Class of 1967: Academy Award-winning sound editor A major element in an emotional response to a film or documentary is the sound accompanying the images. Tom Bellfort has brought his expertise in sound to more than 80 motion pictures, numerous television series and dozens of video games. He was born Thomas Allen Bellfort Feb. 1, […]
Class of 2003: Educator and playwright Anne Negri Lewinthal enhanced her love of theatre at Ripon, and now she shares that love with children through teaching and writing plays specifically for children. She was born Dec. 9, 1980, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She came to Ripon College because of the opportunity to major in theatre and […]
Class of 1968: Air Force colonel, best-selling novelist After a 23-year career commanding U.S. Forces around the world, USAF Col. Merline Thoma Lovelace launched a second career as a writer, basing many of her tales on her own experiences in uniform. She has published more than 100 novels with 12 million copies in print in […]
Class of 1923: Freedom of the Press Distinguished journalist and fiercely passionate First Amendment advocate Curtis MacDougall was one of the nation’s most distinguished teachers of journalism, primarily at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He was born Feb. 11, 1903, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. At age 15, he was offered a […]
Class of 1936: War correspondent Allan Andrew Michie was a foreign correspondent, magazine editor, educational publisher and author of numerous best-selling wartime books. He was born July 4, 1915, in the village of Bankhead, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, and came to Menasha, Wisconsin, with his family at the age of 10. At Ripon, he […]
Class of 1913: ‘Discovery of the Elements’ The classic chemistry book “Discovery of the Elements” (1933), by Mary Elvira Weeks, went on to be published in seven editions and multiple languages over the course of the next 35 years. It has been praised as the “first connected narrative of how scientists unraveled the mysteries of […]
Class of 1959: News correspondent, anchor After being editor of the Crimson yearbook at Ripon College, Richard Davis Threlkeld became a world-renowned news correspondent, anchor and bureau chief with tenures at both CBS and ABC News. Threlkeld covered Vietnam and Moscow, the Persian Gulf War, the Patty Hearst kidnapping and trial, the Angela Davis trial, […]
Class of 1966: Documenting history Gary Glen Yerkey was born in Chicago, Illinois. At Ripon, he majored in philosophy and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He has continued his affiliation with Ripon by serving as a Career Discovery Tour host and membership in Partners in the Legacy. Yerkey served in the United […]
Class of 1936: Hugo Award Under both his own name and the pen name of Frank Riley, Francis “Frank” Wilbert Ryhlick was a widely varied and prolific writer in numerous mediums. He was born June 8, 1915, in Hibbing, Minnesota, and grew up in Wausau, Wisconsin. At Ripon, he majored in English and history and […]
Class of 1941: Presidential press staff (John) William “Bill” Roberts started out as a radio news reporter and rose to become Washington Bureau Chief for Time and on the press staff of President Gerald R. Ford. He was born March 21, 1919, in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. At Ripon, he majored in economics and speech communication […]
Class of 1977: Witness to the world An awareness of the broader world outside of his rural Wisconsin home took Mark Porubcansky around the world as a news correspondent and editor of foreign news for more than 30 years. For nearly 12 years, he was a foreign correspondent for the Moscow, Vienna and Hong Kong […]
Class of 1941: Coined the space term ‘black hole’ A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ann Elizabeth Ewing was born March 11, 1921. At Ripon College, she majored in chemistry and physics. She worked on the College Days newspaper and Crimson yearbook, serving as editor her senior year. She went on to become a renowned […]
Class of 1891: Children’s Book Author Helen Eggleston Haskell was the author of several well-known books for children in the first half of the 20th century and also contributed articles and poems to many of the leading magazines of the day. She was born Nellie Blanche Eggleston March 21, 1869, in Fairwater, Fond du Lac […]
Class of 1978: Recalculating and Resilience Helen Holter came to Ripon College with an interest in Russian language and the Soviet Union, which she parlayed into international travel and work as an Emmy Award-winning journalist, hoping to improve an ever-changing world by addressing and illuminating issues. She was born March 19, 1956, in Billings, Montana, […]
Class of 1948: First Amendment advocate A trailblazer in the field of journalism for women and in staunch defense of the First Amendment, Jean Hammond Otto had a distinguished 50-year newspaper career as a writer, editor and leader of local and national journalism organizations. She impacted the role of women in journalism and free speech. […]
Class of 1874: Editor, translator, historian Emma Helen Blair was born Sept. 12, 1851, in Menasha, Wisconsin, and became a renowned historian, translator and editor about the state of Wisconsin and the Philippines. At Ripon, she studied the scientific course. She taught in public schools in Menasha and Milwaukee for two years, then worked as […]
14th president 2022-Present Dr. Victoria N. Folse brings a distinguished background in nursing, higher education leadership, and student wellness to her role as president. She earned degrees in nursing from Illinois Wesleyan University and the University of Illinois at Chicago, and completed her Ph.D. in nursing with a concentration in research at Saint Louis University. […]
Thirteenth president 2013-2021 He worked for the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, United Nations and Cable News Network (CNN) before academic appointments at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the University of Oklahoma. He was widely published and hosted “World View,” an award-winning program on National Public Radio, from 2009-2012. During his Ripon tenure, […]
Twelfth president 2003-2011 He received degrees from Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, North Carolina, Yale University Divinity School and North Carolina State University, as well as a doctorate in human resource development from Vanderbilt University. He also is an ordained minister in the Methodist Church. Prior to Ripon, he served as vice president for institutional advancement […]
Eleventh president 1996-2002 Paul B. Ranslow had been executive vice president for admission at Pitzer College in Claremont, California, and had more than 22 years of higher education administration experience, including interim president at Pitzer in 1991-92. Ranslow participated in campus activities and lent a sunny, positive approach to the task of leading a small […]
Tenth president 1985-1995 Under Stott, the College’s endowment nearly tripled. He was responsible for several major renovation projects, including Tri-Dorms, Bartlett, Scott Hall and Farr Hall. Stott taught an English class each semester and led popular classes and tours for the general public on topics such as Shakespeare, the Globe Theatre and bird-watching. His wildlife […]