Ripon College Magazine Winter 2022

MAGAZINE WINTER 2022

Enhancing Access to the Liberal Arts Overcoming barriers to education

Farewell to President Zach Messitte

Undergraduate research spurs career W I N T Esuccess R 2022 | 1

Winter 2022 VOLUME 55, ISSUE No. 1

Ripon Magazine (ISSN 1058-1855) is published twice annually by Ripon College.

Postage paid at Ripon, Wisconsin. Copyright © 2022 Ripon College POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Ripon Magazine, 300 W. Seward St., Ripon, WI 54971

Ripon College prepares students of

Editor: Jaye Alderson, aldersonj@ripon.edu 920-748-8364 Editorial Assistants: Loren Boone, Ric Damm, Michael Westemeier Student Assistant: Zoe Hazel ’22 Design: Ali Klunick Photography: Ric Damm Office of Constituent Engagement: 920-748-8126 Please send career updates or changes of address to alumni@ripon.edu.

Our liberal arts and sciences

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diverse interests for lives of productive, socially responsible citizenship. curriculum and residential campus create an intimate learning community in which students experience a richly personalized education.

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Inside 6 ENHANCING ACCESS TO EDUCATION National conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education have Ripon College re-thinking and re-examining ways that the College can continue to remove barriers to those seeking a quality, liberal arts education.

14 ALUMNI PROFILES It all started with undergraduate research at Ripon College. Read profiles of several alumni who have carried their love of research into enriching careers.

20 FAREWELL TO PRESIDENT MESSITTE Ripon’s 13th president, Zach Messitte, left the College at the end of the fall semester to return to his hometown of Washington, D.C. Here, alumni and staff remember special moments during his nine-year tenure.

24 DELAYED COMMENCEMENT 2020 Commencement for the Class of 2020, long delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, was held Aug. 8, 2021. Despite the delay and the smaller turnout, the usual joy, pride and camaraderie were all there.

DEPARTMENTS: 34 Sports 36 Around the Clocktower 38 Obituaries 44 Remarkable Ripon ON THE COVER: Associate Professor of Biology

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Barbara Sisson, left, and Inesha Wiseman ’22 of Hazel Crest, Illinois, consult on work Wiseman is doing on zebrafish embryos. She spent the summer of 2021 researching where a gene called rhoA is expressed, or utilized, in the zebrafish to help determine its role in cartilage development.

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LEFT: Yippee! In August, Andy Peck ’10, a member of the Ripon College Alumni Association Board of Directors, and his son, Reed, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, celebrated after finishing the Rally Run at the first on-campus Alumni Weekend held at Ripon College since 2019.

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(Photos taken during the summer of 2021 before mask mandates were in place.)

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

Welcome Home I have had the privilege of working at Ripon College for more than 10 years in a variety of roles as both a professor and as a senior administrator. From the first day I set foot on campus, Ripon felt like home. I hear that sentiment echoed by many current students, alumni, faculty and staff: Ripon feels like a place where one can thrive, take risks, learn, laugh, have successes and failures, and, above all, be supported by our community.

As practitioners of higher education, we must continually seek to provide exceptional educational opportunities for our students. We must investigate why Ripon feels like home and whether it feels like home to all students. We must ensure that students have access to appropriate support structures so that they can be successful at Ripon College.

At Ripon College, we pride ourselves on providing an affordable and accessible education for students. The demographics of our student body show that this message resonates with prospective students and their families: 39% of the Ripon College class of 2025 are the first in their families to attend college, and 35% of this class demonstrate exceptional financial need.

These students attend Ripon College because they know they will have an educational experience that can change the economic trajectory of their lives. However, these students are at a higher risk of dropping out of college. The Center for First-Generation Student Success indicates that first-generation college students are about half as likely as students whose parents attended college to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in six years. So we must ask ourselves, how do we make Ripon College a place where all students, particularly those who may have additional risk factors, can succeed? In other words, how do we make Ripon College feel like home to all students?

In 2014, the Gallup-Purdue Index, a nationally representative survey of 30,000 college students, pointed to the “Big Six” set of experiences that correlated to whether students were successful in college and felt like their education prepared them for their lives after college:

“Big Six” experiences speak to the importance of cultivating a sense of belonging and engagement to promote student success. We may extrapolate that providing access to the “Big Six” and similar experiences is particularly important for our historically underserved student populations.

This issue of Ripon Magazine highlights a number of programs and people who promote student success and create “Big Six” experiences. You will read about our federally-funded TRIO program, which has successfully provided many years of support for our first-generation and Pell-eligible students. You will learn about the Arthur Vining Davis grant-funded Momentum program, an honors program for talented students with significant financial need.

You will see examples of collaborations between students and faculty during our summer research program, SOAR. Throughout these stories, you will find examples of the ways in which our faculty and staff make Ripon welcoming and enriching for all students.

I am grateful to have made Ripon my home. I am especially grateful to all of the faculty and staff who enable our students to make it their home, as well.

1. Studying with at least one professor who made them excited about learning.

2. Having professors who cared about them as a person.

3. Having a mentor.

4. Working on a long-term project.

5. Having an internship or job that allowed application of classroom learning.

6. Participating in extracurricular activities and organizations.

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ANDREA YOUNG INTERIM PRESIDENT

Ripon College achieves highest fundraising year ever The 2021 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2021, was a record-breaker: Ripon College achieved its most successful and largest fundraising year in its history. More than $16.5 million in new gift production was realized.

Alyssa Naber ’22, left, and Natalie King ’22 write thank-you notes to Ripon College donors.

“The campus community is continually humbled and inspired by the generosity of our alumni,” says Shawn Karsten ’09, vice president for advancement and marketing and communications.

“This record-breaking performance was anchored by the creation of several seven-figure endowed scholarships to address access and equity issues — solidifying Ripon’s position as the most affordable private college in the state of Wisconsin,” Karsten adds.

Other notable support came with a new five-year grant of $1.4 million to the Student Support Services program by the U.S. Department of Education, TRIO division. The grant, which was secured by Ripon’s Student Support Services staff, supports first-generation students, students from families with lower incomes relative to family size, and students with physical or learning disabilities.

Rhett Cunningham ’22 celebrates One Day Rally with Rally the Red Hawk during One Day Rally on April 28, 2021.

More than $3 million was raised for the Ripon Fund, which provided the campus flexibility and shelter from the uncertainty of the pandemic.

In March, Ripon College’s endowment surpassed the $100 million mark for the first time, and less than a year later the endowment stands at $116 million.

“The College has emphasized building the endowment over the decades to keep Ripon affordable to the best and brightest students, regardless of their financial situation,” Karsten says. “One hundred percent of Ripon College students receive some form of financial assistance.

“This milestone indicates Ripon’s financial foundation and the commitment of its alumni and friends to its future. In many ways, it secures the institution’s future.”

Kate Maynard ’23 updates the One Day Rally board at Pickard Commons as the day progresses on April 28, 2021.

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FROM THE RIPON ARCHIVES

RIPON COLLEGE POET-IN-RESIDENCE:

STEVE BELLIN-OKA he has held positions in New Mexico and Oklahoma, most recently receiving the Tulsa Artist Fellowship.

This is Bellin-Oka’s first residency. Over the course of the semester, he taught a course on narrative poetry and invented forms, held three readings across the state, created a limited-edition broadside and created work for a soon-to-be-published manuscript.

Below are excerpts from an oral history interview between Bellin-Oka and Director of Lane Library Andrew Prellwitz.

YOU ARE THE FIRST POET-IN-RESIDENCE AS PART OF THE WISCONSIN’S OWN LIBRARY. WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION TO WISCONSIN?

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uring the fall 2021 semester, Ripon College welcomed its first poet-inresidence, Steve Bellin-Oka. The poet-inresidence program had its beginnings in the governor’s mansion in Madison in the late 1940s when Mary Fowler Rennebohm, wife of then-governor Oscar Rennebohm, created a library of books written by Wisconsin authors. When the Rennebohms left the governor’s mansion in 1951, the collection was given to a group of women’s clubs now known as the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Wisconsin. This group has found a home for Rennebohm’s Wisconsin’s Own Library at the Wisconsin Historical Society, then the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Beloit College and, since 2007, Ripon College.

Since 2019 efforts have been made to focus the collection on poetry with the goal of creating the largest and most comprehensive collection of works by Wisconsin poets 4

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anywhere. The Gemera Federation continues to own and support Wisconsin’s Own Library and reached out to the College in 2020 looking for ways to further support poetry in the state. Associate Professor of English Megan Gannon proposed the development of a poet-in-residence program.

Bellin-Oka began his academic career in typical fashion as an instructor and visiting professor at several universities in the South.

He landed a tenure track position at St. Norbert College in 2003. In 2006, residency for Bellin-Oka’s husband, Kenichi, a Japanese citizen, ran out. To remain together, they were forced to move out of the country and lived on Prince Edward Island in Canada until 2015. When same-sex marriages were recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015, they returned to the United States.

Much of Bellin-Oka’s current work discusses this experience. Since 2015,

I was born in Appleton and raised there until I was about 10 or so. And then my parents separated, and I spent most of the time still in Appleton with my mother but sometimes, in summers and things like that, we were in Baltimore with my father. So I was born and raised in the area.

ON YOUR WEBSITE, YOU CALL YOURSELF A TEACHING ARTIST. WHO ARE YOU IN THE FIRST HALF OF THAT STATEMENT — WHO ARE YOU AS A TEACHER? Well, teaching has always been my vocation.

I really feel it that strongly. It’s really no good for me to have my own knowledge and experience and wide reading and can’t share it with students and help mentor them along.

I do enjoy teaching, and I feel very passionate about teaching. But at the same time, I’m a working artist myself, where I’m trying to grab time here and there to work on a new poem and to write new work. Those two hats are very much connected to each other. For example, this semester, when I was teaching my students to be able to do blackout poems,

I ended up writing one in class with them during class time so that the artist part of me was integrated with the teaching part of me.

And we had a great time doing that. I feel like being a teaching artist means balancing both of those things and integrating them when you can.

A lot of my work will be quiet in the sense that I’m writing early in the morning when it’s quiet in the world. I tend to write better in the fall and winter time than I do in the spring and the summer. I’m not quite sure why that is. I have been able to write a lot more since 2015.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF TEACHING POETRY?

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOUR POETRY?

It depends on what level of poets you’re teaching, but I think early on it’s just to have students not be afraid of poetry. They’re taught to be afraid of poems or that they’re obscure or that they can mean anything people want them to mean. I think that’s a disservice that happens as people get taught poetry in high school. As they get more experience, it’s helping them to find their own voice, and their own subject matter. And to be confident in discovering that voice and discovering this is what I tend to want to write about. This is what’s important to me.

And then to help them to hone that craft as precisely as they can.

WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO WRITING POETRY? I do tend to try to write every day. Whether anything comes from that or not, it’s just a good habit to have. I will get up early every morning — I’m a really early riser like around 5 a.m. or so. I’ll do some writing from around 6 to 7 every morning. Most of my poems that I’ve been writing recently, or in the last several years, have come from that sort of process. Just in having discipline in writing every day. Though I have participated in some poem-a-day marathons every year with other people. I’ve gotten a lot of work out of that as well. But honestly I feel that I should have more discipline.

I should be writing more than that every day. But I just don’t have the time to do it.

Well, I found I want to talk a lot about that experience of having to go to Canada and coming back. My first book, Instructions for Seeing a Ghost, is mostly about having to leave the country and leave pretty much everything I knew for, even though it’s culturally very similar, a foreign country where things did happen or were done differently. And then being able to return. So how that experience changed me is a lot about what that book is about. And how it changed us. Kenichi is my husband’s name. A lot of it was about coming back to a country in 2015, 2016, we were on the edge of the Trump election. To come back to a country that I thought I knew well but didn’t quite recognize 100% when I came back. A lot of that exile and migration and return is inspirational to me. During our time in Canada, we lost two members of my family, two of my siblings as well. I wanted to write and memorialize and eulogize them as well in the book. I find I still write about my sister and my brother even though maybe I’ll never be done with that. Really what I’m working on now during my time at Ripon is the current pandemic we’re in and how it reminds me as a gay man of a certain age of that AIDS pandemic that’s still going on, unfortunately. I find that I’m remembering a lot of the same sorts of things related to government indifference, disinformation.

That kind of thing. People’s deaths without their families around. And quarantine and things like that that have eased somewhat but are still with us as well.

WHAT OTHER POETS HAVE MADE YOUR WORK POSSIBLE? I am very heavily influenced by Elizabeth Bishop, I think, who writes in both personal and non-personal ways at the same time. She was one of my early poets that I read and that really affected me. I’m showing my age again with who my early experiences were with. But also Sylvia Plath as well. Charles Wright is an important poet for me, and I did get a chance to study with him for a while. Just because of the sense of spiritualness in his language. Really what I’ve been doing this semester though is introducing students to much more contemporary poets.

I’ve been teaching a class in invented forms and prose poetry here at Ripon. And many of these forms that have been invented in the last decade or so and are practiced now rather widely are much more contemporary younger poets. Younger than I am, who are practitioners of these forms.

ANDREW PRELLWITZ ASSOCIATE LIBRARIAN - USER SERVICES COLLEGE ARCHIVIST W I N T E R 2022

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A C C E S S T O E D U C AT I O N

MAKING THE LIBERAL ARTS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL A

liberal arts education can spur a monumental shift in the course of one’s life.

But for many seeking a college education, there are significant barriers to that dream: family finances, lack of family background in higher education, ethnicity and identity, and physical and learning disabilities.

Ripon College has long focused on removing those barriers — granting financial assistance to 100% of our students; graduating a higher-than-average number of first-generation students, meaning neither of their parents have earned a four-year degree; and providing access to undergraduate research and collaboration with professors.

The current first-year class has 22% ethnic diversity, 39% are first-generation and 35% are Pell Grant-eligible, for those from lowerincome households.

Recent national conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education make this attention even more critical. Ripon is re-thinking and enhancing access to ensure a liberal arts education is achievable for the best and brightest students who would benefit the most from our personalized education. Each student should succeed, not only at Ripon College, but also in their careers and in life.

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Amari Poe ’25 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is receiving assistance through the recently established Richard V. and Frances S. Dietrich Trust Scholarship, established in the names of the parents of Professor Emeritus of Music Kurt Dietrich and his siblings.

FINANCES

Ripon helps students fund their liberal arts education “Paying for college is definitely a concern for the families that we work with in the recruitment process,” says Jennifer Machacek, vice president for enrollment.

“Students and parents not only want to find the ‘best fit’ for their final college decision but they also want to make sure they have selected an affordable option.

“Affordability is a top priority for the College, and we strive to have competitive scholarships and aggressive financial aid packages to offer our families. We also strongly promote our four-year graduate guarantee which seems to resonate well with students.”

Ripon offers a variety of need-based and non-need-based aid as well as self-help aid such as work study and loans. For the 2021-2022 academic year, degree-seeking, enrolled Ripon students were awarded more than $37 million including state, federal, institutional and private aid.

Currently, more than 780 students receive aid, with some students receiving aid from more than one source:

• Merit: 681 unduplicated students awarded more than $17.4 million

• 140 endowed funds: 504 duplicated students awarded more than $1.9 million

• 22 funds in institutional grants, matching funds, tuition remission, military benefits, Local Commitment Award: 975 duplicated students awarded more than $6 million

• Unlimited number of outside scholarships, tuition remission benefits, military benefits: more than 200 possibly duplicated students awarded more than $1.39 million

• Seven state grants: 407 duplicated students, awarded more than $1.2 million In addition, during the past academic year about 330 students earned more than $450,000 in work-study jobs on campus to help pay for expenses associated with their cost of attendance.

