We’re still here: Tristan Lingle ’20

Tristan Lingle ’20 of Carbondale, Illinois, will start a 12-month position with NCCC FEMA Corps beginning in late July, working directly with FEMA staff on disaster response and recovery efforts. He is a double major in history and politics & government.

He says “There’s this idea that by the time you graduate college, you should know all the answers. But I don’t,” he says. “I don’t even know most of the answers. But my time at Ripon has taught me how to critically examine information and look for solutions. Also, duct tape heals all wounds and fixes all that is broken … except that paper that is due at 8 a.m. There isn’t a roll of duct tape long enough to fix that.”

Lingle is finishing the semester off campus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the transition has been difficult. “My Nana was placed on hospice care right before spring break,” he says. “We (along with his sister, Juliette Lingle ’22) live out-of-state and my other grandmother dropped everything to get us home. I am thankful I was able to be with my family when my Nana passed and I am forever grateful that my other grandmother was able to get us back home.

“But my sister and I left all our belongings in our dorm rooms during spring break and we haven’t been able to come back yet. The transition to online classes has been challenging. My home internet is awful and that makes keeping up with classes and research difficult. But my professors are working hard to ensure classes are still meaningful.”

(Photo: Tristan Lingle ’20 chose to display the Ripon coin he received during his first-year Matriculation Convocation. He had planned to keep it in his pocket during his Commencement ceremony.)

Posted April 23, 2020 in Class of 2020, Student.

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