Author: Dale Devries
Col. Edward D. Daniels
Civil War Abolitionist Edward Dwight Daniels was a geologist, abolitionist, academic and Civil War soldier. He was born Jan. 19, 1828, in Boston, Massachusetts. He moved to Ripon in 1848 to live in a cooperative agricultural community. He taught at Brockway College and Carroll College and became the first state geologist of Wisconsin in 1853. […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Elaine Coll
Founder of Ripon College’s women’s athletics program Elaine Meador Coll was hired in 1973 as the first coach of the modern-day women’s intercollegiate athletic program at Ripon College. She was born in 1943 in Akron, Ohio, and received her undergraduate degree in physical education from Ohio University and later a master’s degree from Southern Illinois […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Doreen Conforti Chemerow
Class of 1973: Paying it forward Doreen Conforti Chemerow was a first-generation college student who hoped to attend a small liberal arts college such as Ripon. “However, I needed more financial aid in order to do that,” she said. From Ripon, she received generous scholarship and financial aid in the form of work on campus, […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Ripon College to Offer Summer 2026 Classes
RIPON, Wis. — Ripon College is pleased to announce a pilot summer course program for 2026, open to current students, non-degree seeking students, and students from other institutions. Courses run June 1–July 24, 2026, with in-person and fully online, asynchronous options available. Summer courses are designed to help students catch up, get ahead, explore a […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Academics, Administration, Admission, Homepage Featured.
Professor Salas Takes the Helm at MOWA’s Landmark Anniversary Exhibition
Ripon, WI – This spring, the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) opens The American Landscape: Beyond the Horizon — a sweeping reconsideration of two centuries of Wisconsin landscape art, timed to the nation’s 250th anniversary, and guest curated by Ripon College Professor Rafael Francisco Salas. The public reception is Saturday, May 2, from 2 to […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Faculty, Fine Arts, Homepage Featured, Research, Special Event.
Ripon College Announces Renovation and Renaming of Campus Pool
RIPON, Wis. — Ripon College is proud to announce a significant renovation project for its on-campus pool located at the Willmore Center. The project will enhance the student-athlete, community member, and spectator experience while modernizing the space through increasing natural light, significant renovations and equipment upgrades and a refreshed branded experience. Construction is scheduled to […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Athletics News, Homepage Featured, Special Event, Student.
Ripon College Announces Transition of Vice President and Dean of Faculty John Sisko
RIPON, Wis. — Today, Ripon College announced that Dr. John Sisko, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty, will transition from an administrative capacity to a faculty position. Beginning July 1, 2026, Dr. Rebecca (Becky) Matzke will be promoted to Vice President and Dean of Faculty. Dean Sisko joined Ripon College in 2020, bringing with […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Academics, Administration, Faculty, Homepage Featured, Office of the President.
‘The Trail to Oregon!’ musical comes to Ripon College
Get ready for a comedic journey across the frontier as “The Trail to Oregon!” runs Wednesday through Saturday at the Benstead Theatre in the C.J. Rodman Center for the Performing Arts at Ripon College. Shows take place each night at 7:30 p.m. This audience-interactive musical comedy features music and lyrics by Jeff Blim, with a […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Fine Arts, Homepage Featured, Special Event, Student, Theatre performance.
Alicia Rhyner Rytlewski
Class of 2010: Classical pianist and vocalist After starting her music career as a piano teacher in Milwaukee, Alicia Rhyner Rytlewski has expanded her reach and now is also a composer, performer and recording artist. She was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in September 1987. At Ripon, she majored in music with minors in Spanish and […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Susan Bundock
Class of 1982: American History TV At Ripon College, Susan Bundock of Takoma Park, Maryland, developed an interest in politics. That passion, along with her love for writing, led to a 39-career with C-SPAN (Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network) in Washington, D.C. Her culminating position was as executive producer with C-SPAN’s American History TV. Bundock was […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Gail Dobish
Class of 1976: Opera singer A distinguished 20-year career in opera saw soprano Gail Dobish singing more than 40 major operatic roles with more than 60 opera companies throughout the United States, Europe and Asia — including New York’s Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She was born […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Ripon College Announces Retirement of Vice President and Director of Athletics Chris Schumacher
Celebrates Era of Growth and Momentum RIPON, Wis. — Vice President and Director of Athletics Chris Schumacher will retire from collegiate athletics following a distinguished 33-year career, effective June 1, 2026. His tenure marks a period of meaningful advancement for Ripon College Athletics, defined by program expansion, student-athlete support and competitive success. Schumacher, who succeeded […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Administration, Athletics News, Faculty, Homepage Featured.
George Herbert Conant
Class of 1920: Botanical products George Herbert Conant grew up on a farm outside of Ripon and parlayed his early interest in science and botany into an enduring business which shares botanical slides for schools. He was born June 6, 1896, in Ripon and focused on botany while still in high school. He served during […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Rick Kammen
Class of 1968: National criminal defense lawyer Richard “Rick” Kammen wanted to be a criminal defense lawyer for as long as he can remember. Looking back on his career, “I was lucky that I wanted to do something that it turned out I was good at,” he said. “If people have their day in court […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Earl William Wyman
Class of 1917: OshKosh B’Gosh Through a friendship forged at Ripon College, Earl W. Wyman became a business executive with OshKosh B’Gosh and gave back to his Oshkosh and Ripon communities. He was born Aug. 2, 1894, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. At Ripon, he studied chemistry. He was an all-conference center in basketball for four years, […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Jon P. Wilcox
Class of 1958: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice The Honorable Jon P. Wilcox was a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court from 1992-2007, appointed by Gov. Tommy G. Thompson in 1992 and elected to a 10-year term in 1997. He was born Sept. 5, 1936, in Berlin, Wisconsin, and raised in nearby Wild Rose. At Ripon […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Natasha Torry
When Natasha Torry became a municipal court judge for the City of Sheboygan/Village of Kohler (Wisconsin) in 2015, she was the first Black woman judge outside of Milwaukee and only the third elected in the state. In 2023, she was elected and sworn in as Sheboygan County Circuit Court Judge (Branch 2) and advocates for […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Paul G. Rodewald
Class of 1921: Lawyer Born May 16, 1899, on a farm in Newton Township, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, Paul Gerhard Rodewald went on to become a distinguished lawyer and earn nearly every honor that Ripon College bestows. As a fellow Ripon College Trustee would later recount, Rodewald “left his Manitowoc farmhouse, went to a local banker […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Robert V. Abendroth
Class of 1951: Extraordinary commitment Robert Van Abendroth has given a lifetime of service and commitment to Ripon College, sparked by a familial investment in the College that spans four generations. Abendroth is one of the longest-serving member of Ripon’s Board of Trustees, spanning 31 years from 1965-1996. For 19 of those years, he was […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Ally Wilber
Class of 2017: Artist Ally Wilber is a Wisconsin artist, writer, and curator who specializes in the surrealist technique of fumage, or fire painting, and she is having an impact in all areas of presenting art to the public in the state. She was born in February 1995 in Appleton, Wisconsin. At Ripon, she majored […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.
Doug Morris
With a song in his heart For more than 30 years during his tenure at Ripon College, Doug Morris known to break out into impromptu, joyous song and sought to bring music into the lives of everyone around him in the greater Ripon community — as a professor and educator, as a church musician and […]
Posted by Dale Devries in Not News.