“The Office of Financial Aid is committed to providing our students with high-quality service and robust financial assistance,” says Linda Kinzinger, director of financial aid.

“We strive to ensure high economic and educational value per every dollar spent by and for our students. We work with our students and their families to understand their needs, their backgrounds and their goals so that we can help make their education affordable.

Laneah Curtis ’25 of Kenosha, Wisconsin, has benefited from the Conforti and Chemerow Scholarship, recently established by Doreen Conforti Chemerow ’73 and her husband, David I. Chemerow.

Maricarmen Dorantes ’25 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, received a scholarship to attend Ripon through the Franzen/Cristo Rey Endowed Scholarship, established by Mark Franzen ’83 and Janice Heinz Franzen ’83.

“We work tirelessly on our students’ behalf and advocate for additional resources both within the institution as well as within the state and federal systems so that we can provide additional funding. We understand how important it is for students to be able to afford their education. We are thankful for all of the outside help that is given for scholarships for our students as we see daily how important the financial constraints on students can be.”

• 15 Continuing Student Scholarships: 85 students awarded more than $262,000

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SUMMER PREPAREDNESS

Bailey Zanck ’22 of New Berlin, Wisconsin, explains artifacts on display in the historic Pedrick House in Ripon. Zanck helped curate an exhibit during an internship with the Ripon Historical Society.

Natalie Davies ’24 of Cedar Grove, Wisconsin, worked with Professor of Biology Memuna Khan to band and study American bluebirds on the Bluebird Trail Project in and around Ripon.

Dean of Faculty John Sisko at the SOAR picnic.

Students SOAR with new research opportunities For decades, Ripon has held a rich tradition of collaborative undergraduate research with professors that encourages students to consider professional career trajectories and prepare them for graduate and professional education.

Scott Endowed Student/Faculty Research Fund, the Kirkland Faculty/Student Research Endowment, the Biology Field Study Fund, the Oyster Scholarship and Research Fund, the Nieder Research Fund for Physics, and the Kohnen Chemistry Research Fund.

This has been particularly strong in the sciences such as biology and chemistry, which have dedicated funding and earned grants to support this type of work.

“SOAR provides opportunities for students to engage in collaborative research and creative activities together with Ripon College faculty scholars,” says John Sisko, vice president and dean of faculty. “One of Ripon’s goals is to advance knowledge in all realms, so we need to open summer research to include all disciplines. It plays into what is important about the kind of school Ripon is.”

To expand these opportunities to students in all disciplines, Ripon launched the Summer Opportunity for Advanced Research (SOAR) program in the summer of 2021.

Thirty-six students and 20 faculty members participated. Twelve academic disciplines were represented, including areas outside of the natural sciences such as political science, philosophy, museum studies, art and computer science.

Many SOAR participants were supported by funds that generous donors established for student research in a variety of fields.

In 2021, these funds included the Franzen Student Summer Research Endowment, the

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Faculty coordinators Christina Othon, associate professor of physics, and Patrick Willoughby, associate professor of chemistry, set up workshops including résumé writing and applying to graduate school. They also coordinated a community engagement project, and hosted social engagement activities for the research scholars.

The project resulted in two public showcases at the Ripon Historical Society, a community outreach project with the Green Lake Association to help protect the Green Lake watershed and a research showcase for the Ripon College community.

Sisko says there are many advantages to students engaging in undergraduate research.

He says it inspires students to think about their own life plans and possibilities they may not have considered, as well as determining whether an interest area is something they really want to pursue long term.

The student and faculty participants were overwhelmingly positive about the experience.

“Common themes that appeared among both sets of participants was that the summer experience is exceptionally valuable for student development and support of faculty scholarship,” the coordinators said in a final report.

It also gives students an advantage when applying to graduate school.

“Sixty percent of respondents had no prior research experience; almost 70% aspire to

Warren Januskiewicz ’24 of Durban, South Africa, conducts research related to rotifers with faculty mentor Robert Wallace, professor emeritus of biology.

Several students designed and painted decorative murals around storm sewer catch basins in downtown Green Lake in partnership with the Green Lake Association.

For talented first-generation students, Momentum provides a bridge into college life

Nicholas Eastman, assistant professor of educational studies and Momentum coordinator, leads a session.

Even for motivated and high-achieving first-generation students, entering the unfamiliar landscape of college as the first in their families to do so can be daunting.

Ripon has always been nurturing toward first-generation students and those of under-served groups of students. Now, the Momentum Leadership Fellows Program, launched in summer 2021, is helping to put highly qualified students from historically underrepresented and first-generation populations into a more equitable position to succeed.

postgraduate education; 100% found that the SOAR program met or exceeded their expectations. …

“The faculty impressions were overwhelmingly positive, and most find student participation helps motivate and focus their scholarly work, while others engage in student-faculty collaborative work to benefit their students and provide in depth opportunities that cannot be explored in a traditional classroom setting.”

One faculty participant said, “I thought the SOAR program was great. Having faculty and students doing research together is one of the most unique experiences we can provide to our student body.”

Sisko says the strong response to SOAR ensures that the program will continue in future years.

Momentum is partially supported by a $275,000 three-year grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation which will give Momentum a firm footing at Ripon College.

Ripon’s grant application asserts that bright students from poor high schools, even if admitted to schools of higher education, “rarely have access to the special opportunities monopolized by wealthy peers, such as honors programs, study abroad and summer research. Reconceiving how liberal arts colleges define merit can address this injustice, directing high-impact opportunities to these students.

“Ripon College is well-suited to successfully introduce an honors program for underserved students. ... We are among a tiny handful of national liberal arts colleges that consistently enroll and successfully graduate large numbers of low-income students; not only do we significantly outperform the graduation rates predicted by this profile, our Pell-eligible students graduate at higher levels than their campus peers.”

Twenty-six incoming first-years participated in the inaugural Momentum session.

They formed an intimate and supportive learning community that began three weeks before the start of their first semester at Ripon. Nicholas Eastman, assistant professor of educational studies and Momentum coordinator, says Momentum activities will cultivate academic and campus community leadership, advance diversity, inclusion and support for underserved constituencies at Ripon, and promote more equitable models for student excellence.

While increasing the number of these targeted students that Ripon enrolls and graduates, this specialized attention also will generate leaders who will act as agents of change; encourage participants to engage in undergraduate research and other forms of student/faculty intellectual inquiry; and prepare students for graduate school and competitive national scholarships.

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A C C E S S T O E D U C AT I O N

Student Support Services offers abundant avenues to help students succeed Access to new opportunities for Ripon students who are first-generation, low income or who are physically or learning disabled is part of the mission of Ripon College’s Student Support Services (SSS).

And for decades, SSS has sought out those opportunities and made them available to more than 160 students each year.

Opportunities range from academic and life guidance to cultural enhancement events, help with preparing for graduate school and paper and résumé writing assistance. Among the skills development efforts are financial literacy and intelligence workshops directed at helping students plan for their financial future. SSS also offers a system of peer contacts trained to assist eligible first-year students with academic and social transition from high school to college.

More than 1,000 colleges, universities, community colleges and agencies now offer SSS TRIO Programs in the United States, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands, including 15 in Wisconsin. TRIO funds are distributed to institutions through competitive grants by the U.S. Department of Education. Ripon College last received a five-year grant for $1.4 million in 2020.

Dan Krhin, who has been with SSS for 36 years — 34 of them as director — says the overall goal of SSS is to increase the retention and graduation of its students. Its offering are broad, used well by students and have been successful by the sheer numbers alone, he says.

FINANCIAL LITERACY Ripon is required to offer programs that support “financial literacy which builds personal financial understanding and responsibility,” Krhin says. For 11 years, SSS has offered four-week sessions which focus on understanding aspects of investing in the stock and bond markets.

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The sessions are open to all Ripon students, not just those involved with SSS. About 25 participate annually, the majority of whom are first-generation students.

or income background,” Khrin says.

With the help of a supplemental grant, the financial literacy offering recently helped 18 students open and fund a Roth IRA with a small “seed” investment, Krhin says.

“We more than talked about investing but actually opened up retirement accounts with the students,” he adds.

GRADUATE SCHOOL, SUMMER RESEARCH

PEER CONTACT PROGRAM In 2021, 11 Ripon students were employed to “help our eligible students make a smooth transition to Ripon by communicating with incoming students before they first come to campus, and helping out with SSS-sponsored programs which further assist in the transition process,” Krhin says. Peer Contacts meet with students individually and in small groups during their first semester, providing information about Ripon, how to take advantage of campus offerings and things they should know about campus life, he says.

Assistant SSS Director Myra Gilreath leads the Peer Contacts program and helps facilitate larger program activities. Ripon is unique, Krhin says, in that it has offered the Peer Contact program for 38 years. Part of the success may be that all of the peer contacts are “strong academic students who role model good student behavior of a successful student.”

CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT EXPERIENCES Outings are planned to expose SSS students to events that, most likely, they haven’t attended before — like a live theatre production or a museum exhibit. These events “are viable and important activities for all people, regardless of social economic

“We want our SSS students to ‘be in the conversation’ with other students.”

SSS offers activities designed to assist students in applying to and gaining enrollment in graduate school. SSS identifies summer research programs that may appeal to Ripon students and helps them apply, which in turn helps with acceptance to graduate school.

This effort has paid off. Based on helping many prior SSS students enter graduate school and summer research programs over the last 10 to 15 years, Ripon College has received two, five-year McNair Scholars grants specifically to assist 50 firstgeneration and racially underrepresented students enter graduate school in master’s and Ph.D. programs at more than 35 institutions across the country. While not required by the grant to place students in graduate schools and summer research programs, SSS continues to do so because of the level of success alumni have achieved, Krhin says. Also, he adds, “data shows that first-generation students do not typically consider graduate school unless they are informed, encouraged and exposed to the idea of post-college work.”

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Lisa Zeman, associate director of SSS, facilitates meetings with students to discuss their challenges and works with Ripon College faculty in arranging testing and room accommodations to take exams based on disability provisions and documentation.

Zeman also manages technology that assists students with reading and writing challenges and assists students with physical or mobility disabilities to receive

left Myra Gilreath, assistant director of Student Support Services, works with a team of peer contacts, including, from left, Katie Gramit ’22 of West Chicago, Illinois; Logan Meyer ’23 of Rosendale, Wisconsin; and Kara Vande Brink ’23 of Dalton, Wisconsin. below Lisa Zeman, associate director of Student Support Services, helps Bryson Lyons ’25, center, of Monroe, Wisconsin, and Aaron Winkel ’24 of Kiel, Wisconsin, with a banking app that allows them to deposit their checks, manage their money and track their investments. bottom Dan Krhin, director of Student Support Services, discusses graduate school options with senior Lupita Aviles of Wichita Falls, Texas.

accommodations. Currently, more than 40 academic titles are being offered to students in an accessible format. Last spring, Zeman arranged for 177 exam accommodations and in the fall 2021 semester she arranged for room accommodations for 200 exams before finals began.

SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE This year, SSS received supplemental funding of $15,000 that allows it to give out grants to students who actively use both SSS and Ripon’s tutoring services.

SSS provided a $5,000 match. The supplemental funding has been awarded to 17 students in $1,177 increments. The grants assist students with their college expenses and serve as a reward of sorts for being significantly involved in both services from SSS and college tutoring which is coordinated at the Franzen Center for Academic Success in Lane Library.

LOREN BOONE FORMER DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE RELATIONS

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HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE

Mary Hatlen, director of the Center for Career and Professional Development, left, helps Warren Januszkiewicz ’24 of Durban, South Africa, develop a career plan, including possible internship opportunities.

Internships give foothold into real-life working world Internships provide work experience that helps students put their education into practice. Internships also may enhance students’ leadership skills and give them a competitive advantage as they pursue a permanent position.

Mary Hatlen, director of the Center for Career and Professional Development, says internships also help students narrow and, ultimately, determine a career path. Hatlen assists students in internship exploration and connects students with employers. She also reaches out to specific employers on a student’s behalf. In on-campus “Employer Spotlights,” employers meet informally with students regarding internships and job and volunteer opportunities.

To best prepare students for internships, Ripon offers workshops for all students, Hatlen says. The workshops address questions such as what an internship is, how one is secured, their purpose and the expectations involved. Students also

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may set up a one-on-one appointment for individualized assistance.

Hatlen says the fit between a student’s interest and a company’s need “is a duality: what are the learning objectives the student is seeking?” These objectives can range from tactical, on-the-job skills to trying to determine if this is the right career fit for that students.

For the employer, Hatlen says, the match entails providing an opportunity to mentor and coach a student intern and receiving assistance from the intern with a project.

Employers also get to work with young talent who they might want to retain for permanent employment.

While internships declined during the height of the pandemic, a large number of internships were completed during the summer of 2021. Many of those internships had been adjusted to being held remotely, which helped remove some of the barriers

to students successfully completing the onthe-job experiences. “Remote internships are a great way for students to explore opportunities that otherwise would not have been attainable,” Hatlen says.

The greatest value of internships, Hatlen says, is that students get to experience in “real life what a career entails — the good, the bad and the grind.” This allows a student to make an informed decision whether this type of job would be the right fit for them.

“There is no downside to an internship,” Hatlen says. Even if students didn’t particularly like their internship, “the students have always learned something about themselves, or a hard skill, after we discuss take-aways from the experience,” she adds.

LOREN BOONE FORMER DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE RELATIONS

Undergraduate research leads to new discoveries in chemistry Ground-breaking research resulted from a collaboration among 17 students, Professor of Chemistry Joe Scanlon and Associate Professor of Chemistry Patrick Willoughby over a period of several years.

An article based on the research was published in the summer of 2021 in the Journal of Organic Chemistry and can be viewed at ripon.edu/chemistry-research. It outlines the discovery of a new chemical reaction, the aryne-Abramov reaction. It also details how Scanlon, Willoughby and the 17 student researchers/authors used this process to prepare numerous molecules that had not previously existed; supercomputer calculations to understand how the reaction proceeds; and the first report of how solvents can be used to change the products formed in a reaction with benzyne intermediates, which is “fundamentally significant,” Willoughby says.

“The publication actually includes numerous discoveries. The first one was made by Amber Haugen ’18 in July 2017 when she and I were exploring new reactions of benzyne intermediates. One of the most recent discoveries was made when Brianna Bembenek ’22, Joe Scanlon and I were reviewing the theoretical data.

helpers — they were collaborators, offering numerous insights to advance the projects.”

He says that research is an extension of the classroom, and the high-impact benefits of undergraduate research are some of the most valuable for aspiring scientists. “Undergraduate research allows the participating students to perform laboratory procedures far more advanced than things we do in a typical teaching lab,” Willoughby says. “Furthermore, after they conduct the experiment, they get to study their new compounds using all of the analytical instruments. On the theoretical side, students were executing computations using supercomputers to gain fundamental insight into the chemical events happening inside the test tubes. Not only were student researchers handling the reagents, using the instrumentation and executing the computations, but students were designing experiments, making adjustments to protocols, and recording important details.

Undergraduate research is a great place to really get involved as a scientist,” he adds.

PARTICIPATING STUDENTS • Brianna M. Bembenek ’22 of Campbellsport, Wisconsin • Maya M. S. Petersen ’20 of Emerald, Wisconsin • Julia A. Lilly ’20 of Bloomington, Indiana • Amber L. Haugen ’18 of St. Cloud, Minnesota • Naomi J. Jiter ’19 of Kenosha, Wisconsin • Andrew J. Johnson ’20 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin • Ethan E. Ripp ’21 of Black Earth, Wisconsin • Shelby A. Winchell ’18 of Janesville, Wisconsin • Alisha N. Harvat ’21 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin • Caitlin McNulty ’21 of Neenah, Wisconsin • Sierra A. Thein ’22 of Oostburg, Wisconsin • Abbigail M. Grieger ’22 of Fargo, North Dakota • Brandon J. Lyle ’23 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin • Gabriella L. Mraz ’20 of Wind Lake, Wisconsin • Abigail M. Stitgen ’22 of Lodi, Wisconsin • Sam Foss ’20 of Third Lake, Illinois • Merranda L. Schmid ’18 of Ripon, Wisconsin, now an adjunct instructor of chemistry at Ripon.

