joining the Army National Guard. He ran multiple businesses over the years, such as a sporting goods store, car dealership and a medical supply company. He enjoyed spending time at his cabin in Isabella, Minnesota, during the fall and summer months, where fishing and hunting grouse were among some of his favorite outdoor activities. He also was an avid reader and cooking. Survivors include two sons.

OTHER NEWS:

Jack Powers of Brevard, NC, a professor of chemistry at Ripon College from 1957 through 1969, died Oct. 28, 2022. He also served as a Scoutmaster for Troup 40 while in Ripon. He earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from Purdue University in 1957 and completed post-graduate work at the University of Utah and the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. He later worked for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and Davidson and St. Andrews Presbyterian Colleges in North Carolina. He also ran a consulting firm, was active in arts and historical societies and church activities, and enjoyed golfing, camping, fishing and creating artwork. Survivors include his wife, Ruth Ollhoff Powers; two sons and two daughters.

JoAnn Wickstrom of Newton, Kansas, died on November 17, 2022 at age 89. After earning her BA in English, she received a Masters in Communications from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She taught speech both at Wichita State University and in high schools before having children. Jo married Ralph Wickstrom in 1957. They moved to Ripon in 1961 when Ralph accepted a position as a full professor at Ripon College. Several years later she began using her extensive skills to edit his books. Jo had a passion for teaching and art which led her to create the “Art Presenter Program” for children in 1st through 5th grade. She raised funds for framed replicas of famous paintings and found willing volunteers to present a new piece to each class every month. The program introduced art to many students who would not otherwise have been exposed to the masters.

We look forward to celebrating your 60th Reunion together June 22-25, 2023, and hope to see you on campus then!

Sincerely,

Amy Gabriel Gerretsen ‘04
Director of Constituent Engagement
Ripon College

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

Dear Class of 2022,

We would first like to reintroduce ourselves as your 2022 Class Agents. We are RHETT CUNNINGHAM ’22, ABBE LANE ’22, ALYSSA NABER ’22, and LOGAN ZEINART ’22. Many of you may be wondering what this letter is. Each class of alumni receives a letter bi-annually detailing developments with Ripon and their fellow classmates. It also serves to maintain connections with Ripon College post-graduation.

Now, beginning with Ripon. As you all have heard, the College recently announced the appointment of its first woman president, Dr. Victoria N. Folse. Dr. Folse, a respected scholar, and administrator, brings to Ripon more than 30 years of experience in higher education and a long-standing commitment to the liberal arts. From what we have heard, she has been going to sporting events, concerts, and other activities students are a part of. Overall, she seems to truly want to know the students. She has had a great first semester and we are excited to see what President Folse has in store for our college’s future. Dr. Victoria (Vickie) Folse, will be inaugurated as Ripon’s 14th president on April 22^nd, 2023. She will be the first woman to be formally inaugurated as president of Ripon College. More information can be found at here.

Another update is the $35 million dollar Strategic Infrastructure Plan. The administration announced in December that the college is moving forward with renovating Farr Hall, building a new on-campus stadium (no more Ingalls Field 🙁), and upgrading the residence halls. Ground will be broken this coming spring with the residence hall improvements slated for later in 2023.

You all should have received an email recently from the Center for Career and Professional Development about a brief graduation survey. Please fill it out if you have not done so. Additionally, email [email protected] to provide your contact information and life updates.

Alumni Weekend is planned for June 22-25, 2023. If you are planning on coming, start to think about booking accommodations. You get the opportunity to meet (and party with) decades worth of alumni in addition to members of the administration and faculty. It is an enormous amount of fun!

If you’re planning on off-campus lodging, there are room blocks at Heidel House in Green Lake (choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1), and at Cobblestone Suites in Ripon (920-748-5500). On-campus lodging will open up in April, and will have plenty of capacity. 

RIPON NEWS

Knuth Brewing Company has recently purchased a renovated building right across the street from their current location and plans on moving all of their operations once it is completed. They plan on calling themselves “Knuth Brewing Co. Brewpub & Event Center.” This is very exciting especially to allow them to do more events to share with Ripon just like their Polka on Ice event. I am sure they will hatch up on some more amazing events.

Next, I am sure you have some sort of news regarding the new Boys and Girls Club that is supposed to be built in Ripon. A recent article says that they are planning to start building in May this year and complete the project in March 2024. They also expect to hire Ripon College students to work there to provide a great experience for the students and are super excited to provide the experience for them.

For more details, you can check Ripon Press for the full articles and more updates regarding all things Ripon and surrounding areas.

CLASS UPDATES

LINDSEY WIGAND ’22: “Howdy! After graduation, I spent the summer in my hometown (West Allis, WI) teaching high schoolers how to stage manage productions. In August I started attending classes at the University of Nevada Las Vegas where I’m working towards my MFA in Stage Management.  I am a graduate assistant working in the prop shop and teaching undergraduates.”

GABE RAMIREZ ’22: “I found a full-time job in August and I am still at it to this day, and so far it has been interesting. I recently got my driver’s license in the first week of November, and currently, I am going to apply to get a passport. I am also currently ‘on the hunt’ for a vehicle so I can finally not need to take public transportation everywhere, especially going to work.”

LOGAN ZEINERT ’22: “Over the summer I tended bar at a golf course and another bar in my hometown of Wittenberg, WI, along with picking up lifeguarding hours at the aquatic center where I used to work. I recently moved to Madison where I got my new job at Labcorp as a Study Technician. I am super excited to work with the animals and feed them many treats. I am in the process of getting an apartment on my own, as well as, a vehicle to travel around Madison.”

