ERC Starting Grant for Zachary Chitwood on investigating the role of the monastic federation of Mount Athos in the Middle Ages

A comprehensive database will include the inhabitants and visitors of Athos over a period of 700 years and paint a new picture of the monastic republic and its manifold connections

8 October 2019

Mount Athos – a peninsula in northern Greece, inhabited for over 1,000 years only by monks, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and from time immemorial a melting pot of the peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean and Russia: in the Middle Ages this monastic republic was a place of retreat for Orthodox believers on the one hand, but on the other hand also connected with the medieval world in diverse ways beyond the walls of the monastery. The monks cultivated close relations with the Byzantine Empire, rulers in the Balkans, the Caucasus as well as in South Italy, and later also the Ottoman Empire. A new research project will investigate these connections and relations of the inhabitants and visitors of Athos and will transform the way the Holy Mountain is viewed. Dr. Zachary Chitwood, a researcher in Byzantine Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), has received a EUR 1.5 million ERC Starting Grant of the European Research Council for this project.

Mount Athos, as the entire peninsula is today called after its highest peak, is with an area of around 336 square kilometers somewhat larger than Munich. In this area are today found 20 monasteries of Orthodox monks and, in addition, numerous smaller monastic settlements. Here live around 2,300 monks; women and female animals are forbidden from entering. After the first settlements in the ninth century, this isolated region on the eastern finger of the Chalkidiki Peninsula experienced an influx of monks from the entire Byzantine Empire and beyond. Greeks from the European and Asian halves of the Byzantine Empire, Georgians from the Caucasus, Bulgarians and Serbs from the southern Balkans, Moldovans and Wallachians from the northern Balkans, inhabitants of Rus’ in the east and even non-Orthodox Christians from southern Italy came to Athos, the “Balkans in Miniature”, so it has been called.

Entries of perhaps 10,000 to 20,000 persons as a basis

“For the first time we will comprehensively analyze what role the monastic communities on Mount Athos played in the medieval society of the Eastern Mediterranean,” explained Dr. Zachary Chitwood regarding the project. He and his team will first collect data for the period between roughly 850 and 1550, i.e., from the time of the first documents that have survived in the archives of Athos until the founding of the last significant Athos monastery, Stavronikita. For this period of 700 years, all monks who lived upon the Holy Mountain, every benefactor, and every visitor will be collected in a database.

“We would like to include in this database any person that had anything to do with the Holy Mountain,” said Chitwood. According to rough initial estimates it might encompass between 10,000 and 20,000 persons attested by documents. “On the basis of these data we will be able to analyze how the monastic community of Athos was embedded within larger networks of economic interests, church leadership, intellectual exchange, and patronage.”

The acts and documents of monastic archives, which to a large extent are already published, will serve as the basis for these inquiries. Especially innovative is the use of commemorative lists, which to date have hardly been noticed by scholars. These documents encompass the names of monks, church hierarchs, and benefactors, who after their death were mentioned regularly in commemorations. The database will later be accessible to other researchers, so that it can be used within all of humanities scholarship.

Thematic focus on wealth, ethnicity and gender

Chitwood is placing three aspects or leitmotifs at the front and center of his analysis: wealth, ethnicity, and gender. Despite some reservations regarding monastic wealth, the Athonite monasteries into the Late Middle Ages accumulated the largest amount of land in the Byzantine world, with possessions that were greater than those of the wealthiest aristocratic families. This property stretched not only across Greece, but over the entire Balkans. In scholarship there has even been talk of “Switzerland Syndrome”: the monastic republic of Mount Athos was a sort of tax haven, where the wealthy could invest their money advantageously.

The second central leitmotif is the ethnicity of the communities. Almost every Orthodox church was represented on Mount Athos by a monastery – and even today one finds considerable ethnic variety. “But at present we have no means of statistically measuring this as precisely as possible and documenting it at certain points in time,” said Chitwood, also mentioning that the database will provide future foundations for discussing ethnicity in Byzantium at a more profound level.

Finally, Chitwood’s team will also investigate the “absence of women” on Athos. To date it is not known in what context and why the prohibition arose that females are not allowed to tread the region. “Our goal is to understand the historical background and to recognize the concrete circumstances as well as the exceptional cases that actually occurred,” Chitwood explained. In the context of the question of gender the political role of eunuchs, at times quite important for Byzantium, will also be analyzed. They as well from a certain point in time were no longer able to tread upon Athos.

First ERC Grant in the Humanities at JGU

Zachary Chitwood, born in 1983 in the USA, initially studied at Ripon College in Wisconsin. There followed a course of study of medieval and Byzantine history at the internationally-renowned Princeton University and finally a dissertation on Roman law under the Macedonian dynasty. In 2012, Zachary Chitwood came to Germany, first as a post-doc at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and from 2016 as a lecturer in Byzantine Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz under Professor Johannes Pahlitzsch. The five-year research project, “Mount Athos in Medieval Eastern Mediterranean Society: Contextualizing the History of a Monastic Republic (ca. 850-1550)”, is the first ERC grant in the humanities at JGU. Besides Chitwood, who as a Byzantinist will focus on Greek sources, a Slavicist and a Kartvelologist, a specialist for Georgian language and culture, will also work on the project.

An ERC Starting Grant is the most generous form of financing of the EU given to young researchers. ERC Starting Grants support outstanding researchers at the start of their careers, when they are building their own research team or program. In addition to scholarly excellence, applicants must demonstrate that their projects possess a groundbreaking approach and are feasible in order to receive funding.

See more here.

Submitted by: Devstudent

Leilani Kupo ’98 had been named an ACPA Diamond Honoree. The Diamond Honoree Program, established in 1999, is a way for those that care about students – and the research, scholarship, and programs that promote student development and success – to help advance our association’s efforts. Diamond Honorees are “Championed” by dedicated individuals who recognize their specific contributions and choose to raise funds in honor of each Diamond Honoree’s outstanding and sustained commitment to higher education through student affairs and student development. Those funds are then utilized to help sustain the ACPA Foundation in its support of the research, scholarship, and programs that advance our field as a whole. You can read about Leilani’s work below.

V. Leilani Kupo, Ph.D. (Kanaka Maoli) [she/her/hers] was raised away from her ancestral land of Maui and depended on her ‘ohana [family] to teach her ancestral knowledge from afar. Receiving her B.A. from Ripon College (WI), M.Ed. from James Madison University (VA), and Ph.D. from Bowling Green State University (OH) in Higher Education Administration were points of great celebration for her ‘ohana.  These experiences also helped Leilani understand the ways in which education and schooling both liberated and caused trauma to her, her ‘ohana, and her community.

Leilani currently serves as the Associate Dean of Students for Educational Equity and Access, Learning Support, and Transition Programs/ Director of the Calvin E. Bright Success Center at the University of California, Merced. Leilani has served as a scholar-practitioner in student affairs since 2000.  Throughout her professional practice, she has centered serving students, community needs, and her cultural values in her practice.

Leilani has served ACPA in a number of capacities throughout her career, serving as a CWI Directorate member, CWI Emerging Scholar in Residence, selected as one of ACPA’s 2014 Emerging Scholars, and currently serves on the Governing Board as Member-at-Large Representative for Mid-Level.

Submitted by: DevStudent

Candace North’04 on a hiking tour of Mont Blanc, a 108mile trek around the highest peak in the Alps. Mont Blanc lies on the border of Italy, France, and Switzerland.

