Category: Alumni


Museum internship in Great Britain brings valuable experience to Emma Lemke ’19

An internship at the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum in Great Britain helped solidify career goals for Emma Lemke ’19 of Hilbert, Wisconsin. At Ripon, Lemke majored in global studies and history. She then studied cultural heritage and museum studies at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, Norfolk, Great Britain. She also interned at the […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.


Thomas Broman ’76 will talk about cancer via Zoom Nov. 11

Trustee Thomas Broman ’76 of Barneveld, Wisconsin, will speak via Zoom Nov. 11 for Barbara Sisson’s “Biology of Cancer” class. He will discuss President Richard Nixon’s “war on cancer” and the impacts it has had on technology and research. Broman is an emeritus professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and specializes in science […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.


Ripon College provided safe haven for Susan Frikken ’90 to prepare for life

When applying for college, Susan Frikken ’90 of Madison, Wisconsin, felt overwhelmed and anxious and was the first in her family to attend college. She applied very late and didn’t even visit campus before she “simply showed up” for the first day of class. “The small campus and professor/student ratio helped me come out of […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.


Richard Russo ’76 is a new member of the Ripon College Board of Trustees

Richard Russo ’76 of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a new member of the Ripon College Board of Trustees. The board meets this week. Russo retired as division president of Isabella Bank in 2015, after serving in that position for five years. His previous positions included serving as senior vice president and senior leader at Union […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Administration, Alumni.


Michael Hartman ’20 joins Board of Trustees as a Graduate Trustee

Michael Hartman ’20 of Grafton, Wisconsin, is a new Graduate Trustee on the Ripon College Board of Trustees. The board meets this week. He currently works for Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (WI-05) in his Washington, D.C. office. “As a legislative correspondent, I respond to constituents regarding the congressman’s position on legislative issues,” Hartman says. […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Administration, Alumni.


Camille Carlson Clemons ’00 is Alumni Trustee to the Board of Trustees

Camille Carlson Clemons ’00 of Fox River Grove, Illinois, is joining the Ripon College Board of Trustees as an Alumni Trustee. The board is meeting this week. She started her career in operations at a global bank, then transitioned to sales in 2011. She currently is the director of business development for Cohen & Company, […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Administration, Alumni.


Lisa Wollan ’78 joins the Ripon College Board of Trustees

Lisa Wollan ’78 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a new member of the Board of Trustees at Ripon College. The board will meet virtually this week. She focused on marketing throughout her career. She earned an MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management. She has worked for Dun & Bradstreet; in consumer packaged goods brand […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Administration, Alumni.


Alumni Board will meet virtually this week

The Ripon College Alumni Board will meet virtually Thursday and Friday. Members of the board are: New members: Eric Atkisson ’94 of Alexandra, Virginia; Amy Browender ’13 of St. Paul, Minnesota; Chip Retson ’69 of Aiken, South Carolina; Joy Bortz Schleusner ’94 of Middleton, Wisconsin; and Sue Angell Schmidt ’80 of Wausau, Wisconsin. Student representatives: […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.


Julia Goeks ’21 continues a legacy at Ripon College

Julia Goeks, a senior from Lake Forest, Illinois, is the fourth-generation member of her family to attend Ripon College. “I take that as a sign of how special the community is that it has been part of our family history for so long,” she says. Goeks is pursuing majors in chemistry and physics and a […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni, Student.


Shannon Sorbo ’21 carries on family tradition at Ripon College

Shannon Sorbo, a senior from Nekoosa, Wisconsin, is the third of three sisters to attend Ripon College. “Both of my sisters have graduated from Ripon, so I was familiar with the campus and the faculty,” Sorbo says. “They had a great experience here, and I wanted to continue the Sorbo family legacy at Ripon.” Chelsea […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni, Student.


Steve Martin, professor of communication, will give virtual guest lecture this month

Steve Martin ’96, professor of communication, has an upcoming Zoom guest lecture with Fontebonne University in St. Louis, Missouri. His guest lecture will include questions and answers with a political communication class. The focus will be Martin’s current book, Game Changers; How Dark Money and Super PACs are Transforming U.S. Campaigns, co-written with Henrik Schatzinger, […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni, Faculty.


Preston Wurtz ’22 carries on a family tradition of attending Ripon College

As a virtual Family Weekend kicks off this week, we will be recognizing some of our Legacy students, those who had a family member or members who previously had attended Ripon. Details about the weekend can be found at ripon.edu/family-weekend. Preston Wurtz ’22, a junior from Ripon Wisconsin, says, “My brother’s experience made me realize […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni, Student.


Ashley Nuter Russ ’07 shares her story on Humans of New York

Ashley Nuter Russ ’07 of Shawano, Wisconsin, was featured earlier this week on the photoblog Humans of New York and shared on social media. The popular photoblog features street portraits and interviews collected on the streets of New York City and other locations by photographer Brandon Stanton. Because he was in quarantine during the coronavirus […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.


Ken Pinckney ’81 and his family will appear on ‘Live with Kelly and Ryan’ Thursday

Ken Pinckney ’81 of Glendale, Wisconsin, will appear with his wife, Lora L. Hyler, and their son, Will, Thursday, Sept. 17, live via Skype on the national television program “Live with Kelly and Ryan.” Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest are the hosts. In a segment titled “Home with … the Pinckney Family,” the family will […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.


Brad Alberts ’92 of Dallas Stars interviewed on national podcast

Brad Alberts ’92 of Southlake, Texas, president and CEO of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League, was interviewed this week on the Jay Young Show. The weekly podcast features discussions with CEO’s, entrepreneurs, authors, athletes, celebrities, military and veterans from around the country. This episode, No. 66, can be heard here. At Ripon, […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.


This pen is mightier than the average pen and earns Bill Bradburn ’75 a distinctive honor

Bill Bradburn ’75 of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been designated an Indiana Artisan because of his crafted writing instruments. He is among 221 visual and food artists in 56 counties whose work carries the prestigious designation. “My desire is to design and make writing instruments that blend utility and beauty,” Bradburn says. “Owners might transcribe to […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.


Updates Regarding Commencement 2020

Dear Class of 2020 Alumni, When I wrote to you and your families in April regarding the postponement of the 2020 Ripon College Commencement, I informed you that we would be able to move forward with the rescheduled October ceremony only if public health authorities and College policies deemed it appropriate. After consulting with the […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni, Commencement, Office of the President, Student.


Daniel Mikesell ’14 continuing international education in Italy

When Daniel Mikesell ’14 graduated from Ripon College, he imagined himself teaching abroad in Europe. Five years later, Mikesell has taught English in China and is working toward his master’s in international affairs with a concentration in energy, resources and environment at Johns Hopkins-Nanjing Center (HNC) in Nanjing, China. He recently published a piece examining […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.


Abby Korb ’20 recalls campaign encounter with Sen. Kamala Harris

In the summer of 2018, Abby Korb ’20 of Burlington, Wisconsin, had a personal experience with Kamala Harris, D-Calif., the newly named running mate of presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Korb was working for the re-election campaign of Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., supported by a Internship Supplemental Grant from the Center for Politics and […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni, Internships, Student.


Senior seminar enhanced educational studies for Kailee Betler ’20

“Art Through a Child’s Eyes” was presented during the 2019-20 school year by Kailee Betler ’20 for her Studio Art Senior Seminar at Ripon College. Betler, a native of Berlin, Wisconsin, majored in studio art and early childhood education, with the goal of being an elementary school general education teacher. “I researched how children view […]

Posted by Dale Devries in Alumni.