“This was a major project that required more than three years to complete, so there was ample opportunity for student contributions,” Willoughby says. Funding was made possible by the American Chemical Society, National Science Foundation and Ripon College’s Oyster and Knop funds.

Student involvement in research projects benefits both the work that professors do and the education of the students involved, Willoughby says. “All research projects are designed with the intention that students will conduct the studies. The phrase ‘many hands make light work’ describes only a part of the benefits for having a large group of students involved. Students were more than

Associate Professor of Chemistry Patrick Willoughby, left, goes over data with Abbigail M. Grieger ’22 of Fargo, North Dakota; Ethan E. Ripp ’21 of Black Earth, Wisconsin; and Sierra A. Thein ’22 of Oostburg, Wisconsin.

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O U T S TA N D I N G A LU M N I

Zachary Chitwood ’06 learned research techniques at Ripon When Zachary Chitwood ’06 started as a freshman at Ripon College, he already had a firm interest in history and classics. He thought he might pursue a Ph.D. in one of those areas.

“While I have been interested in these fields most of my adult life, I really didn’t have an idea of how one did research before my time at Ripon,” he says. “To this day I am still extremely grateful to all the professors I had the pleasure of knowing, and in particular Professor Emeritus of Classical Studies Eddie Lowry and Professor of History Diane Mockridge, who nurtured my research interests.”

He spent the summers after his freshman and sophomore years doing collaborative research at Ripon. “Especially memorable was a summer at the Ripon Historical Society, which I spent conducting and transcribing interviews of local people who lived through the Second World War,” he says.

“My experience as an undergraduate researcher definitely helped me get into graduate school. But perhaps more than that, it gave me a grounding in how to frame important questions and set out a research agenda to answer those questions.”

Zachary Chitwood ’06 teaches in Mainz, Germany.

He received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history at Princeton University in 2012 and has since pursued a career as a university researcher and lecturer. He currently is a lecturer in Byzantine studies at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany, mainly teaching courses on Byzantine and medieval history.

He also directs a $1.66 million (in U.S. dollars) grant from the European Research Council on “Mount Athos in Medieval Eastern Mediterranean Society: Contextualizing the History of a Monastic Republic, ca. 850-1550” (mamems.uni-mainz.de/). “This is a project dedicated to examining the history of medieval Mount Athos, which is today a semi-autonomous monastic federation of some 2,300 monks in northern Greece,” he says.

In a project in September 2021, he helped organize a Medieval Greek paleography workshop in Mainz.

His extensive publications include Byzantine Legal Culture and the Roman Legal Tradition, 867-1056, published by Cambridge University Press.

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Research at Ripon led Katie Warczak ’16 on fulfilling career path Rich research experiences at Ripon College solidified the goal of graduate school for Katie Warczak ’16, now of State College, Pennsylvania.

Beyond the traditional research for class essays and assignments, she participated in a research-focused study abroad program at the Newberry Library in Chicago and at the Moore Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also completed an independent study during her senior year.

“Each research experience produced a project that I presented in a professional venue, primarily academic conferences,” Warczak says.

She says Ripon faculty were all extremely supportive of her efforts, especially Associate Professor of English Mary Unger and Associate Professor of History Sarah Frohardt-Lane.

Katie Warczak ’16 finds research work captivating.

“Having this research experience unquestionably helped me get into graduate school,” Warczak says, “and I have since used the skills I gained during these experiences and my time at Ripon College to write conference papers, draft articles and become involved with myriad research projects.” Among those projects are the Cambridge University Press’ Letters of Ernest Hemingway series, The Portable Anna Julia Cooper (Penguin, 2022), Black Women’s Organizing Archive, and the Anna Julia Cooper Digital Project, all of which are housed at The Pennsylvania State University.

As a Ph.D. candidate at The Pennsylvania State University, Warczak is teaching a course in humanities during the spring 2022 semester.

“My teaching usually involves less direct research, but I incorporate archival material where I can,” she says. “And, of course, my research skills are useful for writing my dissertation, Be(com)ing Human: The Intersections of Animality, Race, and Disability in Modernist Literature, which I will finish in 2022.”

She notes that her research has taken her all over the world, including international conferences in Paris and Cuba, “and I’ve seen much more of the United States than I ever thought I would,” she says. “We often think of research as something that involves isolating oneself in the archives or a lab, but I’ve seen so much of the world and made life-altering connections through shared research interests and a mutual love of archives.”

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Melissa Meierhofer ’11 continues pursuits cultivated at Ripon “As a first-generation, low-income student, I was not aware of or exposed to research before going to Ripon College,” says Melissa “Missy” Meierhofer ’11. “My main goal coming into college was to attend courses that I found interesting, and those courses tended to lean toward ecology, behavior and art. I was uncertain at the time as to the breadth of career paths available that fit my interests.”

That changed as she pursued her interests in animal behavior with a major in psychobiology. “I was encouraged by Memuna Khan, professor of biology, to apply for the McNair Scholar Program to support mentored research. With her guidance, I studied testosterone metabolites and begging behavior of eastern bluebird nestlings. Over the course of two summers, I monitored the Ripon nest box trail with the assistance of other undergraduates.

I collected bird fecal samples and recorded nestling begging behavior, learned how to analyze the data, and was afforded opportunities to present my findings in various venues.”

Later, she was a research specialist in the biological science division at the University of Chicago, earned a master’s degree in biology with an emphasis in animal behavior from Bucknell University and a Ph.D. from the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Texas A&M University.

Melissa Meierhofer ’11 examines a bat.

Currently, she is a postdoctoral researcher with the Finnish Museum of Natural History in Helsinki, Finland. “My research focuses on how climate and bat behavior affect the distribution and diversity of pathogens carried by bats in Europe. My duties include collecting and analyzing data, writing manuscripts and summarizing relevant findings for the community. I also mentor undergraduate and graduate students and assist with other collaborative research efforts.”

Her introduction to research as an undergraduate at Ripon immensely helped her career path, Meierhofer says. “I became aware of how extensive research is while learning about myself as a person and a researcher,” she says. “I went into my master’s program with more confidence because I had already been mentored on how to conduct research. This fueled my passion to continue research at the doctorate level. I do not know whether I would have pursued a master’s or a Ph.D. without the experience I had during my time at Ripon.”

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Ripon opportunities gave Christine Anhalt-Depies ’09 a leg up in her career When she first came to Ripon College, Christine Anhalt-Depies ’09, now of Oregon, Wisconsin, knew she was interested in research.

“Ripon provided me the opportunity to participate in research at several different stages and in different fields,” she says. “I do not think I would have been afforded this breadth of experiences elsewhere.”

At Ripon, she conducted research in both the biological and social sciences. For her senior thesis, under the direction of Professor of Biology Memuna Khan, she researched eastern bluebirds using a local network of nest boxes, helped design the study, completed fieldwork and published the research in a scientific journal.

She also completed a summer internship studying orca whale behavior under Professor Emeritus of Psychology Robert Otis and assisted Professor of Psychology Joe Hatcher in analyzing data he collected on the psychological concept of happiness.

“My research experiences at Ripon set me up for success in graduate school,” Anhalt-Depies says. “I was exposed to grant writing and study design. I learned how to work in the field and take detailed notes during data collection. Walking out of undergrad with a publication on my record was a huge leg up.

These experiences made me marketable to prospective graduate school advisors and helped me to be successful in carrying out my graduate school research on grey wolves.”

Christine Anhalt-Depies ’09 in Grand Teton National Park

Anhalt-Depies is a research scientist with the Office of Applied Science at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. She coordinates Snapshot Wisconsin, a statewide citizen science project for monitoring wildlife. “This project engages the public in maintaining camera traps, also known as trail cameras,” she says.

“These motion-triggered cameras capture images of wildlife as they pass by. When combined with information about where and when the photos were taken, this photo data becomes a powerful tool to understand wildlife abundance and distribution.

“The project is applied research, intended to support agency decisions, such as setting harvest quotas. On a given day, I can be found in front of a computer analyzing data, chatting with a volunteer or collaborating with a colleague on new applications for the data.”

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Research experience led to new career focus for Jordan Stiede ’17 Research experience at Ripon College changed the course of his career for Jordan Stiede ’17. He entered college wanting to become a pediatrician. “However, while completing my first course in psychology, a new interest developed, and I chose a psychobiology major,” he says. “My path was uncertain until I began to learn about psychology research in Professor of Psychology Joe Hatcher’s and Associate Professor of Psychology Kristine Kovack-Lesh’s psychology courses.”

In two of his psychology courses, he was able to create his own studies. This prepared him for a cross-cultural research project he completed with Kovack-Lesh as his advisor. He examined differences in nutritional habits, body image and body mass index among high school students from the American School of Marrakesh in Morocco and Pulaski High School in Wisconsin. “I evaluated the data to determine cultural differences and reported the findings in a research paper,” he says.

His research work at Ripon introduced him to research methods, statistics and recruitment of participants, skills that continue to be beneficial for him. He obtained a research assistantship in a psychology lab at Johns Hopkins University during the summer prior to his senior year which led him to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

Jordan Stiede ’17, center, works in his lab with other graduate students.

Now a graduate student at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Stiede works in the Behavior Therapy and Research Lab of Douglas Woods, professor of psychology, vice provost for graduate and professional studies and dean of the gratuate school. His current research focuses on understanding, improving and disseminating behavioral interventions for children and adults with Tourette’s syndrome. He provides outpatient therapy to children and adults with Tourette’s syndrome and anxiety disorders.

He also is a practicum student at Rogers Memorial Hospital’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Center at Cedar Ridge where he is on a multidisciplinary team providing treatment to adults with severe OCD and anxiety disorders.

“Ultimately, I aspire to work in an academic medical center or psychiatric hospital as a clinical child psychologist specializing in the treatment and research of tic, anxiety and OCD-spectrum disorders,” Stiede says.

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Skills learned at Ripon have carried Olivia Heck ’19 through graduate school Research was not on her radar when Olivia Heck ’19 first came to Ripon, but when exposed to it through courses in her psychology major, she developed research skills and knowledge.

As a McNair Scholar, she worked with Associate Professor of Psychology Kristine Kovack-Lesh on research regarding race and perceptions of emotions and in Kovack-Lesh’s Infant Cognition Lab. As a fellow of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest Graduate School Exploration Fellowship, she conducted summer research at Rutgers University.

“My research experience at Ripon gave me many opportunities and experiences that made me a competitive applicant when

applying to graduate programs,” Heck says. “I applied to school psychology Ph.D. programs and all the faculty I interviewed with asked questions regarding my research experience.

“I was able to speak about my various research experiences at Ripon, indicating I had the potential to conduct more sophisticated research at the graduate level. Having foundational research skills has allowed me to continue to develop my research skills in graduate school, specifically with presentations, data analysis and writing publications.”

Heck is now a third-year Ph.D. student in the school psychology program at Indiana University-Bloomington. She is a graduate assistant helping to conduct school-based

mental health research and school-based mental health and social-emotional interventions to students. The work is funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant.

She also is doing a clinical practicum at Easterseals Crossroads in Indianapolis conducting neuropsychological evaluations with children with various medical and mental health conditions. She is continuing her work as a graduate student, preparing for comprehensive exams and her dissertation.

Ally Wilber ’17 takes training nurtured at Ripon into the Wisconsin art scene A variety of hands-on experiences as a student at Ripon College have led Ally Wilber ’17 to her current role in the arts world of Wisconsin.

She is the curator of public programs at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend. She is responsible for adult programming for the museum as well as taking the lead on some of the museum’s larger events. She also manages the museum gift shop and works with the curatorial team on exhibitions.

She is the executive director of the Wisconsin Visual Artists, a 121-year-old artist nonprofit organization that focuses on supporting, educating and advocating

for artists. Her own personal artwork is displayed at allywilber.com.

“I studied studio art and English at Ripon College,” Wilber says. “I worked as an art departmental assistant installing exhibitions and preparing exhibition openings for the Caestecker Gallery, as well as matting and framing artwork behind the scenes. I was also given the opportunity to co-manage an event and exhibition venue in downtown Ripon for two years, where a fellow student and I curated and scheduled exhibitions.”

She says the practical opportunities she was offered while at Ripon have contributed to the positions she now holds.

Ally Wilber ’17 and her pet snake, Una

“I continued working in gallery spaces during summer internships as well as after graduation,” Wilber says, “and that experience in exhibition planning, installation and artist collaboration is what led to my current position at the Museum of Wisconsin Art. The connections that I made to Wisconsin artists while a student at Ripon have proved incredibly valuable in my professional career.”

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ME MORIES

of President Zach Messitte

President Zach Messitte left Ripon College at the end of the fall semester to return to his hometown of Washington, D.C. During his nine-year tenure, major achievements included:

• Imagine Tomorrow campaign raised $67 million, the most successful fundraising campaign in the College’s history.

• Endowment nearly doubled, now valued at an all-time high of $116 million.

• Willmore Center athletics, health and wellness facility renovated/constructed.

• Renovations and upgrades to nearly every building on campus — including the Franzen Center for Academic Success in Lane Library.

• Catalyst curriculum debuted in fall 2016.

• Growth in diversity and inclusion in faculty, staff and near doubling in the student body.

• Center for Politics and the People initiated in 2013.

• Career Discovery Tour, connecting students and alumni across the county, and Liberal Arts in Focus, short overseas study with faculty. He led multiple student groups to Italy.

• Taught courses in international relations, media and Italian.

• Co-edited two books, co-wrote one book and published numerous articles in state and national media.

But he also touched lives — from the classroom, to campus and community events, to personal visits with alumni around the country. Here, Ripon College alumni and staff share some of their special moments with our 13th president.

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I was fortunate to be the president of the Alumni Board of Directors when Zach was inaugurated in 2012. His first boss, George Tenet, former director of the CIA, was in attendance and processed to the stage with a small group of us. As we neared the front of the stage, someone’s cell phone started ringing. In such a serious moment, full of pomp and circumstance, we all shared a look of “Really???” With a serious and deadpan demeanor, Mr. Tenet broke the stress of the moment by saying something along the lines of, “Back in the day, I would have had to take that call,” as he silenced the ringtone.

Given the weight of his past work, we all shared a chuckle and continued on with the procession. I can only imagine what kind of calls a guy like that would have gotten in his past life.

Nick Spaeth ’04 Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

I have to say that over my four years, the best thing to see would be his baby blue moped that he drove around. If the moped was parked, you knew he was there! Not to mention him carrying around his matching helmet!

Alaura Lemieux ’20 Luck, Wisconsin

Favorite memory is when he and Shawn (Karsten ’09, vice president for Advancement, and Marketing and Communications) would visit us in Florida.

Chuck Van Zoeren ’53 Kalamazoo, Michigan George Tenet, foreground, and Zach Messitte at Messitte’s inauguration.

I’m a 2005 graduate of Ripon College, so before President Messitte arrived in Ripon. In 2013, I was elected mayor of Columbus, Wisconsin. The very next day after the election, President Messitte sent me an email congratulating me on my election. I thought it was a very nice gesture but also shows the importance of the College maintaining connections to alumni.

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In 2015, Messitte attends a student’s class after swapping daily schedules with William Penterman ’18 in President for the Day.

Emma Bronson ’17 rides the mechanical bull.

I graduated in 2017 and this was during my junior year.

