R Connections

1991 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Co-Class Agents:

SAMANTHA BAILEY FAST ’91

(612) 978-4124 / [email protected]

TRACY MAHER ’91

[email protected]

Dear Class of 1991,

I hope this letter finds you happy and healthy (and hopefully without a new COVID variant to worry about). 

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus August 6-8 representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022.

A smattering of folks from our class made it to campus to mark our 30th Class Reunion. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative for easy outdoor socializing. It was wonderful to see BRIAN FREY ’91 and LORI STICH OBLUDA ’91 when they were honored with the Distinguished Alumni Citation for their professional achievements and support of the College. 

BECKY HUSTAD ’91, BRIAN FREY ’91, DEAN POLSTER ’91, and LORI STITCH OBLUDA ’91 with our Class of 1991 donation.

On August 10, the College arranged for us to have an online Class Reunion via Zoom and several of us had a great time catching up, despite some technical glitches that resulted in some folks from the Class of ’81 joining us!

Class of ’91 30th Digital Reunion attendees

Campus Updates

Previous Fiscal Year Update:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that, regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. 

Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.

Endowment: 

Our endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Campus Upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science – a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work – recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Start of the Academic Year:

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety protocols. COVID-19 response and current procedures: ripon.edu/coronavirus-information/.

More News: 

• News stories published by the College: ripon.edu/news/ 
• Latest Ripon Magazine, which includes features of alumni and faculty: ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications/

Class Notes:

SAMANTHA BAILEY FAST ’91 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, writes, “In June, I started a new job as Director of User-Centered Innovation at Surescripts. If you’ve had a prescription filled recently, it probably flowed from prescriber to pharmacist on the Surescripts network, as one of the 1.91 billion E-Prescriptions Surescripts processed in 2020. In my new role, I’ll be building a user experience design practice to help make our network and the e-prescribing interfaces used by doctors and pharmacists less frustrating to use and safer for patients.”

TIM FINNEGAN ’91 of Hope, Rhode Island, writes, “Timmy, Kristen, and I were able to travel a bit this summer after staying close to home for 15 months. We visited Disney in Orlando in June and stayed in a beachfront rental in Westerly, Rhode Island. Timmy spent third grade in school every day with no distance learning for him. We have our fingers crossed that this will remain for the upcoming fourth grade. I continue to work as a school counselor at LaSalle Academy in Providence. This past March, I bumped into PERRY ROBINSON ’79 in the breakout room at The Midwest College Showcase Zoom. I spoke with MADDIE VANDENHOUTEN MCCOY ’17 from Ripon’s admission office. She and LYN ROSENBERG MCCARTHY ’83 even sent me a Ripon t-shirt to wear at my high school. 

TIM FINNEGAN ’91 and son Timmy

BRIAN FREY ’91 and BECKY HUSTAD ’91 of Madison, Wisconsin, writes, “We returned to Ripon for Reunion weekend to celebrate BRIAN’s receipt of the Distinguished Alumni Award. It was fun to see fellow awardee, LORI STICH OBLUDA ’91 and classmates SAMANTHA BAILEY FAST ’91, HEIDI ZWART HEALY ’91, and DEAN POLSTER ’91. We hope for an opportunity to see more of you at the next shindig!

“As of this Class Letter we are not quite empty nesters. Our youngest was delivered to UW Madison on his 18th birthday. The oldest graduated in the spring and is working for Epic Systems, but living with us on the west side of Madison until she finds a place and purchases a car. We like having her around and she’s only declared me (BECKY) annoying once since June (out loud that is). BRIAN continues his chemistry research and grant writing for the UW from home due to some unanticipated remodeling snafus with his building. I’m sometimes back in the office at Greenleaf Media and excited to meet with elementary students in the school garden next week at our neighborhood school.”

CHARLIE MERWIN ’91/P’16 of Rose Valley, Pennsylvania, writes, “We are still living in the Philadelphia suburbs. After 25 years I have retired from my former corporate life in financial services. I highly recommend retirement! For the time being, I am writing, which I have learned is a lot harder than it looks! My focus is on leadership and the importance of well-defined values for both people and organizations. Ellen P’16 and I just celebrated our 29th anniversary and we love being close to our grandson, Guy, now ten months old. Guy is the son of two proud Ripon alums himself, so there is at least one Ripon College tee-shirt (or onesie) being worn in Pennsylvania most days. We are eager to meet other Ripon alums in the Philadelphia area – our house has two bars in it so plenty of room to entertain!”

Please stay in touch

You don’t need to wait to send an update—send one anytime (like today, as soon as you’re done reading this) and I’ll be sure to include it in the next letter. Or, send an update to the College at [email protected], and they’ll pass it along. 

Do you need to update your email address on file?

Please be sure to update your email address (and other contact information) at: www.ripon.edu/update-contact-info/

We have a Facebook group

If you’re on Facebook, please ask to join our Class of ’91 group for updates and Ripon news. Alternatively, send your email address to [email protected] or text me at 612-978-4124 and I can add you to the group that way. 

Warmly,           

SAMANTHA BAILEY FAST ’91 and TRACY MAHER ’91

Submitted by: Class Agents: Samantha Bailey Fast & Tracy Maher

1992 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agents:

JUDEE STOJSAVLJEVIC FISCHER ’92

(262) 332-0622 / [email protected]

 BONNI DEMBROSKI FREDRICK ’92/P’23

(262) 617-7421 / [email protected]

ERIN M. MCCORMACK ’92

[email protected]

Hello, Classmates,

We hope that this letter finds you doing well in this constantly changing world. Ripon College continues to adapt and thrive and we are happy to share some news to keep you aware of the latest happenings with our alma mater.

First, and most importantly for our class, next year, 2022, marks thirty years since we graduated from Ripon. Please plan to start hearing more about Alumni Weekend 2022 (June 23-26) and our 30th Class Reunion. (It is surreal to type those words!) Bonni, JuDee, and I (Erin) can’t handle all of the planning and logistics by ourselves and we are looking for volunteers to help us plan an amazing Alumni Weekend Reunion Experience. Many of you have generously given your time in previous reunion planning and we are looking forward to working with our classmates again. Please reach out to AMY GABRIEL GERRETSEN ’04 at Ripon to let her know you’d like to get involved by emailing [email protected]. The more, the merrier!

Without further ado, here are some great updates.

Alumni Weekend 2021:

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Save the Date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022 – Class of 1992 Thirty Year Reunion! We will be joining all class years ending in the numbers two or seven to celebrate!

You may be wondering how Ripon has been managing fiscally through the pandemic disruptions, and we have good news to share with you.

This Past Fiscal Year:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives. Please remember that your donations and support are critical to the College and directly support the current students.

Campus Upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for Ripon’s math and computer science departments. 

Endowment Update: 

Ripon’s endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Start of the Academic Year:

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID safety protocols.

In case you are interested in how Ripon has been handling COVID-19, here’s a link with all the latest information: ripon.edu/coronavirus-information/.

I would like to share some helpful links to College information as well.