Submitted by: DevStudent

Left to Right: Scott Nyquist ’69, Rick Brandt ’69, Frank Anders ’69, Art Scarlett ’69, Rob Handeyside ’69, Mason Sherwood ‘68, Steve Leitschuh ’69.

Submitted by: DevStudent

Ronald Bolding has been named CEO of Pilgrim Place, a continuing care retirement community in Claremont, CA, having just completed eight months as the interim president and CEO.

Bolding most recently was president and CEO of the not-for-profit Inter Valley Health Plan, a senior health plan headquartered in Pomona, CA, for 12 years. During that time, he provided strategic vision and expertise to this $290 million enterprise, which services more than 22,000 members.

Bolding is a graduate of Ripon College, WI, with undergraduate degrees in economics and history. Upon graduation, he entered the U.S. Navy, serving 28 years in active duty and reserve, retiring with the rank of captain. He was awarded both the Navy Commendation Medal and the Joint Service Commendation Medal.

Following his military career, Bolding worked in the management of healthcare institutions, including extensive responsibilities for infrastructure and facilities.

He is a former vice chairman of the board of Mt. San Antonio Gardens life care community in Pomona, CA, and a current board member of the Claremont Senior Foundation, among other volunteer activities.

Submitted by: DevStudent

(1) Brie Terrell ’03 and Heather Braund Kotleski ’03 each celebrated renewing their 10th wedding anniversary vows in Costa Rica.

(2) Heather Braund Kotleski ’03 and Mandi Gausewitz ’03 vacationing in Costa Rica, September 2019.

(3) Brie Terrell ’03 and Heather Braund Kotleski ’03 each celebrated renewing their 10th wedding anniversary vows in Costa Rica.

(4) Mandi Gausewitz ’03, Heather Braund Kotleski ’03 and Brie Terrell ’03 enjoy hibachi with their husbands during a recent couples vacation to Costa Rica.

Submitted by: DevStudent

Matt ’12 and Ashley Vanden Avond Muza ’13 own a home in Green Bay where they live with their 2 daughters; Madalynn Marie and Meredith Mae. Both work for United Healthcare with the Medicare and Retirement department where Ashley is a telecommuting Team Lead. She recently traveled to Illinois to present to many of the members the company services.

Submitted by: Ashley J. Muza

I’ve been married to Kris for 39 years. Two daughters Jennifer and Jessica. Retired in July after 38 years as a trial lawyer. I’ve lived in Apple Valley, Minnesota for 34 years.

Submitted by: David Albright

David Mirisch

[email protected]

Class of 1959: I am happy to say that at the age of 84, my wife, Sandy, and I made a major move. We moved back to Montana after four years of living in Thousand Oaks, California. Our daughter, Summer, became a single mom to children ages 4, 11 and 14. So big-city David moved from a city of 3,000,000 people to a town of just 800 people. But it is nice to know we are just one hour from Missoula, where the University of Montana is. Since I was in the “fundraising business” all of my life, I have offered my consultation services free of charge to any nonprofit in the territory that could use my help. So, when my three grandchildren are in school, I will stay occupied. The local paper ran an editorial on that and I received 14 inquiries. Plus,I am working with the local Chamber of Commerce, the hospital foundation, the high school and the 4H Club. So, when the three grandkids are in school, I should have plenty of things to keep me busy. Sure, I miss the big-city life, but “it’s all about family, isn’t it?” And, Montana is a beautiful state to live in. If you haven’t visited Montana, put it on your “bucket list.”

Stay happy and healthy.

DAVID MIRISCH

KEN BENSON ’59 ([email protected]): “Wow! The years have been kind. Thank you for all of your accomplishments. You have helped Ripon’s image immensely! When I left Ripon, I was head waiter in the dining hall under Lucille Hawkinson and secretary in the music department under Charles Bolin, along with directing a church choir in the area. I went straight in to teaching music in the Gladstone Schools in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a “little” north of Ripon in the U.P.  After a few years, I received my master’s from Northern Michigan University and switched to teaching fifth grade, which I thrived in, ending up as the school’s principal. Since retirement, I have continued in my local Kiwanis Club as their secretary for the last 20-some years. During that time, I served as the lieutenant governor for our district for seven years, all of that time remaining in Gladstone. We have two children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild who are scattered around the U.S. Like most of our classmates, we have long passed 50 years of marriage. Again, thank you for taking over for Roger.”

Submitted by: David Mirisch

Lauren Hince ’18

763-706-7473/ [email protected]

Holly Erickson ’18

262-497-7796 / [email protected]

Eleanore Mueller ’18 

920-539-2935 / [email protected]

Happy summer, Class of 2018. It’s hard to believe that it has been a little over a year since the last time that all of us were gathered together to receive our diplomas, but here we are! As I sit down to write this letter, puppy snoring happily on my lap and all, I am blown away where everyone is in their life. A little over a year ago, I could have walked down the sidewalks on campus and waved to most of the Class of 2018. Now we are scattered once again, all over the globe making our own paths. Ripon College brought us all together our first year and began to teach us not only in the classroom, but also to navigate our way into adulthood. Our connections that we made in Ripon will last us all a lifetime. 

By now we have mostly settled into our adult lives in one way or another. Adulthood has taken on a new meaning for each of us, some of us are continuing our education, some have gotten engaged, bought a house, started their 9-to-5 jobs, gotten pets, and some of us are still finding our path to what adulthood will mean to us. Our class letters are a way for us to stay connected to each other that we would not otherwise be able to! I, for one, enjoy reading what we have accomplished in our short time from graduating. I hope to see at least a few familiar faces at Alumni Weekend. Please feel free to reach out to any of us (Lauren, Holly or El) with any life updates. 

JONALEE ELLIOT ABEL ’18 moved to Norfolk, Virginia, with her husband, Tony, and is a mental health technician. The couple are heading back to Wisconsin in June 2019.

EMMA ALLEN ’18 is spending her summer in Ghana investigating the presence of parasitic species around Lake Bosumtwi in Kumasi. 

JAMES “JIMMY” AMEDEO ’18 is pursuing his master’s degree at the Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C. 

ADRIANNE ANDING ’18 is working at Planet Fitness in Madison, Wisconsin, and was recently promoted to assistant manager. He will be attending Manchester University of Indiana where he will pursue his master’s degree in athletic training. 

ZACH BART ’18 moved back to the Chicagoland area and is a field sales representative at Burndy LLC.

MICHAEL BAUMHARDT ’18 was accepted into a Master’s program in clinical psychology at Cardinal Stritch University. He is in his second semester.

JAKE BAUS ’18 is attending graduate school in the doctor of physical therapy program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

COREY BEECHER ’18 is an athletic department intern at Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, He has accepted a position as their assistant director of athletics and student activities. He also will represent Wisconsin soccer referees at the Midwest Region at Presidents Cup Nationals this summer. 

LEAH BLAZKOVEC ’18 is a rehabilitation assistant at Door County Medical Center. 

AUSTIN BORCHARDT ’18 is a night shift production supervisor at Menasha Packaging in Hartford, Wisconsin. 

CEANNA CAELWAERTS ’18 is spending the summer traveling and working full time before starting the last year of her master’s in social work program.  

MOLLIE CARLSON ’18 has been working for CDK Global as an implementation consultant which has given her the opportunity to travel across North America every week on new projects. She just wrapped up a trip to Greece with fellow alumna ALEXA BECK ’18. 

TAYLOR CORKRAN ’18 is being deployed to Afghanistan with the 2-127 IN. Once he returns to the United States, he will work as a deputy for the Dane County Sheriff’s Department. 