RYAN SCHMIT ’22: “I’ve been working as the Sports and Recreation Coordinator at the Heart of the Valley YMCA since the beginning of November. Additionally, I have been coaching at the Fox Valley Performance Club Volleyball Program, Appleton North Men’s Basketball, and Neenah Men’s Volleyball.”

TOMMY BIANCHI ’22: “I am currently at Armor Basic Officer Leader Course (ABOLC) at Fort Benning, GA learning how to be an armor platoon leader in the army.”

ALYSSA NABER ’22: “In August I moved down to St. Louis with my boyfriend, GARRETT RADTKE ‘22, as he works towards his bachelor’s degree in engineering. I am currently working as an administrative assistant at a vocational rehabilitation office for the State of Missouri. I am loving my job, the people I work with, and getting to explore the city. We also adopted a one and a half year old cat, named Vivian.”

PAYTON RAHN ’22: “I’m starting my second semester of law school at Marquette University and absolutely loving it!”

CASSIE BEHREANDT ’22: “I currently work as a site coordinator for Almond-Bancroft Boys and Girls Club. I am engaged as of December 24, 2022. My wedding date is June 15, 2024. It’s very exciting!!!! I am also currently attending graduate school at Alverno College for a master’s in school psychology. I highly recommend the new Avatar: Way of the Water movie. It’s long, but so worth it.”

DAKOTA STARK ’22: “I am enjoying time with my husband and three children. In August, I gave birth to the surrogate baby that I was pregnant with for the sweetest couple in Madison. She is doing wonderful and getting so big! I did not take a full-time teaching position yet, but I am substituting as much as possible and I took on leading the first-grade BRAVE program at Barlow. I’m not sure if I will be ready for a full-time teaching position come this fall, but I am just taking it one day at a time and focusing on myself and my family.”

SOLANGEL GONZALEZ ’22: “I have started working in the Office of Advancement here at Ripon College, serving as their assistant director of annual giving. I am also getting married later this year.”

BAILEY ZANCK ’22: “Since graduating I’ve been working as the event coordinator for a business called The Soap Opera on State Street in Madison. It is one of the oldest businesses on State St. so there is a lot of heritage embedded in the store and the customers that come in. I get to plan outreach and in-store events for the public, as well as design layouts and execute store displays. We recently won the downtown window decorating competition, so I’d say it is going pretty well!”

ABBE LANE ’22: “Over the summer, I moved to Kansas City, Missouri to complete my student teaching with a high school choir program in Overland Park, KS. In December, I received a job offer in Berlin, WI and moved back after a few short months out of state. I am currently living back in Ripon, and I am excited for my first Choral Director job out of college! I’m incredibly lucky to have found this job opportunity. I’m also hoping to get a cat or two soon!”

ZOE HAZEL ’22: “Since June, I have moved to Madison and now work in the marketing department at Duluth Trading Company’s Headquarters. It’s been a great learning experience, and I’m very excited to keep growing with the company!”

LORI HESS ’22 is attending Nursing School.

SIERRA THEIN ’22: “I am currently working as a battery chemist and certified fire and explosion investigator (CFEI). I have been traveling around the country investigating battery fires. I will be attending UW Madison in the fall to start in the  chemistry Ph.D. program.”

LILLIAN KOPPLIN ’22: “After receiving a job offer in April and starting in June, I have since been employed by the Wisconsin Center District as a sales operations specialist on their primary sales team for the Wisconsin Center, the Miller High Life Theatre, and the UW-M Panther Arena. We are in the midst of a $456M expansion that will open as of May 2024 which encourages the expansion of our clientele base for the state of Wisconsin and throughout the US. Additionally, I have become a member of the Junior League of Milwaukee, organizing events and volunteering time to community needs.”

RHETT CUNNINGHAM ’22: “After graduating I began my service in the United States Army. I first assisted the Ripon ROTC program with recruiting before attending the Signal Basic Officers Leader Course at Fort Gordon, GA. I graduated the course last month and have since moved to Fort Stewart, GA where I am leading around 20 soldiers as a platoon leader.”

MICAELA ENCARNACION ’22: “I am currently the University of Wisconsin Parkside volleyball graduate assistant while being able to pursue a master’s in sport management. I have also been able to work at the NBA Head Coaches meeting in the hope to find an internship opportunity to expand my knowledge and experience in the sports industry. Since graduating I have attended the NCAA Career in Sports Forum which has helped me grow individually and professionally. I look forward to what the future has in store for me.”

CALEB KLINZING ’22: “I have had a lot of changes in my life since graduating from Ripon. Notably, moving to Kansas to pursue a master’s in music in organ performance from Pittsburg State University, being awarded a full-time graduate assistantship with teaching responsibilities, and being called to serve as organist and assistant choirmaster of St. Philip the Apostle Episcopal Church in Joplin, MO. I ended the fall semester with a 4.00 GPA. I am really excited to see where life takes me in the coming months, but I have really enjoyed my time thus far.”

BROOKLYN HOGAN ’22 is working at Dodge County and going to pursue a master’s in social work.

EUGENE PLISKA ’22: “I’ve been working as an accounting associate at Janssen Accounting & Tax Services, Inc. since the beginning of December 2022. Additionally, I have been named the head official and Assigner for the Waupaca Area Rec Soccer Program.”

CORMAC MADIGAN ’22 received All-American Division III Football Team Member of the Year honors. This award is given to a student in order to recognize their achievement on the competition field and in academics.

SONJA BRUEGGEMANN ’22: “Upon graduating in May, I immediately started working at my current job as a child welfare case manager through Children’s Wisconsin Hospital community services. This job provides me with consistent challenges that allow me to learn and grow from my community, as well as, my families every single day. I have also started rock climbing with my partner and have adopted a new love for yoga. Every day has been a goal to be more present with me and those around me and just enjoy life.”

