R Connections

Hello Classmates,

Time continues to fly by, whether it’s with family activities, participating in or watching sports (Olympics), shopping for new cars, or even playing the latest craze, Wordle. What continues to be amazing is how much Ripon College has changed since we attended, but is still the same great place. If we’ve learned anything these past few pandemic years, it is to appreciate and foster connections like the ones we made at Ripon. Let us know who you are staying in touch with from Ripon and how – We’d love to hear from you.

While we just celebrated our 15th Reunion this past summer, we are way too young to be sharing such somber news. ANDY BESWICK ’06 passed away on January 26, 2022 from colon cancer. Initially diagnosed in August 2017, his wife, JESSICA FUOCO BESWICK ’07, shared that he went peacefully and pain-free at the end. News like this hits hard as we reflect on our own memories of ANDY while on campus or after college. Those memories and days seem like just yesterday.

Hard to transition to brighter news… we have a few updates from classmates to share:

MICHELE BERGMAN ’06 and Max Lamberg of Madison, Wisconsin were licensed for foster care and public adoption in Fall 2021. They welcomed two amazing siblings shortly after that and are loving being parents.

ANDY KITSLAAR ’06 and Laura Kitslaar of Monona, Wisconsin welcomed their second son, Oliver Rowdy Kitslaar, in January 2022. Their hospital stay was made that much better because their attending doctor was Ripon grad, NICOLE BAUMANN-BLACKMORE ’01. They will be getting a mini-van for their expanded family, mainly to provide adequate space for their dog, Bodie.

JILLIAN BURRIS BLAZIEWSKE ’06 of Kenosha, Wisconsin, writes, “We have expanded our family! We welcomed a healthy baby boy into the world on February 15 and his big sister also turns two in the same month!”

REBECCA NOWAK ENDERS ’06 of Omro, Wisconsin, writes, “My husband and I welcomed our first baby in December of 2021. She is our pride and joy! We couldn’t be happier!”

Please send any updates you have now or in the future so we can share them in our next Class Letter! You can do so easily through this Google form.

In campus news, things have been busy. As you likely know, President Zach Messitte left the college and our Interim President is Dr. Andrea Young. You can follow her activities on Twitter and Instagram. The search for a new president is ongoing with a hopeful conclusion later this spring.

Also changing is where you can find your Ripon apparel when on campus. The new Rally Store is inside the Ben Franklin in downtown Ripon. I’m sure we’ve all been there, now we have a great excuse to visit to not only pick up Tic Tacs but also a Ripon t-shirt. Finally, the Class of 2006 has always had great attendance during Alumni Weekend. This year it’s moved back to the usual summer date so mark your calendars for Alumni Weekend on June 23-26, 2022.

Thanks to those who continue to support Ripon College and thanks to everyone for staying in touch. Again, we look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, take care, be well, and have some fun!

Your 2006 Class Agents,

ANDY KITSLAAR ’06

NICOLE KLAAS HANDS ’06

ED HANSEN ’06

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

Greetings, Class of 2008!

We hope this finds you well. Even though this Class Letter is being written while it is cold and snowy, spring is right around the corner. One of the highlights of spring is the #OneDayRally. #OneDayRally is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27. More information from the College regarding #OneDayRally will be forthcoming. Updates will be posted in the Class Facebook private group, “Ripon College Class of 2008,” as well. We would like to thank and congratulate the Class of 2008 for ranking seventh in giving due to the total number of donors for the last fiscal year. While this is a great accomplishment, we would like to challenge our wonderful class to move up in the ratings (or even make the rating for total giving amount or total giving percent participation). Let’s make sure to help support the institution that has given us all so much!

Even though it is not our reunion year this summer, we would still like to encourage you to consider attending Alumni Weekend. It is a great time to see old friends and make new connections! Alumni Weekend will be held on June 23-26, 2022. Watch for more communications from the College soon. If you have any ideas for our upcoming reunion year, feel free to reach out to a class agent at any time.

As always, we would love to hear your class updates. Please contact any class agent throughout the year with information about marriages, new family members, continuing education, moves, promotions, new jobs or businesses, exciting life adventures…anything! Our Class Notes (shared below) are a little short this time around. We would like to have more for our Fall 2022 Class Letter! Please stay connected with us!

Class Notes:

MESHELLE SHAVON DAVIS ’08 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, married Alex Boehlke of Germantown in Thiensville, Wisconsin, on September 11, 2021.

ERIN R. MAGUIRE ’08 of Hot Springs, Arkansas, is employed as a mental health therapist with Community Counseling Group and is planning to adopt a child in 2022.

ERIN OAKLEY KOLTES ’08 of DeForest, Wisconsin, and her husband, Mike, welcomed their baby, Abigail Elizabeth, on June 21, 2021.

LESLIE REINKE LUEDTKE ’08 of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, has started a new career with Village Caregiving. She is the Executive Director for the state of Wisconsin. RYAN LUEDTKE ’08 is a draftsman for Actuate Improvement of Middleton. They have two children, Teagan (age six) and Rory (age four).

LEILA KEÏTA ’08 of Saint Paul, Minnesota, is Associate Individual Giving and Fundraising Events Director at Minnesota Opera. She successfully helped Minnesota Opera pivot from an in-person gala to a virtual benefit in February 2021 called “Art is a Verb.”

Go Red Hawks!

LEAH HOVER-PREISS ’08
(608) 432-2399

STEPHANIE SOMMER FAULDS ’08

ZAC SCHWANDT ’08
(414) 312-3531

Your 2008 Class Agents

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

Hello All!

We hope you all are doing well as we emerge out of winter and head into the spring of a new year! Looking back, spring was always a beautiful time on campus, when everything started blooming back to life and we could enjoy more time outside without the air hurting our faces. And of course, Springfest was always a highlight at the end of a long academic year!

As we write this, JOSH LEGREVE ’09 is staying busy, splitting his time between preparing his first cohort of IB Diploma Program students for their IB exams and working on the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages’ upcoming Virtual Conference as a member of the organization’s board of directors. He has also been working on a committee with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Teaching and Learning Team for a project focusing on designing sample unit plans based on our newly revised state standards.

EMILY MEYER ’09 is in solo-parenting mode for the long haul as her husband, STEPHEN KENNELLY ’98, has been deployed. Lily is six-years-old and James is about to turn three. She is also in the middle of staff selection at her university, working on hiring new RAs for the next school year. Other than that, she has been buried in snow during the ridiculously cold Fargo winter.

Here are some updates from the College:

#OneDayRally:
Thank you so much to everyone that gave last year to both the Ripon Fund and on #OneDayRally. This year, #OneDayRally is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27. More information regarding #OneDayRally will be coming soon, and watch for information from both the College and from us on challenges and donation matching.

Alumni Weekend:
Alumni Weekend will be June 23-26, 2022, this year. Watch your email for more information and registration from the College as the dates approach. We would love to see you all there and have a great Class of 2009 showing! Also, we will be celebrating EMILY’s birthday that weekend!

Staying Connected:
Ripon’s Interim President Dr. Andrea Young has a new Twitter: twitter.com/RiponPrez and Instagram: instagram.com/riponprez/. Follow these accounts to stay updated on campus happenings! You can also keep up to date on campus happenings at ripon.edu/news to find out if any of our classmates or favorite faculty members have been featured in a recent news story.

Class Notes:
NATALIE GEENEN ANDERSON ’09 of Evansville, Wisconsin, will be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame during the 1851 Awards Dinner and Program on the Friday evening of Alumni Weekend on June 24 in recognition of her achievements in softball. Congratulations, NATALIE!

MATTHEW BARRILE ’09, Ph.D. of Los Angeles, California, entered a new role as Manager of Instructional Design and Development for the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California.

IAN HILL ’09 of Saint Francis, Wisconsin, writes, “After being a contractor for them since summer 2020, I’m happy to announce I’ve been hired on as business analyst for Landmark Credit Union! I look forward to continuing my journey in the project management world with this amazing company!”

ZAC MANS ’09 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has started working at Anoka High School where he is teaching social studies and also serves as the Auditorium Manager and Technical Director for the Theater program.

