Endowed chairs and professorships are among the highest honors Ripon College can bestow upon its faculty, recognizing exceptional achievement in teaching, research/creative activity, and service. Established through the generosity of donors, these positions provide sustained support that enables distinguished scholars to pursue innovative scholarship, attract top students, and contribute to their fields.
Endowed Positions:
Helen Swift Neilson Endowed Professorship in the Humanities
- Est. 1958
- Held by Professor Jackie Clark since 2019
Ralph Hale Ruppert and Lenore M. Ruppert Distinguished Professorship in American History, Principles, and Traditions
- Est. 1976
- Held by Professor Becky Matzke since 2019
Victor and Carrie Palmer Endowed Chair for Leadership Values
- Est. 1980
- Held by Professor Jody Roy since 2013
Marie Zarwell Uihlein Chair in Literature, History, Classical Languages, and Culture
- Est. 1987
- Held by Professor Dominique Poncelet since 2020
Barbara Baldwin DeFrees Professorship in the Performing Arts
- Est. 1987
- Held by Professor Erin Bryan since 2026
Harrison E. Farnsworth 1918 Endowed Chair in Physics
- Est. 1990
- Held by Professor Brett Barwick since 2017
Patricia Parker Francis Distinguished Chair in Economics
- Est. 1991
- Held by Professor Soren Hauge since 2020
McCullough 1969 Professorship in Biology
- Est. 2003
- Held by Professor Mark Kainz since 2020
Pieper Servant-Leader Chair
- Est. 2010
- Held by Professor Nick Eastman since 2023
Doreen L. 1973 and David I. Chemerow Chair in Theatre
- Est. 2012
- Held by Professor John Dalziel since 2020
L. Leone Oyster 1919 Chair in Chemistry
- Est. 2012
- Held by Professor Colleen Byron since 2013
Mark J. Franzen ’83 and Janice Heinz Franzen ’83 Professorship in Applied Mathematics
- Est. 2018
- Held by Professor Erin Munro Krull since 2019
Oyster Family Distinguished Professorship in Chemistry
- Est. 2025
- Held by Professor Patrick Willoughby since 2026
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