HUNTER SIMMERS ’22: “Since graduating from Ripon I went back home to California and have started my career as a Lighting Applications Engineer at ALR in Oakland, CA. I began my new role at the beginning of October and have enjoyed using the skills I learned while enrolled at Ripon College. Also, this past summer and fall I was an assistant football coach for my high school, Concord High School. Also, watch The Last of Us!  It’s based on an awesome game and I promise you won’t regret it.”

KELSI MORRIS ’22: “I am currently a graduate research assistant at Michigan State University, and I am pursuing a dual Ph.D. in human nutrition and environmental toxicology with a master’s degree in epidemiology. Moving to Michigan has been exciting – even though it’s only a lake away from Wisconsin, there are a lot of differences! It’s been very fulfilling to apply my undergraduate education to my graduate studies, and I have been expanding my horizons into coding and computer science to analyze data for my current research. My lab group focuses on maternal nutrition and pregnancy outcomes, which are topics that I am very passionate about, and I am excited to continue with my education and research here at MSU. Go Spartans (and go Red Hawks)!”

BEATRIZ QUINTEROS CABRERA ’22: “I am currently a Spanish teacher at an all-boys Catholic high school on the Southside of Chicago. Growing up as a first-generation college student and an immigrant, education played a very vital part in my life that was emphasized growing up. One of my biggest goals in life is to give back to my community the knowledge I have gained throughout the years. In the past year, there has been a large wave of immigrants coming into the US and I have noticed the great need they have for learning a new language, English. I’ve always been passionate about advocating and supporting my community and our needs, which is why I’m working on creating a tutoring center. I’m currently working on the paperwork to make this dream become a reality.”

SAMMI SCHAEFER ’22: “After graduation, I moved to Madison, WI, and I am currently sharing an apartment with fellow Ripon alum KATY DANO ’22! I began a job at Labcorp as a study technician, meaning I assist in the process of collecting data to ensure that new pharmaceutical drugs are safe for the public.”

CLAIRE LUEBKE ’22: “I am currently in UW – Oshkosh’s master’s of social work program. I work at my internship at Columbia Correctional Institution, part-time at the mental health office in Juneau, WI, and part-time as a graduate assistant math tutor in UWO’s math lab— all while doing full-time academics. I now have six total pets: two dogs and four cats. We all live in our house in Fox Lake and spend our free time on adventures hiking at state parks and at various dog parks.”

L.J. AYSON ’22: “I am currently taking my CBEST Exams in California to become a substitute teacher, while also working to save money to head back to grad school at CSU Fullerton to pursue a master’s in administration. If all goes according to plan I’ll be a high school teacher in my local area!”

SAVANAH COUSERT ’22: “Right after graduating in May, I was teaching 8^th grade English at Theisen Middle School. It wasn’t until a couple of months in that I realized that teaching in the classroom wasn’t my passion. It was really my first ‘adult’ decision I had to make, because who steps away from their ideal job that fits their degree? In January, I got offered a position at Ripon College – in the Advancement Office – as the engagement and communication specialist. I am the person who communicates with Class Agents and current parents. Even though I’ve really strayed from the path I thought I would be on, I feel as if everything is going the way that it should be. I live in an apartment right on Watson Street, I have a new baby brother (Jayce) and starting mid-February will be working and going back to school full-time for an associate’s degree in bakery and pastry production. By June 2024, when my program is complete, my dream of opening my very own bakery will soon be closer to a reality! :)”

BREANA SMITS ’22: “I have moved to Orlando, FL, to start my career working for Walt Disney World. I am currently working at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at two different attractions. I also am a trainer at one of my work locations.”

JENNA TOMSCHIN ’22: “My life is coming together in a way that is different than what I planned, but I am in many ways very content with what is happening. I am living on my own and working as the lead teacher at a daycare center. I am looking forward to applying to become an actual teacher in the coming year. Along with being a daycare teacher, I am also a caregiver for a local family that needs help. I am happy with where life has taken me and I look forward to the path that is to come.”

OLIVIA AMBROSE ’22: “I have been attending Carroll University in Waukesha to pursue a master’s degree in nursing. I have also continued to work for Ripon Guardian Ambulance Service.”

SARAH WEBER ’22: “I’m currently in my second semester of grad school at Marquette and have a 4.0, so I’m trying to keep that up. I also am working at Rogers Behavioral Health in admissions where I screen patients and help them get admitted across the country. I’m also getting married this August, so I’m pumped to live that married life.”

LUIS ARAGON MIRANDA ’22: “Since graduating last year my life has been pretty normal. I moved to Madison, WI, in December and continue to live in the same apartment building with my roommates. I am currently a team lead at Target where I manage a team of 10 people. I have been in this role for over a year now. I will say that while my degree isn’t fully applied in this role, I find myself saying ‘applied innovation’ almost every day that I am at work. When I am not at work I’m with my girlfriend SAMMI SCHAEFER ’22 or playing video games. You know – the usual. I’ve picked up skiing in the past year, as well, and I’m happy to say I don’t fall as often. I’m happy with what I have and I’m glad to be where I’m at.”

ALLI SLOWIAK ’22: “Since graduating I have moved to Iowa City, IA, to pursue a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Iowa. Since living here I have taken a job as a graduate research specialist in the Main Library, where I assist undergrads with research projects and questions about the library. I have achieved a mentorship with one of my professors in information literacy where I am doing research on how best to teach students how to access the library. I am also working with the city of Clinton, IA, on a LibGuide for their public library on their connection to the Underground Railroad. I ended my fall semester with a 4.00 GPA and am excited to continue my education here and in all the opportunities before me. I highly recommend A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel.”