We are always looking for more updates! You can send your updates to either of us and we will make sure they are included! We hope that you are all doing well, and hope that many of us can reconnect this summer on campus!

Be well,

EMILY MEYER ’09
(920) 369-8707

JOSH LEGREVE ’09
(414) 839-7222

Your 2009 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Emily Meyer and Josh LeGreve

Dear Class of 2010,

We write this Class Letter hoping everyone enjoyed the holiday season and most importantly stayed healthy and safe. We are excited to share the many updates we have received from our class throughout the past few months.

As many of you know Ripon College is currently searching for its 14th President after it was announced in September President Messitte would be leaving the college to return to his hometown. During his time on campus, he has helped Ripon College bolster the endowment, and many capital improvement projects such as the Willmore Center were completed under his watch. Through his leadership, the College has weathered the pandemic and once again is able to operate with students on campus, a feat many colleges were unable to reach. It should be celebrated that our Ripon College peers have been able to learn on campus and experience the life we all remember at Ripon. As we write this, memories of bid day, study abroad, and more flood back and remind us of the fun we all experienced on campus.

Just a friendly reminder that this year Ripon College will again be holding an annual day of giving, known as #OneDayRally on April 27, 2022. This is a perfect time to make a give to your alma mater or even sponsor a donation challenge! We will also be celebrating Alumni Weekend during its usual time slot of June 23 to June 26. We hope to see everyone there!

Class notes:

NICK BAKER ’10 of Carol Stream, Illinois, received the Excellence in Claims award at Farmers Insurance for his superior service in claims handling.

MISTY BRUM ’10 of Kewaskum, Wisconsin, and her fiance, Matt Reible, were planning for a May 2020 wedding, but COVID had other plans. The couple pivoted and celebrated instead with an intimate wedding later in July at the beautiful Swan Barn Door in Wisconsin Dells. Then in June of 2021, they welcomed their daughter Evelyn Mae Reible. While the pandemic has been tough, they are grateful for these wonderful life events!

JEFF ’10 and GWENDOLYN CASEY DAVIS ’10 of Stoughton, Wisconsin, welcomed the birth of their son, Eamon Archibald Davis. GWEN and Eamon are doing great along with his four siblings while JEFF is “losing his mind.”

CPT. BRUCE KUKOWSKI ’10 of Raeford, North Carolina, writes, “I am the assistant operations officer for the 83rd CA BN at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.”

MATT DWYER ’10 of Watertown, Wisconsin, writes, “My wife, AMIE PRUDHOMME DWYER ’13, and I moved to Watertown with our daughter in August 2021 after being in Missouri for seven years. I am a PE and Health teacher at Mayville, and AMIE is a special education teacher at Fort Atkinson.”

CHRISTOPHER SCHAEFER ’10 of Madison, Wisconsin, has been promoted from Legislative Assistant to Research Assistant in the Office of State Representative Rob Brooks, and will serve as Clerk of the Special Assembly Committee on Supply Chain and Trade.

We wish you all the best as this new year gets going!

NICK BAKER ’10
(931) 444-4466

TOMISSA PORATH FREISLEBEN ’10
(715) 853-6104

Your 2010 Class Agents

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

Dear Class of 2011,

Greetings! I come bearing zero gifts. Sorry. I did just see the Uncharted movie and honestly, it was pretty decent. It was a fun, adventure-type movie without requiring much thinking. So, if you’re in the mood for something easy, I’d suggest it. Based on that review I don’t see much of a future in movie criticism for me, so here are a few updates from the College for this upcoming year.

Set aside the weekend of June 23 to June 26, 2022, for Alumni Weekend. It’s not a reunion year but the College still gives us “free” beer! Better to drink on their dime than on our own! Fun fact, Alumni Weekend registration opens April 1 online and we can register for the whole weekend for a modest amount and eat and drink to our heart’s content.

From July 2020 to July 2021, our Class had a total of 20.31% participation in donations made to the Ripon Fund. I think that’s an exceptional accomplishment, especially given the circumstances and uncertainty we’ve all been enduring the past year. Obviously, it’d be awesome if we can get the number higher. Any donation counts towards participation so I encourage everyone to participate if they can. Thanks to all those who participated this past year in any way, shape, or form. This year, #OneDayRally is set for Wednesday, April 27.

Entering year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, I find myself reflecting on what this past year (and, really, the whole pandemic) has done to my own relationships – professional and personal. I know I’ve lost touch with some people I wish I hadn’t, that my friendships have changed in how they look, and even my own actions and reactions to things have changed. Just a friendly reminder to go easy on yourself – everyone reacts differently and I think it’s safe to say that we’ve never experienced something like this before nor have any of our role models. We’re all sorta just figuring it out as we go. So be kind to yourself.

I hope you continue to stay healthy and happy and that you consider reaching out to me and maybe to someone you haven’t in a while. I’d welcome the chat and I’m sure they would, too!

Class Notes:

AMANDA HASSEN ’11 of Deerfield, Illinois, recently got promoted to Lead Operations Data Specialist! (SHANE’s note: Congratulations!) She also has a trip planned to Paris this spring after postponing four times over the last two years.

PATTY DETERMAN TAKAWIRA ’11 of Henderson, Minnesota, shares that if she suddenly woke up as JORDAN SALZER O’BRIEN ’11 Freak Friday style, she would immediately run to her enormous pantry filled with 1,000 different kinds of candy and eat it in her kitchen that had been meticulously cleaned by BRENDAN O’BRIEN ’11. Then, PATTY (in JORDAN’s body) would get into her nice car, also meticulously vacuumed and polished, drive to Minnesota, and figure out how to get her regular body back.

CARISSA TURK ERICKSON ’11 and her husband, GRANT ERICKSON ’09, bought a house in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and moved there in April 2021 with their three sons. GRANT owns his own law practice and CARISSA is working for the YMCA of Dane County.

SARA SISCO ’11 of Bothell, Washington, married her best friend, Mike Newman, in the summer of 2020. They live in the woods with their two Vizslas, Dexter and Dobbins. They are expecting their first baby this spring. SARA recently was promoted to Senior Manager of Mobility Education & Outreach at a Seattle-based non-profit.

NICK OSENBERG ’11 of Royal Oak, Michigan, is continuing to teach high school drama during a pandemic. He shares that it is super fun with the ever-changing COVID-19 regulations and diminishing respect for the teaching profession. In what little spare time he has, he has begun reading again with a special interest in books by the classicists. He’s currently listening to the 2004 tour version of Mamma Mia since he’s scenic designing it in the spring. NICK also suggests that his favorite book is “A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome” by Emma Southon. He’s hoping to go to NYC to see the Funny Girl revival and to Toronto in the near future. (SHANE’s note: He answered one of my prompts rather inappropriately so if you’d like to know what he said about his Freaky Friday experience, text me).

KRISTIN MERKER GREENBERG ’11 of Chicago, Illinois, shares that Baby Greeny is expected in April of 2022!

ZACH SMITH ’11 of St. Louis, Missouri, shared that he got hitched, got a new dog (SHANE’s note: He put a “?” after this so the jury’s out on whether he actually did get a new dog), and “ef the man.”

TIFFANY SEERING WATERS ’11 of Ormond Beach, Florida, shares that she’s a science teacher at Seabreeze High! Go CRABS! She and her family are living on the Atlantic side of Florida and mention that nothing is better than sand and surf. TIFFANY also got to see her two best friends, CANDACE ELLEFSON DORO ’11 and CASSY ZUMMALLEN ’11, and that none of them feel as old as they are and, in fact, it felt like they were just walking through Johnson Hall yesterday.

MISSY MEIERHOFER ’11 has been working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Finnish Museum of Natural History in Helsinki, Finland. Her current project is focused on identifying viruses carried by bats found in Finland. Since she’s been in Finland for a couple of years now, she’s grown accustomed to the ways of sauna and ice swimming. Her future travel plans include more traveling around Europe and hopefully Japan. MISSY is likely going to end up in the U.S. in August for a conference and is excited to visit family in Wisconsin.

AMBER RICO ’11 is working in Madison, Wisconsin, for Thermo Fisher.

ANGELA AUDLEY ’11 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, started her MBA this year. She’s working in the lab at Kemps Dairy and has a new horse named Gent that she’s currently riding.