DAVID DAUGHERTY ’18 ran the Chicago marathon in October to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society charity. The following month, he was hired as an analyst programmer at Mayo Clinic.

BRADLEY DREW ’18 has been studying for the MCAT and preparing for medical school applications. 

COLLEEN ELZINGA ’18 has started school at the University of Illinois in the doctor of veterinary medicine program. In her very limited free time, she volunteers at the Wildlife Medical Clinic. 

EFRAIN GARZA ’18 is a client services technician for Northland Laboratories in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Since graduating, he has made some “big boy” purchases such as a car and a new place. 

SAM GEORGESON ’18 of Windsor, Wisconsin, is a software engineer at RateLinx, an integrated data intelligence company specializing in supply chain and logistics software solutions. He designs and implements software for clients and their internal systems.

NICHOLS HENNING ’18 bought a house and moved to Washington State where he is an engineer officer with the United States Army. He is serving as a medical officer. 

AVERY HERBON ’18 was promoted to associate QA specialist at Medline. She also recently moved to Waukegan, Illinois, with her boyfriend. 

DREW HETZ ’18 married his now-wife, Amanda, in the summer of 2018, surrounded by friends and family. They live in Milwaukee with their elderly cat. He also is enrolled in the physician assistant program at Marquette University, working toward his master’s degree.

HARRY HILLMAN ’18 moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is an ordained minister. 

LAUREN HINCE ’18 is working at GrouponLive helping promote tickets for the live events division at Groupon. She also coaches debate for New Trier High School on the side. 

ELLIOT HOERDEMANN ’18 recently moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, and started a new position with MillerCoors as a sales representative. 

PATCH HOFFMAN ’18 is engaged to VERONICA DELISLE ’17 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

ROSE HOGMIRE ’18 moved to Chicago and started a new role as a global operations associate at Flexport. 

ERIKA ISAACSON ’18 is excited to spend another summer at Wisconsin Badger Camp in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

DAVID KNAPP ’18 is attending Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., with an emphasis on international law. 

RACHEL KOLODZIEJ ’18 is a chef for Sodexo at Ripon College. She really loves what she cooks and is learning a lot through the leadership of the executive chef. 

KAT KULAS ’18 is attending Elmhurst College and working toward a master’s entry in nursing degree with a clinical nurse leader certificate.

JESICA LATTIMER ’18 is an accountant for Columbia County, bought a house, adopted a dog and gotten engaged. 

HAILEY MATTHEISEN ’18 participated in a summer research internship at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, where she was one of only 10 students chosen out of the entire country to conduct scientific research. She will be presenting her findings at the American Chemical Society Conference this March. During her internship, she was offered a research associate position at the Center of Musculoskeletal Health. Currently, she is working on multiple research projects that look to identify preventions for cancer-induced cachexia. Overall, she is making major steps to turn her dream of becoming a surgeon into a reality.

EMMA MCDONALD ’18 is pursuing a doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

ELEANORE MUELLER ’18 is engaged to ANDREW WOOD ’16. Congratulations, El and Andrew!

MEGAN RINGO ’18 just wrapped her first year at the University of Nebraska in the leadership education program. Her dog and hamster are still doing great. She will be spending the summer working at the New Student Enrollment office as the orientation intern where she is helping plan, organize and execute the first Big Red Welcome week!

TENE ROBINSON ’18 is pursuing a master’s of social work degree at the University of St. Francis. She, along with fellow alumna JESSICA KOBELT ’18, is coaching a youth traveling softball team. Additionally, she also juggles two part-time jobs. “Busy, but worth it!” she says. 

CLAIRE SCHAIBLE ’18 is attending the University of Wisconsin Madison Law School with an emphasis in public interest. 

EMILY STANCZAK ’18 is at Indiana University School of Medicine. So far she has studied Coxsackievirus, and Toxoplasma gondii. Her next rotation will be studying Chlamydia trachomatis. Emily also adopted a loving 8-year-old dog. 

JOSH OSWALD ’18 works at Geneva Laboratories. He plans to pursue his master’s in business administration. 

WILLIAM PENTERMAN’18 married ABBY HILKER ’19. 

SAMANTHA RAYGO ’18 is pursuing her Juris Doctor degree at Marquette University alongside fellow classmate RANDY FINGER ’18.

MERRANDA SCHMID ’18 is studying for a Ph.D. in chemistry at Colorado State University.

JOSH SCHUBRING ’18 is a development manager for the Green Lake Association. In addition, he has teamed up with alumnus JORGE GUTIERREZ ’17 to reboot the Green Lake Area Young Professionals. 

TENZIN TSEPHEL ’18 is a social media marketing coordinator at Beacon Technologies; she also is involved with 360 Magazine. 

KATELYN VAN SWOL ’18 is a customer service representative at Uline. 

CARYSSA WAITE ’18 is the website and marketing manager at Gysbers Jewelry.

CORDELL WALKER ’18 is a graphic designer in the publications department at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 

SOPHIE WIDMAN ’18 is living in Minneapolis where she is pursuing a career in theater. She is engaged to JAMES BALISTERI ’19. 

DELOU WILSON ’18 started a new position as a records program associate with the Department of Financial Institutions in Madison, Wisconsin. 

ANDIE WINTERS ’18 is working at Divine Rehabilitation and Nursing in Lodi, Wisconsin. In August, she will move to Miami, Florida, to begin the physician assistant program at Barry University.

JUSTINE JACONSEM WOZNICZKA ’18 and BEN WOZNICZKA ’18 got married this past October and are expecting their first child in September. 

DAN ZIPPERER ’18 has obtained his real estate license and is now a licensed Realtor in Wausau, Wisconsin. He works for Amaximmo. 

Submitted by: Lauren Hince

Sara Driebel

[email protected]

Elizabeth Konieczny Yamat

[email protected]

Zachary Peterson

[email protected]

Hello, Class of 2016! For me, welcoming fall always brings with it memories of my time in Ripon, especially those first few weeks on campus unpacking in a new dorm room, starting new classes, and reconnecting with friends, classmates, professors and other beloved campus staff. 

As the years since our graduation from Ripon accumulate, the anticipation of a new school year and those closely held memories do not seem to fade. These letters keep those memories and shared experiences close to our hearts and keep us connected as a class. 

Of course, it was easier to stay connected and in touch with each other when we spent most of the year on campus together, but these letters are vital in our continuation of those relationships and bond as a Class of 2016!

As my fellow Class Agent, Sara, so poignantly stated in our spring letter, we love hearing from and reconnecting with each of you! What you are doing is important, and we want to hear about it. We don’t expect for you to have a major change in your life every time we reach out to you. Those things are always wonderful to hear about, but we didn’t have a major life event happening every day we spent together on campus, and that is part of what made it so special! It’s those little, everyday things we shared with each other that will keep us connected in our many different places. Those are the things we want you to share with us, sprinkled with those major life changes and events when they happen to you. 

We hope you will continue to share these things with us and your fellow 2016 classmates in the many letters we will share with each other in years to come. 

Thank you for all you do to make the Class of 2016 the amazing group of individuals it is! Enjoy this change in the seasons, and I hope it brings to you the same fond memories of Ripon College that it brings to me. 

Sincerely,

ELIZABETH KONIECZNY YAMAT ’16

SARA DRIEBEL ’16

ZACH PETERSON ’16 

RAE BRIXIUS-FAHNRICH ’16 is spending the summer soaking up ALL the sun while in Arizona for her final stretch of officer school. In September she will (finally!) get to move back to Arlington, Virginia, with Nick and will be stationed at Fort Belvoir.

