R Connections

Class Agents:

LAUREN HINCE ’18

(763) 706-7473 / [email protected] 

HOLLY ERICKSON ’18

(262) 497-7796 / [email protected]

ELEANORE MUELLER ’18

(920) 539-2935 / [email protected]

Hello Class of 2018! 

We hope that this letter finds you well and that you are all remaining safe and healthy during this dynamic time. Needless to say, the world looks a whole lot different from our last update. For some of us, this may mean working remotely for the first time or coping with the prospect of finding a new career path. For others, working as an essential employee helping to battle the pandemic on the front lines. Regardless of how this pandemic has affected us each individually, we all have had to adapt to our “new normal.” While this letter may be shorter than others we know that everyone is doing their best to stay connected both publicly and privately.

If you’re looking for inspiration or to connect with fellow Ripon Alumni try attending alumni events! You can also visit R Connections online at www.ripon.edu/rconnections/ to stay up to date with all things Ripon College. Have a great start to your Fall/Winter, Class of 2018!

Class notes:

JAKE BAUS ’18 of Mount Calvary, WI is finishing his final year of clinical rotations in the doctor of physical therapy program at University of Wisconsin Madison.

LEAH BLAZKOVEC ’18 of Algoma, WI started occupational therapy school at University of Wisconsin Lacrosse and will graduate in December 2022.

CEANNA CAELWAERTS ’18 of Suamico, WI graduated in May with her master’s in social work from University of Wisconsin Madison. She has spent most of the summer enjoying time in Madison by working remotely, going for endlessly long walks, and safely spending time with loved ones. She will be moving to Green Bay, Wisconsin later this month to start work as an elementary school social worker.

HOLLY ERICKSON ’18 of Racine, WI recently completed U.S. Navy A School and started C School for her rate. She is hoping to be stationed on a ship in early fall.

LAUREN HINCE ’18 of Chicago, IL was furloughed from her job at Groupon and has been using this time to catch up on search for new job opportunities, discover new hobbies, and re-connect with people.

ELEANORE MUELLER ’18 of Port Washington, WI has been spending quarantine wedding planning and golfing with soon-to-be husband, ANDREW WOOD ’16.

SAMANTHA RAYGO ’18 of Milwaukee, WI is entering her third and final year of law school this fall and also got engaged this spring.

PATRICK “PATCH” HOFFMAN ’18 of Oconomowoc, WI is engaged to VERONICA DELISLE ’17.

REBECCA STENZ LINKE ’18 of Eland, WI is currently working as a senior underwriter for home improvement loans. She has also started building a financial advising business with her spouse and fellow alumnus, BRANT LINKE ’18.

Sending everyone our best,

Lauren

Holly

Eleanore

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

Class Agents:

ERIN CANON ’17

(414) 469-5945 / [email protected]

KONNER FELDHUS ’17

(303) 280-5835 / [email protected]

WINONA HOLMES ROBBINS ’17

(650) 274-9231 / [email protected]

Dear Class of 2017,

A big theme in the COVID-19 era seems to be responsibility. We have a responsibility to take actions that protect those around us while we hold others responsible for their actions or lack thereof. We have a responsibility, then, to hold institutions that are bigger than us to higher standards. The paths forged by large institutions (such as Ripon, the College we are so lucky to call home) have wide-reaching effects on the lives of countless individuals. Ripon alumni do not take this task lightly, as evidenced by the abundance of outreach regarding Vice President Pence’s visit to campus in July. 

After copious debate and consultation with select members of the Ripon community, President Messitte went ahead with hosting a high-risk event on campus. As the diverse community that it is, alumni of Ripon College reached out with opinions of all kinds on the event. From a public health standpoint, such a high-risk event should never have been considered in the first place. However, many of us alumni reached out with words of disdain, concern, and praise for President Messitte’s decision to rent space for the Trump campaign in July. We took seriously our stake in the College and our responsibility to share our perspectives with our alma mater when it comes to important decisions. We take pride in this, and we hope that everyone continues to take seriously our responsibilities to ourselves and others. 

Class Notes:

KONNER FELDHUS ’17 of Des Moines, Iowa finished the first round of board exams and began the clinical years of medical school in August. He will be rotating at hospitals and clinicals all around the state of Iowa. #BlackLivesMatter

HANNAH MACKENZIE GALLIMORE ’17 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and her spouse, Alex, had a baby boy, Oliver, in March. She loves spending time as a family! 

WINONA HOLMES ROBBINS ’17 of Valparaiso, Indiana is a personal trainer at the Franciscan Health and Fitness Center.

ELIZABETH ERDMANN JULIAN ’17 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin is the Assistant Director of Admissions Operations at Lakeland University.

NICHOLAS JULIAN ’17 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin is an Account Executive at Jackson Kahl Insurance.

SUSAN SHIVELY CONDON ’17 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin writes, “Graduated with a Masters in Clinical Psychology (August of 2019). Married (July of 2019). Started my career at Red Oak Counseling, Ltd (April of 2019).”

DANAE MARIE TESCH ’17 of Seattle, Washington is expecting baby #2 this winter and is planning a move back to the midwest to be closer to family

BEN VALDEZ-HEMPEL ’17 of Washington, D.C. moved to a smaller (but nicer) place with two of his closest friends in January. He recently got a new job as a Program Associate for American Councils for International Education running communications for the alumni side of a high school student exchange program. He is still obsessed with soccer, and during quarantine he went on long bike rides to entertain himself. #BlackLivesMatter

BENJAMIN VORPAHL ’17 of Detroit, Michigan is entering the third year of dental school at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and beginning patient-care and clinical experiences! 

Sincerely,

Konner

Winona

Erin

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

SARA R. DRIEBEL ’16

(262) 347-1484 / (262) 439-8124 / [email protected]

ELIZABETH KONIECZNY YAMAT ’16

(414) 369-7430 / [email protected]

Hey, Class of 2016!

Even if our spring and summer didn’t go the way we all planned, we are one day at a time closer to the day we can all (safely) be with one another again. I can’t wait to see you at our combined Alumni Weekend. We are going to celebrate in the best way we know how – together!! Save the date for Saturday, June 26tht, 2021, when we can have fun with the classes of 2010, 2011, and 2015 during Alumni Weekend 2021.

This class letter might feel a little different from other ones, and that is okay! With everything going on, if you don’t have anything to share or don’t want to share something less than positive, please know that you have classmates that you can lean on. Not one of us is going through the exact same situation, but what we are going through, we are going through together. 

If there is one thing that we found in gathering updates for this letter, it is the importance of keeping those you love by your side. Please remember to check in on those you love, and spread positivity when you are able. You are all loved, radiant, and needed – and keep on rockin’ it!!

ALLISON LEAVER ’16 is currently a veterinarian in Chicago.

ALYSSA NYCZ ’16 is missing home in Wisconsin more and more these days, but she is getting by thanks to plenty of Facetime sessions and phone calls with KAMELLE VAN DER LEEST WATERS ’15, GRACE DYKSTRA ’16, JULIA MUTCHIE ’17, AMY FELS ’17, AND LIZ ABITZ ’17. In these quarantine times, she has been keeping busy with work at Connecticut Children’s. She has also perfected her ice cream eating abilities and occasionally wins at Bananagrams.

ELIZABETH KONIECZNY YAMAT ’16 is working from home for Acuity Insurance, where she’s been working as a Commercial Lines Underwriter. Her two dogs, Bear and Charlie, make great furry coworkers, alongside her other very distracting coworker- her son, Theo.

JENNY DELGADO ’16 is finishing her Master’s in nursing at Rush University.

JENNIFER KELLER ’16 is happily planted in southeastern Wisconsin, living in Mequon and coming up on her fourth anniversary working for the Village of Richfield. Earlier this year, she took a liking to long walks with Andy. Park trails, residential sidewalks, and strip malls are their most frequented settings. There is still no furry friend to take on puppy walks but she is working on that plan! Jen would like to wish all of her Ripon College classmates the best as we look forward to the conclusion of this unconventional year. Cheers to lifelong Ripon friendships that get us through the tough times!

JENNIFER NIGGEMEIER ’16 has a few new things going on in her world: 

• So far, she is COVID-free,
• She learned to crochet like an old lady,
• She shared her world-famous spinach artichoke dip recipe at her twin nephew’s third birthday party (give her a holler if you want that Applebee’s dupe!)
• She is still working as a Program Coordinator for a nonprofit before and after school programming.
• She started her own island on Animal Crossing. It’s five stars, not to brag. Hit her up if you want to visit “Lala’s Island!!!”