Take care and stay healthy,

SHANE ROEBER ’11
M: (262) 617-7707 / H: (262) 695-0555
Your 2011 Class Agent

Submitted by: Class Agent: Shane Roeber

Dearest Class of 2013,

What a year 2020 2021… I mean, 2022 is already. It feels like just 84 years ago we were sitting outside of the quad in the spring air, at various garden parties; tea and crumpets in hand. Not a solo cup or plastic bottle in sight. While those beautiful, relatively carefree days are behind us, there are a lot of daily Ripon reminders.

Personally, I (LAUREN OTT ’13) am planning a wedding to KYLE GREENE ’15. We have been engaged for a little over a year and in that time I left my job, started a garden, KYLE started a new job, we got another puppy (Gus- he is perfect), I bought a truck, we’re building a chicken coop… a lot has been going on.

Similarly, a lot is going on at Ripon. As you likely know, our friend President Messitte left Ripon College and we have an Interim President, Andrea Young. Dr. Young is the first woman to lead Ripon College in its 170-year history. You can actually follow her on social: Twitter/ Instagram.

If all of this isn’t enough, our classmates are doing some cool things too:

EMILY ANDERSON ’13 of Hartland, Wisconsin, writes, “My dog just had a litter of five puppies: two girls and three boys. They’re all the most fantastic little land potatoes and getting chunkier by the day.”

HANNAH ANDERSON ’13 of Janesville, Wisconsin, started working at UW-Whitewater as an Academic Advisor within the College of Business and Economics in January of this year. She is also moving in with her boyfriend of two years, Brendan, in March.

LIZABETH BARANCZYK ’13 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, is one year into recovery from brain surgery. GO LIZABETH!!

ANDY ’12 and KATE AMELL FEHRENBACH ’13 of Minneapolis, Minnesota added a second dog to their mix. KATE writes, “We got Franklin, a miniature schnauzer/pug mix, this fall. He’s a loveable little munchkin who we are convinced is actually part cat and part goat (he loves to climb and perch on things).”

DAVID ’13 and BREANNA GRACZ FORSETH ’13 of Saint Louis, Missouri, are expecting a baby boy at the end of March! Their oldest (Caleb) and youngest (Noelle) are patiently awaiting his arrival.

EMILY MEYERS HAHN ’13 of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, is due at the beginning of April with a baby boy!

EMILY KIJEK SCHWANDT ’13 of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writes, “My sweet and perfect fur baby, Mia (pictured here), will be three years old this month!”

JOHANNA BURTON LANPHIER ’13 and husband, MICHAEL LANPHIER ’15, moved into a house in Lincoln, Nebraska, last summer. He won a trip through work to Japan next year! MICHAEL and JOHANNA also shared their career wisdom and scientific insight with Ripon College students through Zoom for the Biology Senior Seminar course, which took place in Bear Auditorium in early October. JOHANNA successfully hatched and hand-raised Lincoln Children’s Zoo’s first-ever Humboldt penguin chick!

TREVOR LYNN ’13 of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, completed the superintendent program through Edgewood College. He will be issued his principal and superintendent licenses in a few weeks.

PAUL MEUER ’13 of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was lucky enough to go on a vacation this summer to the North Shore of Minnesota with his beau KATIE TREDINNICK ’16. KATIE starts her second year of vet school in September.

SHAUNA PICHETTE ’13 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, started a new position as the Clinical Training Specialist at NOCD, a telehealth company specializing in OCD & related disorders.

STEPHANIE RHYNER ’13 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writes, “Got married to my lovely wife Maria Remley and I am continuing to work at UW-EC, UWM and MIAD.”

MATTHEW ROHRBECK ’13 and DARCIE FIRST ’13 of Columbus, Wisconsin, were married in November 2021.

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

CASEY SIMONSON ’13 of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and his wife, Merisa, are having a baby girl! The due date is June 24, 2022.

AMANDA VIRTUE ’13 of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, sold her half-duplex and bought a different house. She is now closer to work and just down the street from EMILY MEYERS HAHN ’13. She shares that the best part of the house is the fenced-in backyard for her pup!

CHARLOTTE LEE WAHLE ’13 and her husband, Marty, of Marshall, Minnesota, are expecting their second child in mid-April!

KAITIE JO STUMBRIS ’13 and NICK WEISS ’13 of Mayville, Wisconsin, bought a new house out of quarantine. They are chasing their two girls around, River and Winter. KAITIE JO has been promoted to Regional Manager for Aspen Dental. NICK is now Nationally Board Certified for teaching. They report that their levels of alcohol intake have greatly increased since college, which is to be expected.

ZACH WIELAND ’13 of Appleton, Wisconsin paid all of his student loans off! He is a free elf!

As you continue on with your beautiful lives, consider making plans to attend Alumni Weekend: June 23-26, 2022. Next year is our TEN YEAR REUNION, so please block your entire June 2023 (June 22-25, 2023, officially). I would be remiss if I didn’t also thank those of you who have donated to Ripon over the last year, with the reminder that #OneDayRally is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27.

That’s all for me. I hope you are all warm, healthy, and content.

Stay cool,

LAUREN OTT ’13
(651) 399-4363

ALI PELTIER ’13
(608) 228-0733

CHARLOTTE LEE WAHLE ’13
(971) 222-5905

Your 2013 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Ali Peltier, Charlotte Lee Wahle, and Lauren Ott

Hello, Class of 2014,

I (TIM HOLME ’14) hope everyone is doing well. I’m hopeful that we can all reunite at Ripon for Alumni Weekend pending another Greek letter COVID variant emerging this summer. I can’t believe it has been three years from our Class Reunion and eight from graduation, time really does fly by. I have been living in Portage, Wisconsin, for three years now. I recently took a new position within the DNR as a Conservation Biologist Crew Lead. I still live with KATIE WILLIAMS ’13 pending I do the dishes and make her breakfast. Here is what the rest of the Class of 2014 is up to.

Class Notes:

AMANDA LAMAL CLARK ’14 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, writes, “WYATT CLARK ’15 and I had baby #3! Briella Rose Clark was born on 11/24/21 and celebrated our five years of marriage this past June.”

SAMANTHA ANGELL EASTBERG ’14 of Marshfield, Wisconsin, and her spouse recently welcomed a new baby to the family, Joseph Anthony Eastberg, on November 10, 2021.

BREANNA GRACZ FORSETH ’14 of Saint Louis, Missouri, writes, “DAVID FORSETH ’13 and I are growing our family by adding another little boy next month. We are enjoying every minute of the beautiful life we’ve built in St. Louis. Our son will start Kindergarten this year and our daughter will be turning three right before her baby brother is born. I’m currently working as a Sales Executive helping Americans gain access to 401(K) plans and have the opportunity to retire with dignity.”

NICK FROM ’14 of Brookfield, Wisconsin, writes, “ADRIANA SERIU FROM ’14 and I recently built our new home in Waukesha. This past year she took a new job as Head Accountant for Connected Technology Solutions. I have been working for Enterprise going on eight years now. Our son, Remi, will soon be one and a half.”

CASEY GOTT ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was written about by the Hunger Task Force in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. They write that CASEY has been working to end hunger with Hunger Task Force since April 2021. CASEY is quoted to say, “As long as I can remember, Hunger Task Force has always had a powerful presence in the community. We all knew about the good work happening there.”

LIZ GREVER ’14 writes, “I moved to Seattle, Washington, and started a new position as a Product Manager at Guild Education.

AMANDA FINN HAGGERTY ’14 of Chicago, Illinois, was profiled in the November issue of the American Theatre Critics Association publication. To read more information about this visit https://ripon.edu/2021/11/24/amanda-finn-haggerty-14-profiled-in-theatre-critics-publication/.

MADELINE SOCKNESS HERRMANN ’14 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is an educator at Appleton Area School District.

KARLYE WEHNER KRIEN ’14, her husband Marcus, and their son, Kane, are living in Burlington, Wisconsin. KARLYE is working for Children’s Wisconsin at Kenosha Pediatrics as a Behavioral Health Consultant.