REN ZWASCHKA ’22: “I have become an education & community entrepreneur while improving my mental health. My business currently focuses on tutoring and grant writing. I tutor students from infants to undergraduate students on a variety of subjects including mathematics, science, English, economics, emotional and behavioral learning, French, and Advanced Placement classes. In addition to my two years of experience as a tutor at Ripon College, I have my MN substitute teaching license. I’m currently tutoring in person in South Central Minnesota and virtually elsewhere. I also write grants virtually for the Bayonne Youth Center in New Jersey and for Elizabeth Street Garden in Manhattan. Reach out @ 507-720-8188 if you or someone you know needs tutoring or a company is interested in procuring my grant writing services. I recommend Every Last Word by Tamera Ireland Stone.”

BECKY ROSSEN ’22: “After graduation, I moved back to Illinois to begin my career at Ace Hardware HQ, as a merchandising representative, for the lawn and garden department. I plan to stay with the company and continue down the path to becoming a merchant. Outside of work, I’ve sought out many opportunities to travel, make art, and see as much live music as possible. It’s been a great first six months in ‘the real world’ and I’m excited for all the new experiences the coming years will bring. :)”

TYLER BENISH ’22: “Since I graduated from college this past year, I have been working full-time as a real estate appraiser. Working about 50 hours a week between work and classes to be able to get my license. When I’m not working, I still enjoy working out and competing in firearms competitions.”

BILLY STIGGERS ’22: “A few things have changed since graduation. I got into an acting conservatory on Broadway and moved to New York. That’s new. I’ve started drinking coffee. That’s also new. I’m in class for around nine hours every day. I’ve got dance classes, screenwriting workshops, improv classes, voice lessons, and a bunch of other stuff I’m going to every week. Living in midtown Manhattan is way different than Ripon. There are no trees and a lot of people. Every day you wake up to a different smell or weird colored substance on the street. New York is both as great, and as gross, as everyone says. I’ve got a few performances scheduled for the end of the year, but I’ve also discovered a hidden talent for stand-up comedy. I’m excited to see what else Broadway has in store for me.”

DEB TUZAS ’22: “I’m currently going to school for my master’s degree in museum studies at the University of Oklahoma.”

GARRETT RADTKE ’22: “I moved to St. Louis with my girlfriend, ALYSSA NABER ’22, and completed my first semester at Washington University for mechanical engineering.”

EVAN BARBIAN ’22: “Since graduation, I completed my season-long internship with the Brewers Community Foundation. Using the experience I gained, I landed a full-time position as the development & communications associate with Cathedral Center. Cathedral Center is a non-profit organization located in downtown Milwaukee that provides services to unaccompanied women and families experiencing homelessness. I am able to continue my career in baseball too. as the catching coach for the Wisconsin Lutheran College baseball team this upcoming season. I have been doing all of this while settling into my new apartment in West Allis.”

KATY DANO ’22: “Since graduation, I have been working for Photography To Profits. I just hit my one year there! I am currently a junior marketing lead and the work is never boring. However, I am currently looking to pursue new career paths in the social media manager/specialist world. I have also moved to Madison, Wisconsin with a Ripon bestie and love living in the city. This year I will also be finally taking a trip to Spain.”

BRE OLLECH ’22: “I am currently a math teacher at Oshkosh West High School! I will also be helping coach the JV softball team there starting in March and have been head coaching a 14U travel team in Fond du Lac.”

Finally, we would like to again thank the class for donating and giving back to Ripon. Over half of the class contributed this past year, assisting future students in achieving their educational goals.

Please continue to stay in touch with us! We look forward to hearing from you all as we progress through our careers and personal lives.

Sincerely,

Rhett ’22

Abbe ’22

Alyssa ’22

Logan ’22

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agents: Rhett, Abbe, Alyssa, and Logan

Hey Class of 2018,

We are about to hit the big five year milestone this May. Life is starting to feel less and less like transition and uncertainty as we all start to figure out our paths. Now, don’t get me wrong there is still plenty of time and space for big moves, career changes, and other life changing moments; but as we write this letter we can’t help but feel a small amount of peace. The first few years post graduation are rough. Rougher than anyone cares to tell you. Those first few years are marked by instability, uncertainty, and a whole lot of new bills to pay. As we approach our reunion year, we hope that you take this moment to pause and reflect. We’re no longer in our early 20s, and we’re no longer brand new at this whole “adulting” thing. Before we enter into whatever comes with your late 20s, it’s important to take an inventory of everything you’ve done and maybe everything you’re looking forward to doing.

Speaking of things to look forward to, we hope to see you at our 5th Reunion during Alumni Weekend (June 22-25). The weekend schedule of events is being finalized, but here are the details for the Class of 2018 specific events:

Friday, June 23
6 – 8 p.m. // Informal Class Gathering – Vines and Rushes Winery, Country Rd E, Ripon

Saturday, June 24
6 – 8 p.m. // 5th Reunion Celebration – Roadhouse Pizza, Downtown Ripon

If you’re planning on off-campus lodging, there are room blocks at Heidel House in Green Lake (choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1), and at Cobblestone Suites in Ripon (920-748-5500). On-campus lodging will open up in April, and will have plenty of capacity in Tri-Dorms and Bovay Hall.

 Classmate Updates:

MICHAEL BAUMHARDT ’18 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, recently finished their first full year as a clinical therapist. They also started a video game repair and resale business.