KATLYN TROISI ’16 was recently promoted to Assistant Clinical Director at Advocates after two years of hard work with the organization. 

RAE BRIXIUS-FAHNRICH ’16 is slowly losing brain cells with every COVID-19 conspiracy theory she reads from C students who suddenly have the full grasp on science that they lacked during our time at Ripon. She hasn’t died from COVID-19 yet, but is hopeful that society will stay home and do their part to put public health above monetary gain so that we can return to normal. Until then, she will continue to telework and anxiously wait for Ripon College’s response to the racism displayed by current students.

SAM CANNING ’16 is happily working from home for Brookdale Senior Living with her dog, Teddy, as one of the best coworkers she could ever ask for.

SARA DRIEBEL ’16 is still working as a Human Resources Generalist and is so grateful for her supportive coworkers that make working through a pandemic less intense! She is bummed to not be able to teach the kiddos at the zoo, but knows the critters will still be there when everything is back to normal. Because she has weekends off while education programming is canceled, she has been taking time to learn new languages, hone in on rusty art skills, grow a small jungle in her home, bond with her amazing baby niece, and go birdwatching! 

FRANK STELTER-HOGH ’16 and HANNAH METZ ’17 married on July 24, 2020! 

SIDNEY BLODGETT DEMASTER ’16 and her husband, Aaron, had a daughter in May! Her name is Eliza and she is absolutely perfect. They love enjoying their summer days swimming at the lake and taking long walks with their puppy. Sidney got a job as a third-grade teacher in North Fond du Lac and is excited to start in August. Her husband, Aaron, is starting Centerpoint Church in September in Fond du Lac. You can check out their Facebook page, @CenterPointFDL, for more information!

ZACH MUENCH ’16 is currently an emergency medicine PA at Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee!

We wish you all the best as you navigate waters we have never needed to wade through before. 

We hope to see you all at Alumni Weekend!

Sincerely,

Sara

Elizabeth

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

SAMANTHA KAY ’15

(414) 587-5958 / [email protected]

KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15

(262) 212-7394 / [email protected]

Dear Class of 2015,

Let’s just say it… Nothing’s normal.

If this feels like yet another COVID-19 conversation, maybe it is. But this pandemic is a very real thing. When writing this letter, we debated reaching out to people. We struggled with the words you’re reading now. But we need to respectfully represent our collective voices and be honest about this time:

It hurts. It’s painful to see friends and families lives shortened, livelihoods taken away, and no sense of an end in sight. It doesn’t make any sense. We hear you, we feel it.

Of course, the pandemic has given opportunity for some. Maybe it’s that down time (hello, privilege) to actually work on learning a new language. Maybe you’re still working on that sourdough starter, or you’ve picked up a new book. Hopefully, you’re taking some time to fix your car, or at least clean the cobwebs out since it hasn’t seen more than a 10-mile radius since March.

All these activities are really filling some sort of void. While learning to make your own carbs is a very cool activity, and may become a passion for some, it doesn’t come close to replacing human interaction. We need people! We need in-person connection, rather than Brady Bunch references from yet another Zoom happy hour.

It’s unsettling and difficult to think of all the lives lost, some of whom passed alone. This disease has taken so many things, situations, opportunities, and humans we’ve taken for granted. It’s stolen jobs and depleted industries, some lost forever. It’s divided folks, those who wear a mask and those who don’t. Those who can access the Internet, treatment, and a bank account… and those who cannot.

Now it comes down to the choices we make that will impact our communities (and ourselves) the most. Maybe there’s some learning? For me, I choose how much to care, how much energy to give. That includes being sensitive. Wearing a mask not just because it’s required, but because it helps build back our community.

We’re thinking of you. We’re still here. And hope some sort of “normal” returns in time for the next letter.

Class notes:

KATIE BIEDLER ’15 has been working as a Client Relationship Consultant at U.S. Bank as of last December. Thankfully, she is still employed as an essential employee & doing her best to not get sick.

ZACH CONNERS ’15 moved back to Madison to work as a recruitment coordinator at Raven Software which is part of Activision. So far, he has had the opportunity to work on releasing Call of Duty: Warzone. It was just announced that they will be teaming up with another studio to release the next Call of Duty title later this year.

SAMANTHA KAY ’15 did not get to go on any of her planned trips due to the poorly managed public health crisis. She was promoted in July to Advocacy and Global Outreach Manager with the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. Her work focuses on improving regulatory pathways for novel therapies and improving access to these therapies in low- and middle-income countries. Sam spends her free time calling and writing her elected officials, protesting police brutality, and informing her friends and family about vote by mail. She will be volunteering as an election worker in November, to ensure that we can still vote in the middle of a pandemic that the current administration fails to address. 

SKYLAR LIEBZEIT ’15 of Appleton, Wisconsin is the new football coach at Green Bay West. He spent the past two years as an offensive assistant and wide receivers coach at Lawrence University.

KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin did not go to Ireland, Portland, or Grand Rapids. She is learning how to use media ethically with Google Ads courses. She’s still working for Bardon Bowling Centers across the state, marketing fun, safe spaces.

CHELSEA MOLDENHAUER ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin completed her Ph.D. in May at the National University of Health Sciences at UW-Madison. 

RAQUEL MACSWAIN ’15 did not get the chance to experience her graduate school graduation this last spring due to COVID-19. However, she did accept a job as a school counselor at Dalles High School.

KARENA SCHROEDER ’15 was promoted in June to Club Manager and now runs her own Sam’s Club in Apple Valley, Minnesota. This summer Karena and her fiancé also purchased a house in the area and adopted a sweet little pup named Charlie!

KARISA SIMONSEN KRUEGER ’15 and ANDY KRUEGER ’14 of Redgranite, Wisconsin had a baby boy, Decker Andrew Krueger, on December 11, 2019.

ABI QUACKENBOSS-KARPF ’15 continues to serve on active duty in the United States Navy… but not for much longer! Abi has decided to resign her active duty commission in Spring 2021. If you know of any companies or organizations looking for an engaged and dynamic project manager to support a great mission in the San Diego area, please find her on LinkedIn. She and her husband, Brandon, hope that the decision to become a civilian will lead to them FINALLY getting a dog.

Cheers!

Sam

Kaylie

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

MARA JENSEN POULLETTE ’14

(920) 946-8498 / [email protected]

TIM HOLME ’14

(608) 333-9526 / [email protected]

Hi friends,

Finding words to address these past few months feels impossible at this point, so this will be a short little letter. I think it’s fair to say that everyone experienced various levels of loss and grief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and unfortunately, it seems to be far from over. However, as always, reading the life updates from all of our classmates fills me with hope and happiness and is a reminder that good things are still happening despite the chaos and uncertainty we find ourselves living in.

News notes:

BRITTANY LAHAIE BARTLETT ’14 of Campbellsport, Wisconsin, and her husband are expecting their first child in January 2021.

JACOB BIRENBAUM ’14 writes, “On June 23, Alexia and I had our first baby, Lily Elaine. Mom did an awesome job and Lily is the center of our world.”

SAMANTHA ANGELL EASTBERG ’14 graduated with her Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in August. She and her husband are moving to Marshfield, Wisconsin where she will be starting a postdoctoral fellowship at the Marshfield Clinic.

ANNA M. GALLE ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, graduated from Marquette University with an MSN in December 2019 and will be working as an RN in the Nurse Residency program at UW-Health in Madison.

TIM HOLME ’14 is working as a senior land restoration tech at Good Oak Ecological. He and KATIE WILLIAMS ’13 moved to Portage, Wisconsin last summer.

DAVE JEWETT ’14 of Arlington, Virginia, is an Associate Account Executive at the Kellen Company in Washington D.C.

ANDY KRUEGER ’14 and KARISA SIMONSEN KRUEGER ’15 of Redgranite, Wisconsin, had a baby boy, Decker Andrew Krueger, on December 11. 2019.

DONALD W. MALCHOW ’14 of Madison, Wisconsin, writes, “I will be graduating from the University of Wisconsin law school in May 2020 and going to work at Sigma Janssen law firm in Appleton, Wisconsin, representing injured people in worker’s compensation, social security disability, and personal injury cases.”

ALI NEMECEK ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin writes, “This summer I spent my time attempting to master tax law and working remotely at the Blood Center of Wisconsin under their General Counsel. I am putting the final touches on my publication from my Master’s program, entitled ‘Populism, Popular Sovereignty, and Periphery’ (be on the lookout next year!). I have one year of law school left and in between everything else, I serve as the Editor-in-Chief for one of Marquette’s Law Reviews.”