LEXIE SCHAFFER LAU ’14 of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, writes, “My husband and I started our own small business making mead (honey wine). We officially opened in September of 2021! We are still a relatively small operation but are slowly gaining more interest from the public. We are currently only doing online sales and curbside pickup due to our location and state regulations. But, you can follow us on Facebook at Hex Meadery and on oznr.com for purchasing if interested. It’s been an exciting process, to say the least! I am also in my fourth season as an Assistant Track and Field coach for Hilbert High School. I’m currently working for Calumet Country as an administrative assistant, as well as, managing all the paperwork for our business.”

ERIC LANGMAN ’14 of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, writes, “I am a middle school science teacher in Cudahy. I am also the head football coach at Cudahy High School.”

ALICIA BARNES MOEHR ’14 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, writes, “My husband, Joe, and I were married in October 2021. We’ve been enjoying the newlywed life with our dog, Chance, who will be three in May. I am excitedly growing my business and Joe is a cheesemaker at Grande Cheese.”

LUKE MORGAN ’14 of West Bend, Wisconsin, writes, “JESSICA SKIBA MORGAN ’15 and I became parents this year: Cyrus Joseph Morgan was born 1-29-22, 6 lbs., 5 oz.”

ALI NEMECEK ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writes, “Well, Zadie, (Mike and my pup) officially now has more clothes than any dog I know – but, Zadie needs a Ripon sweater! I’m still living in Milwaukee and working as an attorney at Church Mutual Insurance Company. My mom (BETH PALMBACH NEMECEK ’79) is really in need of a kidney donor now – if you’re interested in a donation, please let me know!”

KARL OSTERMAN ’14 of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, writes, “In May 2021, I made a major career shift and started a new dream – beer brewing! I was recently promoted to Head Brewer of Broken Bat Brewing Company in Downtown Milwaukee! My wife, Kimmy, continues to work as a School Psychologist in Hartford.”

AMANDA SPATCHEK PETERMANN ’14 of Reedsville, Wisconsin, writes, “This March, I am celebrating one year as a corporate accountant with Miller Electrical Manufacturing Company. I celebrated five years of marriage this past fall with my high school sweetheart, Adam. Every day it’s exciting to watch our son, Liam, who is now two-and-a-half years old, learn new things and explore this world!”

MAXWELL ROY ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writes, “CETONIA WESTON-ROY ’15 and I are expecting a baby girl in late April. Our son, Xavier, recently turned eight! I’m enrolled at the Medical College of Wisconsin in the Doctor of Public Health Program, focusing on the mental wellbeing of leaders in non-profits and community-based organizations for my dissertation. I am still serving as the Director of Operations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County.”

KATIE RAYMOND ’14 writes, “I started a new job in November 2021 as the Waushara County Treatment Court Coordinator!”

TY RUTKOWSKI ’14 of Dundee, Illinois, writes, “I’ll be celebrating six years of employment with the Michigan State Police where I have been working as a Michigan State Trooper.”

LIZ WALSH ’14 is wrapping up her postdoctoral fellowship in Alberta, Canada, after accepting a job offer from the USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding and Physiology Laboratory. She is Baton Rouge bound for a permanent position as a research scientist.

NIKKI GLASHEEN WEAVER ’14 and CHRIS WEAVER ’16 of Genoa City, Wisconsin, are married! They bought a home together and now reside in Southern Wisconsin.

RACHEL WEDEWARD ’14 of Oak Park, Illinois, writes, “I started a new job as a Research Project manager for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, in November 2021 in Chicago.”

Thank you all for the updates and small glimpses into your lives. We are looking forward to seeing everyone June 23-26, 2022 for Alumni Weekend and just a friendly reminder #OneDayRally is on April 27th this year so be on the lookout for more updates on that to follow.

Thanks again, and go Red Hawks!

Sincerely,

TIM HOLME ’14
(608) 333-9526

MARA JENSEN POULLETTE ’14
(920)-946-8498

Your 2014 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Tim Holme & Mara Jensen Poullette

Hello, Class of 2015!

How has life been? Whether it’s been seven years(!) since you’ve stepped foot on campus or you live nearby, it’s lovely to be in your inbox today. I hope this letter brings fond memories, where fresh-baked cookies (not cows) lingered through the air, where your friends were just a room away, and where you finally hit the hay after grinding through an essay at 3 a.m. (just me?). Ripon will always connect us.

As I’m closing my first year at my second post-college “adult job,” I’ve had some thoughts about work, life, relationships, and identity, and I’d love to share three notes with you. If this is too long, skip ahead, but know that you are appreciated and that both SAM KAY ’15 and I (KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15) hope life is okay!

Some learnings about attempting to balance life and work in this very strange world:

• Your identity is not simply your job title(s). If you base your life’s satisfaction on your job and you get let go or quit, you may start questioning your life’s meaning. That is natural. However, I recommend basing your identity or identities on much more, such as the work you do that doesn’t come from a paycheck, “likes,” or attention.
• Your worth is not dependent on marriage, family, career, or status. As a human, you are enough. Period, end of sentence.
• I hope you are doing work you’re proud of. As humans, we contrive meaning(s) as coping mechanism(s), but I truly wish you good work and a life well lived.

Now, onto those updates from our very cool classmates:

KATIE BIEDLER ’15 of Saint Cloud, Minnesota, will be working as a financial solutions representative for Alight Solutions, starting this spring.

ANDREW CARBALLO ’15 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, will be marrying his girlfriend, Emily, this summer.

ZACH CONNORS ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin, works as recruitment coordinator at Raven Software which is part of Activision Blizzard studio. ZACH and his boyfriend, Weston, got engaged last summer.

STEPHEN COVALT ’15 and KORRINE PETERSON COVALT ’15 of Crystal Lake, Illinois, celebrated their son Carson’s first birthday last February. KORRINE is working at Karcher Middle School as a Special Education Teacher, and she is also still coaching softball.

EMELIA ERICKSON ’15 of Cincinnati, Ohio, recently celebrated five years with the Lodge Retirement Community. She looks forward to putting a few more thousand miles on her bike and hopes that everyone reading this knows it’s ok to be turning 30 without a marriage, kids, or salaried career.

CHRISTIAN ERTEL ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, married Emily on May 19, 2021.

KAYLYN FREEMAN MACKIN ’15 of Beaufort, South Carolina, was married in April 2021 and hopes to start a family soon.

WYLIE GAHART ’15 of Kenosha, Wisconsin, is currently working as an Elementary School Counselor in the Elkhorn Area School District. She recently got engaged to Ty Iverson and is planning to be married in September of 2023.

CHELSEA GRAHN ANDREWS ’15 moved back to Wisconsin and is now lecturing for UW-Madison in the Psych. Department.

PETER HAYES ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, is working as an investment product manager at Envestnet. He is currently in a part-time MBA program at DePaul and expects to finish in the winter. He plans to move in with his girlfriend at the end of April.

GISELLE DAVIS KAUFFELD ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, writes, “I graduated from UW Madison in May 2021 with a Masters degree in Social Work and I recently accepted a job offer at the Fond du Lac County Department of Community Programs as a Children’s Long-Term Support Service Coordinator or CLTS Service Coordinator for short. I am loving it.”

SAMANTHA KAY ’15 has been working with the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy for five years as the Global Outreach Manager. Her work helps to increase access to potentially curative gene therapies in resource-poor countries. SAM bought a duplex in Riverwest, Wisconsin, in 2021 and spent most of last year renovating it. She also adopted an orange cat named Theo, who is waiting for his turn to use the single brain cell that all orange cats share.

JADEE KELLOGG SEN ’15 and AKASH SEN ’16 moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. They and their dog, Apollo, are enjoying seeing the mountains every day and going on hikes on the weekends.

SAM KLEIN ’15 and SERGE FEDOROWSKY ’15 of Aurora, Colorado, have been playing a lot of video games and board games while eating vegan tasties in their pockets of free time. They also adopted chinchillas, bought a house, got engaged, and married each other.

LUKE MORGAN ’15 and JESSICA SKIBA MORGAN ’15 bought an 1800’s farmhouse in Myra, Wisconsin. They have been updating their home and doing lots of fixer-upper projects. They celebrated a year in the house this past February and also welcomed their son, Cyrus.

KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15 is loving life in the Colorado sunshine in Denver. She works at the Montessori School of Denver as marketing manager, co-coach of Girls on the Run, and designer of the yearbook (yep, the yearbook is back in her life!). She’s building partnerships with other creative entrepreneurs on kaylielongley.com and on Instagram @kaylieadventures. When not working, she’s climbing trees, sipping coffee, reading for fun, or playing with doggos.

NICOLE MALLI ’15 of Washington, D.C., joined the America250 Foundation as the Senior Manager of National and Community Partnerships. In her role, NICOLE is building relationships with national and community organizations and leading cultural institutions to support larger-than-life partner programs and initiatives that weave a tapestry of diverse American stories in honor of our nation’s semiquincentennial. Her cats are living their best lives and are an active representation of Feline American planning semiquincentennial events.

KATIE JO MCGEE ’15 is loving her role as English Specialist for Etonkida in Nanjing, China.

CHLOE PIEPHO COREY ’15 of Rochester, Minnesota, started a new job recently. She is back at the Mayo Clinic as a Communications Specialist supporting the Department of Surgery.

MADDIE POULLETTE ’15 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, got engaged at Peninsula State Park in Door County to her boyfriend, Peter, in November. They enjoy vegan brunch and raising cats together.

BRISTOLE RYFF ’15 of Orland Park, Illinois, is halfway through her first year teaching and loving it. She is a kindergarten special education teacher. Nothing beats the optimism and honesty of kindergarteners! She got engaged to her fiance, Mike, over the summer, and they are in full planning mode for their September 30th wedding this year. They are also beginning to pack up their apartment in hopes of moving in the near future!

KARLYN SCHUMACHER ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, the assistant librarian-access services at Lane Library, wrote a blog post titled “Starting from Scratch: OER at a Small Liberal Arts College” for OER and Beyond, posted October 6, 2021. The blog post is about open educational resources.

SAM SEILER ’15 of Cleveland, Ohio, is finishing her family medicine residency this summer and moving back to Wisconsin, possibly even the Ripon area.

LAURA SHIVELY ’15 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, has celebrated getting fully vaccinated by getting engaged to her boyfriend of five years. They adopted a puppy this summer, named Fraser Lloyd, and purchased a beautiful house for him with a giant backyard in February 2022. She looks forward to turning dead Wisconsin winter grass into lush vegetable gardens and convincing her future husband that no, they will not have white walls in their house.

JOHN ’15 and KRISTY OGLESBY SPADONI ’15 are enjoying life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with their pups, Izzy and Bruce. KRISTY recently decided to quit her previous job to dedicate her time to taking over her family business, Oglesby Hardwood Flooring. If you’re in need of new floors, please reach out!

SHAUNNA BAUMHARDT STEGGALL ’15 and husband KYLUN STEGGALL ’14 of Watertown, Wisconsin, are having baby boy number four in early March.

NATE ’15 and BRI MILROY SIUDAK ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, had a wedding so nice they did it twice! They were wed in December of 2020 and celebrated their union again in December of 2021 with friends and family. BRI is working as a school counselor in West Allis, and NATE is working at Titus Talent Strategies.

ANTHONY TAUSIG ’15 ​​of Chicago, Illinois, celebrated four years at Broadspire. ANTHONY is living with his girlfriend of seven years, ALLISON MACKNICK ’17… maybe 2022 will be the year he proposes?

ROB ’15 and KAMELLE VAN DER LEEST WATERS ’15 of Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, welcomed their son, Theodore, on October 6, 2021. He has already visited Ripon for the Alumni Track and Field Meet in January. KAMELLE is still a Grievance & Appeals Specialist at Dean Health Plan, and ROB is working for Schmidt Landscaping out of Belleville. They are looking forward to getting together with friends and family in 2022.

JILL VANEPEREN BEILFUSS ’14 of Fremont, Wisconsin, writes, “My husband, MITCHEL BEILFUSS  ’15, and I welcomed our sweet baby girl, Jordyn Alyse, on January 3, 2021.”

KAITLYN WELZEN ’15 and David Spruill recently traveled to Kauai where they got engaged. In April, they are moving to Durham, North Carolina, to be closer to David’s family. KAITLYN is going to miss working at Woodland Park Zoo but is looking forward to her next adventures in North Carolina.

CETONIA WESTON-ROY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is expecting a baby girl this spring wth husband, MAX ROY ’14. She has purchased a historic building in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Milwaukee to open her bookstore, Niche Book Bar.

KEVIN WHITENEIR, JR. ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, writes, “I resigned from the Art Institute of Chicago after almost five years and becoming their first Black librarian. I’m now an archives director for a Black nonprofit called the Black Lunch Table, and I had a solo gallery exhibit with a gallery called An Sylvia Exhibitions last June.”

Don’t forget to save the date for this summer’s Alumni Weekend: June 23-26, 2022.

Take care,

KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15
(262) 212-7394

SAMANTHA KAY ’15
(414) 587-5958

Your 2015 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Sam Kay and Kaylie Longley

Hi, Class of 2016!

It is time to say goodbye to winter and welcome spring with open arms. As the sun starts to peek out for longer and longer, don’t forget to spread some light to your friends as well! The Class Letter is a great time for us all to touch base and connect with one another, so don’t forget to check in on your classmates and be sure to share a smile.

Please join me in thanking, ELIZABETH KONIECZNY YAMAT ’16 for her service to Ripon College and her dedication as a co-Class Agent for the past six years. ELIZABETH has expressed that she would like to have someone else take over the role of co-Class Agent, and as such, we are actively seeking one or two interested individuals to join me as co-Class Agent. As her fellow Class Agent, I want to recognize ELIZABETH for helping to keep us all connected since graduation.

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.

Please email me, SARA DRIEBEL, at [email protected], or email [email protected], with any questions or to state your interest in becoming a new Class Agent for our class.

Some fun news from our Alma Mater: During the search for Ripon’s next president, Interim President Dr. Andrea Young has joined us on Twitter and Instagram as @RiponPrez. Make sure you are following along for all sorts of exciting updates and Ripon news!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the #OneDayRally and in all of our other fundraising efforts this fiscal year! Your contributions go far and are appreciated. And don’t forget to mark your calendars for our annual Alumni Weekend, taking place this year over June 23-26.

Finally, a great big thank you to all who reached out and responded with updates on their lives. You all continue to inspire and amaze me, and I am proud to be part of your class! Now, on to the updates!

GARRISON ANDERSON ’16 of Chicago, Illinois, designed a limited-run poster for the singer, rapper, and writer Dessa.

GISELLE TIMOTHY THOMAS ’16 of Madison, Wisconsin, formerly known as Matthew Thomas Schultz has so many life updates to share. She’s come out as a transgender woman and is going by a new name since her last alumna update. She has also made plans to leave being an optician at Costco to live her lifelong dream of being a travel writer. GISELLE is working with Ripon alumna AMANDA FINN ’14 on AMANDA’s new travel website geared towards including stories from the types of travelers whose stories aren’t shared in most travel blogs and guides. Dream Suitcase is focused on giving an authentic voice back to travel while highlighting marginalized voices and stories. GISELLE is definitely still a work in progress, but is excited to share her journey with everyone who wants to tune in as she’s preparing to take flight into a new career and more fulfilling life. While there’s not much from GISELLE there now, going forward the best place to keep tabs on GISELLE between these class updates will be via her and AMANDA’s new website, www.dreamsuitcase.com. Both GISELLE and AMANDA would encourage all of their Ripon friends to check out the site and like Dream Suitcase on Facebook because they are excited about what they have been cooking up the past few months.

KATIE TREDINNICK ’16 of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is pursuing a DVM/MPH dual degree at UW-Madison. She is expected to graduate in May 2024.

NICK LUEDTKE ’16 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is finishing his Ph.D. in chemistry and recently made a protein containing an unnatural amino acid. He is looking forward to sharing those new experiences and discoveries at Ripon College in two oral presentations. There is a lot of momentum in NICK’s life with post-graduate job hunting, and he is excited to get married on May 14, 2022!

MADESON WALGENBACH LEWIN ’16 of Waupun, Wisconsin, is a Spanish teacher at Waupun Junior High.