JAKE BAUS ’18 of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, continues to practice as a physical therapist in the area, as well as, staying involved with local track and field programs.

BIFF FLOODSTRAND ’18 of Appleton, Wisconsin, adopted a standard poodle named Rue. They also celebrated four years at Starbucks while balancing their full-time job as on-air talent for 101.1 WIXX in Green Bay.

MARGARET GOODWIN ’18 of Lake Stevens, Washington, recently made a big change by moving across the country from Wisconsin to Washington. She is newly engaged as of November and has also started school to become a certified court stenographer.

LAUREN HINCE ’18 of Chicago, Illinois, purchased a condo in the city this past year. She still works at Chicago Debates and spends her free time volunteering with Chicago Cleanup Club and attending weekly trivia competitions.

ELLIOT HOERDEMANN ’18 of Fayetteville, Arkansas, started a new role in February as a distributor sales executive at Molson Coors Beverage Company covering the state of Arkansas.

WILLIE PENTERMAN ’18 of Columbus, Wisconsin, completed his first marathon alongside his wife, ABBY HILKER PENTERMAN ’19. He also won re-election to the Wisconsin State Assembly for his first two-year term. He was nominated to the Wisconsin Historical Society Board of Curators in January and will be chairing the Assembly Committee on Labor and Integrated Employment this session.

TENE ROBINSON ’18 of Plainfield, Illinois, had a baby girl who just celebrated her first birthday. She is currently working in private practice at two agencies. In her spare time she works on illustrations for her first children’s book

JOSH SCHUBRING ’18 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is newly engaged to Emily Hardin. He continues to work for Ducks Unlimited, Inc managing online fundraising activities for the Midwest.

EMILY STANCZAK ’18 of Indianapolis, Indiana, is recently engaged. She is almost done with her PhD program and hopes to publish a paper soon.

HANNAH TETZLAFF ’18 of Brandon, Wisconsin, has made a career transition after two years of working for a local newspaper post-graduation. For the past three years she has been working as a home health aid. She plans to go back to school and earn a degree in the medical field.

KATELYN VAN SWOL ’18 of Racine, Wisconsin, graduated with their master’s in communication from Arizona State University in December 2022, and is working for Uline as a direct marketing coordinator on the special projects team.

CORDELL WALKER ’18 of Verona, Wisconsin, traveled to Switzerland, Italy, and France with fellow alumnus, J.J. GRINDE ’17, to hike 108 miles through the Alps last summer. He is working in Madison as an art director for Athletic Business Media Inc.

ANDI WINTERS ’18 of Fort Myers, Florida, is working as a surgical physician assistant in colorectal surgery.

ELEANORE MUELLER WOOD ’18 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, ANDREW WOOD ‘16, in early March.

See you soon!

Lauren ’18

Eleanore ’18

Holly ’18

Your 2018 Class Agents

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agents: Lauren, Eleanore, and Holly

Greetings Class of 2008!

We hope this letter finds you well! Although we are still living in the winter cold here in the midwest, warmer days will be here before we know it. And coming along with those warmer days is something very exciting– our 15th Class Reunion!

If you have not already done so, mark your calendars for June 22-25, 2023. The reunion planning committee has already begun preparing for the festive weekend. We are looking forward to a relaxing weekend full of good food, drinks, and company! Friday will include a pub crawl around Ripon and Saturday will feature a casual social gathering at the Bovay Terrace. The weekend will also have many other festivities held throughout the campus. Specific details will be coming out soon so keep your eyes peeled for more information. If you have any ideas or suggestions for our reunion, don’t hesitate to reach out to a Class Agent at any time! We would love to hear from you!

Please note: If you are planning on attending the reunion, it is never too early to get your lodging booked! Here are a few options from the Alumni Office:

• Book the Heidel House (Green Lake) Alumni Weekend room block online.
• Call Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) at 920-748-5500.
• Utilize On-campus housing (in Tri-Dorms and Bovay Hall), registration opens April 1.

Class Notes: 

TYLOR LOEST ’08 shared, “in September of 2022 we welcomed home our third child, Myles Andrew. We are officially complete!”

JEANNA SPERBER MATUSZAK ’08 was recently promoted to Vice President, Human Resources at Limitless Possibilities LLC in Appleton.

MIRANDA STARBIRD SCHULTZ ’08 has been promoted to senior vice president – chief financial officer at Wolf River Community Bank. She started as the chief financial officer more than four years ago, and most recently was the vice president – chief financial officer.

As always, we would love to hear your class updates. Please contact a Class Agent throughout the year with information about marriages, new family members, continuing education, moves, promotions, new jobs or businesses, exciting life adventures…anything! Our class notes (shared above) are a little short this time around. We would like to have more for our fall 2023 Class Letter! Please stay connected with us!

One idea that has been tossed around to help us stay connected is having a Class of 2008 Member Spotlight where we would feature a classmate or two in each letter. They could share what they have been up to since graduation– including hobbies, career, family, their last visit to Ripon, a favorite memory with a classmate, or anything they would like to share. If this is something you would like to see in upcoming letters, let us know!

Go Red Hawks!

Leah ’08

Stephanie ’08

Zac ’08

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agents: Leah, Stephanie, and Zac

Greetings to my ’64 Classmates,

It is letter time once again. I am writing this in February and we have a beautiful display of wedding dresses and photos in our Stoneridge Creek Clubhouse. I contributed a wedding photo of me, JIM ’64, two of Jim’s cousins and my brother, Terry. I also included my wedding invitation. JEAN BISCHMANN ’64, a freshman suite-mate in Wright, was my maid of honor. In the fall letter I said that I applied for our twelve member-elected Resident Council. I was elected and am now the chair; my life is now a little busier.