CASSIE BILOTTO PASBRIG ’14 of Madison, Wisconsin writes, “We have finally taken up permanent residence in Madison. I have been working as a Performance Operations Analyst with Conifer Health Solutions for the last two years. Ryan and I will be celebrating our four-year wedding anniversary and our daughter’s 2nd birthday this year!”

MARA JENSEN POULLETTE ’14 and husband, SAM POULLETTE ’13 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin both continue to work at Lakeland University. Mara was promoted to Director of Cooperative Education in August and continues to teach courses (now virtually) on Professional Etiquette to primarily first and second-year students in addition to her full-time administrative position. Sam was promoted to the Vice President of Enrollment Management as of December 2019. They continue to devote much of their spare time to their two-year-old rescue dog, Arnie. However, Arnie will soon be getting slightly less attention as Sam and Mara are expecting their first child (a boy!) in September! Arnie is slowly adjusting to the idea of being a big brother. 

XIA XIONG ’14 of Madison, Wisconsin, was promoted this past January from Claims and Data Entry to Provider Relations Assistant at The Alliance in Fitchburg. He is also currently training for the Oshkosh Half Marathon next April, which will be his second half marathon.

LIZ WALSH ’14 graduated with her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in December 2019. She is now working as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Beaverlodge Research Farm (which is part of Agriculture and AgriFood Canada). She moved in February to northern Alberta, Canada so she could continue researching aspects of honey bee health.

Keep pushing forward, Red Hawks, and be well,

Sincerely,

Mara              

Tim

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

CHARLOTTE LEE WAHLE ’13

(971) 222-5905 / [email protected]

LAUREN ANN OTT ’13

(651) 399-4363 / [email protected]

ALI PELTIER ’13

(608) 228-0733 / [email protected]

Dear Class of 2013,

What a year this has been.

I struggle to follow up that sentence with something witty that doesn’t involve the words, “unprecedented times”, “I hope you are staying safe and healthy”, or “Living the dream in quarantine” so I will just move on.

Ripon students are going back to campus and classes resume on Monday, August 17th. The staff at Ripon has done so much to prepare for this. I think about how we went about our daily lives living on campus and how much this will change for returning and incoming students. If you are curious, check out the Reunite Ripon, return to in-person learning document here: https://www.ripon.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/reunite_ripon_return_doc.pdf

Now, let’s get down to the fun stuff… and the reason you all (honestly) check out this letter. Updates on classmates’ lives! Thank you for the wonderful amount of responses this time around. I really think the GIF of Joey on our Facebook page is the key. I will try my best to find other good ones moving forward! You might notice a slight Ripon Bike theme. Get ready, we might ask you what “Ripon Icon” you still have in your home today next time around!

For me, it has been a whirlwind of a year. I made a crazy decision to leave Madison for Des Moines, IA, where I am now a National Media Executive for Meredith Corporation. We bought a house and were engaged in June of this year. Jonathan and I will be getting married in September of 2022. Still working from home and convincing myself I travel too much (when things become semi-normal again…) to get a puppy.

Class notes:

SARAH MOEHRKE ’13 writes, “I am currently serving with the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments Americorp Program with the City of Florence, Oregon, on the beautiful Oregon Coast.”

LISA AGUILAR ’13 writes, “I am starting a faculty position at Indiana University on August 1st as a tenure-track assistant professor in the school psychology program and I just got engaged on August 24th in a hot air balloon!”

MATT ROHRBECK ’13 writes, “In April, I was elected to my fourth term on the Columbia County Board of Supervisors. During this term, I chair three committees (Finance; Ad Hoc Ordinance Review and Recodification; and Revolving Loan/Housing), and I am the vice-chair on the Human Resources committee. After serving in my hometown of Portage since 2014, I am representing my new community in the city of Columbus where I own a house and working to fix it up with DARCIE FIRST ’13.”

DARCIE FIRST ’13 writes, “This summer, I have worked at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue for four years in their audit bureau, and I accepted a new position as an auditor. Additionally, I completed my accounting degree in July, and I am looking forward to having more time to do things.”

KATIE JO STUMBRIS WEISS ’13 writes for both herself and husband NICK WEISS ’13 “We had our second daughter on April 5. I’ve been busy with work and managing two dental offices while Nick is stuck at home with both girls preparing for the new school year and all the new COVID-19 precautions. During quarantine we focused on house renovations, I’ve picked up baking, and we’ve watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse incessantly!”

BRIANA DRAEGER BOSQUEZ ’13 and husband KYLE BOSQUEZ ’13 welcomed their beautiful daughter Rylee on April 24, 2020!

AMY DOEFER ’13 still has her Ripon Bike!

NICOLE SCHMIDT ’13 also still has her Ripon bike!

AMY REULING ’13 does too!

CHARLOTTE LEE WAHLE ’13 writes, “Just before Governor Walz’s stay at home order we bought our first house. But more importantly…in the process of packing and unpacking I found out I still have my Pub Crawl mug! I think I’ll start negotiations with Ripon that anyone with their mug at our ten-year reunion gets to drink for free. This gives you three years to find yours if you want to join me, folks!”

1. SARAH CARBALLO ’13 writes, “I am FINALLY starting my last year of ophthalmology residency and applying for cornea and refractive surgery fellowships because I just love writing personal statements and being a slave to eyeballs without making any real money. But the Ripon College Class of 2013 can definitely hit me up for their LASIK needs and I’ll be sure to pass out my business cards at our 50-year reunion when we’ll start needing our cataracts addressed!”

EMILY KIJEK-SCHWANDT ’13 writes, “I am still working at the Cudahy Middle School but will be teaching 7th grade English instead of 8th! It will be my 5th year working for this school. We are also starting in-person school 4 days a week in September. Wish me luck!”

KAYLN FREEMAN ’13 is engaged and recently purchased a home in Beaufort, S.C. She will be married next April (COVID willing!) and is in her fourth year of teaching second grade in Hardeeville, S.C.

CHRISTINA MOONEY ’13 writes, “Still single, and looking for a sugar daddy”

TREVOR LYNN ’13 writes, “I finally moved back to Wisconsin after living in Missouri for the past six years. I’m living in Wisconsin Rapids now, working at Nekoosa High School, and starting my doctorate at Edgewood College this fall.”

ANDREA SLOSSER WORTH ’13 writes, “I just got back from my first day of predoctoral internship at the Minneapolis VA. On a related note, Mark and I relocated to Minneapolis this summer! On a less related note, we have been working hard on teaching Lilly (our dog) how to kayak.”

LAUREN OTT ’13 recently purchased a beautiful home with boyfriend KYLE GREENE ’15. Their dog Theo now has plenty of room to run and is already making friends! Lauren also writes, “We are STILL open for visitors!”

Stay safe and stay well, classmates!

Ali

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

KATLYN LEE SCHUMACHER ’12

(608) 558-9073 / [email protected]

ERIN SCHAICK ’12

(920) 312-3825 / [email protected]

BRANDON TAYLOR ’12

(406) 274-4708 / [email protected]

Hello, Class of 2012,

We hope you are all well! You provided us with some impressive life updates this year, as always, and we appreciate you staying in touch with us and Ripon College. If you would like to learn more about our classmates, be sure to check out R Connections online to learn more about all of Ripon’s alumni!

Class Notes:

JESSICA BRUNGARDT LARSON ’12 of Peyton, Colorado and her husband were blessed with a little boy in August, and also bought a house and got a puppy at the end of the year! She is an Assistant County Attorney in Colorado Springs doing child protection, delinquencies, and writing appeals, and loves where life has taken her.

ARIEL DICKINSON ’12 of Madison, Wisconsin and her husband, Casey Schenkel, celebrated their second wedding anniversary in August. They purchased their first home in June 2018 and she loves her job training customers and employees at Epic Systems Corp. in Madison.

LISA HILLEREN ’12 of Chicago, Illinois just closed on her first home in Chicago at the end of October. She works in academic affairs at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Most of her non-work time is filled with cycling; she recently completed a five-day tour from Washington D.C. to Pittsburgh, and currently manages Chicago’s only open all-women amateur cycling team.

SHARON KLAPPERICH DOLL ’12 of Green Bay, Wisconsin is transitioning from Oconto to her new apartment in Green Bay, still teaching full time at Preble High School.

JEFF MARQUARDT of ’12 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the sous chef for the Milwaukee Bucks players and coaches. He is celebrating his one-year wedding anniversary next month.