MINH DO ’16 is still working at a bank in Vietnam. He just got promoted!

RACHEL ROKUSEK GASSER ’16 of Chesapeake, Virginia, started a new job in August 2021. She and her husband, Andrew, were married in November, and they just bought their first home together!

SARA DRIEBEL ’16 of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, had her first flat tire and made it far worse than it needed to be. It’s truly what she deserves for treating a cube car like it can offroad on hiking adventures. Otherwise, SARA is still working in HR during the week and teaching at the zoo on the weekends and has been enjoying doing as much wildlife photography, reading, gardening, and crocheting as possible in her free time.

Thank you for sharing your updates and news with us!

With love,

SARA DRIEBEL ’16
(262) 347-1484 / (262) 439-8124 

Your 2016 Class Agent

Submitted by: Class Agent: Sara Driebel

Hey, Class of 2018,

It’s been a minute since you’ve heard from us, but we were so happy to receive your updates this time around. I don’t know about you, but we had the realization the other day that it has been four years since graduation. For most of us here, these four years have marked many significant milestones. Some of you have completed professional degrees and are now working in your dream fields. For others, you have started climbing in your career into new roles and responsibilities. You’ve gotten married. You’ve started families (pets included). You’ve moved to a new city, or maybe you’ve made a completely life-changing decision and are now starting down a new path. Wherever you are, don’t forget to take a moment and recognize how far you’ve come since crossing the stage at Harwood Memorial Union. They say life after college flies by, but that doesn’t mean we can’t stop and take a minute to appreciate everything Ripon has given us. What part of your life do you owe to Ripon?

Many of you have already given back to the College through #OneDayRally or the Ripon Fund. Others have attended Alumni Weekend to reconnect with old friends. Whatever way you choose, don’t forget to stay connected and grateful for the unique experience we all got from our Alma Mater. We hope you all have a great 2022 and don’t forget we’re just one year closer to our five-year Reunion! Alumni Weekend this summer will be June 23-26, 2022.

Below are some updates from your fellow classmates:

EMMA ALLEN ’18 is working as a COVID-19 epidemiologist in New Haven, Connecticut.

JAKE BAUS ’18 of Merrill, Wisconsin, graduated from UW-Madison with a doctorate in physical therapy last May. He has been working full-time in Merrill, Wisconsin, as a physical therapist with Marshfield Clinic.

COLLEEN ELZINGA ’18 of Evergreen Park, Illinois, recently passed her veterinary licensing exam (NAVLE) and will be graduating with a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Illinois this May.

LAUREN HINCE ’18 still resides in Chicago where she works for Chicago Debates supporting debate-based programming for Chicago Public School students. She also has been helping to coach the UW-Madison ethics bowl team alongside fellow alumni, J.J. GRINDE ’16. She adopted a dog last year named Franklin.

ELLIOT HOERDEMANN ’18 moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to work as a distributor sales executive for Molson Coors Beverage Company.

KAT KULAS ’18 is working as an RN in Appleton while also attending Marian University to get her degree as a nurse practitioner.

EMMA MCDONALD ’18 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is working as an outpatient physical therapist at Ascension Mercy Hospital in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

WILLIAM PENTERMAN ’18 of Columbus, Wisconsin, was recently elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in a special election last July. He also re-enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in May of 2021. He and his wife ABBY HILKER PENTERMAN ’19 have enjoyed exploring new hobbies such as swimming across Devil’s Lake and gardening.

MERRANDA SCHMID ’18 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is an adjunct instructor of chemistry. At Ripon, she majored in chemistry with a minor in biology. This year, she graduated from Colorado State University with a master’s degree in chemistry with a concentration in material science. For two years at Colorado State, she was a chemistry teaching assistant there working with both chemistry and non-chemistry majors. She now is a laboratory technician with STgenetics. She is from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She is the first in her family to receive a graduate-level degree and she has a Mexican heritage on her mother’s side.

EMILY STANCZAK ’18 of Indianapolis, Indiana, is celebrating passing her qualifying exam. She is now officially a Ph.D. candidate at Indiana University.

KATELYN VAN SWOL ’18 of Sturtevant, Wisconsin, started a new position at Uline as assistant to the Vice President of consumer relations. She is also working on a master’s in communication from Arizona State University. She will graduate in December.

CARYSSA WAITE ’18 of Princeton, Wisconsin, is working as a universal banker for Fortifi Bank.

SOPHIE WIDMAN ’18 moved to Irvine, California where her husband JAMES BALESTERI ’19 is completing his master’s in theater.

See you soon!

LAUREN HINCE ’18
(763) 706-7473

HOLLY ERICKSON ’18
(262) 497-7796

ELEANORE MUELLER WOOD ’18
(920) 539-2935

Your 2018 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Lauren Hince, Holly Erickson, and Eleanore Mueller Wood

Salutations, friends!

As the snows melt, the birds return, and the flowers begin to poke through the ground, we once again want to extend a happy and healthy 2022 to you and yours. While the world continues to throw challenge after challenge at us, from the third year of a global pandemic to the continued economic and racial injustices affecting so many communities, don’t forget to love each other and spread kindness and compassion wherever you go.

Hearing from all of you on the remarkable achievements you have accomplished and the contributions you have added always reminds us that there are remarkable people doing incredible things across the globe. Although we may be physically separated, we remain connected by our shared memories as the Class of 2019. We would love to see each and every one of you and reconnect at Alumni Weekend this year, June 23-26. More details about that will be available soon! And as always, we have a few updates to share with you about the goings-on around Ripon’s campus.

Despite the pandemic and all the problems that come with it, Ripon College once again saw outstanding support from friends, family, and alumni, with total giving for the past fiscal year reaching over $4.6 million. Thanks to your generosity, Ripon will continue to inspire future generations to be leaders in our communities.

Rafael Salas, professor of art, was appointed to the Wisconsin Arts Board by Governor Tony Evers in February, where he will serve for three years to continue supporting and developing the arts across the state.

As of writing this, Ripon continues its search for a President to replace Dr. Zach Messitte, who stepped down after the Fall 2021 semester. MARK FRANZEN ’83, a trustee and chairman of the selection committee, recently updated our community stating that there is a strong number of applications coming in and an overwhelming interest from alumni, staff, community members, and students. The committee expects to begin interviewing candidates sometime in March with an offer to a candidate in late spring.

And now our Class Notes!

SHANE STRABLEY ’19 of Waterford, Wisconsin, writes, “I will be graduating Marquette Law School in the spring.”

BRENT ANDERSON ’19 of Columbus, Ohio, writes, “I recently moved to Columbus, Ohio, after receiving my Masters in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University in Chicago this past May. I’ve been working for the Student-Athlete Support Services Department at The Ohio State University since July of 2021. I’m currently an academic advisor for Student-Athletes on the football team, softball team, women’s basketball team, and men’s and women’s fencing team.”

AMBER HAUGEN ’19 of Saint Cloud, Minnesota, started medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

MELISSA MICALE HACKBARTH ’19 of Neenah, Wisconsin, writes, “At the beginning of March, I will graduate with a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and will be working in the private practice-outpatient setting.”

OLIVIA HECK ’19 was featured in the Ripon Magazine‘s Winter 2022 edition. You can read the Ripon Magazine online at ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications/.

PAYTON BLESSING ’19 of Appleton, Wisconsin, writes, “This past summer, I moved to Appleton, Wisconsin, and started a new marketing job with Jewelers Mutual Group! This move was particularly exciting for me as it meant moving back to my hometown, allowing me to get back involved with a community that’s near and dear to my heart. I also adopted my first dog, a tiny German shepherd-beagle mix named Pippin!”

LAUREN GOOD ’19 of Wautoma, Wisconsin, writes, “I bought my first house and have been traveling throughout Wisconsin, Michigan, and Colorado skiing!”

BECKY BAJT ’19 of Coal City, Illinois, writes, “The eighth of May 2022 is the day I get married to my high school sweetheart! Ripon gave me friends that will be standing alongside me, MARI LASKA JORDAN ’19 and RAUL HARO ’19! My College roommate of all four years, EMMA LEMKE ’19, will be our officiant!”