• Recent news stories published by the college can be found here: ripon.edu/news/ 
• Are you wondering about the latest edition of the Ripon Magazine packed with features about alumni and faculty? Check out this link: ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications/
• Interested in connecting on Facebook beyond the main Ripon page? 
  • Ripon College Center for Politics and the People: facebook.com/RiponCollegeCPP 
  • Ripon College Center for Diversity and Inclusion: facebook.com/ripondiversity 

Class Note:

KRISTIN KOCH HANSCOM ’92 of Palatine, Illinois, is the VP of Operations for B K Controls, Inc.

We are a little light on class updates right now, but we always encourage you to share your life updates with any one of us or with the alumni team at Ripon by emailing [email protected]!

Wishing you a wonderful fall.

ERIN M. MCCORMACK ’92

BONNI DEMBROSKI FREDRICK ’92/P’23

JUDEE STOJSAVLJEVIC FISCHER ’92 

Submitted by: Class Agents: JuDee Stojsavljevic Fischer, Bonni Dembroski Fredrick, and Erin McCromack

1993 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent:

MELINDA TRAINOR HUTCHINSON ’93

(215) 704-6478 / [email protected]

Hi All,

I hope you are all still doing well, staying healthy, and keeping busy. School has started, and once again the summer flew by. Check in on www.ripon.edu and/or social media for the latest College updates. If you’re not part of the Ripon College Class of 1993 Facebook page, please join! 

Here’s some news from our class:  

• Well, I checked all my messages and only one person sent me (or Ripon) anything this time (hint, hint), so you get to hear about me! I completed my Certificate in American Sign Language Studies in May and I’m hoping to keep up my skills so I don’t forget the new language I learned! I also want to advocate more for the D/deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. 
• DANIELLE STREBER VARNELL ’93 of Davidsonville, Maryland, joined Bracewell LLP in June 2020 as a partner in the firm’s power practice. She represents a broad range of clients on M&A transactions and project development in the energy and infrastructure sectors, with a particular focus on renewable energy.

News from Ripon:

• Alumni Weekend took place August 6-8. Alumni from the classes of 1961-2023, coming from 29 states, were on campus. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to the traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022.
• The Class of 2025 started on August 27 and is 250 students strong. Ripon also welcomed nine transfer students. 
• This year’s #OneDayRally had a record-breaking 2,087 donors from around the world! Thank you if you were one of the donors, or if you were one of the over 3600 donors who supported Ripon this past fiscal year. 
• The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science—a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work—recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Links for additional reading about Ripon College:

• The College’s COVID-19 response and current procedures: ripon.edu/coronavirus-information/.
• The latest Ripon Magazine: https://ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications/.

Make sure you keep your contact information updated so you don’t miss any Ripon news. Contact the Alumni Office directly with changes at [email protected] or via U.S. mail to Alumni Office, Ripon College, 300 W. Seward St., Ripon, WI 54971.  

Thank you and stay well!

MELINDA TRAINOR HUTCHINSON ’93

Submitted by: Class Agent: Melinda Trainor Hutchinson

1994 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Co-Class Agents:

LISA SPROSTON SUTTER ’94

(608) 347-6543 / [email protected]

KIMBERLY WOOLLEY ’94

[email protected]  / facebook.com/kimbo.woolley

www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-woolley-a903959 

Dear Class of 1994,

I hope this letter finds you well. It comes from me in the heart of “Back to School.” Fortunately, this year I was actually headed back to school after teaching virtually all of the past school year. Teaching with a mask on all day has its challenges, but is definitely simpler than teaching six and seven-year-olds through a computer screen. To make this school year’s start even more exciting, I had to move to another elementary school in Cottage Grove. Sixty-four boxes later, I’m all settled in.

Meanwhile, at RC “Back To School” meant the following:

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID safety protocols. If you are interested, you can follow this link for information on our COVID-19 response and current procedures: ripon.edu/coronavirus-information/.

It has been so fun reading posts on Facebook about your children headed off to school, whether that is kindergarten or college. I’m so looking forward to next summer when I’ll take my oldest to visit campuses of his choosing. Of course, there will be a mandatory visit to check out Ripon. But, in the end, it will be his choice. Your classmates and I would love to hear updates on your life. Whether it’s job-related, family news, where you’re living, recent travel adventures, new pets, or alumni sightings. We’d love to catch up with you!

CLASS NOTE:

THERACE RISCH ’94 of Frisco, Texas, has been promoted to executive vice president and chief information & technology officer at American Electric Power (AEP).

RIPON COLLEGE NOTES:

Alumni Weekend:

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. 

Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022. All class years ending in the numbers two or seven will be celebrating their Class Reunion this next summer at Alumni Weekend!

Past fiscal year update:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. 

Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.

Campus upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Endowment: 

Ripon’s endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

If you’re interested in reading more about RC news and events, please check out the following links:

Here is a link to the news stories published by the College: ripon.edu/news/ 

Here is the link to the latest Ripon Magazine, which includes features of alumni and faculty: ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications/

Here are Facebook pages that you could follow in addition to the main Ripon College page:

Ripon College Center for Politics and the People: facebook.com/RiponCollegeCPP 

Ripon College Center for Diversity and Inclusion: facebook.com/ripondiversity 

KIMBERLY WOOLLEY ’94 will be writing our next class letter in the spring. If you have updates that didn’t make it into this Class Letter, please reach out to her at [email protected] or contact me and I will make sure Kimberly receives the update.

All the best,

LISA SPROSTON SUTTER ’94

Submitted by: Class Agent: Lisa Sproston Sutter

1995 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent: 

TOM LUFT ’95

920-479-5323 / [email protected]

Dear ’95 Classmates,

I hope all of you have stayed healthy, safe, and prosperous since the last Class Letter to the class from AMY DEKEYSER PADILLA ’95. A quick shout out again to AMY, VINCE PADILLA ’95, ANGELA KEITH ’95 and everyone else who has been involved with our class since graduation – we appreciate your efforts.

As I sit in my home office in Oshkosh, just having wrapped up my second GoTo Meeting and first cup of coffee of the day, it’s hard to believe 30 years have passed since we all started our journey at Ripon College. Even though our class was small, I am certain some of you aren’t sure exactly who I am, and so very briefly in my own words: I was a tall, skinny, blonde-haired (sometimes with a mullet) Business Management Major and tennis player. I bounced around from Scott Hall (pre-remodel), to Bovay and then Brockway, never joined a fraternity, and can definitely look back at all of the Ripon experiences over the course of four years with fondness and appreciation. Since then, I’ve lived in Waukesha, Oshkosh, Phoenix, and now back in Oshkosh, where I am married, an empty-nester with two daughters in college, and work as the Director of Sales for NCC Automated Systems, headquartered in Pennsylvania. I won’t bore you with any more details 😊

Despite all that is going on in the world right now, there are many exciting things happening at Ripon. Some of the highlights can be found below. As always, the entire Ripon College Community of Students, Staff, and Alumni appreciate any support you can provide, whether it is financial, potential student referrals, or support of the various events/programs including Alumni Weekend.

Speaking of Alumni Weekend…

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. 