MEGAN MCGEE NORRIS ’12 of Kenosha, Wisconsin and her husband, Adam, welcomed an adorable baby girl in April named Ashlyn Marie. Colton is adjusting to life as a big brother and will be two in October. This means Megan is currently rocking that “2 under 2” life. She is loving working for herself and focusing on juvenile and family law in Kenosha and Racine County.

SAM MUTSCHELKNAUS ’12 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin has been hired by Aurora Health Care to be the full-time solo chaplain for the Grafton and Hartford hospitals. 

ALAINA NESBITT BENNETT ’12 of Greenville, Wisconsin and her husband AJ BENNETT ’12 have a daughter, Madison, who is 7 months old.

GISELA ORTEGA ’12 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has made the jump to the private sector after many years of working in various housing and economic development non-profits and the City of Milwaukee. She has recently started a new role with gener8tor, a turnkey platform for the creative economy that connects startup founders, musicians, artists, investors, universities and corporations. The gener8tor platform includes pre-accelerators, accelerators, corporate programming, conferences and fellowships.

AURORA POLLEI LAMEKA ’12 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has accepted a position as a K4 teacher at Milwaukee Scholars Charter School.

ANNE RABACAL GROSS ’12 of Germantown, Wisconsin and her husband were very blessed to purchase their first home in November. Anne is also now a Research Analyst with Principia Consulting, a leading research and consulting firm focused exclusively on the building materials and construction industry.

TONYA REETZ ’12 of West Henrietta, New York just relocated to North Carolina, started a new job at Parker Hannifin, and bought her first home.

ERIN SCHAICK ’12 of Concord, New Hampshire is now Assistant Vice President of Community Relations with CATCH Neighborhood Housing and was recently named to the New Hampshire Union Leader’s 40 Under Forty.

JESSICA SCHMIDT ’12 of Ripon, Wisconsin has worked for Mayo Clinic for five years, and works from home, which she loves. Her kitty just turned two. She bought a house in August in Ripon and loves being a homeowner!

ERIC SCHUMACHER ’12 of Pewaukee, Wisconsin and his wife, Sarah, have an 8-month old, Jack, getting into trouble all over the house. He’s going to win the Masters in 2051.

KATHARINE SHADLE GAILS ’12 of West Allis, Wisconsin is now working part-time for the Milwaukee Zoological Society teaching children about animals. She also teaches English to children in China with a company called VipKid. She and her husband, RYAN GAILS ’13, got a golden doodle puppy this summer named Copper.

AMY SPRANGER ROSSMAN ’12 of Kenosha, Wisconsin and her husband Geoff bought their first house last June, and just celebrated their two-year anniversary in November.

BRANDON TAYLOR ’12 of Arlee, Montana is busy organizing his newly purchased home in San Francisco and planning his wedding for next June.

JUSTIN GAWLIK ’12 and BRYANNE TUDOR GAWLIK ’12 of Columbia, Missouri are expecting their first baby in July 2020.

BRYANT VANDE KOLK ’12 of Washington D.C. is employed through Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) as a Graduate Fellow for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

SARAH WEINBERG ’12 of Minneapolis, Wisconsin has returned to the United States after 2.5 years of teaching English in South Korea with her fiancé, Jordan. They will be getting married in October. She is hoping to attend graduate school for library and information science.

Thank you to all the people who sent us their life updates on Facebook or via email! Feel free to contact the college (or us) throughout the year and we will be sure to include them in our class updates.

Erin

Katlyn

Brandon

A Note from the Office of Constituent Engagement:  Stay up-to-date with our latest news and information. Make sure that we have your most updated contact information including email and phone number by visiting ripon.edu/update-contact-info or emailing [email protected].

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

SHANE ROEBER ’11

(262) 617-7707 / (262) 695-0555 / [email protected]

Dear Class of 2011:

I hope this letter finds you and your families well and in good health. To say that we’re in a unique situation is an understatement – COVID-19 has turned our lives upside down and has shifted how the world works. It has forced us to change how we socialize and recreate and made some of us take on roles we never thought we would. It has pretty much been a giant buzzkill and took away the best season, in my humble opinion, that Wisconsin has. But it has also allowed us to reconnect with old friends and with ourselves.

Thank you to those who sent in updates – it was good to hear from you and see what’s new. When we’re past the whole COVID-19 I hope to hear from more of you! And, I certainly hope to see you at Alumni Weekend 2021 – our 10-year reunion – June 24-27. Take care, stay healthy, and feel free to reach out to me any time. I can always use a distraction while working from home.

Below are the updates from your classmates:

NICK OSENBERG ’11 of Ferndale, Michigan, completed his Masters in Theatre Studies: Production and Design from Southern Oregon University in July. Additionally, his senior theatre students competed for theatre scholarships at the Michigan Thespian Festival. Collectively, the students were awarded $1.9 million in combined scholarship offers. The scholarship awards totaled $25 million in combined offers. This makes it the largest single-day scholarship event for the arts in America. Lastly, one of his lighting design students was honored as one of the Top 10 theatre artists of Michigan. He’d like to thank Ripon’s liberal arts background because my student’s accolades made this possible.

CARLOS J. SOTO ’11 recently graduated from Florida State University with a Ph.D. in Biotstatistics. He focused on statistical shape analysis of chromosomes and proteins and has a couple of papers in the publication process. He has accepted a visiting assistant professorship and is excited to continue his career in academia.

PATTY DETERMAN TAKAWIRA ’11 has two daughters and is a Community Health Planner in the Cardiovascular Health Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health. She is still fly.

CHASE ZAJAC-ELSBECKER ’11 and ROBYN ZAJAC-ELSBECKER ’11 of Pulaski, Wisconsin, writes, “Robyn and Chase welcomed their first daughter, Alice, on January 1, 2020.”

Take care and stay healthy,

Shane

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

EMILY MEYER ’09

(920) 369-8707 / [email protected] 

JOSH LEGREVE ’09

(414) 839-7222 / [email protected] 

Hello Everyone! 

First of all, please welcome JOSH LEGREVE ’09 as our second Class Agent! Thank you to everyone that donated to the College for #OneDayRally back in April. As a class, we had 35 donors that raised $3,661 total. This was a fantastic showing!

JOSH LEGREVE ’09 here — Hello all! I am very excited to join EMILY MEYER ’09 as a Class Agent. For the last six years, I have been teaching 2nd-12th grade Spanish at Green Lake Schools, where I also run the theatre department and student council. Additionally, I have been serving on the executive board for the Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers and the Board of Directors for the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Other than that, I have been traveling when possible (I took 22 students to Costa Rica last summer!), and taking occasional drives past campus on my commute home to Fond du Lac. 

Hi Everyone, EMILY MEYER ’09 here — I’m excited to have JOSH LEGREVE ’09 join me and make these letters a little more exciting for you to read. Outside of listening to a lot of Hamilton, our family’s big updates are that we adopted a puppy (her name is Skye) in April and just recently got a new garage door (exciting, I know). At work, we’re just starting to train the RAs for the year, and I got a new job title this summer – Assistant Director for Residential Education. I continue to oversee our Residential Curriculum and our student staff hiring and training processes. We continue to love living in Fargo-Moorhead and coming back to Ripon for visits when we can. 

We are excited to share some updates from our classmates with you and hope that you are well and finding your ‘new normal’ in these strange times. 

ANDREA WORDEN ’09 is living in Madrid, Spain, with her husband, Pablo Marín, and two-year-old daughter, Natalia. She is working as an English teacher for VIPKid.

KELLY SCHWEISS GRIFFITHS ’09 recently accepted a new role as a User Experience Strategist with Adtalem at OnCourse Learning in Brookfield, WI. KARL GRIFFITHS ’08 and KELLY ’09 also just started volunteering as puppy raisers for Canine Companions for Independence. In July, they got their first foster puppy, Korbin. In roughly a year he will hopefully go through advanced training to become a free service dog for someone in need.

ELIZA CHERRY STEPHENSON ’09 of Ripon, Wisconsin, joined the BRAVE (Building Resiliency Assets and Values in Everyone) staff in September 2019 after spending nearly 10 years working in college admissions. She currently serves as the BRAVE Site Coordinator at Ripon Middle & Catalyst Charter Schools.

STEPHANIE TROEMEL ’09 is now a pattern and fabric manager for a global company. In this role, she runs a fabric store, manages their production team, and sits on the board of directors.