I was the president of Greek Council and we were running a fundraiser event. We had rented a mechanical bull that was out on Memorial Lawn and everyone was paying money to take chances of riding this mechanical bull; all the proceeds were being donated. It also happened to be the same day that the Trustees and Messitte were breaking ground on Willmore Center. Messitte pulls up in a full suit of clothes on his moped and I pleaded and convinced him to jump on the mechanical bull for everyone to see. He did agree, but he needs to work on his bull-riding skills for the future!

I don’t think Zach was appropriately ready for his first Wisconsin winter. I remember seeing him trying to negotiate the steps of Smith Hall, I believe, in an early bout of snow, in some of the fine Italian shoes that he is so fond of wearing. It prompted me to contact my friends at Russell Moccasins in Berlin to get him and his wife a couple of pairs of something more suitable for Wisconsin winters.

Peter W. Tuz ’76 Charlottesville, Virginia Ripon College Board of Trustees

Emma Bronson ’17 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

President’s Ice Cream Social in August 2012.

Zach Messitte and guests previewed the site where Willmore Center will be built.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Zach in a variety of contexts. I was in the room when he had to make some of his most difficult decisions as president and also when he got to share exciting news related to big projects like funding for Willmore Center. But my favorite memories of Zach are not of those momentous times, but rather of the little moments, like the time he told me about his adventure riding the fan bus when he was studying an Italian basketball team.

His face beamed while he shared that story. I recognized the look on his face: it’s the same joy he wears when he zips around town on his little blue scooter. Whether on a bus, a scooter or anything in between, ride safely and happily through your next journey, my friend!

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Mitra Fadai Kermani ’20 and Adam Wronski ’20 were the recipients of the Alumni Association Senior Award

Class of 2020 celebrates long-overdue Commencement

A

It was a long time coming. A few dozen members of the Class of 2020 came back together Sunday, Aug. 8, for an eagerly anticipated and long-overdue celebration of their graduation from Ripon College.

Their original Commencement ceremony was cancelled in May 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rainy conditions necessitated moving the ceremony into the intimate setting of Great Hall, but the usual joy and pride abounded among graduates, families, faculty and staff.

Of the 136 members of the Class of 2020, 38 walked the stage.

The overriding message of the speakers was one of resiliency and the added skills of adaptability these graduates gained because of the challenges the pandemic forced on them in their final weeks as Ripon College students. Some highlights: • Tom Abendroth ’81, chairman of the Ripon College Board of Trustees: “We are here today to celebrate you. … You pivoted to a whole new way of operating, adapting and learning new skills, applying yourselves in new ways. This won’t be the last time (you will use these 24

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skills in your life.) I’m confident you’ll do it well.”

• Kimberly M. Larson ’08, president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors: She welcomed the graduates to the roster of nearly 12,000 Ripon alumni worldwide. “The Class of 2020 has endured. Even though your path may have been unexpected, your Ripon College experiences have carried you all through.”

• Adam Wronski ’20, class agent: He quoted from the wonderfully poetic speech of Haley M. Stowell ’20, elected as the Class Speaker for the original ceremony. Related to that ceremony’s theme of “Wisconsin Music: Riffs from the Heartland,” Stowell wrote: “We all have our own Ripon song only we can hear.” Wronski added, “Despite all the unknowns, we persevered and maintained a sense of community. Our Ripon songs (are) written. It is now our task to play them for the world.”

• Kent E. Timm ’81, Commencement speaker and 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient: “We are reminded how much Ripon has done for us over the

decades. … You’re a very, very special class. You’ve not only endured, but a lot of you have thrived. Because of that (pandemic) experience, you are so much better prepared. Where you can go is virtually limitless.“Your experience is unprecedented. You don’t know where you’re going to go, but you’re very well prepared. Ripon College is responsible for giving me the foundation that has led me to all my experiences. The College will be here for you as long as it exists.

You’re in a position to thrive, wherever you go and whatever challenges and opportunities you face.”

• President Zach Messitte: “Live in the moment, in the present. (Focus on) the joy of this day of being together in a group. … Treat people with respect today and every day. Most individuals are doing their best to do what is right. To make people happy is one of the greatest things you’ll ever do. There is much to be happy about today.”

You can watch the 2020 Commencement ceremony in its entirety at ripon.edu/2020-ceremony.

Kent Timm ’81, a recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award, addresses the Class of 2020.

Professor of Biology Mark Kainz and Alaura Lemieux ’20

President Zach Messitte celebrates with Miye Aoki-Kramer ’20.

Masoud Kermani ’83 of Louisville, Colorado, is the proud father of Mitra Fadai Kermani ’20

Director of Teacher Education Jean Rigden and Jessica Reyes ’20

Members of the band were David Dunning, left, Professor Emeritus of Music Kurt Dietrich, Adjunct Professor of Music Jessica Jensen and Jazz Band director Paul Dietrich.

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Student artwork adds to atmosphere of interfaith chapel

From left: Sophia Mercil ’23 of Roseville, Minnesota; Andy Ratayczak ’23 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin; Amanda Barlow ’23 of Appleton, Wisconsin; and Brandon Lyle ’23 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, are among the students who contributed to the collages.

Contemplative artwork by Ripon College students enhances an interfaith chapel at First Congregational Church in Ripon that provides “a quiet space for contemplation, meditation and prayer.”

Gannon agreed that the service-learning project would work for students in their Catalyst 220 class, “Poetry and Paper: Collage and the Written Word.”

The church is located just behind East and Smith halls. The mission statement for the chapel reads: “Recognizing that the diversity of the campus community is an asset to the larger Ripon community, the First Congregational Church of Ripon seeks to support students, faculty and staff of diverse faith traditions by providing a safe space for individuals and groups to engage in their faith practices.”

As collaborative groups, the students made combinations of poetry and collage around keywords such as Justice, Nostalgia, Resilience and Strength.

Professor Emeritus of Educational Studies Jeanne Williams, who also works with the church and is a member there, sought to get students involved with this project. “As an open and affirming church community, we value diversity and want to provide a safe and comfortable space for students when they need quiet time or want to engage in prayer or meditation,” she says. “Small groups are also welcome to use the space.”

She reached out to the Ripon College art department to see if they could help engage students in producing art for the space. Professor of Art Rafael Francisco Salas and Associate Professor of English Megan 26

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The updated chapel space was funded with grants from the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ and a Ripon College President’s Grant. They also worked with the Center for Diversity and Inclusion to support students served by the center and to increase use of the space.

The update took about three months to complete, and the chapel is open daily during the academic year.

ZOE HAZEL ‘22 FRIENDSHIP, WISCONSIN

PARTICIPATING STUDENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Michael Babjak ’23 of Essex, Illinois Amanda Barlow ’23 of Appleton, Wisconsin Bennet Beemer ’23 of Westminster, Colorado Ty Bennett ’24 of Indianola, Nebraska Dylan Bills ’23 of Nekoosa, Wisconsin Esteban Borja Pena ’23 of Imperial, Missouri Cameron Bott ’23 of Madison, Wisconsin Jordan Bukouricz ’23 of New Franken, Wisconsin Rufus Burks ’23 of Chicago, Illinois Parker Campana ’23 of Madison, Wisconsin Alondra Castillo ’23 of Northlake, Illinois Kooper Claney ’23 of Casper, Wyoming Kyle Dippel ’22 of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin Lydia Ellis ’23 of Dorr, Michigan Grace Engebretson ’23 of Stevens Point, Wisconsin Kiana Fall ’23 of Clayton, Wisconsin Bridget Finn ’23 of Hales Corners, Wisconsin Benjamin Fisher ’23 of Waupun, Wisconsin Kaelyn Flairty ’23 of Hartford, Wisconsin Mikayla Flyte ’23 of Coloma, Wisconsin Sam Forstner ’23 of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin Lydia Fredrick ’23 of New Berlin, Wisconsin Abigail Gilbertson ’23 of Marquette, Wisconsin Samantha Giliberto ’23 of Rochester, Minnesota Alexander Hendrickson ’23 of Wautoma, Wisconsin Emily Jacobchak ’23 of Lyndon Station, Wisconsin Bonnie Jensen ’23 of Waterford, Wisconsin Deana Johnson ’23 of Adams, Wisconsin Jacob Jumbeck ’23 of Galesville, Wisconsin Haley Kramer ’23 of Bancroft, Wisconsin Alison Leslie ’23 of Clayton, Wisconsin Brandon Lyle ’23 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin Sophia Mercil ’23 of Roseville, Minnesota Natalie Pakosz ’23 of Frankfort, Illinois Jalen Peters ’23 of Brandon, Wisconsin Andy Ratayczak ’23 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin Haley Rewa ’23 of Wayland, Michigan Emma Sagartz ’23 of Chicago, Illinois Charles Schultz ’23 of Kewaunee, Wisconsin Emma Spalding ’23 of Waterford, Wisconsin Lauren Stae ’23 of Greenville, Wisconsin Brock Turkington ’23 of Baraboo, Wisconsin Kara Vande Brink ’23 of Dalton, Wisconsin Nathaniel Wosmek ’23 of Emily, Minnesota Kylie Zenz ’23 of Fitchburg, Wisconsin

Examples of students’ thought-provoking artwork

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Entrepreneur’s legacy lives on at Ripon College

Professor of Biology Mark Kainz and students Szasha Evanoff ’21 of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, left, and Natalie Pakosz ’23 of Frankfort, Illinois, examine a petri plate with bacterial colonies to determine the number of bacteria in a sample.

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A significant donation of laboratory assets from Luxerin Laboratories LLC in Fond du Lac is benefiting students in Ripon College’s departments of biology, chemistry and physics, as well as Ripon High School.

The massive donation includes equipment, chemicals, glassware, textbooks and supplies valued at just over $54,000.

Luxerin Laboratories launched in 1967 as a family business to fill microbiological testing needs. After the death of founder Patrick Sheridan in November 2020, the business ceased daily operations. “For 53 years, my father took pride in serving customers across Wisconsin and the greater Upper Midwest and always found opportunities to teach and learn the latest in biology and microbiology,” Sheridan’s son, William Sheridan, says.

As the family was working to close the firm’s operations and reconcile the collections, they sought to make a donation that would benefit others.

Joanne Sheridan, Patrick Sheridan’s widow, is “very thankful that the donations you have received from Luxerin Laboratories LLC will be used to help your students learn on their journeys of life in their chosen careers. What could be better than that? My husband’s legacy continues to live on in their lives.”

When Professor of Biology Mark Kainz and Associate Professor of Chemistry Patrick Willoughby visited the Fond du Lac facility to access the assets, they “were overwhelmed at what was available,” Kainz says. “Looking in the lab rooms gave us an idea that the donation could be huge and really help us out. Once we entered the lab rooms and started looking into cupboards and drawers, the magnitude of the donation grew with each door or drawer we opened.”

Several staff members of facilities and grounds, faculty members from Farr Hall of Science and many summer research students supplied vehicles and assistance to transport items from the Luxerin lab to Farr in July.

Kainz says enhancements include:

• Upgrades to benches in the chemistry labs.

• A substantial addition to Ripon’s microbiological culture media that will allow expansion of lab exercises in microbiology to include food microbiology and clinical microbiology.

• Replenished stocks of laboratory glassware — beakers, flasks, reagent bottles, etc.

• A significant supply of disposable lab items that otherwise would have had to be purchased.

• Upgraded pH meters with research-grade instruments.

The donation also will make the microbiology labs more efficient as the added equipment will allow less waiting time for students using equipment and instruments.

• Upgrades to Associate Professor of Biology Barbara Sisson’s zebrafish facility.

• Added refrigerator space in the biology and chemistry departments.

• Added incubator space in biology and chemistry.

• A water purification system that will be useful for the quantitative analysis labs as well as general use in Farr.

Patrick Sheridan

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Mary Hatlen, right, director of the Center for Career and Professional Development, assists Kaelyn Flairty ’23 of Hartland, Wisconsin, as she looks for professional apparel inside Rally’s Career Closet.

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Kaelyn Flairty ’23 of Hartland, Wisconsin, checks a mirror inside Rally’s Career Closet to review a blazer.

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emoving potential barriers and providing opportunities for students to present themselves as confident, aspiring professionals is the focus of the newly created Rally’s Career Closet.

Mary Hatlen, director of the Center for Career and Professional Development, says Rally’s Career Closet is a collection of clothing students can borrow from for interviews, formal presentations and professional events. “We know for some students it may be cost-prohibitive to purchase a professional suit. Rally’s Career Closet removes these potential barriers,” Hatlen says. “We want to ensure our students have the resources they need to present themselves as a confident professional.”

Hatlen and facilities and grounds staff transformed a former storage room adjacent to the Career and Professional Development Center in Pickard Commons

into a showroom of clothing, a dressing room and a small storage area. It’s now a bright, welcoming “boutique” professional clothing closet for Ripon students.

The selection of modern and clean business suit sets and business suit separates initially was assembled by seeking contributions. Rally’s Career Closet got a jump start from a previous effort on campus from which Hatlen was able to pull some professional clothing. “We inspect all donated items to ensure each item is modern, clean and appropriate,” Hatlen says. Unused items are donated to a local charitable organization. Accessories aren’t accepted because of space.

“Students are thrilled that we offer this service,” Hatlen says. Traffic has increased as word gets out on social media. Students have borrowed or adopted clothing for formal presentations, summer internships

and job hunting for graduating seniors.

Hatlen anticipates increased foot traffic during the spring semester, when more students have the need to present themselves professionally for occasions such as job hunting and interviews.

In its first few months, Rally’s Career Closet has earned some good reviews. “We have had students stop in who are in a bit of a panic due to last-minute interviews or upcoming formal presentations but who don’t have appropriate professional wear with them at college, or the financial means to purchase,” Hatlen says. “I’m happy we were able to accommodate the students who left feeling confident in their chosen attire and presenting themselves as an aspiring professional.”

LOREN BOONE FORMER DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE RELATIONS

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“Send in the Clowns,” by Claudette Lee-Roseland ’60

Art donations enhance Ripon College’s collection

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Portrait of Ripon College founder Jehdeiah Bowen

“Send in the Clowns,” an abstract painting by Claudette Lee-Roseland. ’60 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, came to Ripon in her memory from her husband, Dean Roseland.

Lee-Roseland died Oct. 3, 2021. At Ripon, she studied philosophy and psychology and participated in student government and Alpha Phi/Kappa Sigma Chi. She received a master’s degree in special education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. After a career as a teacher, she became a professional artist and exhibited around the state.

Her work is displayed on her website, claudetteleeroseland.com.

An 1883 oil on canvas portrait of Ripon College founder Jehdeiah Bowen was donated to the College

by Erika Doss ’78 and Geoffrey Thrumston ’78 of South Bend, Indiana. The portrait now hangs in the Ripon College Museum in West Hall.

Thrumston says of Bowen, “He is my great-greatgrandfather. At some point, every person in my family line had something to do with Ripon College, ever since 1851.” After his father, Richard Thrumston ’47 died in 2020, “the picture came to me.” Thrumston says. “Since Ripon College is important to me and important to my father, the obvious place for it to go was to Ripon College.”

Bowen was born in Wales and moved to the United States in 1830.

He was one of the earliest settlers of Fond du Lac County and instrumental in founding Ripon College and the Republican Party.

He served on the College Board of Trustees from 1851-1882.

His home was on the western edge of what is now called Bowen’s Woods, where Scott Hall is now located. The land was owned by Bowen until 1880 and given to Ripon College in 1929.

The portrait’s artist, Mark R. Harrison, immigrated to the United States from England in 1822. He lived in Fond du Lac, near Ripon College.

Alan Leonard ’86 and his wife, Brenda, of Cape May, New Jersey, donated a 19th-century héliogravure print. The print is made after Rembrandt van Rijn’s “Presentation in the Temple in the Dark Manner,” c.1654. It now hangs in the resource center of C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts.

This is made from a plate of Rembrandt’s work, which Leonard believes was an original from Rembrandt’s studio. Héliogravure is the oldest procedure for reproducing photographic images and is considered an artistic medium in its own right.

Héliogravure print after Rembrandt van Rijn’s “Presentation in the Temple in the Dark Manner”

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SPORTS Defensive lineman Desmond Murphy ’24 was a key player in the football team’s 2021 season.

Far from home, Desmond Murphy ’24 finds roadmap toward his future Sophomore defensive lineman Desmond Murphy, a first-generation student from Bryan, Texas, was a key player in the Ripon College football team’s hot start to the 2021 season.

The team began the season with a 5-0 record, the first time in 11 years that a Ripon team achieved that. The Ripon defense

contributed to that accomplishment, holding opponents to 14 or fewer points in four of their first five games.

For Murphy, being a part of that is significant. He helped the Red Hawks to a 6-3 record and a fourth-place finish in the Midwest Conference, finishing his season with 20 tackles, including five for a loss.

This is tied for fourth on the team, and he also registered his first career sack and forced a fumble.

“Although we didn’t win the conference this season, I was able to form a stronger bond with my teammates,” Murphy says. “Being a part of this defense has been a blast because we all trust each other to make plays, and we pride ourselves in being faster and more physical than opposing offenses.”

Murphy is an exercise science major with an emphasis in human performance. Most

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first-generation college students have a unique college experience, and Murphy’s has been no different, with some trials and tribulations along the way.

“Being a first-generation college student means a lot to me because I have the opportunity to receive a degree and further my education,” Murphy said. “It also means there may be more adversity that I have to face, but with the help of God, family and friends, I continue to strive for success.”

His college experience has been anything but normal, he says, “but that’s what makes it special. I was unable to have a full football season as a freshman because of COVID-19, but throughout our three-game schedule in the spring of 2020, I was a starter on the team, which was an exciting feeling to know that all the hard work I put in throughout the years was paying off.”

“Being a first-generation

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

college student means a lot to me because I have the opportunity to receive a degree and further my education. ... It also means there may be more adversity that I have to face, but with the help of God, family and friends, I continue to strive for success.”

Also making Murphy’s college journey unique is the fact that he hails from a town in Texas between Houston and Dallas, nearly 1,300 miles south of Ripon. “One of the reasons I decided to attend Ripon College was that it allowed me to not only further my academics, but also continue playing the sport I love,” Murphy said. “Never in a million years would I have thought that I’d be attending college in Wisconsin because of how cold it gets during the winter. But being here has allowed me to interact with students from all over the world.”

Although he is just a sophomore, Murphy already has an idea of his future roadmap. “After college, my plan is to enter graduate school and further my career as a performance specialist,” Murphy says. “Being involved in that profession is important to me because I will have the opportunity to work with different athletes while improving their speed, strength, balance and coordination.”

MIKE WESTEMEIER DIRECTOR OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

HONORS Payton Rahn ’22 of Omro, Wisconsin (track and field), and Cormac Madigan ’22 of Rosendale, Wisconsin (football), earned the prestigious Peterson and Le Clere awards, respectively, given annually by the Midwest Conference (MWC) to the female and male student-athlete who posted the highest grade-point average during their junior year.

CROSS COUNTRY At the 2021 MWC Championships, hosted by Tuscumbia Golf Course in Green Lake, the Red Hawks earned a school record seven All-Conference performances. The women’s team ran to a third-place finish, their best finish at the event in 15 years. Earning AllConference honors were Makaila Weddle ’22 of Green Bay, Wisconsin; Natalie Pakosz ’23 of Frankfort, Illinois; Mikayla Flyte ’23 of Coloma, Wisconsin; and Grace Engebretson ’23 of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. David Potter ’22 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, led the men’s team, finishing second among all individuals. Also delivering All-Conference performances were Sam Forstner ’23 of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, and Niko Martinez-Ortiz ’25 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

FOOTBALL Freshman running back Connor Ramage of Green Bay, Wisconsin, was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week after Ripon’s 2021 season opener, which saw him rush for 226 yards and tie a school record with six rushing touchdowns.

Earning All-Conference honors: Mason Lesley ’22 of Grant, Michigan, and Zach Bunders ’23 of Almond, Wisconsin, First Team; and Cormac Madigan ’22; Garrett Doederlein ’22 of Monroe, Michigan; Dylon Ross ’22 of Moline, Illinois; Brad Guell ’22 of Tomah, Wisconsin; Tyler Bair ’22 of Mequon, Wisconsin; and Erik Flores ’24 of Yuma, Arizona, Second Team.

MEN’S SOCCER Eli Dietzel ’24 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, earned Second Team All-Conference honors, the first from Ripon to earn all-conference honors in eight years, leading Ripon to their highest win total in six years. Dietzel finished the season with team highs of six goals, four assists and 16 points.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The 1,000th game in program history was celebrated Nov. 17, 2021. The team wore “Team JJ” teal jerseys, custom-made to honor Hall of Fame Coach Julie Johnson, who died in 2019. Also honored were Hall of Fame Coach Elaine Coll, founder of Ripon’s modern-day athletics programs; Coll’s husband, Gary Coll, who operated the women’s basketball game clock for more than 35 years; longtime scorekeeper Joan deRuyter; and Pat Gonyo, Johnson’s longtime assistant. Several former players attended.

WOMEN’S TENNIS and WOMEN’S SOCCER received MWC’s annual Sportsmanship Award, given to programs identified by league coaches for upholding ideals of sportsmanship.

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AROUND THE CLOCKTOWER 1

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1. Andrea Young appointed Ripon’s interim president

A photo album of the weekend can be viewed at ripon.edu/aw-2021.

5. Lezlie Bishop ’66 recalls college trip to Mississippi

Andrea Young is serving as the interim president of the College, the first woman to lead Ripon College in its 170-year history.

She replaces Zach Messitte, who stepped down as Ripon’s 13th president at the end of the fall semester.

Alumni Weekend 2022 is scheduled to be held June 23-26.

Lezlie Bishop ’66 and her son, actor Stephen Bishop, were interviewed for the article “Jim Crow to Now, Traveling as a Person of Color: Actor Stephen Bishop and His Mom Tell It Like It Is,” published June 17, 2021, in Forbes. It can be viewed at ripon.edu/bishop.

Young had been serving as Ripon’s vice president for finance and director of strategic initiatives, overseeing the business, financial and information technology functions of the College. She is the primary administrative liaison to the Board of Trustees on matters related to finance, investment, construction contracts and approval, risk management and audit. In addition, she is spearheading Ripon’s exploration of a partnership with Marian University in Fond du Lac. Young came to Ripon in 2011 to teach mathematics.

A national search for Ripon’s 14th president is underway.

2. Alumni Weekend celebrated on campus once again Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus Aug. 6-8 for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend. Attendees represented classes from 1961 through 2023 and celebrated class reunions from the cancelled 2020 Alumni Weekend and the delayed 2021 Alumni Weekend because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both 2020 and 2021 Reunion Classes celebrated together on campus including the Golden R and 50th Classes with members from 1961, 1965, 1966, 1970 and 1971. Award recipients from 2020 and 2021 were honored.

A few traditional events were held, including: a Walk on the Prairie with Professor Emeritus of Biology Skip Wittler, Rally Run, a virtual “That Was Then” storytelling discussion, faculty lectures, and presentations of the 2021 Reunion Class gifts.

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Photo: Randal Scroggins ’17 of Chicago, Illinois, and Cris Magana ’19 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, connect at Alumni Weekend.

3. Brown, Outagamie counties added to Local Commitment Ripon College has expanded its Local Commitment Award outreach to two additional counties in Wisconsin — Outagamie County and Brown County.

The award was founded two years ago, offering financial assistance of up to $34,000 per year to students who graduated from high school in the four counties immediately surrounding the campus. The number of students from those counties who have been admitted to Ripon has been increasing. “We attribute much of that to this strategy to make a private education affordable to students in our own backyard,” said Jennifer Machacek, vice president for enrollment.

4. Downtown business features off-line College merchandise Ripon Drug/Ben Franklin is now the official provider of offline Ripon College merchandise. The business at 328 Watson St. provides more consistent staffing and hours than were available at the College’s brick-and-mortar store. Because of the business’ close proximity to campus, many students, faculty, staff and alumni already are patrons.

Online merchandise remains available at ripon.edu/ merchandise.

Lezlie recounts a trip to Jackson, Mississippi. “In 1964, I joined a group of five students from Ripon College in Wisconsin on an educational exchange program in Mississippi. I was the only black student, and the only female. We were followed by state police constantly once we passed Illinois.

“We were walking down the street in Jackson and my redhaired boyfriend had his hand, protectively, on the small of my back. Suddenly a policeman appeared, enraged: ‘We don’t do things like that down here! You take your hands off that girl!’”

Lezlie Bishop is a retired teacher and public relations professional.

Photo: Lezlie Bishop ’66 and her son, Stephen Bishop

6. Ty Sabin ’17 plays for TBT’s We Are D3 Team Former Ripon College men’s basketball player Ty Sabin ’17, fresh off leading Iceland’s top professional league in scoring with 25.5 points per game, was selected to play for the We Are D3 team in The Basketball Tournament (TBT). An annual event televised by ESPN each summer, this was Sabin’s second appearance with the tournament. The team comprised players who competed at the NCAA Division-III level during college.

Ripon’s all-time leading scorer, ranking second in Midwest Conference history with 2,559 career points, Sabin was a four-time All-Conference and three-time All-American for

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the Red Hawks. The only three-time Men’s Basketball Player of the Year in MWC history, Sabin’s career scoring average of 26.1 ppg was the highest of any active player in the NCAA, across all three divisions, during his storied career.

Sabin led his Icelandic team, KR Reykjavik, to a 12-10 record and a fifth-place finish in the Dominos League, en route to Second Team All-League honors. Most recently, Sabin signed with Cestistica Citta di San Severo in Italy, where he is averaging 19.2 points per game, while making nearly four 3-pointers per contest.

7. Brian Bockelman publishes chapter in book on mapping A book with a chapter by Professor of History Brian Bockelman made “The Shortlist” of readings recommended by The New York Times on Dec. 3, 2021. Bockelman’s contribution to Mapping Nature Across the Americas (Chicago, 2021) is “Palms and Other Trees on Maps: Exoticism, Error, and Environment, from Old World to New.” Research for the project, supported in part by grants from Ripon College, took him to map libraries in Madison, Madrid, Chicago, Washington D.C., Paris, Amsterdam, New Haven and more.

8. Study: how educational experience impacts voting “Inquiry into the educational implications of voting practices of young adults in U.S. midterm elections,” a paper co-written by Matthew Knoester, associate professor of educational studies, has been published in The Journal of Social Studies Research.

“This study examines political attitudes and experiences of young adults in the United States, with particular focus on voting practices,” the abstract reads. “The study found many obstacles to voting, including logistical and educational barriers. Authors suggest how educators might better prepare

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future voters for the complex and competitive political environment in the U.S.”

11. Damm joins board of directors of Thrasher Opera House

Michael Burke ’22 of East Troy, Wisconsin, and Ryan Hanrahan ’19 of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, served as research assistants on this project.

Ric Damm, director of creative and social media, is serving on the board of directors of the Thrasher Opera House in Green Lake, Wisconsin. He was elected to a four-year term.

9. Rafael Francisco Salas published, gives guest lecture on his art

Damm also owns Ric Damm Photography. He has been photographing people and places in the Ripon area for more than 25 years. He donates his time and services to the local schools, has served on the board of directors of the Ripon Education Foundation and was the first coach of the Ripon College Red Hawks cycling team.

Professor of Art Rafael Francisco Salas has an essay in the newly published anthology Hope is the Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic. Contributors include Wisconsin Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly, former poet laureates Margaret Rozga and Kimberly Blaeser, and other lauded Wisconsin writers such as Jerry Apps.

Oct. 12, Salas gave a talk at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha as part of their celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month; and on Nov. 12 he participated on a Wisconsin Public Radio interview about Hope is the Thing.

10. Poem by Megan Gannon featured in art exhibition “Dispatch from the Domestic Interior,” a poem by Associate Professor of English Megan Gannon, was included in the art exhibition “Claiming Space: A New Century of Visionary Women” at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend. The exhibit ran July 24 through Oct. 3, 2021.

“Claiming Space” celebrated the museum’s 60th anniversary with work by 30 Wisconsin women artists.

Accompanying the works were brief expositions written by curators, gallerists, historians and poets.

Ally Wilber ’17 is the curator of public programs at the Museum of Wisconsin Art and had a role in planning and producing the exhibit.

The Thrasher board of directors promotes the arts and the power of live performance and preserves the historic theater to provide a venue for such as well as a community gathering place.

Damm began photographing concerts at the Thrasher in early 2019.

12. Andrew Prellwitz leading library-associated groups Andrew Prellwitz, associate librarian-user services and director of Lane Library, is president of the Ripon Public Library Board.

The board is launching a $1 million dollar campaign to renovate a wing of the library and provide outdoor public spaces.

Prellwitz also chairs the Wisconsin Library Association Literary Awards Committee which selects the best work of literature and poetry published during the previous year by Wisconsin-connected authors.

13. Seale Doss author of two new novels Professor Emeritus of Philosophy Seale Doss has two recent novels that are available on amazon.com. The character of Phillip Dee from Doss’ 2018 novel Blood on the Risers returns in both Hattie’s Pink House and A Game of Inches.

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In memoriam Correction for George C. Anastos ’76 As Mark Twain would say, the news of his death was greatly exaggerated. An obituary for George Charles Anastos ’76 ran in the summer issue of Ripon Magazine, but he is still with us! He called to tell us that he is very pleased to report that, no, he has not died and is alive and well.

The obituary that had been forwarded to Ripon College was for a different George Charles Anastos, whose wife has a very similar name to Ripon’s alumnus.

CAROLYN “CAROL” VLACK WOERTZ ’44 of Waukegan, Illinois, died Sept. 23, 2021. At Ripon, she studied sociology and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega/Alpha Gamma Theta. She left early to return to Waukegan to work at Abbott Laboratories during World War II. For many years, she worked for the family business, Glen Rock Beverages.

She also worked at Globe Department Store and as a medical assistant. She was involved in civic women’s organizations, volunteered at Victory Memorial Hospital and was active at First Presbyterian Church. She enjoyed playing cards and traveling. Survivors include two sons and one daughter.

MARJORIE ANNE FERRELL ’47 of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, died Nov. 15, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in English and speech communication and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega/Alpha Gamma Theta. She taught in the Ripon school system and the Oregon School for Girls of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. She later received a master’s degree in communication arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master of divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary. She taught school in Burlington, Belvidere and Park Ridge, Illinois; and served as a pastor in the United Church of Christ in Random Lake, Wisconsin, and as a hospital chaplain in Omaha, Nebraska, Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin. She enjoyed traveling, camping, playing cards and following Milwaukee Brewers baseball.

MINERVA L. MEYER DIEKVOSS BATT ’48 of Columbus, Wisconsin, died Sept. 6, 2020. She attended Ripon from 1944-1945 and later graduated from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. She worked at Barlow & Seelig Mfg. Co. in Ripon and served with her minister husband, the Rev. Samuel Batt, in five parishes in northern Illinois. She retired to Columbus and tutored seventh-grade girls in math.

She was active in the Columbus United Methodist Church and served as an officer in the Women’s Society of World Service in the Evangelical United Brethren Church and its successor United Methodist Women. She taught school and performed office work. Survivors include two daughters.

DORIS JOHNSON MATTAL FOLEY ’49 of Racine, Wisconsin, died June 26, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in educational studies. She earned a bachelor of arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a teaching degree from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She was a third-grade teacher at S.C. Johnson School for more than 20 years. She enjoyed

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summers at Wind Lake, Wisconsin, traveling, bowling, reading and the Green Bay Packers. She was a member of Living Faith Lutheran Church in Racine. Survivors include one son and two daughters.

BEVERLY LLOYD KAAP ’49 of Hendersonville, North Carolina, died Jan. 14, 2022. At Ripon, she studied psychology and participated in Alpha Phi/Kappa Sigma Chi. She lived in LaGrange, Georgia, from 1952 to 2003, and then in Arden, North Carolina. She was active in church activities in all communities where she lived. She also was active in Girl Scouting, was an original member of the Tabard Book Club, a former member of the Talisman Garden Club and the Highland Country Club, and a tutor with the LaGrange School System Learning Disability Program. She enjoyed crafting and performing as a member of a dance team and a singing group. Survivors include one daughter. Her husband, GILBERT T. KAAP ’50, died in 1989.

MARY KILB MICHEL ’49 of Escanaba, Michigan, died Dec. 5, 2020. She attended Ripon in 1946, attended Michigan State University and the University of Minnesota and graduated from Northern Michigan University with a teaching degree. She taught at Bark River School for 32 years. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Eagles #1088, Elks Auxiliary #354 and the Highland Golf Club.

She was a member of St. Joseph and St. Patrick Church. In retirement, she wintered in Arizona and enjoyed painting, golfing, traveling, sewing and hosting family and friends.

Survivors include four daughters.

SHIRLEY BEHRENS POINTER ’49 of Madison, Wisconsin, and Naples, Florida, died July 30, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in chemistry and participated in Ver Adest and Kappa Delta/Delta Phi Sigma. She worked as an intern at Madison General Hospital, where she became a certified medical technologist. She worked for the Quisling Clinic in Madison and then again at Madison General Hospital until her retirement. She moved to Naples, Florida, in 1986 and was active in the community there for 30 years. She enjoyed craft making and volunteering. She was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Survivors include three sons. Her husband, JACK D. POINTER ’51, died in 2015.

EUGENE D. WALLSCHLAEGER ’49 of Ripon, Wisconsin, died Dec. 1, 2021. At Ripon, he studied mathematics and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon/Delta Sigma Psi. He worked as an accountant for the Ripon school system. He enjoyed spending holidays and summers in northern Wisconsin, fishing, working puzzles, card games, fireworks and bingo.

He also liked big band music, reading and following the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks. He also was involved with the Lion’s Club for 60 years, Our Savior’s United Church of Christ and Russell Manor Board.

WILLIAM J. HENKE SR. ’50 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, died July 14, 2017. At Ripon, he studied history and French and participated in football, Phi Kappa Pi/Merriman and wrestling, also serving as a wrestling team coach. He also attended Marquette University Law School and Harvard School of Business. He was the director of advertising and merchandising for the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. for 26 years, then owned Henke & Associates in Cedarburg,

providing advertising, marketing and communication services.

Survivors include his wife, Connie Henke; one son and three daughters, including DREW HENKE MURPHY ’82.

ROBERT J. POTTER ’50 of Eagle River, Wisconsin, died Nov. 17, 2020. At Ripon, he majored in music and participated in Ver Adest and Phi Delta Theta/Alpha Phi Omega. He received a master’s degree in music education from Northwestern University. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a music teacher for 35 years, primarily at Brookfield East High School. He also enjoyed cooking. Survivors include one son and two daughters.

CORINNE MUELLER SPAULDING ’50 of Glenview, Illinois, died Aug. 2, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in psychology and participated in athletics. She later was a member of Partners in the Legacy. She did graduate work at Northeastern University and was a learning center teacher at Rugen and Westbrook Schools in Glenview for 24 years. She was a member of Glenview Community Church for 65 years, a member of the Women’s Association Board, Chapter IV, cradle/ toddler room supervisor for 15 years and chair of the Bridge Marathon. Survivors include two sons and one daughter.

Her husband, WILLIAM E. SPAULDING ’50, died in 2005.

LOIS IHLENFELDT BUTTKE ’51 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, died April 19, 2021. At Ripon, she participated in Alpha Delta Pi/Pi Tau Pi. She earned a degree in education from Central State Teachers College (University of WisconsinStevens Point). She taught kindergarten in Rothschild and at Allouez and Eisenhower schools in the Green Bay Public School District. She enjoyed golf, bridge and doing crossword puzzles. She sang in the choir of Faith Lutheran Church in Allouez for many years. She and her husband, Ron, traveled globally and wintered at their home in Arizona. Survivors include two sons and one daughter.

CHARLES E. FREDERICKSEN ’51 of Tustin, California, died June 6, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in economics and mathematics and participated in Ver Adest and Phi Kappa Pi/ Merriman. He earned degrees from MIT and Harvard Business School. He was the owner of Brandywine Investments Inc. Survivors include a son, JOHN D. FREDERICKSEN ’79.

ROBERT A. PIEHL ’51 of The Villages, Florida, and formerly Green Bay, Wisconsin, died June 24, 2021. At Ripon he participated in track for two years and Phi Delta Theta/ Alpha Phi Omega. He received a degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked for the family lumber business and then transitioned to a successful career as an independent insurance agent in Green Bay. He was a lifelong fan of the Green Bay Packers. He competed as an adult in softball leagues, handball and golf. Survivors include one son and one daughter.

JAMES F. COCHRANE ’52 of Plymouth, Minnesota, died Dec. 11, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in economics, lettered in basketball and participated in Ver Adest and Sigma Nu/Theta Sigma Tau. He strongly supported Ripon, both financially and in alumni activities. He had a 40-year career in management with Illinois Bell Telephone Co. and lived in Lake Bluff, Illinois, for nearly 50 years. He and his wife retired to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and then Plymouth, Minnesota, to be near family. Summers were spent at the family cottage on Gilbert Lake in Wild Rose, Wisconsin.

He was active at First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest, Illinois, including organizing and leading high school mission trips for 45 years. Survivors include three sons and one daughter; and a brother, DAVID COCHRANE ’54. His wife, JOANNE KLAWITER COCHRANE ’51, died in 2019.

MARION GOCKER HERBER ’52 of West Bend, Wisconsin, died Aug. 8, 2021. She attended Ripon, then went to business school at Prospect Hall in Milwaukee, where she became a secretary. She and her family spent summers at Silver Lake in West Bend from 1977-1986 and made Silver Lake their permanent home in 1986. She was a longtime member of St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church in West Bend. Survivors include two sons.

EVA MARGARET “MARGI” HOYT LARSEN ’52 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, died July 8, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in psychology and participated in Ver Adest and music. She sang in high school, at Ripon College, Bay View Lutheran Church and The Trouble Clefs, a women’s barbershop quartet. She worked at the Corner House Shops and Wigwam Nursery and retired from Sturgeon Bay High School as a library aide.

She was active in the community, including the Sturgeon Bay Women’s Golf Association, her own Margi Larsen Open tournament for 16 years, fund-raising efforts, and the Jim Larsen Boys and Girls Club of Door County, named in honor of her late husband. She also enjoyed frequent entertaining.

Survivors include three sons and one daughter.

HELENE ALTERGOTT HUVER ’52 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, died May 11, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in Spanish and English and participated in Ver Adest and Alpha Chi Omega/ Alpha Gamma Theta. She received a master’s degree in Latin American studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

She also attended Lawrence University, Yale University and the University of Minnesota. She taught at schools in Illinois, Connecticut and Minnesota, and she taught adults Spanish at the Community Education Evening Schools for many years. She coordinated Mexican stays with the Experiment in International Living and enjoyed living with a Spanish family in Madrid, with nuns in Puerto Rico, Santiago, Chile, and in Puebla, Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Survivors include one daughter; and a brother, HARVEY ALTERGOTT ’56.

RICHARD E. COZAD ’53 of Naples, Florida, died July 11, 2018. At Ripon, he majored in economics, participated in Ver Adest and athletics, and was commissioned through ROTC. ANNABELLE WICHMAN DORSCH ’53 of Ripon, Wisconsin, died Nov. 28, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in English. During her high school and college years, she enjoyed athletics, forensics and drama. For 34 years, she taught English and coached forensics in Waupun and Ripon high schools. She received a Hall of Fame Award from the Wisconsin Forensic Association in 1990.

WILLIAM J. MORAN ’54 of Georgetown, Texas, died Dec. 17, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in physical education, was MVP of his football team, and participated in athletics, ROTC and Sigma Alpha Epsilon/Delta Sigma Psi. He received two graduate degrees from the University of Detroit. He served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany; a teacher with the Detroit Public Schools; championship

football coach; a member of his parish council, credit union, school and library board; and a political and labor union activist. He loved to travel, especially to historical locations; volunteering in the community; and golf, bridge, book clubs, fishing, gardening, cooking, and canning chili sauce and pickles with his daughter. Survivors include his wife, KIM KENNEY MORAN ’57; and two daughters.

HELEN KUHN BRENNAN ’55 of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, died Jan. 8, 2022. At Ripon, she studied history and art. She also studied art at Barat College. She enjoyed being a military spouse for more than 30 years, including living in Pakistan in the early 1960s. In Manitowoc, she was a longtime member of Pinecrest Historical Village, Manitowoc Historical Society and 20 Gardeners; was a founding member of the YMCA for more than 50 years; and volunteered at the former Sacred Heart Parish and its school board. She enjoyed reading, classical ballet, Baroque music, needlework, Middle Eastern history, archaeology and researching family history. She and her husband traveled the world extensively. Survivors include five children, including BRIDGET BRENNAN ANDERSON ’84. Her husband, WILLIAM F. BRENNAN ’52, died in 2017.

ANDREW M. OBARA ’55 of Palatine, Illinois, died Nov. 3, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in biology, competed in wrestling, was a member of Phi Kappa Pi/Merriman and was commissioned through ROTC. He served in the U.S. Army and received a commendation medal with ribbon upon his honorable discharge. He spent his career as a commercial artist, studio manager and art director. He was an active member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. Survivors include his wife, SOPHIA Y. OGAWA ’55; and three daughters.

ROBERTA “BOBBIE” NIESS AINSWORTH ’57 of Rancho Cucamonga, California, died April 1, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in English and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega/ Alpha Gamma Theta. She received a degree in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary and a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. Her husband, ROBERT AINSWORTH ’57, died in 2020.

ULYSSES S. DOSS ’57 of Missoula, Montana, died Aug. 8, 2021. At Ripon, he studied psychology and classics. He participated in track and field, basketball, football and Phi Kappa Pi/Merriman and was commissioned through ROTC. He was elected to the Ripon College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. He earned a bachelor of divinity degree from what is now the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, a master’s degree from Northwestern University and a Ph.D. in humanities from Union Graduate School in Cincinnati. During the 1960s, he led civil rights activities in Chicago and founded the Christian Action Ministry. In 1968, he founded the Black studies program at the University of Montana, just the second Black studies program west of the Mississippi River. The Ulysses S. Doss Scholarship was established in his honor. He also was a passionate golfer. Survivors include his wife, Jane, and four children.

KAREN LEAMAN HENKEL ’57 of Madison, Wisconsin, died Nov. 9, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in English and participated in theatre and Alpha Chi Omega/Alpha Gamma Theta. She taught English at East High School in Madison. She

later worked at Woldenberg’s Apparel. She enjoyed reading and sports, particularly the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers. Survivors include one son; and her brother JEFFRY M. LEAMAN ’71.

SUSAN KREUSER REDHED ’57 of Burien, Washington, died Aug. 10, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in French and participated in theatre, music, athletics and Alpha Chi Omega/ Alpha Gamma Theta. She was committed to her faith and enjoyed cooking from scratch and organic gardening. Her lifelong love of writing spanned fiction, non-fiction and a 35-year stint editing her church newsletter. She enjoyed family-related visits to France, Greece, Lebanon, the United Kingdom and Australia. She loved music, played instruments, including piano, and sang with choral groups. She also enjoyed painting. Survivors include three sons and five daughters; siblings, including brothers RICHARD KREUSER ’61 and THOMAS KREUSER ’67; sister-in-law NANCY ALLEN KREUSER ’68; and cousin SUSAN KREUSER DAVIS ’66. Her husband, DAVID D. REDHED ’56, died in 2005.

NOEL B. TAYLOR ’57 of Rochester, Minnesota, died July 23, 2021. At Ripon, he studied physics and mathematics and participated in Sigma Chi/Omega Sigma Chi and Partners in the Legacy. He was a longtime employee of IBM’s Mechanical Analysis Lab. He was involved in the Southeast Minnesota Flying Club, Rochester Astronomy Club and the Rochester Aero Model Society. He volunteered at Mayo Clinic by playing piano in the Ghonda Building Atrium. He enjoyed music and was a longtime sponsor of the Rochester Symphony.

He also volunteered for more than 25 years at Lincoln K-8 and Sunset Terrace Schools. He was a private pilot with instrument and seaplane ratings. He served in the Army as a paratrooper from 1958-1959.

RICHARD “DICK” A. CHRISTENSEN ’58 of Reston, Virginia, died Nov. 8, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in history, participated in Ver Adest, theatre, music, forensics, College Days and Sigma Chi/Omega Sigma Chi, and was commissioned through ROTC. He received a degree in law and diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Tufts University. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army and later as a reservist.

He was an economic officer with the U.S. Foreign Service for more than 20 years in Caracas, Venezuela; Bucharest, Romania; Zagreb, Yugoslavia; and Prague, Czechoslovakia. He then worked at Meridian International Center, introducing emerging international leaders to both official and unofficial America. He also was active in his local community. Survivors include two daughters. His wife, RHODA RODEGHIER CHRISTENSEN ’58, died in 2008.

CHARLES J. “CHUCK” FISHER ’58 of Ellsworth, Maine, died Aug. 31, 2021. At Ripon, he studied chemistry, participated in athletics and Sigma Chi/Omega Sigma Chi, and was commissioned through ROTC. He served in the U.S. Army and worked in quality control at several major food distributors and supermarket chains. He was active in the American Society for Quality Control (now ASQ), served on the Ogle County Board of Health for several years, was a member of the Byron Revitalization Committee and volunteered in woodworking at Byron Forest Preserve. He was a Master Gardener and enjoyed woodworking, building items such as furniture and sailboats. Survivors include his

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wife, Dawn; one son, one daughter, one stepson and one stepdaughter. His first wife, MARLENE MELNICK FISHER ’59, died in 1997.

STEVEN J. JOHNSON ’58 of Wayzata, Minnesota, a Ripon College Trustee from 1991-1995, died Nov. 6, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in economics and participated in student government, College Days and ROTC. He also served on the Alumni Board of Directors, Partners in the Legacy and several volunteer positions. He received an MBA in banking from Rutgers University. After serving as a commissioned Army officer, he was president and CEO of banks in Anchorage, Alaska, and Minneapolis. In Washington, D.C., he was policy advisor to the U.S. Economic Development Administration and senior lending officer of the National Cooperative Bank.

After retiring from banking in 1990, he headed a financial advisory business for 30 years. He enjoyed camping, cross country skiing and socializing. Survivors include one stepson and two stepdaughters.

INEZ WEBER STRELOW ’59 of Nokomis, Florida, died June 12, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in physical education and English and participated in Alpha Phi/Kappa Sigma Chi. She taught in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Fort Worth, Texas, and Reston, Virginia, during her husband’s career with the Federal Department of Defense. They retired to Nokomis in 1999 and were active with Our Savior Lutheran Church and the Nokomis community. Survivors included her husband, Ronald Strelow, who died four days after her.

CLAUDETTE BEALL LEE-ROSELAND ’60 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, died Oct. 3, 2021. At Ripon, she studied philosophy and psychology and participated in student government and Alpha Phi/Kappa Sigma Chi. She was a member of the 40th reunion committee. She received a master’s degree in special education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. After a career as a teacher, she became a professional artist and exhibited around the state.

She also volunteered at the Cedarburg Art Museum. Survivors include her husband, Dean Roseland.

DAVID M. “DAVE” OTTO ’60 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, died Nov. 26, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in politics and government and participated in College Days, Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Nu/Theta Sigma Tau. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and served in the U.S. Army Reserve for six years. He was an award-winning reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette newspaper for 40 years, most of that time as a popular outdoors writer. He also did freelance writing and was co-founder and past president of the Wisconsin Outdoor Communications Association. He was an active member of First United Methodist Church for more than 50 years and volunteered to help fourth- and fifth-graders with reading and writing. Survivors include his wife, Barbara; one son and two daughters.

ROBERT W. TYKAL ’61 of Davis, Illinois, died May 4, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in physics and mathematics, participated in student government and athletics, and was commissioned through ROTC. He received a master’s of business administration degree from the University of Chicago.

He served in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. He was an information systems executive at Motorola Inc. in

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Schaumburg, Illinois, for more than 30 years, retiring in 1996. He enjoyed time at Lake Summerset and his second home in Naples, Florida, fishing, golfing and singing in church choirs in Illinois and Florida and in the barbershop quartet Three Shots and a Chaser. Survivors include three sons and one daughter. His wife, MARILYNN DEPLEWSKI TYKAL ’60, died in 2014.

HENRY A. HOLZKAMPER ’62 of Bonita Springs, Florida, died Nov. 14, 2020. At Ripon, he studied business management, participated in student athletics and was a Partner in the Legacy. He also earned a business administration degree from Elmhurst College and served in the U.S. Navy. He had a varied career. He worked as a distributive education teacher and in real estate rentals and operated a powerboat charter business in the Virgin Islands. He was in the first group to experience zero gravity, sailed his sailboat three times from Chicago to the Virgin Islands and back and another time solo from Bermuda to New York. He loved adventure and telling jokes. Survivors include his wife, Jan; and two daughters.

PAUL R. BERENS ’63 of Appleton, Wisconsin, died March 28, 2021. At Ripon, he studied economics and history. He was a member of Partners in the Legacy. He obtained a teaching certificate from Lawrence University and was a member of the National Guard. He had worked in retail clothing, had an antique booth at a downtown Appleton mall and also was a teacher in the Milwaukee public school system. He enjoyed traveling, shopping and collecting antiques.

STEPHANIE ROWLAND DUNLAVY ’63 of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, died Dec. 6, 2021. At Ripon, she studied French and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega/Alpha Gamma Theta. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona. She was a Marine Corps wife and ran several independent businesses, including the Jolly Greens Plant Business. Survivors include three sons and three daughters; a brother, STANLEY ROWLAND ’58 sister-in-law, ROSE MARY SYCK ROWLAND ’58; and nieces and nephews, APRIL DUNLAVY ’03, KIRBIANNE DUNLAVY ’14 and JOHN DUNLAVY ’07. Her husband, KENNETH DUNLAVY ’62, died in April 2021.

KAREN GOEPFERT JOHNSON ’63 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, died Aug. 7, 2021. At Ripon, she participated in Alpha Phi/Kappa Sigma Chi and became a lifetime member.

In 1960, she joined her parents in Brussels, Belgium, and later lived in Germany while her husband served in the Army. They settled in Burlington, Wisconsin, where she worked in various administrative and clerical roles at Burlington Memorial Hospital for more than 25 years. She retired to Sturgeon Bay in 2002 and was involved with Birch Creek Music Theater, Crossroads at Big Creek, Friends of White Fish Dunes State Park, Miller Art Museum, Bay View Lutheran Church and Learning in Retirement. She enjoyed painting, creating collages, attending concerts, knitting and participating in book clubs. Survivors include two sons.

HENRY B. “HANK” MATHEWS ’63 of San Diego, California, died Feb. 22, 2020. At Ripon he majored in mathematics and was a member of Lambda Delta Alpha/Delta Upsilon.

He received an MBA in marketing from Loyola University Chicago.

WILLIAM J. BEYER ’64 of Greenleaf, Wisconsin, died July 24, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in chemistry, participated in Theta Chi/Alpha Omega Alpha and was commissioned through ROTC. He had worked in healthcare. Survivors include his wife, CAROL HABERKORN BEYER ’66; and children, including ELISABETH BEYER NOLEN ’86.

JAMES S. KLEINHANS ’64 of Whitewater, Wisconsin, died Sept. 1, 2021. At Ripon, he played basketball under KERMIT “DOC” WEISKE ’50, who had been his coach at Fort Atkinson High School. He also was a member of Sigma Chi/Omega Sigma Chi. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He had a 40-year career in journalism, printing and publication, serving as editor at newspapers in Ripon, Minocqua, Arcadia and Menomonie, Wisconsin. He also was senior associate editor at J.J. Keller and Associates in Neenah and an administration officer in the Bureau of Information/Education with the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. He was active in environmental issues and sports activities at local, county and state levels throughout his life. Survivors include his wife, Penny; one son, TODD KLEINHANS ’86; and two daughters.

BARBARA CARLSON WATTMAN ’64 of Wichita, Kansas, died May 28, 2020. At Ripon, she studied art. She also studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, earned a degree in art history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and studied at Wichita State University. She taught at Wichita State and the Wichita Art Association. She was active in the Oz Bicycle Club was a member of the Scandinavian Society, researched her Swedish heritage and traveled to Sweden four times. Later in life, she earned a master’s degree in gerontology and worked in the memory care unit at Catholic Care Center. She was active in the Adoration group at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Survivors include one son and two daughters.

DAVID C. MEISSNER ’65 of Alfred Station, New York, died July 22, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in psychology and was commissioned through ROTC. He received a master’s degree in psychology and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Maine. He entered the Army and taught psychological operations to Vietnamese officers. He was honorably discharged as a captain in 1971, at which time he joined the psychology department faculty at Alfred University. He enjoyed gardening, photography and collecting antique toys, rocks and minerals. Survivors include one daughter; and his former wife, AROLANA “LANA” JOHNSON MEISSNER ’65.

RUTH CARWITHEN SATTERTHWAITE ‘65 of Palo Alto, California, died July 19, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in English and music, participated in music and student government, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She worked for the publisher Houghton Mifflin in Boston, Massachusetts, and Palo Alto. She was a frequent parent volunteer and substitute librarian in local schools. She was also a prominent participant in Palo Alto’s emergency response program, earning her amateur radio license and donating many hours.

She also organized and moderated an early neighborhood news group and was a talented musician, writer, editor and genealogist. She participated in many musical groups and choirs and had a special interest in early vocal music.

Survivors include her husband Ed; and two sons.

JAMES A. SEMRAD ’65 of Greenfield, Wisconsin, died Nov. 14, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in psychology, was a member of Phi Kappa Pi/Merriman and the undefeated 1963 football team. He was commissioned through ROTC and served in the U.S. Army. Survivors include his wife, CHARLOTTE TINKER SEMRAD ’67; three children, including ANDREW SEMRAD ’93; a brother, JEROME SEMRAD ’61; a sister-in-law, CAROL TINKER BAINBRIDGE ’69; and a niece, KRISTIN SEMRAD LIEBERMAN ’90.

RUDOLF A. VON WATZDORF ’65 of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, died Sept. 22, 2020. At Ripon, he majored in history, economics and German, participated in WRPN Radio and athletics. He was commissioned through ROTC and served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. His Army awards include the Gallantry Cross with Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, The Purple Heart, Air Medal, Air Medal with 13 Oak Leaf Clusters and National Defense Service Medal. He retired in 2000 as vice president of the former Chase Manhattan Bank, now JPMorgan Bank, after 35 years. He was a Knight of the Order of St. John. Survivors include his wife, Annette; and three daughters.

BONNIE MACDOUGALL COTTRELL BECK ’68 of Hamilton, Missouri, died Oct. 19, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in psychology and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi/Pi Tau Pi. She also received a degree in education from Loyola University Chicago. She worked for 17 years as a Chicago public school teacher while simultaneously managing multiple real estate properties for her parents. She then bought and operated a family-oriented campground in Turney, Missouri, with her second husband, Oren D. Beck. In Missouri, she continued her career in education as a school librarian in the Breckenridge and Mirabile School Districts. Bonnie devoted her life to children as a mother and grandmother, a teacher and a Girl Scout leader. Survivors include two daughters; and two unofficially adopted sons.

RICHARD R. BROCKHAUS ’68 of Rockville, Maryland, died Aug. 12, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in physics and philosophy and was a member of Partners in the Legacy.

He received a Ph.D. in philosophy from Brown University.

He taught philosophy at Bucknell University before moving to the Washington, D.C., area. “Doc Brock” taught calculus and physics at Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland, for close to 30 years. Survivors include his wife, Ann; one son and one daughter.

DAVID L. KENNICOTT ’68 of University Place, Washington, died Aug. 31, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in philosophy. After serving the Army in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Bübligren, Germany, he received a master’s degree in library science from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He was the branch administrator for the Pierce County Library Systems for more than 20 years. He enjoyed traveling, visiting California, Hawaii, Europe and all parts of the northwest United States and southwest Canada. He loved crossword puzzles, traveling to car races and rally races, collecting model cars and toys, and gathering and dispensing facts and information. Survivors include his wife, Elaine; and one son.

EDWARD F. SIMETH ’69 of Appleton, Wisconsin, died Dec. 21, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in history, served as a resident assistant, was a member of Phi Delta Theta/

Alpha Phi Omega and was commissioned through ROTC. He received a master’s degree in counselor education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He worked for 30 years in industrial sales with his brother, Steve. In his younger years, he played football, basketball, racquetball and softball. He later enjoyed the outdoors, skiing, biking, camping and kayaking. He enjoyed learning and reading, including studies of Christian literature, health, finance, nature and psychology. He also sang in his church choir.

Survivors include one son and two daughters.

SUSAN BARDEN WALKER ’71 of Chicago, Illinois, died July 16, 2021. At Ripon, she studied psychology and educational studies and participated in Alpha Chi Omega/Alpha Gamma Theta. She worked for 30 years at William Blair Co., Chicago, as the senior relationship manager for The Mabie Wealth Management Group and for Geneva Investments for eight years. She held a FINRA Series 7 License. She was a volunteer at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago for more than 25 years.

She loved animals, photography, cross stitch and knitting.

ROGER J. MARCH ’72 of Jackson, Wisconsin, died Aug. 16, 2018. He worked in the ink industry for 44 years. He enjoyed golfing and watching the Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots on television.

He also enjoyed outdoors and fishing with his family and being outside and watching birds with his wife. Survivors include his wife, Susan; two sons and two daughters.

CATHERINE MASSON LEWIS ’73 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, died Oct. 22, 2021. At Ripon, she studied Spanish and anthropology and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Survivors include two daughters and a sister, LINDA MASSON KASTENDIEK ’66.

SAM L. WELLER ’73 of Delray Beach, Florida, died in September 2021. At Ripon, he majored in economics. He ran C & S Weller Corporation and was a general contractor who built communication towers throughout the state of Florida.

ANNETTE REIGLE BARRETT ’75 of Tucson, Arizona, died Sept. 8, 2021. At Ripon, she studied sociology and anthropology and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta/Kappa Theta. She worked in the construction industry. She was an avid reader, crafter and dog owner. Survivors include two daughters; siblings, including a sister, SUELLEN “SUDY” REIGLE ALTHOLZ ’73; and a brother-in-law, THOMAS ALTHOLZ ’72.

JEFFREY P. CLARK ’76 of Poynette, Wisconsin, died May 9, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in economics and participated in baseball, Phi Kappa Pi/Merriman, Phi Beta Kappa, Partners in the Legacy and other Ripon memberships. He received a law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He worked for his entire 42-year career at Lathrop (later Boardman) & Clark. He served as president of the State Bar of the Wisconsin Elder Law & Special Needs Section and of the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He loved sports, especially the Wisconsin Badgers football and basketball, and played curling and golf.

He enjoyed landscaping, history and traveling. Survivors include his wife, Susan; son ADAM CLARK ’07; daughter LAURA CLARK CULLINANE ’02; and brothers JAMES CLARK ’68 and JOHN CLARK ’71.

JAMES M. HANEY ’76 of Plover, Wisconsin, died Dec. 2, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in speech communications and history and was a member of Theta Chi/Alpha Omega Alpha and Phi Beta Kappa. He also served as a special graduate Trustee and received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001. He earned master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Iowa. He was a retired professor from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, also serving as head of the Communication Division, associate dean and interim Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. From 1991 to 2000, he was research and information director for the Wisconsin Department of Justice and communications director for the state attorney general. He enjoyed traveling, reading, discussing politics, the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks.

ANDREW MARVEL JR. ’77 of Weston, Massachusetts, died Sept. 5, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in economics and participated in tennis and Phi Delta Theta/Alpha Phi Omega. He also studied at the Boston Architectural Center, He operated Marvel Construction Co. for more than 40 years. He was an Eagle Scout, talented painter, master chef, competitive tennis player, pianist, shellfish connoisseur, amateur inventor, and lover of all activities involving the ocean and heavy winds. He also contributed to his community, serving on the Josiah Smith Tavern and Old Library Renovation Committee. Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth “Beanie” Marvel; and three daughters.

ROBERT R. “ROB” “TEX” MEYER ’78 of Moscow, Idaho, died Nov. 22, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in drama and English and participated in College Days, Parallax, student government, WRPN Radio and theatre. He was a member of Theta Chi/Alpha Omega Alpha, Partners in the Legacy, Phi Beta Kappa, Alumni/Parent Admission Alliance and the Alumni Board of Directors. He also served as Class Agent. He earned a master’s degree in education from Brown University.

He worked as a journalist and English teacher, then as a freelance writer and editor after retiring.

STANLEY J. CIESLEWICZ ’79 of Vancouver, Washington, died Nov. 11, 2020. At Ripon, he participated in forensics/ debate, student government, theatre and ROTC. He received a degree in foreign service from Georgetown University and a doctor of jurisprudence from the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. He retired in June 2019 after 37 years in federal service from the Office of the Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Europe. He had served as an active duty officer, an Army and Air Force reserve officer, and as a civilian attorney in several assignments around the world. He was renowned throughout Europe and across the Services for his expertise in contract and fiscal law and was the U.S. Army Europe expert on Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreements.

MARY E. BRANDT ’80 of Surprise, Arizona, died July 24, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in psychology and educational studies. She also studied special education at the University of St. Thomas. She taught in Watertown and New Richmond, Wisconsin, before moving to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1984. She spent the past 37 years in the Washington Elementary School District. For many years, she was a reading interventionist and Title I coordinator. After joining the coaching team at the district’s Administrative Center, she mentored reading

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teachers from the district’s 32 schools, coordinated the intergenerational volunteer program and helped facilitate the Washington Education Foundation’s mini-grant program.

She was a Lamp of Learning recipient in 2002, the district’s highest honor.

JOHN M. DEAN ’80 of Tucson, Arizona, died July 10, 2021.

At Ripon, he majored in psychology and participated in Theta Chi/Alpha Omega Alpha. He received a degree from Stanford University. He taught English in Taiwan through Volunteers in Asia and pursued a career as an editor in the publishing industry. His passions included speech and debate, creative writing, painting, swimming and theater.

Survivors include his mother, Derry Dean.

LAWRENCE L. SMITH JR. ’81 of McLean, Virginia, died Sept. 28, 2021. At Ripon, he was an All-American wrestler and a member of Phi Delta Theta/Alpha Phi Omega. He also wrestled at Ball State University. He worked for Brooks Brothers and Cuffs in Washington, D.C., and the family business, Rodes Clothing, in Columbus, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky. In the Washington, D.C., area, he coached for the Capital Area Wrestling League where he cultivated several champions including his son, Trey, and Olympic Gold Medalist Helen Maroulis. He was a member of Ducks Unlimited, an avid hunter, and especially enjoyed training Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Survivors include his wife, Nicole; and one son.

ELIZABETH ANNE “LISA” FREEMAN ’83, a native of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, died June 28, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in psychology and participated in Alpha Delta Pi/Pi Tau Pi. She earned a master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Music was a passion. Survivors include her parents, A. John and Maria Freeman.

MARY PURDO PEKSA ’85 of Ringle, Wisconsin, died Oct. 17, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in physical education and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi/Pi Tau Pi. She received a degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

She worked for 30 years in cardiac health and rehabilitation at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. On her hobby farm, she raised sheep, chickens and yellow Labradors. She also tended apple trees, a pumpkin patch and many gardens. She enjoyed biking, cross-country and downhill skiing and hiking. She also was a member of golf and curling leagues. She was active in St. Michael’s Catholic Church and enjoyed cooking and baking. Survivors include her husband, JAMES PEKSA ’85; one son; and a brother-in-law, RICHARD PEKSA ’83.

GWENDOLINE J. “GWEN” JONES ’87 died Aug. 29, 2021.

At Ripon, she majored in history and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Her husband was THOMAS E. “TED” JONES, a professor of German at Ripon College from 1963-1995, who died in 2013.

MARK A. SCOTT ’91 of Racine, Wisconsin, died Sept. 13, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in politics and government and played basketball. He worked as a procurement specialist with SuperValue, then with WE Energies. Since 2009, he worked with Miller Brewing, now Molson/Coors, most recently as senior category manager of capital expenditures. He loved all sports and watching Wisconsin teams. He coached and

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supported his children in sports and all other endeavors.

Survivors include three children; and his companion, Jennifer Altenbach Maxwell.

NICHOLAS G. DAICOFF ’98 of Ranger, Georgia, died Aug. 19, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in biology and played football.

HEATHER L. WITTIG ’07 of Redgranite, Wisconsin, died Nov. 9, 2021. At Ripon, she had a self-designed major in criminal justice and a minor in psychology. She played basketball and intramurals. She started her career at the Waushara County Sheriff’s Department in 2009, then became the jail administrator at the Waushara County Jail in 2014.

She enjoyed traveling, spending time with her family and friends, and celebrating her Irish heritage.

FACULTY AND STAFF JAMES R. BUCHHOLZ of Hermann, Missouri, vice president for finance at Ripon College from 1962-1968, died Sept. 9, 2021. He also served in financial and administrative positions at Drury University, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, American Council on Education, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Missouri System and Washington University in St. Louis. In 1988, he cofounded Prime Buchholz, an investment consulting firm.

He was active for decades in the National Association of College and University Business Officers. He also founded Classic American Ports, the largest distributor of new old stock and reproduction American Motors parts. He was active in community service everywhere he lived. He enjoyed classical music, public radio and restoring classic automobiles. Survivors include his wife, Marilyn; one son and one daughter.

TONI HOLLENBACK, a secretary/ technician at Ripon for 43 years, died Dec. 11, 2021. She retired in 2017.

She was a lifelong member at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, where she recently chaired the Social Concerns and Beautification committees. She was a member of the Evangelism Committee, Woman of Grace, Eve Circle and Quilting, and for many years headed up the Thanksgiving Day dinner. She was instrumental in many fundraisers at Grace, including the Lasagna Take and Bake along with her husband. She and her husband enjoyed traveling to historic places, and she also enjoyed cooking and preparing food. Survivors include her husband; two sons, including DAVID HOLLENBACK ’00; a sister, PATTI WORM, retired director of student accounts at Ripon; and nieces, MELISSA ANDERSON ’02, former vice president of marketing and communications, and AUTUMN SENNER ’89.

S U S A N C R O C K E T T- S P O O N o f Wichita, Kansas, an assistant dean of women at Ripon from 1966-1968, died Nov. 18, 2021. She received degrees from Marion College, William & Mary, and Radford College. In addition to Ripon, she served as assistant dean of women at Radford College and dean of women at the University of Nebraska. In 1973, she became the first director of Wichita’s YWCA. She also worked as real estate agent and broker, served as clerk of Sedgwick County, and owned The Land Lady, a company of rental properties. She enjoyed flipping houses for sale, saving wildlife, rescuing dogs and cats, and working in charity and civic causes.

JOHN J. SCHIEBER of Portage, Wisconsin, a former instructor of ROTC at Ripon College, died June 17, 2021. He served in the U.S. Army in Japan in the post-World War II military government, NATO headquarters in Italy, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Korea on the inspector general’s staff, and Washington, D.C., as an instructor at the Defense Language School in the Naval Annex. He retired as a sergeant first class. After retiring in Wisconsin, he helped run Schieber’s Country Store in Montello and Briggsville and was human resources director for Divine Savior Hospital in Portage. In Portage, he was active in the arts community and many church and community organizations. Survivors include his wife, Florence; three sons and three daughters.

LUCILLE E. PRZBYL GLOYD, a former employee in Student Activities, died Oct. 14, 2021. In Ripon, she had worked at Ripon Knitting Works, Montgomery Wards and Braun’s Restaurant. She worked at Ripon College for more than 23 years, retiring in May 2002. She enjoyed sewing, crafting, puzzles, card games, traveling to see the countryside, and spending time with her family.

Survivors include three daughters.

MARCELINE “MARCIE” KUEHN MITCHELL died Jan. 4, 2022. She worked at Ripon College. She then lived in Waupun, Wisconsin, for many years, working for more than 25 years as a personal secretary at National Rivet.

After her retirement, she was church secretary at Immanuel Lutheran Church. In 1998, she moved to White Bear Lake, Minnesota, to be closer to family. She was president of her condominium association for many years, an election judge in Ramsey County and a volunteer preschool screener.

She enjoyed traveling and working with flowers. Survivors include one son, JEFFREY MITCHELL ’72. Her husband, JOHN MITCHELL ’50, died in 1987.

Ripon College in the news

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• Ripon College was referenced in an article July 7, 2021, in Inside Higher Education. “A Welcome Wagon in Uncertain Times” gave examples of institutions of higher education offering a “personal touch.” Ripon President Zach Messitte was cited for sending personalized, handwritten letters to prospective students.

• •

Vice President and Dean of Faculty John Sisko was featured July 7, 2021, in the Ripon Commonwealth newspaper for his efforts to revamp a veterans’ memorial display on Ransom Street in Ripon.

A $50,000 grant from the Transformational Partnerships Fund for Ripon College and Marian University was highlighted by several television and print media in July. The grant funded ongoing exploration of a possible partnership between the two schools.

• The win of Republican William Penterman ’18 of Columbus, Wisconsin, was reported in state media after a special election held July 13, 2021.

Penterman was elected to District 37 of the Wisconsin State Assembly. His term ends in January 2023. Penterman is a U.S. Army Reserve member who previously worked as an aide to Republican state Rep. Ron Tusler of Appleton. At Ripon, he majored in politics and government.

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“The first time I made ‘good trouble,’” by Gary Yerkey ’66 of Washington, D.C., was published Aug. 2, in The Christian Science Monitor. Yerkey, other Ripon students and the Rev. Herman Jerome “Jerry” Thompson, then the College chaplain, participated in the historic Selma-to-Montgomery march for civil rights in March 1965.

• The 25

anniversary of Ripon Summer Players, now called Ripon Area Community Theatre, was featured Aug. 12, 2021, in the Ripon Commonwealth newspaper. The group was co-founded by Professor Emeritus of Theatre Ken Hill and retired Visiting Professor of Theatre Susan Hill. Hill and frequent performer Professor Emeritus of English Robin Woods were quoted. th

• Brad Alberts ’92 was profiled in the August 2021 issue of D Magazine of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Alberts, now president and CEO of the Dallas Stars hockey team, helped rebuild the teams’ core business after a bankruptcy, grow the sport in that area and is re-energizing after the pandemic.

• In September, Mary Jane Bumby ’52 of Green Lake, Wisconsin, was honored with a Watershed Hero Award from the Green Lake Association.

The program recognizes community leaders dedicated to protecting Big Green Lake. At 90 years old, Bumby is one of Wisconsin’s longest-serving citizen scientists. The award was covered by several area media outlets.

• Research from a 2020 paper on dog empathy, written by Associate Professor of Psychology Julia Meyers-Manor, was cited Oct. 1, 2021 on nationalgeographic.com and other media outlets. “Yes, dogs can ‘catch’ their owners’ emotions” cites research from several recent studies.

• Henrik Schatzinger, professor of politics and government and co-director of the Center for Politics and the People, was quoted in a front-page story about the state budget battle July 19, 2021, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper.

• Casey Gott ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was featured on the website of Milwaukee’s Hunger Task Force on Monday, Oct. 11, 2021, in honor

of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Highlighted were Gott’s heritage as a member of the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation and her work with the task force and in supporting and advocating for Indigenous people.

• Director Emeritus Robert Amsden discussed the Ripon College theatre production “After the Blast” Oct. 11, 2021, on Hometown Broadcasting and The Wave - 93.1FM & 1600AM. Zoe Kazan’s play was presented Oct. 14-17.

• “Considering their NFL teams, it’s even farther from Green Bay to Washington, D.C., than you think,” an opinion piece by President Zach Messitte, appeared Oct. 22, 2021, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper. Ahead of the Oct. 24 game between the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Football Team, Messitte lamented the downward spiral of his hometown team.

• President Zach Messitte and Vice President for Finance Andrea Young, who assumed the interim president role Jan. 1, 2022, spoke on air with Bob Nelson of The Wave-93.1FM & 1600AM about the upcoming transition.

The interview aired Oct. 29, 2021.

• Volunteer work by Roger Gertenrich ’56 of Portland, Oregon, was highlighted Wednesday, Nov. 10, in the Portland Tribune in advance of Veterans Day. “Korean vet continues to give back” highlights Gertenrich’s efforts to preserve Portland’s maritime history, including its wartime ship-building history and other links to naval history.

• Professor of Art Rafael Francisco Salas was among five authors profiled on Wisconsin Public Radio Nov. 12. Salas is a contributor to the book “Hope is the Thing: Wisconsinites on Perseverance in a Pandemic,” edited by BJ Hollars, published by Wisconsin History Press and available on amazon. com. The recorded program can be heard at www.wpr.org/newsmakers.

• Paul Schoofs, professor emeritus of economics and Patricia Parker Francis Professor of Economics Emeritus, continues to give interviews on the local 98.7 The Great 98 radio station. He speaks about current economic issues in the news.

• After an official announcement Nov. 23, several media outlets reported Ripon College’s formation of a Presidential Search Committee to seek the 14th president of the College. President Zach Messitte, the 13th president, announced he would leave the College at the end of the 2021 fall semester following nine years of leadership. Mark Franzen ’83, a Trustee of the College, is chair of the committee.

• Amanda Finn Haggerty ’14 of Chicago, Illinois, was profiled in the November issue of the American Theatre Critics Association publication.

Finn Haggerty has written primarily for the publication Newcity in Chicago for three years.

• The State Bar of Wisconsin announced Dec. 1, 2021, that Steve R. Sorenson, adjunct professor of politics and government and a local Ripon attorney, received the Wisconsin Law Foundation’s 2021 Charles L. Goldberg Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes a lifetime of service to the profession and the community.

• “The Human Animal,” a short story by Joshua English ’07 of Louisville, Kentucky, won the 2021 Ember Chasm Review fiction award. His work is featured in issue four of the publication, which is available on amazon.com.

At Ripon, he majored in English. He is a senior lecturer of English at the University of Louisville.

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Actress Frances Lee McCain ’66 back in new film ‘After Masks’ “I discovered a heightened sense of being alive on stage. I like the camaraderie, the process, discovering text and doing plays together.

It opens you to others — why we do what we do, what motivates us.

It gave me access in a way I wouldn’t otherwise have had.”

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Frances Lee McCain ’66, far right, in the 2021 film “After Masks”

With the 2021 film “After Masks,” Frances Lee McCain ’66 continues a prolific and versatile performing career on stage and in television and film. She has achieved more than 80 film credits over a fivedecade career.

“After Masks” is described as a “journey through the human experience as the pandemic tests what we are made of both as individuals and as a culture.”

The five distinctly different stories present a multigenerational and diverse perspective of COVID-19. They were individually produced and directed during the stay-at-home order despite pandemic restrictions. Actors were cast and rehearsed over video, and shoots were done at actors’ locations across the country. The film team was one of the few approved by the Screen Actors Guild to produce content during the pandemic.

McCain appears in the segment “Ushering the Light,” addressing the theme of faith.

“After Masks” is available on numerous streaming and cable platforms.

McCain majored in philosophy at Ripon and appeared in theatre productions, including the title role of Antigone and Rosalind in “As You Like It.”

“I started out in the Red Barn,” she told Ripon College in an earlier interview. “‘Then it burned down, and I was teased that it was due to my final performance there in ‘Antigone.’

“I really had no plans to go into theater professionally,’ she said, but the late Philip Clarkson, professor of speech and drama at Ripon, suggested that she consider acting as a career. “I was amazed and asked if he were serious. ‘Yes, I think you can do it,’ he said.”

She was accepted into the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. “I discovered a heightened sense of being alive on stage,” McCain said. “I like the camaraderie, the process, discovering text and doing plays together. It opens you to others — why we do what we do, what motivates us. It gave me access in a way I wouldn’t otherwise have had.”

As a stage actress, she first appeared on Broadway in Woody Allen’s “Play It Again, Sam” and played Stella to Faye Dunaway’s Blanche DuBois and Jon Voight’s Stanley Kowalski in “A Streetcar Named Desire” in the 1970s in Los Angeles.

She also has been active with the American Conservatory Theater’s acting company, ZSpace Studio in San Francisco and Alter Theater Ensemble in San Rafael, California.

In the 1980s and 1990s, she became well-known playing the mother of a main teen character in several major films: As Lynn Peltzer, mother of Billy Peltzer, in “Gremlins”; as Ethel McCormack, mother of Kevin Bacon’s character, in “Footloose”; as Stella Baines, mother of Lea Thompson’s character, in “Back to the Future”; and as Mrs. Lachance, mother of Wil Wheaton’s character in “Stand by Me.” She also played the mother of Rose McGowan’s character in “Scream”; and appeared in the film “Patch Adams.”

Among her numerous television credits is playing the female lead opposite Ronny Cox in her own television series “Apple’s Way” in 1974.

She received Ripon’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1984 and an Honorary Doctorate of Performing Arts in 1988.

In 2000, she earned a master’s degree in psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies.

In the earlier Ripon interview, she said that connection is what makes theater important for everyone. “We love stories, and we love to have ourselves reflected back to us,” McCain said. “It gives us the opportunity to see ourselves with an interpretation we might not be able to make otherwise. It’s a shared communal experience that is essential in community.”

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Flash Back 1980s Paul J. Cassidy ’89 of Laingsburg, Michigan, visits Florida with the swim team during his college days. He later served as a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Cassidy died of non-combat injuries at Camp Babylon, Iraq, July 13, 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is the most recent Ripon alumnus designated on Ripon College’s War Memorial.

At Ripon, he majored in physics, participated in swimming and Lambda Delta Alpha/Delta Upsilon, and was commissioned through ROTC. As a U.S. Army Reserve officer, he was assigned to the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He served tours in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bosnia and Kosovo.

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