Career Discovery Tour

The Career Discovery Tour is a program committed to further expanding student-alumni career networking opportunities. In 2014, the program was recognized with the “Best Student Alumni Programming” award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Offered annually during spring break, the Career Discovery Tour provides 12-16 students the opportunity to travel for a week to vibrant cities across the United States to gain first-hand knowledge of a variety of careers directly from successful Ripon alumni and friends. Click here if you are interested in serving as a host for an upcoming tour. Constituent Engagement staff accompany students on the tour and help to design meeting schedules and flex time that meets the needs of most students. Previous trips have included Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Colorado, Washington, D.C. and Texas. This critical engagement opportunity is made possible with support from the Alumni Association Board of Directors and others.

*Financial assistance will be available to qualified students upon request.

Alumni & Friend Visits:

The following Alumni and Friends will be sharing experiences with students during the tour:

Jamie Hawley ’88

• Majors: Biology and Anthropology
• Owner, Flatlander Surfcasting

Kris Diemer Hawley ’88

• Majors: Spanish and Biology
• Scientific Document Analyst, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
• Master of Science Pharmacology, Michigan State University

Rachel Hawley ’19

• Major: Chemistry-Biology
• Postdoctoral Fellow, US Medical Affairs
• Doctorate of Pharmacology, University of Wisconsin

Stephen Pugh ’76

• Major: Biology
• Professor Emeritus of Biology, University of New Hampshire
• Master of Science Biology, University of North Dakota; Ph.D. in Biology, Boston University

Barbara Janssen Pugh ’78

• Major: Biology
• Retired Environmental Consultant Specializing in Human Health Risk Assessment
• Master in Public Health, Boston University

Trustee Deb Jensen Lahteine ’93

• Majors: Mathematics and Philosophy
• Senior Vice President, L. Knife & Son, LLC
• MBA, Bentley University

Trustee George Zornada ’87

• Majors: Economics and History
• Partner, K&L Gates
• JD, Washington University

Margaret Carne

• Program Manager of the International Relations Program, Tufts University
• Ph.D. in Political Science, University of California Berkeley

Jesse Rye ’02

• Major: Theatre
• Executive Director, Farm Fresh Rhode Island
• Master of Arts Management, Carnegie Mellon University;  Heinz School of Public Policy and Management

Sam Sondalle ’11

• Majors: Biology and Chemistry
• Solnit Integrated Fellow in Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry, Yale University
• M.Phil. in Genetics, Yale University; Ph.D. in Genetics, Yale University; M.D., Yale School of Medicine

Mya Yupar Oo ’20

• Majors: Business Management and Communication
• Digital Investment Associate, Wavemaker

Dustin Zuelke ’09

• Majors: Biology and Chemistry
• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, City College of New York

Jason Wood ’96

• Majors: Business Management and Chemistry
• Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, TravelAdvocates
• MBA, St Joseph’s University Philadelphia

Nicole Klaas Hands ’06

• Majors: Politics and Government, Law and Society
• Director of Marketing, Blueprint Investment Partners

Adam Krueger ’07

• Majors: Business Administration and Theatre
• Director of Operations, GrubHub
• Master of Science Advertising Management, Boston University

Plus many more! Additional alumni site visits and sightseeing opportunities are still being finalized and will depend on student interests.

Interested students should complete the application by November 27, 2023.