News notes from the Spring Class Letter that weren’t emailed out due to the interruption of COVID-19: 

BRITTANY KAUFMAN PRATT ’09 and her husband, Jeremy, welcomed their second daughter, Hannah Louise Pratt, on November 21, 2019. Big sister is over the moon! Also, Samantha was very excited she got to visit “where the Redhawk lives” during Alumni Weekend. We hope to catch more of you next time! In other news, BRITTANY ’09 was appointed the Training Director of the Psychology Doctoral Intern program at Burrell Behavioral Health in July 2019. She has learned that running a training program is a bit like herding proverbial cats. If you have experience in this area, please feel welcome to send advice. If not, please send coffee. Or beer.

EMILY MATHEWS JANKE ’09 enjoys being a stay at home mom to two adorable curly-headed kiddos. While she may not be working to pay off the master’s degree she needed to have, being bossed around by a 2 and 4-year-old is really rewarding. In all seriousness, she feels very lucky to be home watching the little humans grow each day. She’s still happily married to a handsome lad. Oh, and she cleans houses in her spare time to earn a little extra $ to buy herself pretty things. Just kidding, it’s to pay back her student loan debt.

JOSH LEGREVE ’09 is excited to share that he was elected to a four-year term on the Board of Directors of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.  His term starts this summer.

JENAN JAMAL KHARBUSH ’09 of Arlington, Massachusetts, received the Ripon College Outstanding Young Alumni Award during Alumni Weekend in June 2020. She is a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. She is a member of the Harvard Earth and Planetary Science/Environmental Science and Engineering Department’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belong Committee; and a mentor for Harvard Graduate Women in Science and Engineering.

JOSH KRAEMER ’09 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, was inducted into the Ripon College Athletic Hall of Fame during Alumni Weekend in June 2020. He is a regional personal training director for Anytime Fitness.

Be well,

Emily & Josh

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

LEAH HOVER-PREISS ’08 

(608) 432-2399 / [email protected]

ZAC SCHWANDT ’08 

(414) 312-3531 / [email protected] 

STEPHANIE SOMMER FAULDS ’08 

[email protected] 

Greetings Class of 2008!

We would like to begin this letter by sharing a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who helped make the One Day Rally a huge success. Our wonderful class donated $5,010 to a cause near and dear to our hearts. With 47 donors, the Class of 2008 was in the top five classes for number of donors. In total, #OneDayRally raised over $1.9 million from 2,015 donors. Because of your donations on April 29th, combined with generous giving throughout the year, the Class of 2008 is really helping to ensure future generations of Red Hawks receive the same quality, personalized education we experienced when we were on campus. Once again, thank you!

By the time you are reading this letter, the next class of first-year students will already have started classes at Ripon College. Fall will definitely look a little different around campus this year for students, faculty, and even us alumni. While events we love and look forward to might not be taking place in the same way, or even at all, this year, there are still ways to make sure you stay connected to the Ripon College community. 

• If you are not receiving regular emails from the college, please make sure to update your email address on the R Connections page or contact one of the class officers. 
• Frequently check out the Ripon News page on the college website, the Ripon College Class of 2008 Facebook group, or the official Ripon College Facebook page to stay up-to-date on all of the great things happening on campus. 
• This would also be a great time to reach out to a classmate or other Ripon alum who you may not have talked to in a while. Reminisce about all of the great times had while we were students and make plans to get together virtually or in person in the future! 

           We look forward to being able to meet face to face again sometime soon at alumni events and activities on campus. Until then, please check out the updates submitted by your classmates since the last class letter. If you would like to submit updates to be included in future publications, please reach out to a Class Agent. Updates can include marriages, birth of a baby, adoptions, new jobs, starting a business, continuing education, moving, exciting accomplishment, getting together with fellow Ripon alum, and so on! Your classmates would love to know what you are up to! We look forward to hearing from you!

Class Updates:

ERIN RUTH MAGUIRE ’08 of Hot Springs Village, AR has taken a position as Hospice Clinical Social Worker at the LHC group, a leading nationwide home-based Healthcare provider.

PATTI MAZUR ’08 of Mesa, AZ moved to Arizona in May and is the Global Accounts Receivable Business Process & Technology Manager at ON Semiconductor in Phoenix, Arizona.

DANA MOORE KIBBEL’08 of Waupun, WI reports, “We welcomed Krew James into our family on December 27, 2019 after our most memorable Christmas as a family — spent in the hospital. After spending three weeks in the NICU in Madison, we brought Krew home and now we’re officially a family of five!”

TRISHA SHAFER MOORE ’08 of ­­Eau Claire, WI says, “We welcomed our second daughter, Ivy Louise, in March.”

COLETTE UNGER NAKIELSKI ’08 of Mount Vernon, IA and her family recently returned to the midwest after two years in Washington/Idaho. They now live in Mt. Vernon, IA where her husband, CHRIS NAKIELSKI ’06 is a music professor at Cornell College and Colette is an executive assistant for a software engineer. They have two children- Finnegan (3) and Evelyn (1).

Go Red Hawks!

Leah

Zac

Stephanie

A Note from the Office of Constituent Engagement:  Stay up-to-date with our latest news and information. Make sure that we have your most updated contact information including email and phone number by visiting ripon.edu/update-contact-info or emailing [email protected].

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

ADAM KRUEGER ’07 

(857) 389-8617 / [email protected] 

LINDSEY KREYE HEIL ’07 

(952) 944-7528 / [email protected] 

STACY KRUSA TEACHOUT ’07 

(920) 345-1048 / [email protected]

LIZ LEACH MORRELL ’07 

(920) 279-0779 / [email protected]

Hello Class of 2007, 

We hope this letter finds you healthy and safe. 2020 has been quite the year thus far and we hope you are finding ways to adjust to our new “normal” and also taking some time for yourselves to stay emotionally fit.  

Ripon College opened its campus in the fall for in-person learning – click here to see details regarding their reopening plan: Reunion Ripon. 

All Midwest Conference athletic events have been canceled through 2020. In other big campus news, Sage Dining Services will be taking over the responsibility of feeding students at Ripon.  Also, see the link below regarding our own BEN REUTTEN ’07, featured in a news article about teaching during the pandemic: 

A point of pride for our class is that 37 individuals from the Class of 2007 gave on Ripon’s #OneDayRally this year contributing a total of $3,881. It was great seeing many of you sharing your Ripon spirit on social media that day, too. Additionally, 18 individuals from our class stepped up to contribute to the Emergency Assistance Fund. These are impressive numbers, especially given what everyone is going through with COVID-19.

Below you will find some updates from our classmates. Enjoy!    

AMANDA PICCIRILLO NOVAK ’07 writes, “I got married on November 23, 2019 to Joseph Novak in Kirtland, Ohio. MAGGIE HALL ’08 and KALI JANKOVICH ’07 were in attendance. Joe and I were then sealed in the Columbus Temple of the Church of Latter-day Saints on December 21, 2019. We are living in University Heights, Ohio. I am currently working as a Branch Services Assistant with the Cuyahoga County Public Library. Joe works as a Processing Engineer with TECT Power in Euclid, Ohio.”  

MARA EVANS SHAW ’07 of Madison, Wisconsin, and her husband, Jordan Shaw, welcomed twin boys, Jimmy and Sal, to their family. Jimmy is named after Jordy’s beloved uncle and Sal is named in honor of Mara’s mom, Sally. Big sister Marion at 1.5 years old is generally a fan!

JOLENE RUEDEN SCHATZINGER ’07 of Ripon, Wisconsin, continues to be grateful to work at our alma mater, Ripon College. In April, she was elected to Ripon’s City Council and will serve a four-year term. She also serves on the board for Freeland.org, a global non-profit headquartered in Green Lake, Wisconsin, that advocates against human slavery and wildlife trafficking. 

Remember, don’t be shy!  We always love to hear and share updates about your life. Thanks for continuing to support our Alma Mater. 

Best Regards,

Adam

Lindsey

Stacy

Liz

A Note from the Office of Constituent Engagement:  Stay up-to-date with our latest news and information. Make sure that we have your most updated contact information including email and phone number by visiting ripon.edu/update-contact-info/ or emailing [email protected].

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

NICOLE KLAAS HANDS ’06

[email protected]

ED HANSEN ’06

[email protected]

ANDY KITSLAAR ’06

[email protected]

Dear Class of 2006,

So much has changed since our spring class letter. Since that time, the COVID-19 pandemic stretched out throughout our spring and summer and a spotlight has been directed on racial injustice and inequality throughout the country. Wisconsin, and Ripon, are not immune to either. Today’s environment can harness us all to focus on the negativity of our world. However, we hope this letter provides you a short reprieve, reading some good news from a few of our classmates.