CAMERON CASS ’16 and his wife, Stacey, brought into the world their first-born baby girl in June. 

SARA DRIEBEL ’16 is excited to spend her first summer as a homeowner! She is living with two lizards, two fish tanks, a JENNIFER NIGGEMEIER ’16, and hopefully a dog soon. Sara recently discovered how fun plants are and is now actively looking to turn her new home into a jungle. 

MICHAEL GABLEMAN ’16 of Greendale, Wisconsin, is a Ph.D. student at Purdue University, studying computer engineering in the school’s robotics vision lab. His research is in the field of computer vision and focuses specifically on analyzing images taken from cameras. After graduating, he will work for the Air Force research lab at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

EMILY GARY ’16 got engaged in March and has been enjoying both being engaged and starting to plan her wedding! She plans on spending the summer enjoying the weather and playing some sand volleyball.

LOGAN JENSEN ’16 is a personal trainer in Menasha and loves it!

JEN KELLER ’16: “Living my best life as a low-level bureaucrat and busybody in Mequon, Wisconsin! Aside from my growing affinity for working in local government, I’ve also been elected as the president of the board of directors for the UW-Milwaukee Master’s in Public Administration program, a challenge I am thrilled to take on. P.S. If Ripon College has a surplus of free student planners laying around for 2019-2020, consider me interested.”

ALYSSA KENNEDY ’16 has started her fourth (and last) year of medical school! She is still at BroMenn Hospital in Bloomington, Illinois, doing her clinical rotations. She is taking her second round of board exams in June.

JOHN MERWIN ’16 was in Mozambique with the U.S. Army but is back at Fort Drum, New York, now with his wife REBECCA MCLAIN ’16.

JORDAN POLK ’16 still is working for CSC in Indianapolis. He recently was promoted to head event manager and is the youngest person to hold that position in the company.

ELIZABETH PETERS ’16 accepted a part-time third-3rd grade teaching position at St. Edward School in Mackville for the 2018-2019 school year. She also teaches adaptive aquatics at Neenah High School and is loving both teaching positions! She is looking for a full-time teaching position for the 2019-2020 school year. Lizzie will be teaching summer school again this year and is anticipating finding out the subject that she will teach. She stays busy by lifeguarding a few nights a week and teaching swim lessons as well. Lizzie hopes to have more time to teach private swim lessons for students of any age, which she has started herself.

ZACHARY PETERSON ’16 graduated with his master of arts in English: writing from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He moved from the Midwest to Greenville, North Carolina, to pursue his Ph.D. in Rhetoric at East Carolina University and currently is learning the ropes of being a first-year college instructor teaching foundational writing. 

RACHEL ROKUSEK ’16 has such an exciting update — she  and her boyfriend recently adopted the most dog-like cat possible named Larry.

KAY SENGLAUB ’16 traveled to Iceland for a week in February for her honeymoon. She and her husband drove around the island, tasted the cuisine, and were awed by the glaciers, waterfalls, and overall gorgeous scenes that encompass the nation. They adopted their first dog, whom they have lovingly nicknamed Bran, from his racing name Firebrand. He is the most precious 45 mph couch potato Kay could have asked for —  – she and Kyle adore him! Kay is continuing to keep up with the Milwaukee Irish Dance Company and they are gearing up for another Irish Fest. Overall, Kay is looking forward to all the hustle and bustle of summer and exploring new places with her little family.

FRANK STELTER-HOGH ’16 and HANNAH METZ ’17 are engaged and have set the wedding date for June 13, 2020.

KATLYN TROISI ’16 was trained in dialectical behavior therapy this year. She also visited the old state hospital where Shutter Island was filmed, and, she has plans to go to Canada for Labor Day weekend.

KATIE WARCZAK ’16 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is attending Pennsylvania State University, working toward a Ph.D. in English literature.

ANDREW WOOD ’16 and ELEANORE MUELLER ’18 are engaged.

ELIZABETH KONIECZNY YAMAT ’16 and her husband, Brady, are expecting their first child in November. They have been enjoying owning their first home and getting to know the neighborhood and are having fun getting the nursery ready for their new arrival! Their two dogs, beagle, Charlie, and lab mix, Bear, are excited to become big brothers.

Submitted by: Sara Driebel

Sam Kay

[email protected]

Kaylie Longley

[email protected]

Picture this: I grab a plastic bag and stuff it with half an egg carton and my favorite reusable bottle. I toss clothes in my gym bag, leftovers in my lunch bag, and check the content of my purse, lastly securing my phone with a zipper. I slip into flip-flops and head out the door, teetering because the weight is clearly not balanced. I have the tricky plastic bag in one hand and everything else in the other. I figure I can balance everything from Point A to Point B. Instead of using one overnight bag, I have separated all the next day’s activities by vessel. This was my mistake.

I stumble out of a flip-flop, and the plastic bag falls to the ground. OK, so my precious bottle, with a fraying plastic cup, has another dent. So what? But the eggs? I temporarily forget about them until I get inside my car. Not only have I further destroyed my Morning Joe enabler, all the eggs have cracked. Onto my hands. There goes tomorrow’s breakfast, and all my hope for coffee from a 10-cents-saving-bottle to come. I decide to throw away both. I’ve wanted to buy a French Press or Aeropress for a long time. Why I haven’t, when my favorite coffee requires no sugar or cream, is beyond me. Tonight’s incident surely wasn’t Kaylie’s finest hour, but it reminds me that I’m working on consumption.

It’s funny, I’m a marketer, and one of my core functions is influencing buying decisions (and I know all the variables have to be met to really succeed). And outside of work, I’m a creative, often fueled by caffeine. But I’m also a minimalist and am consciously aware how our culture applauds consumerism as success or “making it” and considers convenience necessary, no longer a luxury.

Straddling all of these roles is no easy task. I don’t need a bag for every element of my life. And I don’t have to worry if my ideologies seem contradictory. Instead, for the first time in my adult life, I’m intentionally working on what matters to me. I’m getting reconnected to my people and creating just for its own sake again. What are you working on? If you’re looking to stay connected, read on. Our classmates are doing great things. As for me? I’m buying that coffee maker tomorrow. 

Cheers!

KAYLIE and SAM

JAMES ALLEN ’15 of Rochester, Minnesota, is working in medical device research in the Twin Cities. 

RAYMOND ALLEN ’15 of Durham, North Carolina, a Ph.D. candidate in developmental and stem cell biology, has been awarded a Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring. He has formally mentored two undergraduate students. He also has “demonstrated his dedication to mentorship through his activism and leadership in several on-campus organizations.”

MIKE ANDERSON ’15 is completing Air Force Commissioned Officer Training and will report to his first duty station, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska in September.

CHELSEA GRAHN ANDREWS ’15 of Maryville, Illinois, is a doctoral candidate in the psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is examining how researchers study attention and its changes as we age, specifically in preschool development.

BROOKE BEHNKE ’15 of Brillion, Wisconsin, will be getting married this fall.

KATIE BIEDLER ’15 of Saint Cloud, Minnesota, has only two classes and a comp exam left for her master’s degree at Saint Cloud State University’s College of Liberal Arts and School of the Arts. She has started working as an eyewear specialist cross-trained as an optometric technician at Visionworks.

CAT CARBAJAL ’15 passed the Hawaii Bar.