Our 25th (26th because of COVID) Reunion group was very small. If we had been able to have the actual 25th and no COVID, it would have been well-attended. Five attended the dinner – VINCE ’95 and AMY DEKEYSER PADILLA ’95, MICHELLE BUSS ’95, MICHELLE SIRINEK ’95, and LEANNE MEIDAM WINCENTSEN ’95. (Names are in order from right to left as shown in the following photo from Alumni Weekend.)

Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022. All class years ending in the numbers two or seven will be celebrating their Class Reunion this next summer at Alumni Weekend!

If you are interested in what new students are like coming in as Freshmen, here is an article published by the College featuring the profile of the new class of students on campus: https://ripon.edu/2021/08/31/the-face-of-the-class-of-2025-our-new-first-years/. 

Fiscal Year Review:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.

Campus Upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Endowment: 

Ripon’s endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Start of the Academic Year:

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety protocols. For more information on the College’s COVID-19 response and current procedures, you can visit ripon.edu/coronavirus-information

Read the Ripon Magazine Online:

ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications

Following Ripon College on Social Media: 

Ripon College Center for Politics and the People: www.facebook.com/RiponCollegeCPP 

Ripon College Center for Diversity and Inclusion: www.facebook.com/ripondiversity 

Class Notes:

CHAD LUECK ’95: BRITTANY EDWARDS LUECK ’94 and I became grandparents for the first time in October of 2019 (Isla Grace Lueck) and will have a second grandchild in October of this year. My oldest son, Elliott, is the father and he has graduated from college, gotten married and is in the real world working for Fidelity Investments in Denver, Colorado. My daughter, Lydia, started her freshman year at Lawrence University this month, and she will play basketball for them. My youngest son, Grayson, is a junior and plays varsity soccer at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He is thinking about where he wants to continue his education — big year for him. I work for Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals and have been employed there as Senior Director – Sales Training, Development and Meetings for the past five years. My wife, Britt, teaches kindergarten in Lincolnshire, Illinois. We live in Long Grove, Illinois — on a wooded four acres — very peaceful. We have two dogs, four chickens, and two barn cats.

VINCE ’95 and AMY DEKEYSER PADILLA ’95 write, “We continue to travel full-time in our RV. We sold our house in late 2019 and hit the road. People can follow our adventures if they’re on Facebook. Our page is titled ‘We Could Be Lost.’”

ROBERT NEUMAN ’95 of Oak Park, Illinois, writes, “Celebrating 25 years teaching for Chicago Public Schools.”

ANGELIQUE GIANAS FONG ’95 of Mission Viejo, California, was named the 21st Duck by the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks for her extensive community work and inspiring example. Learn more about her story here: https://www.nhl.com/ducks/video/21st-duck-angelique-fongs-season/t-277443296/c-8865788

Please send me your updates to include in future Class Letters at any time.

I am honored to serve as your new Class Agent and wish everyone the best in 2021 and 2022. See you soon!

Sincerely,

TOM LUFT ’95

Submitted by: Class Agent: Tom Luft

1996 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

JASON WOOD ’96

(201) 747-7719 / [email protected]

Happy Fall, Class of 1996! 

As 2021 began to open up and traveling was a bit safer, I was super fortunate to get out there and see many of my fellow Ripon College classmates. This included spending a week in Boston with LORI BERGERON-KOZIOL ’95, meeting up with EDWARD STEWART ’96 in Traverse City, and hanging in a Milwaukee beer garden with JOAN GRZESINSKI ’96, AMY TINCHER-DURNIK ’96, and MICHELE SIRINEK ’95. 

In August, we had our 25th Class Reunion and, understandably, it was small. However, several of our classmates of ’96 attended: AMY DAVENPORT KONGRATSASY ’96, MELISSA WILLIAMS SCHMIDT ’96, JOAN GRZESINSKI ’96, AMY TINCHER-DURIK ’96, STEVE MARTIN ’96, KYRSTEN KOEBACH ’96, and CAREY MOLINSKI ’96 as well as several other alumni from classes above and below. Even though it was small, everyone that made it to Ripon that weekend made the experience very memorable (except when it got past midnight). 

Lastly, in September I had a trip up to Minneapolis, where a small gathering of alumni socialized the night away; AMY DAVENPORT KONGRATSASY ’96, IAN BARRETT ’96, KHAM KONGRATSASY ’98, RYAN JOHNSON ’97, and SARA HOLBACH KLECKNER ’94.  

And as I wrote this, I headed on a week-long adventure through Colorado meeting up with RANDY JOHNSON ’96, RICK JOHNSON ’96, KOLLEEN HENNIGAN JOHNSON ’98, COURTNEY NUGENT ’96, ERIN NUGENT SONNLEITNER ’98, TONYA RENAE EWERS ’95, and JULIE WEDDING SCOTT ’97 all along the way. 

From social media, I know I was able to see some of the other Ripon College gatherings from ADPi trips to the Women’s Basketball Team. It is so wonderful to see everyone and, even though we aren’t talking to each other, know they are doing okay. As always please contact me or post on our Facebook page (Ripon College: Class of 1996). If anyone from our class has any new updates! We all love to see what is new and catch up with one another.  

Try to have a great winter (hopefully, it won’t be too cold or snowy) and I will touch base with you in the spring!

Regards,

JASON WOOD ’96

Submitted by: Class Agent: Jason Wood

1997 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent:

KRISTIN BAZZOLI PIOTROWSKI ’97 

(414) 841-8577 / [email protected]

Hello, Class of 1997,

I hope this newsletter finds all of you well. As we start the fall season, I wanted to provide you with some updates from the College. 

Alumni Weekend:

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022 (when we will celebrate our 25th Class Reunion), which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022. Speaking of, if you are interested in helping to plan our 25th Class Reunion, please let me know.

This Past Fiscal Year:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from around the world supported Ripon’s 4th annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.

Campus Upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science, a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work, recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Endowment: 

Ripon’s endowment recently hit an all-time high. As of Thursday, August 19, it was at $112 million.

Start of the Academic Year:

Classes started on Monday, August 30, and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety protocols.

Helpful Links:

• News stories published by the College: ripon.edu/news
• Ripon Magazine, including features of alumni and faculty: ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications
• Ripon College Center for Politics and the People: facebook.com/RiponCollegeCPP 
• Ripon College Center for Diversity and Inclusion: facebook.com/ripondiversity 

Class Notes:

CHRIS CORSTEN ’97 of Menominee, Michigan, wrote the following op-ed for New York Daily News based on his experience in Afghanistan: “True progress amid Afghan chaos: An Afghanistan veteran  reflects on the longest war.”  Access the op-ed here: https://bit.ly/3yR836A. He also authored the book “3,000 Days in Afghanistan.”

AARON GOLDSTEIN ’97 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, was named the Police Chief of the Fond du Lac Police Department by the Fond du Lac Police and Fire Commission on September 7. Congratulations, Goldy! 

Don’t forget to send along any news or updates to your contact information to me anytime. You can also connect with our class on Facebook via the closed group “Ripon College Class of 1997.”