There are many ways to get through this “pandemic life.” We recently asked on our Facebook page (Ripon College – Class of 2006) what is something you’ve started during the pandemic you hope to continue afterward? Some of you shared how you have worked through the pandemic by creating stronger connections with fellow classmates or finding new hobbies. ED HANSEN ’06 mentioned having a weekly virtual card game with myself, JONNY GAUSEWITZ ’06, BRIAN MACAK ’06, and SHANE EBEL ’07 along with other virtual chat sessions along with MICHELE BERGMAN ’06 and other Ripon graduates spanning the years. Michele also mentioned cooking, working on her wildflower garden and not taking hugs for granted. EVELYN BRUNT GREGORY ’06 has taken up weaving, while KHAATIM BOYD ’06 is doing some online gaming with friends. NICOLE KAPLAN SCHOLES ’06 mentioned something many of us might have wanted in the past, “not having to make excuses for why I don’t want to leave the house.” Whatever it is you are doing to pass the time – entertaining kids, house projects, etc. – we hope you are finding time to enjoy the little things.

Ripon College was and continues to be a special place for us. We hope you continue to be connected with each other and the college. Check out the latest happenings at www.ripon.edu.

ERIC EGUINA ’06 is living in Japan with his wife and baby girl. He is working in Health & Safety for AWS.

JESSICA FORMAN GOLDBERG ’06 of Clarksville, Tennessee, has been selected as the Director of Communications and Marketing for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. She also serves as the president of Clarksville Young Professionals and was a graduate of the Leadership Clarksville Class of 2019.

NICOLE KLAAS HANDS ’06 of Weehawken, New Jersey, was hired as Director of Marketing for Blueprint Investment Partners.

ANDREW KITSLAAR ’06 of Monona, Wisconsin, and his wife, Laura, welcomed a baby boy, Jack Brooks Kitslaar, on 5/24/2020.

GUY MCHENDRY ’06 of Omaha, Nebraska, has been busy recently. Guy and his wife, AMANDA HOEFNER MCHENDRY ’09 welcomed their first child, Nora Marie in March 2019. Recently, Guy was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Creighton University. In the last year, he has published several works including The Rhetoric of Western Thought (11th Edition), an undergraduate textbook on the history of rhetoric. 

Please mark your calendars for Alumni Weekend 2021 (June 24-27) for our 15th Reunion. We will celebrate jointly with the Class of 2005 whose 15th had to be canceled this summer. We look forward to seeing you all there. 

Cheers to better times ahead,

Nicole

Ed 

Andy

A Note from the Office of Constituent Engagement:  Stay up-to-date with our latest news and information. Make sure that we have your most updated contact information including email and phone number by visiting ripon.edu/update-contact-info/ or emailing [email protected].

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

Co-Class Agents:

AMANDA ZAHN PRZYBYL ’05

(920) 299-1081 / [email protected]

DAPHNE MEYERS LEIGH ’05

(414) 841-7210 / [email protected]

Hello Class! 

I hope this letter finds you all well – and this time I mean that in the most specific way possible. The past five months or so have brought us all to new challenges. There have been lots of exciting updates from classmates to share – only some are pandemic related. 

First a little news from campus: 

REUNITING RIPON: We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the College when on-campus classes resume Monday, August 17.

Mark Kainz, Professor of Biology, was profiled on July 22, on WLUK-TV, Fox 11 News. Kainz has been working over the summer as a contact investigator for COVID-19 for Winnebago County Public Health.

Now from classmates across the country: 

JESSICA REED BOCCIA ’05 of Mokena, Illinois moved to a new home in early June. It’s only a half mile from where they were living before, so it keeps their kids at the same school, but offers more space and a huge backyard. They spent a lot of quarantine awaiting this move as it was delayed by others involved four times. 

REBECCA SNITILY ELMENDORF ’05 of El Segundo, California has been working full time and taking care of her son, born in September during this “safer at home” time. As he gets older, it gets more difficult!

JUANITA BAATZ GUTBROD ’05 of Sussex, Wisconsin has been teaching Pre-K classes for St. Bruno school in the Milwaukee suburbs and also has been creating hundreds of masks during the pandemic.

CASEY BECKER HARRISON ’05, TERI SOLARZ HATFIELD ’05 and JUANITA BAATZ GUTBROD ’05 reconnected along with their former Bovay floor from 2004-2005 on Marco Polo, a video-based messaging app, and have helped each other through this pandemic situation.

EMILY HECK ’05 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a K4 teacher at the Milwaukee German Immersion School.PAUL LARSON ’05 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, started a new career on March 9 as an actuary at Humana in Green Bay. In mid-July, he passed his fourth exam towards an actuarial credential.

DAPHNE MEYERS LEIGH ’05 of New Berlin, Wisconsin, learned how to teach high school algebra and a Transition to College Math course virtually this spring, got a crash course in all things 4th and 1st grade, and started a math education blog (https://demystifyingmath.blogspot.com/). Once summer break hit, she filled her time with home improvement projects – including removing wallpaper and painting multiple rooms.

LORYN OHLAUG MERRILL ’05 of Woodland Hills, California, her household is chaotic which is the norm with four boys. In late June she started a new job as principal systems engineer with another aerospace company; a big change after 13 years with Boeing. She is settling in and looking forward to getting started in her new role. Not much has changed with COVID-19. The biggest change is no sports for their four boys. Other than that she and her husband are considered essential and have to go into work everyday. This makes homeschooling their kids impossible. She’s looking forward to all the sports opening up so their boys can regain normalcy and see friends again.

BRANDON MUMM ’05 of Ripon, Wisconsin, has used 2020 to make some career changes. This year he has completed schooling to become an EMT. In addition to being a Firefighter in Ripon, he is now a Firefighter/EMT in North Fond du Lac and Menomonee Falls. 

PAUL NEUBERGER ’05 of Colgate, Wisconsin, published his first book, The Secrets to Cold Call Success. About the book: ”Using a process that transcends typical sales roles, this book is a useful tool for any situation where you need to influence people and win them over. From start to finish, you will learn strategies to transform the way you approach selling.”

JESSICA OWENS ’05 of Dumfries, Virginia, moved to a new bigger home a few months before everything shut down. Thank goodness! There’s no way they could have stayed sane with her and her husband teleworking and their daughter doing her school work virtually in their older, smaller townhouse. Jessica still works at the National Archives building in downtown D.C. but their building has been shut down since March and still no word as to when they’ll be able to go back to working in person full time. Her daughter’s school district has announced 100% virtual learning for the fall, so she’s blessed to be able to work from home to be with her as they wait for the schools to safely reopen. Most importantly though they added a puppy to their family in May!

NICHOLAS SMITH ’05 of West Bend, Wisconsin, married BETH HUNTER SMITH ’04 in September of 2018.

As a reminder, our belated 15th Reunion will be held during Alumni Weekend 2021in conjunction with the Class of 2006, June 24-27! Mark your calendar NOW with something fun to look forward to next summer. With an extra year to plan and prepare, I expect to see so many of you there celebrating like it’s 2005! 

Wishing you all a safe and healthy autumn!

Daphne

A Note from the Office of Constituent Engagement:  Stay up-to-date with our latest news and information. Make sure that we have your most updated contact information including email and phone number by visiting ripon.edu/update-contact-info/ or emailing [email protected].

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

Nick Spaeth ’04

(262) 227-6097 / [email protected]

Greetings Class of ’04, 

There’s nothing I could put here that would in any way do justice to what you each have been experiencing since mid-March when our world got turned upside down. So instead of hollow platitudes, I want to focus on the positives. This isn’t meant to belittle the negatives so commonly and understandably associated with much of our lives over the past few months. Your classmates shared the following positives that have happened to them during the pandemic, and I can’t think of a better thing to share.

MELISSA BAUR ’04 – The positive thing for me is that as a result of the pandemic I have been able to reduce the amount of travel I do for work, having only traveled the first couple months of the year vs years past where I traveled 3-5 days a month on average.

KARI WHEATON ’04 – A positive that has happened for me is that I have been working from home since March and get to see my little girl all the time now. Also, she and I (mostly her) made cards for the elderly who live in the assisted living homes near our house. She drew them pictures and we handed out fresh flowers from our garden, as well as vegetables and strawberries. For the residents who couldn’t get out to go to the grocery store we took their shopping lists and did their grocery shopping for them.