ANDREW CARBALLO ’15 of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, has been traveling with his girlfriend Emily and his family. 

ZACH CONNERS ’15 of Freeport, Illinois, and his boyfriend, Weston Dixon, are loving their new home. They are making small renovations but they won’t be painting any fireplaces yellow again. Zach is still working at CorTech International Staffing, and he is working on opening a new branch of the recruiting office in the Freeport area. 

ELLY DAVIS ’15 continues to grow in the recruiting industry and recently accepted a position for a work-at-home job with Kelly Services. Her hobbies are basically the same: horseback riding, skiing, yoga, hanging out with her cats, drinking beer and brunching. However, she’s recently also added swag grabbing at job fairs and wondering why she’s the only person with six+ hobbies during corporate meet-and-greets.

EMELIA ERICKSON ’15 had surgery on April 9 to donate her spare kidney. The recipient has survived 20 years of kidney disease. They hope her kidney will last him another 20 years. The entire experience was amazing, and Emelia would do it all again tomorrow. A lot of people have questions about the process of becoming a donor or want to share their experiences of donation and receiving with her. If anyone is interested they may contact her at [email protected]. Shortly after choosing a surgery date, she was promoted to run her department at the Lodge Retirement Community after two years with the company.

JEREMIAH HARGIS ’15 of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is a software test engineer at Epic Systems Corp. in Verona, Wisconsin. His work focuses on performance, data integrity and automated testing.

PETER HAYES ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, is still with Envestnet on the Portfolio Management Consultant team as an investment product management specialist. 

HANNAH HERZOG ’15 of Nashville, Tennessee, adopted an 8-year-old lemon beagle named Clover! She finished her first year of graduate school at Belmont University for her master’s in sports administration. She is spending her summer working and interning with the Nashville Predators NHL team. 

HAYDEN HOERDEMANN ’15 of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, took a job with State Farm in Tempe, Arizona. He moved there in July. Hayden will be an insurance claims specialist in property complex.

SAMANTHA KAY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was promoted to advocacy manager for the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT). In May, she successfully planned four full-day, scientific workshops with 81 speakers and more than 1,000 attendees. Now, she is helping plan the Policy Summit, specifically a day of programming focused on global regulatory agencies. Sam is helping craft ASGCT’s global advocacy program and starting a new initiative to facilitate bringing potentially curative treatments for sickle cell disease to Africa. She is planning a trip to San Diego in the fall for a genetics conference, but also to relax on a beach. Sam spends her free time worrying about who will win the Democratic nomination for president and encouraging everyone she knows to vote, volunteer and donate to ensure that we save democracy in 2020. 

SAM KLEIN ’15 and SERGE FEDOROWSKY ’15 are loving Denver. Serge got his master’s and is starting a new job as the head librarian at a Montessori school. Sam still the lead massage therapist at Spa Universaire. She loves training new teammates and organizing the schedule and such. She enjoys prepping her team for success — it’s fun stuff! 

CAROLINE KORDES ’15 is attending Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas.

HOLLY KORTEMEIER ’15 lives in Edgerton, Wisconsin, with her dog, Hooper. She is working as a school counselor at Community Elementary School in Edgerton.

CHRISTIAN KRUEGER ’15 has completed the second year of her Ph.D. in early American history at Marquette University. She will spend the summer preparing for doctoral qualifying exams, which she plans to take in the fall. In November, Christian will present her paper “Battle for the Bluegrass: Racers, Raiders and the American Civil War” at the second annual Equine History Conference at Cal-Poly Pomona.

EMILY LENSMIRE ’15 of Reedsville, Wisconsin, has been promoted to director of traditional recruitment, and she continues to serve as the head women’s volleyball coach. Her daughter, Charlotte, recently was promoted to big sister. Emily’s baby girl, Savannah Jane, was born June 25. 

MARK LISOWKSI ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has completed his master’s in journalism from Marquette University. He is spending his summer relaxing and searching for a job in his field. Mark has been visiting the South Shore farmers market on Saturdays and avoiding frozen Stoffer’s meals. 

KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, still is working with Bardon Bowling Centers, where she now consults with three locations across Wisconsin on their marketing strategies. She’s also working on a project to inspire creativity for its own sake with ANDREA SCHULNER ’16. She’s tracking her habits every week, like balancing bier gartens with treadmill time, on kaylielongley.com. If you have a creative project you’d like to work on, contact her. She’s helping 19 people shift their schedules to focus on good personal and professional work.

RAQUEL MACSWAIN ’15 of Stillwater, Minnesota, will be starting her second and final year of her school counseling program at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Her yearlong placement will be at the high school level and she looks forward to staying in Portland after graduation. 

NICOLE MALLI ’15 of Washington, D.C., still is working for the Slave Wrecks Project. Over the summer, Nicole traveled through South America for a few weeks and was detained at each border because of her overall Threatening Escobar vibes. In the fall, for her 27th birthday she will be traveling to Las Vegas to see Lady Gaga and Magic Mike XXL for a true sensory experience. Meanwhile, Nicole’s cats will treat themselves to a staycation full of self-care and catnip. They have been catching up on their favorite shows such as Squirrel in the Tree and the sci-fi thriller, Laser Pointer.

EMILY MENGERT ’15 bought a house with BRIAN KOLLATZ ’14 in Maricopa, Arizona, and started a new job as a payroll specialist with Aerotek.

BRI MILROY ’15 and NATE SUIDAK ’15 got engaged in Myrtle Beach in June. Bri finished her master’s in school counseling at Marquette University and will be working as a school counselor in West Allis, really putting that degree to work. Nate started a new job with Titus Talent Strategies in the spring and loves his new role because he gets to work with EMMA BRONSON ’17, ERIN CANON ’17 and DANTE HOUSTON ’01.

JESSICA MORGAN ’15 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin in enjoying married life with LUKE MORGAN ’14. Jessica is working with Gorman Co. as their digital marketing manager for the Brewhouse Inn & Suites in Milwaukee, Stella Hotel & Ballroom in Kenosha and The 1844 Table & Mash. Soon she also will be getting another location in Rockford. She is still managing websites and social media and making promotional videos and other creative material. She enjoys the flexibility of being remote. 

JONATHAN NEWBERY ’15 of Oak Park, Illinois, continues to enjoy his career in the Navy. He is now living in California. 

KORRIN PETERSON ’15 of Burlington, Wisconsin, is excited to marry Stephen Covalt on Sept. 28, 2019. She went back to school to get a master’s in special education and is still working for the Burlington School District and coaching softball. 

JAY PETTENGILL ’15 of Medicine Lake, Minnesota, married Taylor Rush on June 29, 2019. 

BRISTOLE RYFF ’15 is in her first semester of grad school at Purdue University going for her master’s in special education. She’s planning a trip this summer to Arkansas. As always, she’s keeping up with her adorable dog, Dante!

LAURA SAVALL ’15 of Ridgeland, Wisconsin has taken up residence in Vermont and is now a staff attorney with Have Justice-Will Travel, a nonprofit focused on helping survivors of domestic and sexual violence with various legal issues that may arise while escaping abuse. She is pleased to announce that she is officially esquired and admitted to the Vermont bar. 

KARENA SCHROEDER ’15 of Lakeville, Minnesota, celebrated her son, Aiden’s, first birthday in July. Karena and her boyfriend have been amazed as first-time parents at all the new things their son learns each and every day. In career news, on June 1, she celebrated another year as a manager at Sam’s Club. After four years with the company, she has begun slowly searching for a new career opportunity to continue her professional growth in an area outside of retail management. Karena is open to new possibilities, intriguing careers to explore, or opportunities available in the Twin Cities area. Please feel free to reach out to her at [email protected]. She looks forward to hearing any suggestions from Ripon alumni! 