Wishing you and your families a happy and healthy fall and winter,

KRISTIN BAZZOLI PIOTROWSKI ’97

Submitted by: Class Agent: Kristin Bazzoli Piotrowski

1998 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent:

SARAH ENG ’98

(312) 404-6732 / [email protected]

Dear Class of ’98,

Thanks as always for responding to my call for updates! It’s good to hear from you, especially when photos are involved. 

Alumni Weekend

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022.

Which means… our TWENTY-FIFTH Class Reunion will be the last weekend in June 2023. Mark that on your calendars, as well!

Red Hawk Donors are Red Hot

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. 

Big thanks to those of you who responded to my deluge of social media posts that day, and came through to represent our class. Thanks as well to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives. 

On Campus

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety protocols. For information on what steps Ripon College is taking to make sure students attending the fall semester are protected from the COVID-19 virus, visit ripon.edu/coronavirus-information. 

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat.

Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Class Notes:

DAVID JAMES ’97 and KIMBERLY CHRISTOFFERSON-JAMES ’98 of East Wenatchee, Washington, recently saw their son, Cyrus Fremont James, graduate from Western Washington University with a Major in “Filmmaking: Production, Theory, and Indigenous Storytelling.” He will be attending the Seattle Film Institute for his Masters this fall.

SARAH ENG ’98 of Chicago, Illinois, feels weird writing about herself in the third person, so: “I happily returned to the water with the Chicago Rowing Foundation’s Masters Recreational team in April, after over a year on dry land. I was also overjoyed to reunite with my family on Memorial Day weekend, seeing them for the first time in person since Christmas 2019.” Here’s a picture of the Eng family in Texas. 

BRAD KOZACZUK ’98 of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, is starting a new job as Special Education Teacher and Head Girls Golf Coach at Luxemburg-Casco High School.

CARRIE MOORE SHEPEARD ’98 of Hubertus, Wisconsin, launched a photography business, Women in Bloom (www.womeninbloomllc.com), and JEN ANSTEE CHAVEZ ’98 was one of her recent clients (and a happy one, as the photo to the below proves!) The photo, taken by CARRIE MOORE SHEPEARD ’98, is of JEN ANSTEE CHAVEZ ’98 and her daughters.

Lastly, STEVE “BEAKER” WIECHMANN ’98 of Bozeman, Montana, writes: “I have no real news! Still in Bozeman Montana. Still working winters at Bridger Bowl Ski Area. Still have awesome twin girls (almost 12 years old). Still married. Still biking and hiking and skiing whenever possible. I even still look the same!” 

And he truly does, as evidenced by the photo of STEVE “BEAKER” WIECHMANN ’98 with his two daughters. Beaker is the Paul Rudd of our class.

Until next time,

SARAH ENG ’98

Submitted by: Class Agent: Sarah Eng

1999 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Co-Class Agents:

MIKE BERENS ’99

(617) 512-5753 / [email protected]

CHRISTINE GUY WINGET ’99

(252) 367-9335 / [email protected]

Dear Classmates,

Good day to you from Port Orchard, Washington. There are 190 students on the Class of 1999 roster, with student number one being MATT ADLER ’99 of Monona, Wisconsin, and student number 190 being BRIAN ZEHREN ’99 of Washburn, Wisconsin. CHRISTINE and I would love to receive some updates from some of the 190 of you for the spring Class Letter.

We are very pleased to report that Ripon College welcomed 250 first-year students with 71 percent of the incoming class hailing from Wisconsin and 74 students coming from 23 other states. Those are some solid numbers! The new class consists of 159 recruited athletes and the average GPA for the incoming class is 3.42. Classes started August 30, 2021, and the campus is back in full swing with in-person classes.

Alumni Weekend occurred 6-8 August 2021 on campus after an 18-month pause. The next Alumni Weekend is scheduled for 23-26 June 2022. 

CHRISTINE and I were pleased to increase our class’s participation during the #OneDayRally on 28 April 2021. We have an eye toward this event again in the spring. We hope to secure a few fun items that donors can win if selected during the raffle. This idea came to us late in the game last year, so we only came up with some t-shirts. You can expect us to up our game this spring. Thank you to everyone who supported Ripon College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives. 

If you have not heard, the Class of 1999 has a Facebook page, and we encourage you to join: www.facebook.com/groups/riponcollegeclassof99/

If you have any class updates, please send them our way.

Sincerely,

MIKE BERENS ’99

CHRISTINE GUY WINGET ’99 

Submitted by: Class Agents: Mike Berens & Christine Guy Winget

2000 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent:

ANDRE MIKSHA ’00

(317) 219-9275 / [email protected]

Class of 2000,

Even in the midst of a pandemic, Ripon alumni made April’s #OneDayRally a huge success. Over two thousand (a record-breaking number, by the way) donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day back on April 28, known as #OneDayRally. Through our support, the College’s endowment is now at an all-time high of $112 million. While it might have seemed a little strange to be getting together for an Alumni Weekend in August, it too was quite a success. Please save this date for Alumni Weekend 2022: June 23-26, 2022.  

This year’s 250-strong freshmen class hail from twenty-four states; seventy-four students hail from outside Wisconsin: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas! I will never forget being around for NATE STILLMAN ’00’s first experiences with snow. Ethiopia and Myanmar are also represented in the class.  Interestingly, the most common names among the class are Emily/Emilie, Isabelle/Isabella, and Jacob. Twenty-one students are legacies; that is, another family member attended or is attending Ripon.

I have been writing these letters for over twenty years, and, unfortunately, my service as your Class Agent is waning. Someone who does not eschew social media like I do would be better suited for the coming years. Staying connected and “in the know” is important to me, but the Class of 2000 deserves a Class Agent who can add more value than I can. If you are interested in learning more about the position and are interested in serving your classmates in this way, please reach out to me or directly to JOLENE RUEDEN SCHATZINGER ’07, who serves as the school’s Associate Director of Engagement. I would also be happy to be a Co-Class Agent with any one of you who may be interested. 

Red Hawks forever,

ANDRE MIKSHA ’00

Submitted by: Class Agent: Andre Miksha

2001 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Co-Class Agents:

NICOLE BAUMANN-BLACKMORE ’01

(608) 513-9078 / [email protected]

DANTE A. C. HOUSTON ’01

(414) 378-4937 / [email protected]

Hi, Class of 2001,

We would like to start by giving a HUGE shout out to the class members who were able to attend our Class Reunion and to those who contributed to our class gift! We know how difficult these last 18 months have been for many, and the fact that many of you were willing to keep Ripon College top of mind is nothing short of amazing. With your help and generosity, we raised $21,600 with 25% class participation!

We have some updates to share but are missing updates from all of you! Please contact us, Ripon College, or join our Facebook group (Ripon College Class of 2001 Reunion) to say hello! 

Alumni Weekend:

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022.

This past fiscal year:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. 

Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.

Campus upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat.

Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Endowment: 

Our endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Start of the Academic Year:

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID safety protocols

Here is the link to the latest Ripon Magazine, which includes features of alumni and faculty: ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications/

The article about the Ceresco Prairie is amazing! While the Prairie was in its infancy during our time on campus, it has now become a mainstay in education for students in the Sciences and provides everyone in the area with a beautiful place to decompress. We highly recommend you come back to campus and take a stroll through the Prairie!