SCOTT BUCHHOLZ ’04 – Besides getting much healthier from a lack of social eating and drinking due to shelter in place, our family made it to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite on Saturday, July 4th – including our 7-year-old daughter Alyssa. While JESS WALTERS BUCHHOLZ ’05 made it to the sub-dome, but not up the cables. The park was practically empty with so much wildlife wondering where all the humans went. To make things even better we  (accidentally) stayed in the same cottage that President Obama camped in almost four years ago in June 2016. We made a fire every night and it was something so special that just wouldn’t have happened if not for this global pandemic of COVID-19. We’ll never forget the 4th of July in 2020!  Reminded us of our old Ripon Outdoor Club (ROC) days, getting back out in nature and even a little rock climbing. Still not quite Devil’s Lake… 🙂

NICK GEORGE ’04 – We have come to better know our new neighbors and spent more time as a family – activities, games, and being outside together playing and working on projects more than we would have otherwise. My travel was significantly reduced from being gone 2-3 weeks a month to some day trips or shorter 2-3 days at a time. My kids now have a greater appreciation for diversity than they did previously – solely based on geographic demographics, and we are much closer to family than we have been for the last eight years or so.

SARA WICHLACZ HANEY ’04 – We have more time for gardening, hiking in the mountains with our two sons, and to connect with neighbors who we would otherwise rarely see.

DIANE KEELING ’04 – A positive from COVID-19 is the time people have spent drawing attention to the Black Lives Matter movement. It gave me a chance to wake up to my racism. As a liberal progressive and educator, I was under the false impression that I was not racist. Recognizing the ways I have harmed black, indigenous, and people of color without realizing it has been painful, but also enriched my relationships and provided a meaningful new life direction.

LINDSAY GORSKE MICHELS ’04 – Although I started my degree path at Ripon for early childhood/special education, never did I think I’d be a full time at-home teacher. However, something positive from the pandemic, is that it allowed me to spend more time with our children, which is a blessing to me! Time that our oldest would have otherwise been in school,  although challenging at times, I cherished every moment!

ANDY MIELKE ’04 – During the pandemic we have taken the time as a family to focus more on health. As a couple, the Mielke’s have dropped some significant weight. It has also given us the opportunity to focus on health and healthy habits with our boys. They have learned a lot about everything from hand washing to how germs can be transferred.

REBECCA PERKINS ’04 started a new job as Advancement Manager at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, IA in April. It was certainly an unusual time to switch employers in the middle of a pandemic.

KRISTY PLATO BLOCK ’04 – Can my one positive be that I had a baby the day after the country was shut down??? 🙂  I also got married on March 10, 2020 to Kevin Block.

JILL SUNDERLAND POHLMEIER ’04 – Honestly, this whole COVID-19 time has been pretty much just business as usual for me.  Fortunately, my company kept going, we just got moved to a full-time work from home set up, and my husband was able to continue to work throughout as well. We consider ourselves very lucky.

TYLER SCHWIRTZ ’04 and ETTA HILLIGOSS SCHWIRTZ ’04 both continue to be in the special education field. Tyler is a behavior specialist and Etta works for the early intervention program in Fort Collins CO. We have three kids: a 9-year-old son, 6-year-old daughter, and 4-year-old son. One positive of COVID-19 life is all the extra time we have together. We have been enjoying the outdoors and our family hiked a total of 55 miles in May.

BETH HUNTER SMITH ’04 of West Bend, WI, married NICHOLAS SMITH ’05 in September of 2018.

MICHAEL TIMM ’04 – I’ve been doing some sketching in the parks by Lake Michigan when I get out for my daily walk or bike ride. It’s a small way to relax and put my mind and body on something less stressful. I enjoy the ritual of drawing what I choose to observe and not caring if it’s “good” or not. The sketching practice predates the pandemic but I’ve devoted more time to being present and creating these quick sketches over the past few months.

Stay safe, stay well, and go Brewers.

Nick

A Note from the Office of Constituent Engagement:  Stay up-to-date with our latest news and information. Make sure that we have your most updated contact information including email and phone number by visiting ripon.edu/update-contact-info/ or emailing [email protected].

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

Co-Class Agents:

LIZ MATELSKI ’03

(920) 475-7415 / [email protected]

ELAYNE MONNENS NORWEB ’03

(917) 509-4826 / [email protected]

Happy Fall, Class of 2003!

Students returned to campus this fall to a very different feel: masks, socially distanced classrooms, and some larger enrollments are taught in hybrid-learning or completely online formats. The College experience looks very different than when we first arrived at school, but the important things have stayed the same. Students will still receive a first-rate liberal arts education from a dedicated staff and faculty invested in their success and wellness in and out of the classroom.

EMILY HANSON BROOKS ’03 had her third baby on May 13, 2020—Odin Benjamin Brooks. Odin joins siblings Liam (4) and Hadley (2).

BRITT STEIGER FRANK ’03 and her husband, Dave, welcomed a baby girl on July 22, 2020. Grace joins her sister, Addy, and brother, David, at home.

MICHAEL FRITZ ’03 of Yuma, AZ was named Principal at Yuma High School in early August. He had been an Assistant Principal at Cibola High School for the last five years and was a teacher and coach at Cibola for 11 years prior to becoming an Assistant Principal.

BRIE TERRELL HADFIELD ’03 writes, “We’re still living in St. Louis and I’m a PA in Ortho Trauma. We’ve been working through COVID-19. Maya just turned 6 and Gracyn will be 3 ½ next week. Maya will be starting kindergarten in the kitchen in a couple weeks.”

ROB LENNOX ’03 writes, “My wife, Amy, and I had our first kid, Archer, at the end of January. Last month we purchased a house in Indianapolis and will be remodeling that. We’re not sure as to when we’ll actually be able to move out of Chicago as the house and its 10 acres needs extensive work. My wife has accepted a position at a local hospital, and I have started remotely as Manager of Operations at enVista, a logistics and consulting company in Indianapolis. We are excited to start this new adventure in Indy and attend future Ripon events there!”

ELIZABETH MATELSKI ’03 was promoted to Associate Professor of American History at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, where she has taught for the past four years.

ANNE NEGRI ’03 writes, “I completed my 10th year of teaching drama in the Evanston public schools as a K-8 educator. Despite the COVID-19 shutdown of the school in the spring, I still directed a full-length play written by one of my 8th-grade students as a radio drama that we recorded and released episodically through Google. Also, despite the pandemic, I got hitched this summer in a backyard wedding in a home I purchased in Skokie. It was movie-themed, of course, and the Zoom wedding opened with a half-hour movie/slideshow that my now-husband, Mark Lewinthal, and I created together.”

BRIDGET WHITEHOUSE THOMAS ’03 and her husband Matt welcomed their first baby, Griffin Martin Thomas, on August 11, 2019.

TONY VENEZIANO ’03 writes, “My wife, Kelly, and I moved into a new home this past weekend in Brownsburg, Indiana. While we have a bigger yard and an extra garage/workshop, the most important thing is, the house has a big garden window and 3-season room for Trinity, our cat.”

JENNIFER WHITE ’03 is a Flight Dynamics Engineer on an Earth-orbiting satellite called Landsat 8. It is operated by USGS, but it is based at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Goddard has been shut down to all but essential personnel, so Jen has been working from home. In addition to maintaining the current satellite, Jen is also busy developing a new operations center and ground system to get ready for the Landsat 9 launch sometime next year. Last year she became certified as a Collision Avoidance Operations Engineer which is also based out of Goddard. They monitor potential collisions between NASA satellites and other satellites and space debris. Jen notes that she’s been very fortunate to continue doing both of these jobs exclusively from home.

Thank you again to everyone who continues to send updates. Remember that you don’t have to wait for the twice-a-year call for updates in order to share your latest news. Be sure to check out the online version of R Connections (www.ripon.edu/rconnections) where you can upload updates, photos, and more!

Liz 

Elayne

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

Co-Class Agents:

CORRYN SIEGEL GREENWOOD ’02

(502) 269-5577 / [email protected]

LEIGH MLODZIK ’02

(920) 420-0964 / [email protected]

Dear Ripon College Class of 2002-

We hope you are doing well during these challenging times! Here are a few updates from your classmates. We would love to hear from more of you. Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. Email us at [email protected]

JESSICA BRAUN ’02 shares “In late July, I returned to the US after traveling around the world for the last year and eight months. The trip started in November 2018 in South Africa after a rush of quitting my job, packing up my apartment, and generally dismantling my normal life. The trip took me to South Africa, India, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, and Taiwan. When COVID-19 really hit in March, I was in Taiwan for two weeks and ended up staying there for four months because the rest of my trip back to the U.S. was canceled. Now, I’m living in Wisconsin while looking for freelance and full-time work so I can start saving to travel again. I also bought a car for the first time in about 15 years.”