I attended Ripon as a President’s Scholar, which paid my tuition. Ripon continues to offer a variety of need-based and non-need-based aid, as well as self-help aid such as work study and loans. For the 2021-2022 academic year, degree seeking enrolled Ripon students were awarded more than $37 million including state, federal, institutional and private aid. For the 2021-2022 year more than 780 students received aid, with some students receiving from more than one source. The Office of Financial Aid is committed to providing Ripon students with high-quality service and robust financial assistance.

I always like to encourage you to donate to Ripon’s annual fund. The Forever Ripon Campaign is also underway. I have made a five year pledge to this campaign to benefit Farr Hall. One of the people that I especially remember from Farr Hall is Dr. Jack Powers, Chair of the Chemistry Department. Classmate CAROL RUMMEL DINGMAN ’64 and I were the only female chemistry majors in our Class of ‘64. We have both continued to communicate with him and his wife Ruth over the years. I stayed at their house in Ripon between junior and senior year when I had a National Science Foundation grant for the summer. When Jim and I lived in New Jersey they stopped by for a visit. Dr. Powers died October 28, 2022, on his 93rd birthday. He is survived by his wife, four children, ten grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Throughout his adult life he was active in arts and historical societies. He was also an active watercolor and pencil artist.

I have one class note to share with you. If you have something that you would like to share in the future you can either send it to Ripon directly or to me.

FRED ROGUSKE ’64 of New London, Minnesota, died November 26, 2022. At Ripon, he majored in mathematics and economics. He participated in athletics and was a member of Phi Delta Theta. He received a Master’s Degree in business administration from Emory University. In the early part of his career, he worked for several companies including Green Giant. He then founded his own Tree N Turf Services in 1976 and founded or acquired multiple other businesses in Kandiyohi County. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and serving international missions throughout the world. He visited more than 80 countries, 70 of them with his wife. Survivors include one son and one daughter, and a sister, SAM ROGYSKE MACKLEM ’71. His wife, BARB HODSDON ROGUSKE ’65, died in 2022.

Alumni Weekend is coming up quickly! This year, it is June 22-25, 2023. Below you can find information if you are planning to attend!

The College is three hours north of Chicago, and served by airports in Milwaukee (a two-hour drive from Ripon), Madison (a 1.5 hour drive), and Appleton (a 45 minute drive). Milwaukee offers the most frequent service. From the Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and Appleton airports guests may choose to rent a car. Ripon is served by taxi to and from the Appleton airport.

Room Blocks:

Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online at choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1

Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500

Do any of you still participate in your sorority for fraternity activities? Sometimes I participate via zoom with the Alpha Delta Pi, Delta Pi chapter, alumna group. Periodically a representative from National ADPi visits me because I make a donation. I have many happy memories of my ADPi days at Ripon.

I wish you all health and happiness,

Pat ’64
(925) 201-7377

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 0-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agent: Pat Ostrom Kohnen

Greetings, Classmates:

Trust, you had an enjoyable summer with family or friends and a special holiday season.

CLASS NEWS

BILL PYE ’61: “I’m retired from more than 30 years of Management Consulting and banking. I live on one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes just west of the Twin Cities.

I get to campus a half dozen times a year working with our Sigma Chi Chapter which includes working with some of the Administration folks and Joe Hatcher, Chair of the Psychology Department.

I regularly hear from DAN BEHRING ’62, GORDY ENK ’62 and HOWIE MYERS ’61 who also are involved in supporting the chapter.

Been blessed with seven grandchildren all around the Minneapolis area. The two oldest graduated from high school and we just took them, and our 15 year old granddaughter, on a trip across Norway and then on to Cinque Terre in Italy.

We spend five weeks each winter on an island off Belize which tempers our Minnesota winters a bit. My health is good which allows us to travel and spend a lot of time in activities with our grandkids.”

TIM BURR ’61: “I recently learned that AKI TOMITA ’61 passed away–last month, I think. AKI was only at Ripon for his freshman year. He attended several schools before finally getting his B.S, and had a very successful life and career, and visited the U.S. several times–the last being a few years ago when he asked me to escort him and his wife to the Amish enclave west of Ripon (Amish? Who knew?). It was a memorable afternoon, and he was a memorable person. He always thanked me by sending boxes of Japanese wafers/crackers (which I didn’t really care, for but didn’t have the heart to tell him). He’s survived by his wife and kids. R.I.P.”

AKIRA “AKI” TOMITA ’61 of Kawasaki Shi city, Japan, died Oct. 22, 2022. He received a degree in business administration from Greenville College. He worked for 10 years in the Tokyo office of Chemical Construction Corp, New York, as the general office manager. He then returned to his hometown near Kanazawa Shi city. He worked for one of the major local home builders until his retirement. He then worked part time building a resort facility on Guam, U.S.A. Survivors include his wife, Tomoko Tanaka Tomita; and two children.

EVANN MALTBY BALMES ’61: “As we age, we face so many losses, the use of our perfect joints, driving at night, wearing the cute shoes no longer, and sadly, losing our peers. So, we try very hard to keep those Ripon relationships, now over 60 years old. MARA LATSONS WARREN ’61, MARY BACHUS MILLER ’61, KAREN SCHNEIDER CENTER ’61, and EVANN MALTBY BALMES ’61, have such fun recalling those Ripon College days.  We are not ready to lose those memories so we gather when we can, hoping to meet in Colorado this summer to share again and laugh a lot!  Had a wonderful phone visit with JANE STALLARD LORTON ’60. She sounds and laughs the same and what fun it is talking with a Duffie girl a bit older than I am!”

