Diverse interests lead to a planned career in academia for Zachary Peterson ’16

At Ripon College, Zachary Peterson ’16 discovered his passions in life, and now he is hoping to use his skills to address institutional mental health in the United States.

Peterson is pursuing a master’s degree in the English Writing Program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he is a graduate assistant director in the Center for Writing Excellence and a faculty research assistant in the English Department.

For his master’s thesis, he is researching “the institutional mental health narrative in the United States and how we think about and process narratives such as mental health that have complex, sometimes unpleasant, pasts. My purpose is to bring voices to back into such narratives,” he says.

When applying to colleges as an undergraduate, Peterson had been looking at a different school to attend. But during a family trip to visit friends in the Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, area, Peterson’s parents scheduled a visit to Ripon College.

“The rest is history,” Peterson says. “The minute I walked on campus, I knew it was the right fit for me. The rich architecture, history and just the feeling it gave me is what sold me, and I would uncover more of its beauty as the years passed so quickly while I was a student.”

Peterson majored in history with a minor in anthropology at Ripon. “As a student historian and anthropologist, I had to learn to see the world and its people in different ways from different angles,” he says. “What has benefited me the most in my present endeavors is what I did outside my major in and outside the classroom — what I call the beauty of the liberal arts education.”

He says the ability to take classes outside of his major area and work in the Office of Advancement “gave me leadership and personal growth experience,” he says. “What was most rewarding about my time at Ripon College was really becoming a part of a family that includes classmates, alumni, co-workers, faculty and staff. Knowing that we truly are a unique family that has and will continue to make a mark on the world.

“Being a student at Ripon College has made who I am today. I can thank her for so many things, including helping me discover my passions in life and find my best friends. I have found my place in academia, and I have Ripon to thank for my success in the graduate program thus far because of the diverse interests I bring to my research.”

After earning his master’s degree, Peterson plans to pursue a Ph.D. in English-rhetoric and composition.


Related Posts

James P. Danky '70

James P. Danky ’70 curates political cartoon exhibit to run in Milwaukee, Ripon

James P. Danky ’70 is the guest curator for the exhibit “Pow-litical Comics: From Ripon to the RNC,” to run April 12 to July 22 […]

Mark Franzen, Ripon College Class of 1983 and Chair of the Board of Trustees

Mark Franzen ’83 to begin term as chair of the Ripon College Board of Trustees

Mark Franzen ’83 of Paradise Valley, Arizona, and Green Lake, Wisconsin, will begin his term as the new chair of the Ripon College Board of […]

Julie Streich '92

Julie Streich ’92 appointed to board of directors for Schneider National Inc.

Julie Streich ’92 of Farmington, Connecticut, recently was appointed to the board of directors and its audit committee by Schneider National Inc. of Green Bay, […]

Jodi Gibson '89, second from left, and Momentum students

Momentum students visit Jodi Gibson ’89 of the Milwaukee Zoological Society

Students participating in the summer Momentum Leadership Fellows Program took a field trip to the Milwaukee Zoo Aug. 11 and met with Jodi Gibson ’89, […]

Photo of Zachary Peterson

 


Related Areas of Study