Until next time,

Your 2001 Co-Class Agents:

NICOLE BAUMANN-BLACKMORE ’01  

DANTE A. C. HOUSTON ’01

Submitted by: Class Agents: Nicole Baumann-Blackmore and Dante Houston

2002 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent:

CORRYN SIEGEL GREENWOOD ’02

(502) 269-5577 / [email protected] / [email protected]

Dear Class of 2002:

Please mark your calendars for our upcoming Alumni Weekend and 20th Class Reunion: June 23-26, 2022. Your help in planning our Reunion would be greatly appreciated. We are looking for classmates to be on our planning committee, as well as to help reach out to classmates to get them excited about attending our Reunion. Please email [email protected] if you can help. The more the merrier!  

As all of you read in our last Class Letter, LEIGH MLODZIK ’02 has accepted a position at Simpson College as their Vice President for Enrollment. He has since expressed that he would like to have someone else take over the role of co-Class Agent, and we are actively seeking one or two interested individuals. As his fellow Class Agent, I want to thank LEIGH for doing a wonderful job of helping to keep us all connected over the years. Thank you, LEIGH, for your service and we hope we will get to thank you in person at our Class Reunion in June! 

What does it take to be a Class Agent? We write a Class Letter each fall and spring, and we include updates from classmates as we receive them. Being a Class Agent gives us a direct line of communication with a staff member at Ripon College, and we collaborate closely with the Office of Constituent Engagement to write Class Letters. The College will take care of sending out Class Letters both through email and through snail mail.  

Here are some reasons why you may want to consider being a Class Agent:

• You will have unique opportunities to get information, often before our general alumni population, and you will get to know campus staff and administration on a more personal level.
• You will help the College keep track of the contact information of classmates, helping ensure that all of us get to keep in touch. This is also important to help keep classmates connected to the larger Ripon College family.
• It feels good to give back to your Alma Mater in such a tangible way. 

If you are interested in becoming a Class Agent or you simply want to learn more about this opportunity, email JOLENE RUEDEN SCHATZINGER ’07, associate director of engagement at [email protected], or you can call her at (920) 748-8354. You can also email me (CORRYN) directly to inquire about the Class Agent position at [email protected]. Because we are celebrating a Class Reunion this summer, I am really hoping that we can have the co-Class Agent position filled as soon as possible. Thank you for considering this opportunity. 

Now for some general College updates.

Previous fiscal year review:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that, regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. 

Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives, including those of you from our Class of 2002!

Campus upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Endowment: 

The College’s endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Start of the academic year:

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety protocols. More information on the College’s COVID-19 response and current procedures can be found at this link: ripon.edu/coronavirus-information/.

Links that may be of interest:

News stories published by the College: ripon.edu/news/ 

The latest Ripon Magazine, which includes features of alumni and faculty: ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications/

Class of 2002 Class Notes: 

JOHN BITTER ’02 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, held a rockin’ fundraiser called “Perms for Preemies” to support the March of Dimes. Spoiler alert: He did get a perm!

CORRYN SIEGEL GREENWOOD ’02 of Orland Park, Illinois, writes “I will start the new year in a new role as medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, Illinois. This is the closest hospital to our house and I will be leading the team as we apply for designation as a level III NICU, the highest designation that Illinois recognizes. I look forward to a shorter commute and the challenges my new role will bring. In sad news, our nearly 11-year-old vizsla, Otis, died this spring. Fortunately, we were able to get a new puppy to keep our other dog, Cooper, company. Nash is now six months old and he is crazy.”

TARIK LEBBADI ’02 of Vancouver, Canada, became the Chief Operating Officer of MINDCURE Health Inc. in March. MINDCURE is a leader in advanced proprietary technology for psychedelic therapy. Read more at www.mindcure.com/news/mindcure-names-tarik-lebbadi-as-chief-operating-officer. 

MELISSA KUBAI ’02 of Ames, Iowa, shares “I recently accepted a position in April 2021 at Iowa State University- College of Veterinary Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology. My position involves training ophthalmology residents, interns, and veterinary students. I have enjoyed returning to my Midwestern roots and the four seasons after spending seven years in Tucson, Arizona. I continue to remain active by participating in Triathlons. My next goal is a full Ironman after successfully completing a half Ironman in 2019.”

RYAN RADTKE ’02 of Chesterfield, Virginia, and his family moved from California to Virginia in August of 2020. He is the pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Mechanicsville.

I look forward to hearing from all of you. Whether you want to submit a news note, or you would like to become our newest Class Agent, or you are interested in volunteering for our Class Reunion, I would love to hear from you. Keep in touch!

Your Class of 2002 Class Agent,

CORRYN SIEGEL GREENWOOD ’02

Submitted by: Class Agent: Corryn Siegel Greenwood

2003 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Co-Class Agents:

LIZ MATELSKI ’03

(920) 475-7415 / [email protected]

ELAYNE MONNENS NORWEB ’03

(917) 509-4826 / [email protected]

Happy fall, Class of 2003!

Classes started on Monday, August 30th and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond Du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety protocols. More information about the new incoming class can be found here: https://ripon.edu/2021/08/31/the-face-of-the-class-of-2025-our-new-first-years.

This past fiscal year: A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. 

Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives. Ripon College’s endowment recently hit an all-time high; as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million!

Campus upgrades: The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science—a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work—recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat.

Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for Ripon’s math and computer science departments. 

For additional updates, consider following Ripon’s main Facebook page as well as these new pages: 

Ripon College Center for Politics and the People: www.facebook.com/RiponCollegeCPP 

Ripon College Center for Diversity and Inclusion: www.facebook.com/ripondiversity 

Class Notes:

GINA COMPITELLO ’03 of Tucson, Arizona, is the Director of Marketing and Communications at Literacy Connects, a Tucson, Arizona, nonprofit that provides free literacy and arts programs to learners of all ages.

LIZ MATELSKI ’03 of Melrose, Massachusetts, is Associate Professor of History at Endicott College. This summer she co-directed a National Endowment for the Humanities three-week seminar for middle and high school teachers titled, “The Salem Witch Trials: Their World & Legacy.”

JAKE PAULSON ’03 of Waukesha, Wisconsin, writes, “The twins are starting 4k this year and our (wife Kathryn and I) daughter started fourth grade. I have a new role for the School District of Waukesha: Secondary Reading Intervention Coach/Trainer.” 

ERIN TRADER STROT ’03 of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, writes, “I am still living out in Eden Prairie, Minnesota with my spouse of ten years, kids (two girls 6 & 4) and two cats (14 & 13) and working as the Training Specialist for the Donor Testing lab at Memorial Blood Centers. In my role, I onboard and train new technicians on the instrumentation and techniques for our lab, revise training materials and SOPs as well as handle staff competencies, continuing education credits, and any training related to major lab changes. In July, I completed my tenth half marathon and on October 3rd, I will be completing the Twin Cities Marathon, my first ever of that distance.”