As for me (BARBARA KRIEPS LASKIN ’61): “Every Thanksgiving, my daughter, Amy, and I do something special for that week. We try to celebrate being together and having an adventure. This past Thanksgiving, we went to Iceland. It was a remarkable experience. Iceland is unique and is truly the land of fire and ice. We did the Golden Circle tour of the island to see the glaciers, lagoons, hot springs, geysers, and lakes. And those adorable wild horses that were imported from Mongolia years ago. At first, I wondered why they were clustered next to the fence interacting with the tourists. Well, the visitors were feeding them ‘horse candy’! But perhaps the highlight of the trip was staying in the Bubble Hotel, which is literally a transparent plastic tent in the middle of the forest so that you can see the northern lights. The spectacular sight more than made up for the spartan accommodations.”

Alumni Weekend is coming up quickly! This year, it is June 22-25, 2023. Below you can find information if you are planning to attend!

The College is three hours north of Chicago, and served by airports in Milwaukee (a two-hour drive from Ripon), Madison (a 1.5 hour drive), and Appleton (a 45 minute drive). Milwaukee offers the most frequent service. From the Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and Appleton airports guests may choose to rent a car. Ripon is served by taxi to and from the Appleton airport.

Room Blocks:
Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online at choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/HQ83E1
Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500

Hope to hear from more of you next time.  And, again, my apologies to BILL PYE ’61 for overlooking his note last time. Stay well and stay in touch.

Regards,

Barbara ’61

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agent: Barbara Krieps Laskin

Hi, Class of 2016!

I hope you are all enjoying the new year and working through all of 2023’s exciting challenges! It’s a bright, shiny new year and another chance to make new memories and new mistakes.

Reaching out and connecting to you for this cycle of class letter updates was such a delight. I am ever grateful to be able to stay in touch with such a neat group of people and to learn where your journeys take you. You can always feel free to reach out with updates to share – even if you think they are minor, they are an opportunity for us to all stay connected as a class! That said, I’ve never said no to a picture of your dogs, your current reading list, or your Netflix recommendations either!

I’m hoping to see you all at our next Alumni Weekend, which will fall on June 22 through June 25. Our Alma Mater is looking to break ground this spring on the first phase of their new strategic infrastructure plan, including upgrading and expanding Farr Hall, improving the residence halls, and building an on-campus stadium on Lower Sadoff. We are so excited to see how our school can grow and improve, and we will keep you updated along the way.

Room Blocks:
Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online here
Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500
On-Campus Housing will be available in April

Class Updates

ERIKA RIEBE NELL‘16 graduated in December 2022 with her MBA from St. Catherine University with a concentration in Integrated Marketing Communications. After three and a half years, she is SO excited to have her nights and weekends no longer filled with classes, homework, and projects. ZAC NELL ‘15 is very excited that she’s done, too. She has been filling all her newfound free time with Netflix, reading, and LOTS of curling in her league at Frogtown Curling Club in St. Paul and at various bonspiels around the Twin Cities.

FRANK STELTER-HOGH ‘16 finishes his grad program in May!

HOPE BELL ‘16 started Daegu, South Korea’s only drag company and helped create a queer-friendly and welcoming space in downtown Daegu, as well!

JADEE KELLOGG ‘16 is now working for the career services program at Metropolitan State University of Denver. While it is quite the change from engineering, she’s super excited to help students match up with their own ideal careers!

RIP to JENNIFER NIGGEMEIER ‘16’s youth. She is entering the last year of her twenties with a fur child, a coffee addiction, and a serious need for some tequila on the beach!

KARI WRENN ’16 had a new adventure call her and her family when the family moved to Colorado, so they followed. She lives in the mountains with her husband, 11-month-old daughter, and their pup. She gets to look at Pikes Peak any time she leaves their new home and they are only 20 minutes from some of the best hiking trails!

KATIE TREDINNICK ‘16 has had a busy year. She managed to adopt the first cat she did surgery on and named her Pepita, perform a standing exploratory surgery in a cow, advocate for grass-based livestock as a climate solution, and support her partner, PAUL MEUER ‘13, in his transition to a new job at Tall Pines Conservancy. A few months ago, Katie and Paul attended a soil conference together.

KAY LULING SENGLAUB ‘16 took third again at the Mid-America Championships in November. She competed in Masters, the highest adult level of Irish dance, and kept her placement. She has been enjoying monthly get-togethers with fellow Ripon alumna JENNIFER NIGGEMEIER ‘16 and SARA DRIEBEL ‘16, started the new year with a record of five books read, including one whole book in a day!

MEGAN MAREMA ‘16 moved to Florida to continue working as a certified prosthetist orthotist at a specialty orthopedic institute serving patients from all over the country and the world.

SAM DEY ‘16 and ALEXANDER SNELL ‘16 were married! Alex is at Exact Science and Samantha is spending time at home with their son, James.

SARA DRIEBEL ‘16 recently passed her exam to become a SHRM Certified Professional for her HR job during the week and is still loving teaching kiddos on the weekends at the zoo. Sara spends a ton of time searching for cool wildlife to photograph and reading books about murder. She’s been training for a half marathon in February and gearing up to see two national parks this spring!

Sara ‘16

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agent: Sara Driebel

Happy Spring, Class of 2021!

Hoping this email finds you in good spirits and forging an exciting, adulting path. However, adulting can sometimes be boring so we hope this brief update spices up your day.

There are many exciting Ripon College happenings, both on campus with the revitalization of Farr Hall, the innovations of Sadoff field (RIP sledding) and faculty accomplishments. Take a moment and check out the following stories:

• Ripon College Announces First Phase of $35M Strategic Infrastructure Plan.