BRIAN SCHUMACHER ’15 and KATIE DREW SCHUMACHER ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, love their new home and are saving up for some exciting new renovations — windows! Brian is a research and development associate scientist in the materials science group at Millipore Sigma. His research has moved to graphene and derivatives for biosensors and drug delivery. In June, Brian and Katie visited BRAD ’15 and SHELBY CHOJNACKI ’13 at their home in Washington, D.C.

KARLYN SCHUMACHER ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is a librarian at Ripon College in fall 2018. She married David Porfirio in June 2019. 

ERIC SEILER ’15 and SAM PETROSKI SEILER ’15 bought a house in Ohio. Sam graduated from medical school June 2 and has residency for family medicine.

LAURA SHIVELY ’15 celebrated two years with Pre/3 Real Estate, a national leader in commercial investment, development and management, in March. She continues to be a leader with the integration of RentCafe with in the company by helping to incorporate the nationwide listing service into the company’s now online portfolio. In her personal time, she runs a zero-waste lifestyle blog and on Instagram to create an honest conversation about and promote eco-friendly swaps and sustainable lifestyle choices. 

LOGAN SOICH ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, passed his last exam and is now a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society. 

ZACH SPACIEL ’15 recently purchased a house in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. He got engaged to his girlfriend, Ivana Karabegovic, in June. 

JOHN SPADONI ’15 and KRISTY OGLESBY SPADONI ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, are enjoying the summer. John recently went to New Orleans for Jay Pettengill’s bachelor party, and Kristy took a girls’ trip with her mother-in-law to Florida. 

ANTHONY TAUSIG ’15 and ALLISON MACKNICK ’17 of Chicago, Illinois, continue to find the best burger in the city and show off their dog, Tula. 

CASEY VERCAUTEREN ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, was promoted to senior analyst at Accelerated Growth Advisors. 

KAITLYN WELZEN ’15 continues to work at Woodland Park Zoo and is waiting for construction to finish so she can test out the new compositing system. She and her dog also recently moved in with her boyfriend, and Sirius loves the big yard! As if that wasn’t enough, she is also completing a master’s degree in sustainable management through the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s online program.

KEVIN WHITENEIR ’15 will be starting his master’s program in library and information science at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. It is fully funded through the American Library Association’s Spectrum Scholarship.

ANTHONY  “A.J.” ZAYIA ’15 of Eagle River, Wisconsin, was honored by Ripon College and the Wisconsin Association of Colleges for Teacher Education with the Early Career Educator Award, presented to educators within the first three years of their careers based on their positive effect on schools or communities, their innovation in designing learning experiences and their advocacy for students.

Submitted by: Samantha Kay

Alexandra Peltier

[email protected]

Charlotte Sikkink Lee

[email protected]

Lauren Ott 

[email protected]

Hello, everyone!  I hope you’re all soaking up some warmer weather and taking things a little easier. We’ve certainly earned it after the winter we had, at least here in Minnesota! In Marshall, where I’m living these days, we have a record snowfall in February. Let me tell you, having a newborn when there’s record snowfall and day after day of below zero temperatures is not exactly the most fun. But we survived! 

Alumni Weekend at Ripon is just around the corner, and I’m looking forward to catching up with some of you and showing off my little guy (sorry, proud mamma here!). If you haven’t been to an Alumni Weekend yet, you need to!  Doesn’t matter if it’s a reunion year for us. It’s a relaxed weekend of catching up with classmates and seeing what’s changed and what hasn’t at Ripon. The College hosts two socials with free beer, wine and snacks, so bare minimum you should come to those!

If you haven’t heard, Ripon is doing something new and our updates and class letters will now be available online: www.ripon.edu/rconnections. Hello 21st century! So, if you aren’t using Facebook much these days or you just don’t want to send your notes to Lauren, Ali or I, you now can post your updates there. You can also look at other people’s updates and our class letter, and even check out our senior class picture (bet you forgot about that gem, didn’t you?). Congratulations on whatever your latest milestone has been. Keep sharing, posting and reaching out – it’s great to hear from all of you.  

CHARLOTTE

ORNELLA UMUBYEYI ’13 of Charlotte, North Carolina, received the Ripon College Outstanding Young Alumni Award during Alumni Weekend in June. She is a hospital chaplain for CaroMont Health in North Carolina and became a certified life coach in 2013.

LIZABETH BARANCZYK ’13 and her puppy, Chevy, moved to Green Bay at the beginning of June. She has accepted a third-grade teaching position at St. John the Baptist’s School in Howard, Wisconsin.

JENA ROSCIZEWSKI CLUKA ’13 and KEVIN CLUKA ’13 welcomed their first child, Declan, on June 15. Just in time for Father’s Day! Another future Red Hawk for the Class of 2042!

AIMEE PRUDHOMME DWYER ’13 and MATT DWYER ’10 now reside in Marshall, Montana. Matt is the assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator at Missouri Valley College, and Aimee is a special education teacher. They welcomed their first child in May! 

JERRY ECKLER ’13 and LIBBY RUSSO ECKLER ’11 welcomed a baby boy, Grayson James, on March 8! Dad, Mom and baby are all doing great! 

PAUL HAUSCH ’13 of Madison, Wisconsin, was one of five students nationwide to be selected to have design work included in the exhibition “The Road Ahead: Reimagining Mobility” at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. He is pursuing a master’s degree in industrial design at Arizona State University.

AMANDA FENSKE JOHNSON ’13 is now a licensed practical nurse after having worked briefly at Winnebago Mental Health and then Wisconsin Resource Center over the last five years as a psychiatric care technician-advanced. She plans to return to school for her RN degree in the near future. 

EMILY KIJEK ’13 and ZACHARY SCHWANDT ’08 of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, married on campus this past May. 

JESSIE LILLIS ’13 received her master of literature degree from Mary Baldwin University this past May and will spend this year completing her master of fine arts degree, also from MBU. Jessie also got engaged at the end of April!

JACQUELYN MICHALAK MADDEN ’13 and her husband, Patrick, celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary May 31, and Jacqui celebrated her fifth year working at Aurora West Allis Medical Center as a histologist. They have three kids and a cocker spaniel dog.

ADAM ORTH ’13 purchased a home in Oconto, Wisconsin, on Valentine’s Day 2018. This year, he got a “new-to-him” Equinox and is a business cash management officer for Stephenson National Bank & Trust in Marinette, Wisconsin. He is also an active member of Oconto Lions Club, Oconto Copperfest Committee and Section 7 Project for Trail of Terror. Way to make the rest of us look lazy, Adam!

LAUREN OTT ’13 is program director of YMCA Camp Icaghowan in Amery, Wisconsin. So if you haven’t heard from her in ages, that’s why. She will come out of hibernation in the fall. In the meantime, she says we’re all welcome to visit her any time, and if you know any 18-year-olds, send them to go work for her!

ALI PELTIER ’13 has moved to Des Moines, Iowa, with her boyfriend, Jonathan, to take on a role as a national account manager for Meredith Corp. Ali is now responsible for media related to the titles of: Successful Farming, Living the Country Life and Country Gardens. 

KATIE JO STUMBRIS ’13 is still the lead dental assistant at Jackson Family Dentistry in Mayville, and NICK WEISS ’13 has become the head of the science and physics departments at Sussex Hamilton. Their daughter, River Jo, just turned 2 and is running them ragged!