BRIE TERRELL ’03 of Saint Louis, Missouri, is in her ninth year doing Ortho Trauma in St. Louis, Missouri. She writes, “My oldest just started 1st grade and my baby is in 4K. We adopted a dog earlier this summer – Raven.” Her husband, Jay, remains the only male in the household.

JENNIFER WHITE ’03 of Pasadena, Maryland, writes, “We are ramping up for Landsat 9’s launch, which is currently scheduled for September 23rd! Much of the work is still done primarily from home, but we will be going into the Goddard Space Flight Center to support the launch and commissioning of the spacecraft.” There will be coverage of the launch unless it becomes delayed. Another mission called “Lucy” is going to an asteroid, so if Landsat 9 doesn’t launch by a certain date, the launch team will shift to Lucy. 

ELIZABETH ZIRK ’03 of Portland, Oregon, was promoted to supervisor in June at Road Scholar, a non-profit and leader in educational travel for people over 50. She writes, “Having been hired on in January 2020, and then hanging on through the pandemic, which did result in layoffs, the Contact Center (the whole org, really!) persevered together and chugged along making things work as best we know how! We’re not quite thriving yet, but vaccinated folks are eager to get on the road again with us. It makes for very interesting work in such uneven and uncertain times! But I love my co-workers and I know we’re bringing good into the world!”

Thank you again to everyone who continues to send updates. Remember that you don’t have to wait for the twice-a-year call for updates in order to share your latest news. 

Be sure to check out the online version of R Connections (www.ripon.edu/rconnections) where you can upload updates, photos, and more!

Elayne

Liz 

Submitted by: Class Agents: Liz Matelski and Elayne Monnens Norweb

2004 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent: 

NICK SPAETH ’04

(262) 227-6097 / [email protected] / [email protected]

Greetings Class of ’04,

Life being what it is lately, this class update will be all Ripon news. We’ll get back to our regularly scheduled programming for the next Class Letter, seeking updates from all of you. For the time being, enjoy this update from our Alma Mater.

Alumni Weekend:

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Be sure to save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022. All class years ending in the numbers two or seven will be celebrating their Class Reunion this next summer at Alumni Weekend!

Past Fiscal Year Update:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.

Campus Upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Endowment: 

Ripon’s endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Start of the Academic Year:

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety protocols

Be sure to send updates to [email protected], and as always, be safe and be well.

NICK SPAETH ’04

Submitted by: Class Agent: Nick Spaeth

2005 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Co-Class Agents:

DAPHNE MEYERS LEIGH ’05

(414) 841-7210 / [email protected] 

AMANDA ZAHN PRZYBYL ’05

(920) 299-1081 / [email protected]

Hello Class! 

I (DAPHNE MEYERS LEIGH ’05) hope this letter finds you and your families well. This fall has been a huge shift from the way last year looked like! I am sure that many of you, like me, have learned a WHOLE BUNCH of new skills and strategies for navigating your work and social life — Zoom Happy Hour anyone?!? I sort of hope to never have to do those again, but I also realize how lucky we’ve all been to have the option to do them at all. 

This year’s Alumni Weekend was a bit non-traditional BUT was still a great opportunity for classmates across the decades to come together. Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, August 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months.

Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022!

This year, like every year, there have been upgrades and updates around campus. The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat.

Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Now here are class notes from classmates across the country: 

DAPHNE MEYERS LEIGH ’05 of New Berlin, Wisconsin: Starting school year 17 as a teacher, still learning new things along the way. Major updates here lie in our non-work activities. I’m now volunteering with Wisconsin PTA as Leadership Chairperson. 

LORYN OHLAUG MERRILL ’05 of West Hills, California: We’ve moved! Not far from where we used to live, but we upgraded to a bigger home with a larger yard. We love the new home but are still trying to unpack and settle in. Work is going well, I just celebrated my one-year anniversary at Raytheon. I’m enjoying it and staying very busy. My youngest just started kindergarten so now all four of my boys are in school. Sports haven’t returned to normal, but we are all hopeful that this year the park will open its leagues again. We are staying safe and enjoying what we have!

PAUL NEUBERGER ’05 of Colgate, Wisconsin, writes “I’m hosting a TV Show! I am beyond excited to announce that I’m hosting a new show on RightNow Media! For those who aren’t familiar with the network, it’s basically Netflix for Christians. It has an international audience with millions of subscribers. My show, ‘Faith at Work,’ highlights executives who have brought Christ into the workplace. In each episode, I interview a different leader to get to know them on a personal level, learn about their organization, tour their facility, and see firsthand how they’ve created a God-centric culture. I’m currently looking for leaders to feature in future episodes. Are you a good fit? Do you know someone who would be?”

AMANDA ZAHN PZYBYL ’05 of Ripon, Wisconsin: We’re moving! Not far, just a bit down Hwy 23, but back to my hometown. So excited for my boys to be Ripon Tigers!

Wishing you all a safe and healthy autumn!

Your Class Agents,

DAPHNE MEYERS LEIGH ’05

AMANDA ZAHN PRZYBYL ’05  

Submitted by: Class Agent: Daphne Meyers Leigh

2006 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agents:

NICOLE KLAAS HANDS ’06

[email protected]

ED HANSEN ’06

[email protected]

ANDY KITSLAAR ’06

[email protected]

Hello Ripon friends,

Given the out-of-the-ordinary circumstances surrounding Alumni Weekend 2021, the three of us were pleased to see that the Class of 2006 was well represented in August (and we were equally bummed that none of us were able to participate). Like you, we’re crossing our fingers for more “normal” Reunions in the future.

Speaking of Alumni Weekend: Together our class raised $10,660 as a special reunion gift, and 22% of us participated. We owe a thank you to our Reunion Planning and Fundraising Committee members: KHAATIM BOYD ’06, HAYLEY DOYLE ’06, BECCA NOWAK ENDERS ’06, RACHEL FISCHER ’06, ERIC GALLAGHER ’06, DANIELLE PAIZ GUNTER ’06, and ELIZABETH REIBLE NIELSEN ’06. If you’re interested in helping with future special projects for our class, please let one of us know – the more the merrier.

The Class of 2006 also showed up for April’s #OneDayRally: It was the fourth year of this one-day fundraising event, which has become critical to funding the College’s fiscal year. Our class was fifth among all classes in terms of participation, and collectively a record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported #OneDayRally.

In case you’re wondering what it’s like on campus this semester: Classes started (in-person) at the end of August. The College’s information on COVID-19 response and procedures can be found at ripon.edu/coronavirus-information.

We welcome your life news: Unfortunately, our class notes section is sparse for this letter (our fault for not being more proactive). We’d love to see many more names in the next letter. If you have any news (big or small), please reach out to one of us, or you can use this Google Form: https://forms.gle/rSMHMYLjmVFz43NG9.

Class note: 

JENNIFER BAKER SCHILLING ’06 of Pelican Lake, Wisconsin, writes, “Started a new job at the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office as their Finance Technician. My husband and I also participate in professional BBQ competitions around the state for fun.”