• Rebecca Matzke presents on panel at British studies conference, gives public talk in Oshkosh.

• Megan Gannon has two new poems published in literary magazine.

• Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Ryan Kane named next Athletic Director at Carthage College.

Alumni Weekend is coming up quickly! This year, it is June 22-25, 2023. Below you can find information if you are planning to attend!

Room Blocks:
Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online here
Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500
Campus Lodging will be available in April

Have you recently moved, gotten married, started pursuing another degree, or have an awesome job? Please update any personal, life, career, and/or address info at: Update Contact Info | Ripon College. Our Class Agent email address is [email protected], feel free to add it to your contacts for our future correspondences.

Your Class Agents,

Erin ‘21

Cameron ‘21

MacKenzie ‘21

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agents: Erin, Cameron and MacKenzie

Hello Classmates:

It is hard to believe but 50 years ago, the Class of 1976 faced its first winter in Ripon. For many of us, the cold was surprising. A classmate or two from Hawaii spent the season in shock. Carly Simon’s “You’re so Vain” was the No. 1 single and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” was the top album. The Vietnam War ended and lots of us were relieved to see the draft end. Richard Nixon was re-inaugurated, soon on his way out. The Miami Dolphins captured the Super Bowl after an undefeated season. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was the nation’s most popular car. The first PC was made (by Xerox), as was the first cell phone. The internet was invented by Xerox, as well (eat your heart out Al Gore.) Honeywell was the best performing U.S. stock and OPEC stuck it to the world in the form of higher oil prices.

There is, as always, a lot going on at Ripon. We have a new president. We have plans to renovate Farr Hall and plans to build our very own campus stadium. To keep up with student demand, you will probably see several new areas of study going forward. As always, please keep Ripon in your thoughts and financial plans.

CLASSMATE NEWS

PETER TUZ ’76 remembers having frozen hair for the first time in early 1973 as he dashed off to an early class. He spent a month in Germany in 2022 visiting his daughter and her family in Bamberg, a town in Northern Bavaria. He plans on spending at least that much time there this year. Peter’s daughter’s husband had a two-year work transfer there that has turned into five years plus due to COVID. If time permits, he will be doing some fishing in the Bavarian Alps, as well. The winters there are milder than Ripon’s!

SUSAN MULLIGAN ’76: “I have just returned from a “celebration of life” event for my college suite-mate/roommate/Alpha Chi Omega sorority sister and best friend, DOROTHY DIX WAGNER REESE ’76. She suddenly passed away in November. She was always full of laughter and fun.  She is survived by her husband, John, and daughter, Katie.”

JOHN RANES ’76 shares images from Scott Hall winter 1971-72:
 
Seen: SUE REWOLINSKI WIFF ’75, JOSHUA JELINEK ’76, STEVE BROECKERT ’76, and JOHN RANES ’76

MICHAEL VERKUILEN ’76: “I’m just back from a 15-day cruise through the Panama Canal with family and friends. What a way to start 2023! Aside from that, we welcomed our third grandchild in November, bringing the total to three precious little ones. My daughter had two boys already, so we feel blessed to have welcomed a baby girl into the fold. Her older brothers couldn’t be happier either. I stopped working in late 2020 and have been enjoying travel and relaxation since. Forty-five years of work was enough for me, although I may dip back into the labor force if the right part-time gig presents itself. Looking forward to visiting Ripon for our 50th!!”

CANDI HUTCHISON ’76: “That was fun remembering Ripon winters…I am not sure if it was my first winter or all four, but being a PhyEd major, I remember trudging from the Tri Dorms through knee high snow drifts, along the back path, to the gym for 7:45 a.m. classes. I arrived, usually panting a bit, with crusty eyelashes and ice chunks on my scarf encircling my mouth. No snow days at Ripon…the professors were always able to make it to class, at least mine were.”

HUGH WHIPPLE ’76 is already looking forward to our 50th Reunion in 2026!

Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2023, June 22-25!

If you’re planning on off-campus lodging, there are room blocks at Heidel House in Green Lake, and at Cobblestone Suites in Ripon (920-748-5500). On-campus lodging will open up in April, and will have plenty of capacity.

Warm Regards,

Peter ’76
(434) 996-7808

Michele ’76
(920) 858-4549

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agents: Peter Tuz and Michele Baran Wittler

Dear Class of 2011:

Firstly, my apologies for not reaching out and asking for class updates. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, I think asking for updates twice a year is a bit much. What changes in six months time these days, anyways? Maybe I just lead a boring life, but once a year updates seem sufficient to me!

Classes started on January 17, 2023, this spring semester. I really think they should give all of us a winter break like college students get; I could definitely use a month off each year. Thanks to everyone who participated in #OneDayRally this past fiscal year.

Alumni Weekend is planned for June 22-25, 2023, and is always a fun time. If nothing else, at least come for the free beer the College provides. We paid enough in tuition that we deserve that. But honestly, it’s a good time and our class has a good amount of people turn up even in non-reunion years. If you haven’t been back in a while I think you’ll be surprised at how downtown Ripon has changed over the years. There are room blocks at Heidel House in Green Lake (Book here) and at Cobblestone Suites in Ripon (Call 920.748.5500).

If you’re unable to make it to Alumni Weekend this year, I encourage you to attend a Ripon happy hour or other event that’s hosted by the College in various cities across the U.S. It’s a good opportunity to reconnect with alumni in your area from various class years.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, updates, or just to chat. I’m trying to get better at reaching out, generally, and it’d be helpful to have some people spur me on.

Regards,

Shane ’11

P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!

Submitted by: Class Agent: Shane Roeber