OLIVIA WETZEL ’13 of Watertown, Wisconsin, is a school counselor for Rossman Elementary School in Hartford, Wisconsin.

ZACHARY WIELAND ’13 and his wife, Rebecca, bought their first house in Appleton at the end of April. So far they are enjoying it, even the commute to Green Bay for work! Baby #2’s due date is fast approaching – hopefully the nursery gets set up in time! 

ANDREA SLOSSER WORTH ’13 is now a doctoral candidate at the University of Wyoming, still studying clinical psychology. She’s also taken up mountain biking!

Submitted by: Charlotte Lee

Katlyn Lee Schumacher

608-558-9073 / [email protected]

Erin Schaick

603-513-9965 / [email protected]

Brandon Taylor

406-274-4708 / [email protected]

Hello again, Class of 2012! Thank you to everyone who submitted news notes for our fall letter. It is always nice to see what classmates are up to these days.

Be sure to check out R Connections (http://www.ripon.edu/rconnections) – this is a great place to submit your story (news notes, obits, alumni sightings and class letters), check out your class page, view classmate news notes, photos and more.  

KATHARINE SHADLE GAILS ’12 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and her husband, Ryan, got a golden doodle puppy!

CEZAR MUNOZ ’12 of Charlotte, North Carolina, is an OLI facilitator with OCHIN Inc.

ERIC SCHUMACHER ’12 of Delafield, Wisconsin, and his wife, Sarah, welcomed their first child, Jack, in May.

BRANDON TAYLOR ’12 of Arlee, Montana, spent last Christmas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is now a technology consulting manager with Accenture.

SARA VANSTEENBERGEN ’12 of Pullman, Washington, is the new director of student activities and orientation at Ripon College.

Thank you to everyone who shared these updates! Feel free to send those to us via email or our Facebook group anytime. Hope everyone has a great year!

ERIN, KATLYN and BRANDON

Submitted by: Brandon Taylor

ELIZABETH MCHONE ALVEY ’11 and CORY ALVEY ’11 married Sept. 12, 2015, in Libertyville, Illinois. They currently live in Wauconda, Illinois. Elizabeth is a naturalist at the Pringle Nature Center, and Cory is a senior scientist at AbbVie, a biopharmaceutical company.

LIBBY RUSSO ECKLER ’11 and JERRY ECKLER ’13 welcomed a baby boy, Grayson James, on March 8! Dad, Mom and baby are all doing great! 

SAM SONDALLE ’11 of New Haven, Connecticut, received his Ph.D. in genetics from Yale University in December 2018. He had a significant publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “Fanconi anemia protein FANCI functions in ribosome biogenesis,” was published Jan. 28. Sondalle is the first author. He is in his final year of the M.D./Ph.D. program at Yale, will be applying for residency this year and graduate in May 2020 with his M.D.

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

Stephanie Sommer Faulds

608-630-3369 / [email protected]

Leah Hover-Preiss

608-432-2399 / [email protected]

Zac Schwandt

920-291-5685 / [email protected]

Greetings, Class of 2008! We hope you had a chance to relax this summer and enjoy time with family and friends. Maybe you were even able to attend an event at Ripon College like Alumni Weekend or just a stroll around the campus as you were passing through town. If you have not had a chance to visit recently, make plans to come to Ripon soon! There are so many things to do — reconnect with some classmates during a weekend visit, participate in Homecoming festivities or check out the fall colors on campus. Remember to share pictures on the Ripon College Class of 2008 Facebook page so they can be submitted to be included in the R Connections publications!

As usual, our classmates have been up to some amazing things! Check out the class notes listed below. Remember, if you would like your life event (engagements, marriages, births, continuing education, new jobs or promotions, moves, starting a business, and so on…) shared in the class notes, contact one of the class agents at any time during the year. We would love to hear from you. Keep in touch! You also can submit these notes online at https://www.ripon.edu/r-connections/.  

As always, Go Red Hawks!

LEAH, STEPHANIE and ZAC 

ART BRATTON ’08 and EMILY HOFFMAN BRATTON ’10 of Ripon, Wisconsin, welcomed a baby girl, Clara.

STEPHANIE SOMMER FAULDS ’08 and ROBERT “BOB” FAULDS ’07 and welcomed their newest child, Loretta Grace, on June 30, 2019.

KIMBERLY LARSON ’08 of Apple Valley, Minnesota, is the president of Ripon College’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. 

TYLOR LOEST ’08 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, recently completed a master of arts in arts administration from Goucher College. He works at the John Michael Kohler Art Center. 

BILLIE JEANNE LOWE ’08 of Brooklyn, New York, is now the client care coordinator at Women In Need, Inc. (Win)

ZACHARY SCHWANDT ’08 of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, married EMILY KIJEK SCHWANDT ’13 on campus this past May. 

ADAM SONNTAG ’08 is city administrator for the City of Hillsboro, Wisconsin. He was among 20 people younger than 40 honored by the River Valley Media Group and the 7 Rivers Alliance as having made a positive difference in that area of Wisconsin. He also is a regional director for the Wisconsin City/County Management Association and a member of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities Lobby, the Monroe/Vernon/Crawford Growth Fund Board, Hillsboro Library Board and Hillsboro Lions Club.

KYLE UNGER ’08 of Miami, Florida, is stationed at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Miami where he works as a fixed wing search and rescue pilot. In addition to flying, he also serves are the Air Station’s external affairs officer. 

Submitted by: Stephanie Sommer Faulds

Lindsey Kreye Heil

[email protected]

Stacy Krusa Teachout

[email protected]

Liz Leach Morrell

[email protected]

Adam Krueger

[email protected]

ERIN COURTNEY BOELHOWER ’07 and husband Matt of Woodstock, Illinois, welcomed their rainbow baby girl, Scottie Elizabeth Mae, on Sept. 19 via gestational surrogate.

SHANE EBEL ’07 and ROSE MCNULTY EBEL ’06 of Monona, Wisconsin, met their second daughter, Frida Pearl Ebel, in late May. The whole family is in love, and their first daughter, Lucette, is especially excited to be a big sister.

ROBERT “BOB” FAULDS ’07 and STEPHANIE SOMMER FAULDS ’08 welcomed their newest child, Loretta Grace, on June 30, 2019.

JASON JAHN ’07 and HANNAH EMANUEL JAHN ’09 announce the birth of daughter Miranda Rose Jahn on Dec. 16, 2018. Hannah is an assistant city attorney for the City of Milwaukee, and Jason is a network architect at Rockwell Automation.

LIZ LEACH MORELL ’07 is the executive director of The Arc Fond du Lac, a not-for-profit organization serving individuals and families in Fond du Lac, Dodge and Winnebago counties.

ZACH NORTON ’07 has started a new position as a client associate with Wells Fargo Advisors and passed the series 66 examination last July and November, respectively.

RACHEL STORLIE PEDRAJA ’07: “After teaching fourth grade for seven years in northern Wisconsin, my husband’s job transferred our family to northwest Ohio. I am now the children’s ministry director at our church and spend time reading, exploring and playing with our 4-year-old son, James. Our family is buzzing with excitement as we wait for our second child due in November.”

JODI RABAS ’07: “I bought a house and got married in January, and we are expecting our first baby around Halloween!”