MAGGIE LEE ’02 shares “I started a new job at Strategy& in July doing financial services advisory. I adopted Jonathan in May 2019 and Imogen in June 2020. I live in San Francisco I recently tested negative for COVID-19.”

BECCA DARNICK ZOLPER ’02 and her husband welcomed their second baby in July!

Keep in touch! 

Sincerely, 

Leigh

Corryn

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

Co-Class Agents:

DANTE A. C. HOUSTON ’01

(414) 378-4937 / [email protected]

NICOLE BAUMANN-BLACKMORE ’01

(608) 513-9078 / [email protected]

Hello Class of 2001,

Tubthumping, Barbie Girl, MMMBop, Quit Playing Games, Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Jock Jams!

Do we now have your attention? It has been over 20 years since we blasted these tunes through lounge speakers, but they still are in our memories and hearts. I’m confident the same is true of all the experiences you shared at Ripon College; from “Energy Ovations” during freshman orientation in the fall of 1997 to looking out on our family and friends as we crossed into the alumni ranks on the Harwood Memorial Union stage at Commencement 2001.

While critical matters like COVID-19, political contests, and social justice reform have engulfed many of our efforts these days, we also want to acknowledge what is personally happening with some of our classmates, who have shared their family updates.

• CHRIS CURRAN ’01 recently switched career paths to enjoy a change from industrial design to real estate. He is now working in the Chicagoland area with the #1 brokerage @properties. 
• CANDY PLENCNER VONDRA ’01 and her husband welcomed twin boys, Cooper and Cody, on January 6, 2020.

During these unprecedented times, this is a critical time for our Alma Mater. While you are likely used to receiving an annual “ask” from us, this year likely feels different. Your contribution will provide flexible resources that can make an immediate impact. We encourage all of you to contribute to our Class Gift through the Ripon Fund. For those of you who want to get an early start on it, please log on to https://www.ripon.edu/make-a-gift/.

We hope to see all of you on campus for our 20th Reunion Weekend, June 24-27, 2021, for what is anticipated to be the LARGEST ever alumni gathering! If you have ideas or would like to be a part of the planning, please let us know.

Always a Red Hawk!

Your 2001 Co-Class Agents:

Nicole                       

Dante

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

ANDRE MIKSHA ’00

(317) 219-9275 / [email protected]

Here’s to hoping that our rescheduled Twentieth Reunion in June 2021won’t be scrapped for [insert terrible worldwide crisis here]! Alumni Weekend 2021 is scheduled for June 24-27, and we will celebrate a joint 20th Reunion with the Class of 2001. Technology makes it so much easier for us all to connect these days; try to reach out!

Class notes:

KATIE VOIGT ’00 is now the pastor at the United Methodist Church of Antioch in Antioch, Illinois.

JENNY POOL RADWAY ’00 is now the executive director of the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council in Astoria, Oregon. The council, recently rebranded as Consejo Hispano, is a culturally focused non-profit working toward the equitable integration of resident Hispanics into the broader social and economic fabric of the Oregon and Washington communities.

TIM BARBER ’00 is an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Appeals Unit at the Wisconsin Department of Justice, having spent all of 2018 and half of 2019 in the Civil Litigation Unit within the DOJ.

PATRICK CASEY ’00 has been nominated for Minnesota Attorney of the Year for 2020 and appeared on KEYC in Mankato in January to discuss the nomination.

Red Hawk forever, 

Andre

A Note from the Office of Constituent Engagement:  Stay up-to-date with our latest news and information. Make sure that we have your most updated contact information including email and phone number by visiting ripon.edu/update-contact-info/ or emailing [email protected].

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

SARAH ENG ’98

[email protected]

Dear Class of 1998,

I hope this letter finds you and your families well. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives in ways I couldn’t have imagined six months ago. In the face of all of this uncertainty, I have been impressed with Ripon’s handling of the pandemic and their commitment to safeguarding the health and safety of the entire Ripon community. The details of the fall return can be found at Reunite Ripon: Our Plan To Return To In-Person Learning. 

Despite the challenging circumstances, the #OneDayRally proceeded as planned this spring, exceeding this year’s goal of 1,851 donors – and for a brief moment, our class topped the participation leaderboard! Evidence was posted in our class Facebook group. If you aren’t a member and would like to be, please email me. 

Thanks to all of you who sent in updates for the letter, I always appreciate hearing from you, and being able to share your news with our classmates. The updates below include those that were submitted for the spring, as well as an obituary for our classmate and friend, Lisa Kraus. 

Class Notes:

JEN ANSTEE CHAVEZ ’98 is still happily teaching Spanish in Glen Ellyn, IL to grades 1-5. She ran her first half-marathon last spring and hopes everyone is doing well.

KRISTIN DODDS ’98 married her long-time partner, Tony Meucci, in Pewaukee, WI on December 20, 2019. There was a great group of Ripon College alums on-hand to celebrate with them and TONY SIBLEY ’98 got to make a special wish with Santa Claus! Pictured in the group photo are, from left: SAMIR PATEL ’98, TONY SIBLEY ’98, KRISTIN DODDS ’98, KELLY JOHNSON BECKER ’99, MATT BECKER ’99, ANDREA WEPNER ’96, NICOLE GORSKE SUTTER ’01, JERI BELONGIA LOEWE ’96, JASON LOEWE ’94, and HEIDI MARKS ’96.

BETSY GARDNER ’98 was promoted to Store Manager in October of the Sunglass Hut Open Air store at Southdale Mall in Edina, MN.

LISA M. KRAUS ’98 of Fond du Lac, WI, died Dec. 3, 2019. At Ripon, she majored in global studies and Spanish and played volleyball. She was a billing specialist with Spectrum. She loved water, the ocean and being on the lake. She enjoyed music and going to concerts, dancing, Salvador Dali, watching movies and watching sports, especially the Packers, Brewers, Lakers and Bucks. Survivors include her father, Robert Kraus.

LEILANI KUPO ’98 serves as the Associate Dean of Students at University of California, Merced. She has been selected as a member of ACPA- College Student Educators International’s 2020 Diamond Honoree Class.

TIFFANY PATNODE MICHALAK ’98 graduated from National Louis University with her Masters of Science in Mental Health Counseling in June 2020 and passed the Illinois state licensing exam becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Mental Health Counselor.

IAN STEPLETON ’98 recently started a new position as the public relations coordinator for the Fond du Lac Public Library. The new career comes after 20 years at the Ripon Commonwealth Press newspaper, most of which were spent as its editor. He continues to work as an adjunct instructor of journalism at Ripon College, where he is the advisor to the College Days.

Until next time,

Sarah

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

KRISTIN BAZZOLI PIOTROWSKI ’97 

(414) 841-8577 / [email protected]

Hello Class of 1997,

I hope this newsletter finds all of you well during these unprecedented times. As you may have seen, Ripon College started classes in person the week of August 17. We hope all of the students have a wonderful, healthy, and safe year. 

I encourage you to visit https://www.ripon.edu/news/ often to learn about what is happening at our Alma Mater. You can also go to class pages through https://www.ripon.edu/rconnections/ and see updates from alumni from around the world and from every class year. Another wonderful way to stay connected is by subscribing to Ripon’s monthly eNewsletter. You may subscribe here: https://www.ripon.edu/alumni/monthly-newsletter/. 

Mark your calendars and save the date! The 2021 Alumni Weekend will be held June 24-27, 2021. While it is not a reunion year for our class, I encourage you to visit Ripon and see the changes on campus and in town. It is a great opportunity to connect with alumni, faculty, and staff. For more information, go to https://www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend/. 

Don’t forget to send along any news or updates to your contact information to me anytime. You can also connect with our class on Facebook via the closed group “Ripon College Class of 1997.”

CHRIS CORSTEN ’97 of Menominee, Michigan, published a book “3,000 Days in Afghanistan” detailing his experience in Afghanistan over a ten-year period. The book was released on Amazon.com on May 6, 2020, and on May 8, 2020, it became a #1 New Release in two categories and a Top 10 Best Seller in one category.

Wishing you and your families a happy and healthy rest of the year!

Kristin

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement