ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Ridley Shetler ‘07 ............... By Sandi Jobe
Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
“B
ecause of Webb, I’ve had opportunities I would not have had otherwise,” said Ridley Shetler when she visited Bell Buckle in March.
When she received her Webb Bible at graduation in 2007, Ridley Shetler would not have predicted that she would make a mark in history as the first woman accepted into the U.S. Navy’s elite Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) program. In May 2011 she graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), with a degree in nuclear engineering, already preparing to embark on a career as one of the very first women in U.S. history to serve aboard a combat-ready submarine.
in leadership dynamics and the additional responsibilities of being an upperclassman seemed oppressive to young Ridley. “During my last two years at Webb, I was almost contemptuous toward the school. I felt that our freedom was being taken away,” she explained. “I had no idea how much freedom we actually had, and how that freedom forced us to be responsible without even knowing it.”
Ridley came to Webb as a freshman day student from Murfreesboro. She credits her grandmother with giving her the opportunity to attend Webb. After the initial shock of adjusting to Webb’s challenging curriculum, Ridley began to enjoy life as a Webb student. “There was a lot of freedom, and I liked how small the classes were,” she said. “You really did get individual attention and support from the teachers. Bill Rice really whipped me into shape in science. Being that close to the teachers, you really wanted their respect. I wanted to prove that I could do well.”
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Webb’s small community also motivated Ridley.
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“Everyone knows what you’re doing,” she continued. “They want you to succeed, and they usually know it when you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing.” The small Webb community has always been close-knit like a family. In a similar way to other transitions throughout Webb’s history, a change in leadership in 2005 exposed the student body to a new set of expectations, and a culture shift. As Ridley began her junior year, Albert Cauz succeeded John Frere, who retired after 16 years as head of school. The change
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Ridley Shetler ‘07 tries on her old senior blazer during a recent visit to campus.
6/9/2011 12:15:49 PM