JOLENE RUEDEN SCHATZINGER ’07 has joined the advancement team at Ripon College as the leadership gift officer for annual giving. She is loving the opportunity to connect with fellow alumni and friends of the College throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. Jolene welcomes all classmates to contact her if and when they make it back to Ripon any time of the year — she’d love to connect with you.

MARY STERRETT ’07 graduated Johns Hopkins in May with her master of public health degree. She has one year left in her Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship in Charleston, South Carolina. Mary hopes to move out West after graduation next June. She just had a maternal/fetal thyroid physiology chapter published in June, and she has a couple more research projects in the pipeline. Mary also joined a cycling team in Charleston and races cyclocross.

ALEX WENTE ’07 of Chicago, Illinois, is an enterprise account manager for Upwork, the world’s largest global freelancing website.

Submitted by: Stacey Krusa Teachout

Nicole Klaas Hands

[email protected]

Ed Hansen

[email protected]

Andrew Kitslaar

[email protected]

Hello, Ripon Red Hawk Class of 2006! Well, those of you living in Wisconsin had to wait a little longer than you might have liked for warm summer temperatures this year, but as we all know, a chilly start to summer in Wisconsin is nothing new. It simply serves as a reminder that 13 years after graduating from Ripon College, the more things change, the more they stay the same. 

Willmore Center (formerly Storzer) shines as a bright example of change on campus, for example, but when the rain unexpectedly comes on Mother’s Day, you’ll still need to move graduation into the gym … just like ours was. Most of us are less likely now to stay up into the wee hours of the night than we were in 2006, but those of us who are parents of young children often find ourselves burning that familiar midnight oil once again. Many of us have scattered throughout the country and the world, and we don’t always get a chance to chat as much as we’d like, but when you get that call or a message from an old college friend, I bet you can pick up the conversation from precisely where you were the last time you spoke.

These are feelings that we can all relate to, of course, but there is nothing quite like the feeling you get when you go back to Ripon. The campus might look a little different, and some of our favorite professors have left, but it still feels like home. If you haven’t been back to campus lately (or even if you have), we encourage you to visit and see for yourself. In the meantime, we’re always excited to hear from you, so please continue to send in your updates! Here is what’s been happening lately: 

JEFFREY DODSON ’06 has returned to Ripon as minister at First Congregational Church of Ripon.

ROSE MCNULTY EBEL ’06 and SHANE EBEL ’07 of Monona, Wisconsin, met their second daughter, Frida Pearl Ebel, in late May. The whole family is in love, and their first daughter, Lucette, is especially excited to be a big sister.

NICOLE KLAAS HANDS ’06 relocated from North Carolina to the greater New York City area in April. She’s changed jobs and is now the product marketing manager for The Financial Revolutionist, a financial innovation platform with editorial and software as a service offering.

ED HANSEN ’06 and his wife, Megan Deichen Hansen, of Tallahassee, Florida, had their first child, Owen Michael Hansen, on St. Patrick’s Day this spring. His birthday is especially fitting, as he visited his Irish relatives last summer while in utero.

ALISON NOWAK RISSE ’06 of Slinger, Wisconsin: “My husband, Troy, and I welcomed our first baby into the world in April 2019. We are so in love. Ty Edward Risse and family are doing well!”

RACHAEL SMITHBACK LAST ’06 and ANDY LAST ’03 of Ripon, Wisconsin, are happy to announce the arrival of their son, Oliver Andrew, just before Mother’s Day on May 10, 2019. What an amazing gift! Everyone is happy and healthy and feeling beyond blessed to have welcomed such an amazing little man into the family.

No van-related news to report in this class letter, which can only mean one thing. Something big (or mini) is on the horizon.

We hope you had a lovely summer!

ED, NICOLE and ANDY

Submitted by: Nicole Klaas Hands

Daphne Meyers Leigh

414-841-7210 / [email protected]

Amanda Zahn Przybyl

920-299-1081 / [email protected]

Hello Class of 2005! As I write this, I am finalizing all my Alumni Weekend plans — not because it’s OUR reunion year, but I’ll be there celebrating with the Class of ’04 as a spouse and as a scout for our own reunion in June 2020. 

Speaking of our 15-year reunion next year, we are still looking for more input to make next year’s event the best it can be! If you’re interested in helping out, reach out to Amanda or me or contact the Alumni Office.  

Finally, we didn’t receive any personal updates this time around, probably because we are all so connected already. Ripon has set up a more interactive, user-friendly platform for sharing updates right on their website at www.ripon.edu/rconnections. 

Feel free to contact myself or Amanda, or use the R Connections page to share your exciting news and updates. 

All the best,

DAPHNE MEYERS LEIGH ’05

Submitted by: Daphne Meyers Leigh

Nick Spaeth

262-227-6097 / [email protected]

Greetings, Class of 2004. While we each share a good number of similarities when it comes to our Ripon College experience, it was also clearly something different for each of us. Our individual understanding of what college meant to us undoubtedly changed over time, too. As a good number of us reflected on our personal experiences while on campus for our 15th reunion  this past June, it became clear to me that no matter who you are, where you ended up, or what you thought college was, there is something we each liked about our time at Ripon. Below is what a few of your classmates shared about they liked most about college.

A small favor to ask: if you’re a member of our class Facebook group and have classmate friends who are not, send them my way or encourage them to request to join. In the push for our 15th reunion this year, a few surprise misses presented themselves (sorry, Jenny!). Thanks for taking the time to read. Be sure to pass along your updates to [email protected].

MICHAEL COLES ’04: The friendships made. The multiple activities to be involved in. The parties.

JEREMY COOPER-SPERBER ’04: Studying abroad.

CAROLYN DUVEN ’04: Being myself and making lifelong friends.

LISA HENKE GRAF ’04: The people I’ve become lifelong friends with!

AMANDA PHILLIPS GROSS ’04: Spending time with friends.

SARA WICHLACZ HANEY ’04: Dr. Bob and Skip Wittler’s bio courses and field schools.

KATE HERSEY ’04: The amazing people and professors.

TAMMY JOHNSON ’04: The thing I liked most about college was my involvement with my co-ed fraternity and my sorority. I had many opportunities to express my individuality through these organizations. 

DIANE KEELING ’04: The thing I liked most about college was residential living; everyone was isolated in a small town together, figuring out what to do. 

MAX KELLN ’04: The friends we made along the way.

KATE PETERSEN KINGREE ’04: The Ripon college community that makes you feel like family then and now.

ROZ KORF ’04: Meeting my husband.

MELISSA LUND LUNDT ’04: The thing I liked most about college was the small-town feel/atmosphere. No matter where you were on campus — class, party, sporting event, commons, etc. — you knew someone.

LIZ KEOPNICK MILLER ’04: The lifelong friendships I made, the small class sizes and personalized attention from professors, and the flexibility to explore other interests — art, music, theater — outside my major (biology).

JARED NELLIS ’04: I hadn’t yet realized the true burden of crippling debt! 

JILL SUNDERLAND POHLMEIER ’04: Living just steps away from my friends and the random fun that comes with that. Having so little responsibility. Finding my people.

RACHEL SCHMIDT PUFALL ’04: Lasting friendships formed in Tri-Dorms and the Bov.

NICK SPAETH ’04: Having the opportunity to do so many unique and “only in college” things that helped define the rest of our lives.

PAULA RICHARDSON TOMPKINS ’04: Small, intimate class sizes with engaging, interesting professors and obtaining degrees in things I have a passion for. Meeting new people, many of whom are now my best friends.

Thanks,

NICK

Submitted by: Nick Spaeth