CARLY WESNER BOWMAN ’19 of Charlotte, North Carolina, writes, “Living in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the time being! I continue to work from home, while my husband, Ryan, pursues a career in youth ministry. Things are never dull! My husband, Ryan, and I have the exciting opportunity to take on a position together as youth organization leaders at a local church. Excited for what’s to come! Until then, Ryan and I work part-time as we explore further opportunities. Life in Charlotte is nice! The warmer weather, and of course, no snow, is perfect for us!”

VANESSA VILLARREAL ’19 of Waukesha, Wisconsin, writes, “In October 2021, I started a job as a registration and regulatory compliance associate for SC Johnson in Racine, Wisconsin. I will be moving to Racine in June.”

RACHEL HAWLEY ’19 of Madison, Wisconsin, writes, “Not much is new! I am still living in Madison, Wisconsin, and finishing up my Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Please reach out if you find yourself in the area! I’d love to take you out for a beer!”

TARYN BOSQUEZ ’19 of Bloomington, Indiana, writes, “I am currently in the middle of the third year of my Ph.D. program in Neuroscience and Psychological & Brain Sciences at Indiana University, and will be entering my fourth this coming fall. Doing research has kept me quite busy; however, the project I’ve been working on, which will be a component of my thesis, has really taken off and I am excited for where it could lead down the road. Also, this past year I have gotten engaged and will be getting married this summer!”

ERIC FELS ’19 of Hubertus, Wisconsin, writes, “After completing my stint with the U.S. Forest Service, I recently started a new role as Ticket Staff & Office Coordinator at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton! I am ecstatic to be returning to the Fox Valley and living close to friends and family.”

As the warmer weather starts to arrive, we once again look forward to being able to spend time with family and friends outdoors. We are eager to hear all about the life events you have experienced since leaving Ripon and hope to spend some time with you in June. Until next time!

Cheers,
Your 2019 Class Agents,

Eric Fels ’19
(262) 365-9726

Rachel Hawley ’19
(224) 688-3049

Olivia Heck ’19
(262) 408-3785

Tyler Sturzl ’19
(715) 889-3672

Submitted by: Class Agents: Eric Fels, Rachel Hawley, Olivia Heck, Tyler Sturzl

Fellow 2020 Classmates,

The start of a new year always provides a fitting opportunity both to reflect on the past and to look ahead to the future. I hope that while reading through this letter and the provided updates on our Classmates, it brightens your day to not only remember the wonderful times we had together on campus but also to see all of the impressive futures we are each working to build for ourselves. Furthermore, as we continue to adjust to the unexpected twists and turns of the pandemic, I hope that this Class Letter finds you and your loved ones all in good health.

On campus, the new semester began on January 18th and, after a short quarantine period, campus activities and life are as busy as ever. In particular, I’m proud to say that both our men’s and women’s basketball teams have continued their dominance of the Midwest Conference (MWC), as they both hopefully work their way towards yet another conference championship. On this topic, one of the best ways to support our athletics and all of the other organizations that made campus feel like home is to give your support to the College. The fifth annual #OneDayRally is scheduled for April 27th, 2022, and I look forward to seeing our Class beat our donation record from last year!

Finally, I encourage you all to join us at Alumni Weekend this summer, from June 23-26, 2022. Although we don’t get the excitement of finishing this weekend graduating in front of our friends and family, it will nonetheless be a great opportunity to reconnect with each other, as well as meet alumni of all generations who share a passion for this great institution.

Here are our Class Notes!

ADAM WRONSKI ’20 of Waco, Texas, recently started his second semester of graduate school at Baylor University. His research focuses on emerging environmental contaminants of concern and he hopes to begin publishing his research soon. Furthermore, he looks forward to joining his classmates at Alumni Weekend this summer.

ABBY KORB ’20 of Washington, D.C., recently started a new job working in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Constituent Liaison for Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC00). Additionally, she looks forward to graduating from American University this May with her MA in Political Science.

BAILEY JERRICK ’20 of Stoughton, Wisconsin, has been working at American Girl in Middleton, Wisconsin, for almost two years now, where she does set work as well as making and filming all of the DIY crafts for their YouTube page. More recently, she has also been working as a product stylist and is helping to create YouTube content.

MAX MINDIOLA ’20 of East Troy, Wisconsin, is enjoying the final months of his second year of dental school at Creighton University. He looks forward to his upcoming white coat ceremony and the start of his work with patients.

DEVIN HOAGLIN ’20 of Davenport, Iowa, is an ichthyoid concierge at the premier food market west of the Mississippi River.

ANDREW JOHNSON ’20 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has continued teaching at St. John’s Northwestern Academies in Delafield, Wisconsin. In addition to his teaching, he coaches the school’s track team and recently adopted a dog (Echo). Furthermore, he looks forward to introducing three new classes to his school next year: AP Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry.

MIYE AOKI-KRAMER ’20 of Seattle, Washington, is currently teaching middle school science, where she developed a sustainability curriculum for sixth-grade students using the game Minecraft. Furthermore, she looks forward to her upcoming marriage to STEVEN LANPHIER ’17 this fall.

MORGAN EXNER ’20 is teaching first and second-grade dual language immersion courses in Beloit, Wisconsin, and has recently taken up curling in her free time.

FORREST GRADE ’20 of Appleton, Wisconsin, recently joined the alumni association for the Epsilon Lambda Chapter of Sigma Chi at Ripon, where he hopes to support future generations of Sigma Chi leaders. Additionally, he looks forward to Alumni Weekend 2022 (June 23-26th) and reliving the glory days of last year’s Alumni Weekend.

RYAN KROGSGAARD ’20 of Lewisville, Texas, is currently going through infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He will graduate from his re-training on April 28th and hopes to be stationed in Alaska after that point.

MACKENZIE SWART ’20 recently finished the Disney College Program and is now working full-time at Disney World.

SIERRA TIREMAN ’20 recently moved to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and adopted a second cat, Sprout.

ALAURA LEMIEUX ’20 recently moved to Marshfield, Wisconsin, where she is working in the main lab responsible for conducting COVID-19 testing for the CDC.

KAYLIE MARKS WILCOX ’20 married DAKOTA WILCOX ’19 at Ripon College in August 2021. They both attend Northwestern Health Sciences University, where they recently started an evidence-based chiropractic club that discusses current issues in the professions and actions their peers can take to improve them. Furthermore, KAYLIE recently won a national sports chiropractic research award for her rehabilitation protocol on SLAP tears in the shoulder. She is currently interning at a high school athletic department and will begin treating professional athletes at her next internship this summer.

MEHDI EL YOUNSI ’20, unfortunately, had to return to Morocco due to the pandemic. He now works in his family business, producing and exporting essential oils in bulk. Additionally, he has started teaching English and is applying to get his master’s degree in diplomacy from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University.

ADAM WHITE ’20 moved to Gainesville, Florida, where he has been doing ecological restoration via the treatment of invasive plants for Kestrel Ecological Services. This summer, he plans to return to Wisconsin to work for Aquatic Plant Management in Minocqua.

Best wishes,

ADAM WRONSKI ’20
(651) 301-9390

KAILEE BETLER ’20
(920) 290-1327

MITRA KERMANI ’20
(303) 807-3662

HALEY STOWELL ’20
(715) 214-8025

Your 2020 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Adam Wronski, Kailee Betler, Mitra Kermani, and Haley Stowell

Happy Adulting, Class of 2021!

What a year it has been! It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since we graduated from Ripon College. It has been amazing to see all the great things that our Classmates have been doing and the difference we are making in the world.

We briefly want to say a massive THANK YOU to our incredible Class participation in monetary support of the College, including #OneDayRally 2021 and Senior Year participation. Here are some brief stats on our Class participation:

• In total giving participation, our Class ranked 9th with 45% of the Class. We are the youngest by 43 years!!!
• In total number of donors, our Class ranked 3rd with 72 donors; ranking 7th was the next youngest Class since the Class of 2003.
• In the Ripon Fund participation, our Class ranked 10th with 43.75% participation of Classmates participating. Youngest Class by 44 years!!!
• In the Ripon Fund number of donors, our Class ranked 2nd with 70 donors; Ranking 4th of all Class years!!!