Happy fall and take care,

NICOLE KLAAS HANDS ’06

ED HANSEN ’06

ANDY KITSLAAR ’06

Submitted by: Class Agents: Nicole Klaas Hands, Ed Hansen, and Andy Kitslaar

2007 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

ADAM KRUEGER ’07 

(857) 389-8617 / [email protected] 

LINDSEY KREYE HEIL ’07 

(952) 944-7528 / [email protected] 

STACY KRUSA TEACHOUT ’07 

(920) 345-1048 / [email protected]

LIZ LEACH MORRELL ’07 

(920) 279-0779 / [email protected]m

Hello, Class of 2007, 

We hope this letter finds you healthy and safe as we continue to endure the COVID-19 pandemic.  

We cannot believe we are saying this, but next summer will be our 15-year Class Reunion celebration! Stay tuned for more information in the coming months regarding Alumni Weekend 2022: June 23-26. Make your plans now to come to Ripon that last weekend in June because we want to see as many of you as possible and hotels are filling up! We encourage anyone who may be interested in helping to plan our 15th Class Reunion to please let us know. One way to help is by contacting fellow classmates to encourage them to attend our Reunion. We will form a special Reunion-planning committee, and we would love as many of you as possible to be part of it. 

Because this is our Reunion year, all financial contributions to the College during this current fiscal year from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 will be counted toward our special Class Gift that will be presented at Alumni Weekend. 

Read on to find some updates from our classmates as well as College news. Enjoy!    

LINDSEY KREYE HEIL ’07 of Savage, Minnesota, welcomed baby #3 Sawyer Tate on June 25, 2021. He joins big sisters, Piper and Zoey, who absolutely adore him. Lindsey continues to teach high school special education and will be entering her third year of team teaching math alongside BETH WILLIAMS KOEHLER ’04.

AMANDA LIETHEN GLASS ’07 and her husband, Michael Glass of Random Lake, Wisconsin, welcomed a baby girl, Edith Rose, on Sunday, August 1, 2021. Edith joins big brothers Matthew (age 15 and learning to drive) and Theodore (age 3 and just starting preschool), who both love having a baby sister. Amanda is the Associate Director of Advancement Services and Data Analyst at Ripon College and has been working almost entirely remotely since March 2020. While grateful to not have a nearly three hour round trip commute to the office, she misses seeing people outside of Zoom meetings. 

TYLOR LOEST ’07 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is the Associate Vice President of Advancement at Lakeland University.

JOLENE RUEDEN SCHATINGER ’07 of Ripon, Wisconsin, continues to work at Ripon College as the Associate Director for Engagement in the Office of Constituent Engagement and she is really hoping to see as many of you as possible back in Ripon for our Class Reunion. She thinks this will be an event for the memory books and that you will not want to miss out. Feel free to contact her at any time if you want the latest updates on what is happening in Ripon — both on campus and in the community.

Alumni Weekend:

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022.

Past fiscal year update:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives. A special thanks to all of you who supported Ripon College from the Class of 2007.

Campus upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Endowment: 

Ripon’s endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Start of the academic year:

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID-19 safety protocols

Remember, don’t be shy! We always love to hear and share updates about your life. Thanks for continuing to support our Alma Mater. Stay safe. 

Be well, and we look forward to seeing you all very soon!

Your Class Agents,

ADAM KRUEGER ’07

LINDSAY KREYE HEIL ’07

STACY KRUSA TEACHOUT ’07

LIZ LEACH MORRELL ’07

Submitted by: Class Agents: Adam Krueger, Lindsay Kreye Heil, Stacy Krusa Teachout, and Liz Leach Morrell

2008 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agents:

LEAH HOVER-PREISS ’08

(608) 432-2399 / [email protected]

ZAC SCHWANDT ’08 

(414) 312-3531 / [email protected] 

STEPHANIE SOMMER FAULDS ’08 

[email protected] 

Greetings Class of 2008!

We hope this letter finds you well! As this letter is being written, the newest Red Hawks are starting their first week of classes. This class of 250 students (plus nine transfer students) are having those first-year experiences that we now look back on fondly– figuring out the best meals to get in the cafeteria, learning how to live with someone new in a dorm room, finding organizations and clubs to join, and so much more. Although 71% of the class hails from Wisconsin, students also come from as far away as Alaska, Hawaii, Texas, and Tennessee (along with 19 other states). While COVID-19 restrictions limited the number of foreign students who could join the class, young people from Ethiopia and Myanmar are now Red Hawks. Included in the class of 2025 (how strange is it to think this class will be graduating in 2025 when 2008 doesn’t seem that long ago!) are 159 recruited athletes, 21 legacy students, and 100 first-generation students. We wish this class luck as they begin their journeys at Ripon College! 

Before the new academic year began, Ripon College welcomed alumni and guests for the first campus event for over 18 months. During the first-ever August Alumni Weekend, visitors representing 29 states and the classes from 1961-2023 enjoyed coming back to our Alma Mater for celebrating, remembering, and developing new and old connections. Alumni Weekend will be held from June 23-26, 2022. Even though it is not our reunion year, we would still love to see you there so mark your calendars now! 

We would also like to take this time to thank everyone who donated during the #OneDayRally and at any other point during the fiscal year. A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. The Class of 2008 really supported the institution that gave so much to all of us. Once again, thank you!  

As you finish reading, make sure to check out the class updates shared below. As always, if you have any updates you would like to share with the class, please contact your Class Agents listed above anytime throughout the year. You can also post your update on the Class of 2008 Facebook group. Updates can include births, adoptions, new jobs, new pets, continuing education, promotions, moves, run-ins with other Ripon Alums…. your classmates want to hear what you are up to! Please let us know if you have any information to share. 

Class Notes:

LEAH HOVER-PREISS ’08 and her family recently moved to Friendship, Wisconsin. Leah is starting her 13th year of teaching high school math and her third year as an Associate Professor for Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota where she teaches master’s level education courses. 

TYLOR LOEST ’08 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, shared, “After three years, I left the John Michael Kohler Art Center. I am now the Associate Vice President of Advancement for Lakeland University.”

RACHEL RESOP ’08 of Washington, D.C., will be moving to Zambia in early 2022 to begin an HIV research fellowship funded by the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health. She will be based in Lusaka and will be researching preterm birth in women living with HIV. 

ALEX ROYZEN ’08 of Lindenhurst, Illinois, has been promoted to Managing Director, Head of Merchandising and Supply Chain at Ecentria after celebrating 12 years with the company. He now leads the Merchandising and Supply Chain Department for all business units.     

DAVID CZARNECKI ’08 and JORDAN ANDERSON ’08 of Waukesha, Wisconsin, write, “We welcomed our third child, Hollyn, in October of 2019. Her big brother, Enoch, and big sister, Eadie, absolutely love her!”

Go Red Hawks! 

LEAH HOVER-PREISS ’08

STEPHANIE SOMMER FAULDS ’08

ZAC SCHWANDT ’08

Submitted by: Class Agents: Leah Hover-Preiss, Zac Schwandt, Stephanie Sommer Faulds

2009 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Co-Class Agents:

EMILY MEYER ’09

(920) 369-8707 / [email protected] 

JOSH LEGREVE ’09

(414) 839-7222 / [email protected]

Hello All!

