Dear campus community, Many of us who work, study and care about Ripon College looked at ourselves in the mirror last spring following the murder of George Floyd and asked, how can we do better? At the time, I wrote to the campus community that institutions (and the individuals who lead and work within them) […]
Dear Ripon College community, We are pleased to announce that Ripon College’s fall 2021 semester will take place under the presumption of an in-person, residential and academic experience. Classes will resume Monday, Aug. 30. A comprehensive academic calendar and move-in details will be provided soon. For the rest of the spring 2021 semester ALL masking, […]
Dear Ripon College Alumni, Following months of discussion and planning, and with strong consideration of CDC, Fond du Lac County and campus guidelines, I’m pleased to announce that Ripon College will be offering both virtual and in-person programming for Alumni Weekend 2021. Regardless of how you would like to connect, the Office of Constituent Engagement […]
Dear Ripon College Class of 2020, I am reaching out to you today to provide updates related to the planning for an in-person Commencement. The Commencement Planning Committee has been diligently evaluating all possible options for a safe and in-person experience for the Class of 2020. At this time, I am pleased to announce that […]
Dear campus community, A year ago today, the College’s administration was sitting around a table in Smith Hall trying to determine whether or not we should allow the softball and baseball teams to go to Florida for their spring break schedule of games. We also were trying to figure out whether to let 15 students […]
On Feb. 1, the military of Myanmar seized control of the country following a general election. You may reference this story from the BBC for more information. At the request of several Ripon College students and alumni from Myanmar, President Zach Messitte has sent this letter to United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging […]
The Fond du Lac County Health Department will receive Ripon College’s 2021 Founders’ Day Award that honors the ideals of those who started the College in 1851. The announcement was made today, the 170th anniversary of the College’s official founding on Jan. 29, 1851. The award will be presented during the spring Commencement ceremony. “The […]
Dear Ripon community, Tomorrow morning (Thursday, Jan. 28), Ripon College will return to green status for COVID-19. Scheduled in-person classes will resume, the Commons, the Spot and Starbucks will be open for seated (physically distant dining) and the Willmore Center and Lane Library will resume normal hours of operation. As always, however, we ask that […]
Dear Ripon community, While many things about returning to campus for spring 2021 will resemble the fall 2020 semester, there are several important differences that will initially be in effect because of our changes in testing protocol and unforeseen delays in test processing. Until the morning of Thursday, Jan. 28, when we expect our entire […]
Dear Ripon College community, We are looking forward to the opening of Ripon College’s spring 2021 semester, as scheduled, Monday, Jan. 25. We begin the new semester with confidence, knowing that our community took appropriate steps and precautions during the fall semester to limit the spread of COVID-19 on campus. Our success during the spring […]
The global pandemic necessitated many changes on campus during the fall semester of 2020. March 17: campus shut down, most students returned home to complete the semester virtually. Some students remained on campus, mostly international students who faced travel restrictions: 16 through end of term, 11 throughout the summer. They required housing and food support. […]
Dear campus community, Earlier today, the Midwest Conference (MWC) Presidents Council announced that it would not sponsor league competition, including championships, for fall and winter sports during the 2020-2021 academic year. The decision was unanimous and covers men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming […]
Dear campus community, As the fall semester comes to its conclusion, I am pleased to announce the revised academic calendar for the spring semester. We expect an on-campus, in-person learning and living experience. Students should be advised that they may be required to take a COVID-19 test prior to their return for the spring semester, […]
Dear Ripon College community, As we complete the sixth week of the semester, I want to thank you for the incredible effort we have made together as an institution to “Reunite Ripon” in the face of a challenging public health situation. We have — collectively — been able to return to in-person learning with relative […]
The Inclusion Audit Committee (IAC) submits to President Messitte and Administrative Council recommendations based on collected data, research, and thoughtful conversations throughout the summer of 2020. The Committee has put forth in this document three recommendations for the recruitment and retention of students, and three recommendations for the recruitment and retention of employees, in addition […]
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 […]
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the College when on-campus classes resume Monday, August 17. Over the course of the summer, a dedicated team of faculty, staff and administrators has been planning for our return while ensuring that we can safely preserve our learning community and personalized education. They have studied the best […]
The Midwest Conference (MWC), of which Ripon College is a member, announced today that it will suspend league competition through Dec. 31 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The presidents of the 10 member institutions made the decision in coordination with representative athletic directors in order to protect the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, staff […]
Dear Ripon College community, Over the past couple of days I have received dozens of communications from alumni, students, staff, former students, faculty, former faculty and people that live in the town of Ripon regarding the visit of Mike Pence, the Vice President of the United States, to campus earlier today. Some of these messages […]
Dear campus community, I am pleased to announce that the College is partnering with SAGE Dining Services® to offer improved food service beginning this fall. We selected SAGE after a competitive national process that took place during the spring. SAGE, founded in 1990, is the leading food service provider for independent schools and private colleges […]
Dear Ripon College community, As someone born outside of the United States, who holds dual citizenship and has studied and worked in several different countries, I personally believe in the fundamental importance of education and experiences that cross borders. I strongly condemn the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s guidance issued earlier this week that limits […]