Though we all probably got sick of hearing about giving from the Senior Class Gift Committee, these are some really great numbers that are definitely representative of the hard work and dedication put into things we care about!

To receive the best and most innovative College communications, please update your email address and/or postal address to [email protected] or go to alumni.ripon.edu/services/update-info/. Also remember, our “ripon.edu” accounts are terminated on May 16th so get your documents and presentations saved to your personal account!

Some important dates for all to mark on the calendar include #OneDayRally and Alumni Weekend! This year’s #OneDayRally falls on April 27th and we wanted to remind you to connect with the College and your Classmates and make your annual gift to Ripon. Additionally, after a couple of years of cancellations and hybrid events, Ripon College’s Alumni Weekend is back! Just as it’s been in the past, it will be held on campus the last weekend of June, the 23rd through the 26th. The Office of Constituent Engagement provides a weekend full of food, drink and events to walk down memory lane. Though that last part doesn’t necessarily apply to us already, Alumni Weekend is one of the biggest events that the College hosts.

Lastly, check out what some of our Classmates are up to:

ERIN BAILEY ’21 – After graduating, she moved to Washington, D.C., and started working at a government relations firm, Stateside Associates. She recently adopted a one-year-old cat named Winnie and is enjoying exploring the DMV.

CALLY HANSEN ’21 – Since graduating, she has moved to Madison, Wisconsin, and started working as a laboratory technician at Labcorp Drug Development. Outside of work, CALLY has gotten more acquainted with Madison and has visited Ripon a couple of times to visit her younger brother ETHAN HANSEN ’23. This summer, she’s planning on getting out on the lakes via paddle boarding.

KYLIE TOMASHEK ’21 of Plymouth, Wisconsin, is currently working with New Holstein Elementary School as a paraprofessional, and she will be transitioning to a fifth-grade teacher this fall.

ELLY KLAWITTER ’21 recently moved to Madison, Wisconsin, and is working at Esker Inc., a software company as a Customer Advocate helping our clients improve their business processes. Her goals for 2022 are to become fluent in Spanish (thanks DuoLingo) and really hone her craft of quoting Marvel on a daily basis. And with that, always remember: “kick names, take ass.”

CAMERON KLEIN ’21 of Clinton, Wisconsin, is currently working at Continental Plastic in Delavan, Wisconsin, as an Accounts Receivable Specialist and Accounting Assistant.

MACKENZIE WARNER ’21 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, finally met fellow NASA interns in person for airborne flight data collection and celebrations, after the program she had been admitted to for the previous summer (NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program) was postponed due to COVID-19. Currently, she is working as a clinical lab specialist in a hospital lab.

RACHEL HICKS ’21 of Endeavor, Wisconsin, is currently teaching middle school English language arts and is recently engaged with LUKE DRESKE ’21.

EMILY ALLARD ’21 – Since graduating, she has moved to Aurora, Illinois, and started working at Walter E. Smithe as an interior designer. She says that she is thriving!

DOMINICA CIPRIANI ’21 of Oak Lawn, Illinois, moved back home to Chicago after graduation and is currently working part-time as a behavioral therapist and a waitress.

MADELINE KUHL ’21 of Madison, Wisconsin, is working as an IT Technical Recruiter. Her cat’s favorite toy is a wooden stick.

CAMRIE SCHMITZ ’21 of Kiel, Wisconsin, was accepted to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is working towards her Masters in Social Work with a Certificate in Applied Gerontology.

Thank you to all of the Classmates who sent in their life updates! We’ll be looking forward to touching base with you all again this fall. Until then, we wish you all the best!

Cheers,

ERIN BAILEY ’21
(262) 949-2190

CAMERON KLEIN ’21
(608) 201-5334

MACKENZIE WARNER ’21
(920) 232-1579

Your 2021 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Erin Bailey, Cameron Klein, and MacKenzie Warner

JOHN E. ROMBERG ’64 of New London, Wisconsin, died Feb. 4, 2022. At Ripon, he majored in economics as well as politics and government, participated in Beta Sigma Pi and was commissioned through ROTC. He received a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana University Bloomington. He was assigned to the United State Army Mobility Equipment Command, Secondary Items Division, in St. Louis, Missouri, and retired as captain. He worked for Bemis (Curwood) for 34 years before retiring in 2002. For the city of New London, he was mayor for four years, alderman, and member of the New London Family Medical Center Board and Foundation Board. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing and membership in the Twin Hunter’s Club. Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann; one son and two daughters.

Full obituary: postcrescent.com/obituaries/wis350145

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

Andy Beswick ’06 passed away peacefully on January 26, 2022, after years of battling cancer since his initial diagnosis in August 2017. A GoFundMe page has been created to support Andy’s wife, Jessica Fuoco Beswick ’07, and son, Tristan, as they navigate this challenging time.

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

It is with our deepest sorrow to inform you of the passing of beloved husband, father and grandfather, William “Bill” Andrew ’64, on September 5, 2019. Bill is survived by his wife, Edith, two daughters and three grandchildren.

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

Kenneth von Kluck ’65 died peacefully at home on February 10, 2022. He was 78. Ken was a devoted husband to Martha (née Chernov), father to Jordan (Ashley) of Chicago and Alex of San Diego, adoring grandfather to Grace, and half brother to James (Janet) Rosellini of Racine. Ken was a lifelong resident of the Chicago area until he and Martha retired to Eagle River in 2014. He had strong ties to Wisconsin, graduating from Ripon College and the University of Wisconsin Law School as well as vacationing all his life in the Northwoods.

Ken was a man of many talents and interests. A practicing attorney for 46 years, he was also an artist, served on many civic, health related and not-for-profit boards and committees, and was an aficionado of the cultural arts, history, sports cars, Scotch and more. Ken was an outdoorsman who loved to bike, boat, garden and chop wood for nightly campfires. Yet he always had time for his family, whether coaching soccer, rebuilding the car of his youth with his sons or encouraging nightly family discussions around the dinner table.

Full obituary:  gaffney-busha.com/obituaries/Kenneth-A-von-Kluck

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

JAMES H. FALKENRATH ’63 of Locust Grove, Virginia, died Feb. 3, 2022. At Ripon, he majored in mathematics, was a member of Sigma Nu/Theta Sigma Tau, was vice president of his class and was commissioned through ROTC. He earned a master’s of business administration from the University of Alabama. He served in the U.S. Army for 21 years, with assignments all over the world. He earned the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star and retired as a lieutenant colonel. He then worked for Honeywell Federal Systems Inc. as a tech support manager, including leading major efforts throughout the Republic of South Korea. He enjoyed watching football, playing golf and traveling. Survivors include his wife, Sharon; one son and one daughter.

Full obituary: www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/fredericksburg/name/james-falkenrath-obituary

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

JOHN X. JAMRICH ’43 of Savannah, Georgia, died Feb. 20, 2022. At Ripon, he majored in mathematics, physics and German and participated in music and Lambda Delta Alpha/Delta Upsilon. He received Ripon’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1983. He also received degrees from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps before embarking on a career in higher education administration. He served in Iowa and Nebraska, then as the eighth president of Northern Michigan University from 1968 to 1983. He impacted academic programs, autonomous student life and infrastructure. John X. Jamrich Hall is named in his honor. After retiring, he was a consultant and volunteer. An accomplished pianist, he performed at nursing homes and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Survivors include his daughters.

Full obituary: canalefuneral.com/obituary/639384/dr.-john-x.–jamrich/

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement

NATALIE S. ADAMS ’77 of Colorado Springs, Colorado, wife of former Ripon College president Bernard S. Adams, died Feb. 13, 2022. In Ripon, she was a founding member of the Green Lake Festival of Music, board member and president of the Ripon South Woods Park Association and a choir member at First Congregational Church. She enjoyed tennis and for one year coached the Ripon College women’s tennis team, leading to a conference championship. After retiring in Colorado, she was a member of Broadmoor Community Church where she was a member of the choir, chair of the Arts Committee and a lay caregiver minister. She also served as president of the Symphony Guild and volunteered at Pikes Peak Hospice. Survivors include one son and one daughter.

Full obituary: obits.gazette.com/us/obituaries/gazette/name/natalie-adams-obituary

Submitted by: Office of Constituent Engagement