We hope you all had a chance to relax a bit during this past summer and enjoy the weather wherever you may be. We both had the opportunity to attend the August Alumni Weekend activities and it was great to see some of you there. It was a smaller event than normal considering everything, but it was still nice to get back on campus and see other alumni (even with the pouring rain during some of it).

It is amazing to realize that this year’s incoming Ripon College students are the Class of 2025! Here is an interesting snapshot of what our future fellow alumni look like: https://ripon.edu/2021/08/31/the-face-of-the-class-of-2025-our-new-first-years/

It is never too early to start planning to attend Alumni Weekend 2022. Next year the event will be held from June 23-26, 2022. This means Alumni Weekend starts on EMILY MEYER ’09’s birthday, so plan to come to help her celebrate while reuniting with your classmates!

As we write this, JOSH LEGREVE ’09 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, is gearing up for his twelfth year in the classroom. He is still teaching Spanish at Green Lake School District, but this year he is also taking on the role of the district’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Coordinator. In this role, he will be working with juniors and seniors as they pursue the rigorous full IB Diploma. 

EMILY MEYER ’09 of Fargo, North Dakota, has entered a new phase of life as the mom of a kindergartener. There is a HUGE learning curve to this phase of life, and lots of things to remember (like sending a snack every day). Aside from that, Emily is entering her fifth year in her position as the Assistant Director for Residential Education and continues to support the COVID Student Helpline at her institution. She also continues to serve as an advisor for the local Kappa Delta chapter, and is extremely excited to see what their new sorority house will look like once construction is complete next summer. 

Here are some updates from the College:

Alumni Weekend:

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022.

Past fiscal year update:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. 

Thank you to the over 3,600 donors, including those of you from our class of 2009, who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.

Campus upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat.

Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Endowment: 

Ripon’s endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Class notes: 

JOSH FREY ’09 of West Point, New York, is a Nuclear Engineer with the U.S. Army.

SHAWN KARSTEN ’09 and CARISSA ZUERCHER KARSTEN ’10 of Ripon, Wisconsin, welcomed a baby boy, Luther James Karsten, to their family on April 19, 2021.

NICK KRUEGER ’09 of Watertown, Wisconsin was a candidate for the State Assembly’s 37th District. 

BRITTANY KAUFMAN PRATT ’09 of Nixa, Missouri, shares that she has been riding out the pandemic with copious amounts of ice cream, online shopping, Brene Brown, and Bailey Sarian. If you have completed all of the popular bingeable shows, please consider Last Kingdom, Alone, MASH, or Zumbo’s Just Desserts for your viewing pleasure. And, if anyone else has memorized Dinosaur Train’s “Dinosaurs A-Z,” she’ll be happy to sing with you at the next Class Reunion! Brittany’s recently graduated pre-doctoral interns gifted her an MTV board game in honor of “all [her] old school references.” Just in case you wanted to feel like a true elderly millennial today. Brittany would like to give a special shout out to Joe Hatcher P’16, Kristine Kovack-Lesh, TIM PETERSIK ’73/P’10, and Bob Otis for fueling her love of psychology. As President of the Missouri Psychological Association, she is proud to represent her Ripon College roots and is immensely grateful for the way our professors set us up for success. Brittany writes, “Shout out to ABBY KAUFMAN ’12 because it is awesome to go to college with your sister! Also, pretty sure she doesn’t send in class updates, but she’s back in the Fox Valley if y’all wanna hang out. All jokes aside, hope everyone is doing well. Take care of you and looking forward to seeing you when all of this is over. Give a shout if you’re ever in southwest Missouri!”

VANESSA SIEBERS ’09 is the YMCA School Age Coordinator in Appleton.

We are always looking for more updates! You can send your updates to either of us and we will make sure it is included! 

Be well,

EMILY MEYER ’09

JOSH LEGREVE ’09

Submitted by: Class Agents: Emily Meyer and Josh LeGreve

2010 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Co-Class Agents:

NICHOLAS BAKER ’10

(931) 444-4466 / [email protected]

TOMISSA PORATH FREISLEBEN ’10

(715) 853-6104 / [email protected] 

Greetings, Class of 2010!

We hope that this Class Letter finds you and your families healthy and safe during this time. We know we can all agree at this point we would rather move on from 2020 and 2021 and hope 2022 turns out to be the year we are all hoping for!

As you know we had our annual Alumni Weekend from August 6-8. Alumni were present representing classes of 1961 to 2023 and it was a great weekend gathering. From the reminiscing of lounge parties in the Brockway Theta Chi lounge to eating frozen cocktails in the Commons, it was a weekend to remember. Besides the rain (we all got soaked), it was amazing seeing classmates many of us have not seen since we graduated. Any interaction felt like an old habit, as if we had just hit the Pub (now The Spot) for breakfast before a long day of classes. 

In regards to campus, we know many of you have seen that the College is open for in-person instruction and students recently moved on campus as we write this letter. We are hopeful they have a great year making many of the same memories we did at Ripon College. It is because of generosity like yours the College continues to thrive today.

Class Notes:

HANNAH WENDLAKE DUFFEY ’10 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, welcomed her daughter, Margot, to the family on June 1, 2021.

TOMISSA PORATH FREISLEBEN ’10 of Monona, Wisconsin, began a new job as an IT Product Owner at American Family Insurance. She’s excited about the new role, but she must make sure she calls it American Family Field instead of Miller Park whenever talking baseball with her coworkers. 

CARISSA ZUERCHER KARSTEN ’10 and SHAWN KARSTEN ’09 of Ripon, Wisconsin, welcomed a baby boy, Luther James Karsten, to their family on April 19, 2021.

AXEL OWEN ’10 of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, is serving as the Deputy Coordinated Campaign Director for Forward 2021. 

DANIELLE SCHOLFIELD ROCCO ’10 and VINNY ROCCO ’11 of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, welcomed their second child, Lucy, to the family on August 22, 2021.

SARAH GUSTAFSON RUMPF ’10 and KASEN RUMPF ’13 of Brookfield, Wisconsin, welcomed their second child, Rollins, to the family on June 21, 2021.

KATHERINE STOTIS ’10 and William Dooling were married in June 2018. William is a criminal defense lawyer in Minneapolis. Katherine is the processing archivist for the Hennepin History Museum. They have a King Charles cavalier spaniel called Conan (after the Barbarian) and are house hunting.

ELIZABETH WEIGLER ’10 of Santa Barbara, California, writes, “I graduated with a Ph.D. in Anthropology and started as an Associate User Experience Researcher at AppFolio in February. I live in Santa Barbara, California, with my husband Tyler and dog, Pilot the Dog.”

As we close this letter, remember Alumni Weekend 2022 is June 23-26, 2022. We hope to see you all there and please take care and stay safe.

Be well,

NICHOLAS BAKER ’10

TOMISSA PORATH FREISLEBEN ’10

Submitted by: Class Agents: Nick Baker and Tomissa Porath Freisleben