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News from the Alumni Association President Alumni Weekend Isn’t Just for Reunion Classes
Alumni Weekend ’03 was another resounding success, with more than 550 alumni from 60 different class years attending. One of the surprising revelations about Alumni Weekend is the number of alumni who return for this event, but who are not having a class reunion — more than 200 in ’03.
Aside from a rainy Saturday morning that put a “damper” on a planned run and bike ride, the weather was superb. Of course, the class reunions were the highlights of the weekend; class banquets (and some informal partying) were fun-filled, and sometimes poignant, events. As usual, these were held off-campus (the Heidel House remains a popular site for older classes) and on-campus (younger classes have been developing a tradition of holding their reunions in such interesting places as the Benstead Theatre in the Rodman Art Center).
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Saturday’s cruises on Green Lake competed with tours of Lester Schwartz’s sculpture garden, special classes, reminiscing in the college’s museum, numerous informal gatherings of old friends to just visit and attending the always-popular “That Was Then, This is Now.”
If you attend nothing else on Saturday, don’t miss “That Was Then. …” This year, a large room in Todd Wehr Hall was packed with alumni representing classes that spanned 60 years. Sue Angell Schmidt ’80 did her customary dynamic job of eliciting stories from alumni who told of their oftenhumorous “escapades” from the past. No matter what the era, these stories resonated with everyone present, and the commonality of our Ripon experience was like electricity in the room. This is a session that no one wanted to have end. “This is Now,” an update on the College, was ably guided by Interim President Dave Williams, new President David Joyce, Trustees Sam Pickard ’55 and Dena Willmore ’67 and staff members. As you might expect, Ripon alums had many provocative, challenging questions for the college’s administration (a “skill” we learned and practiced as undergraduates).
The 2003 alumni awards presentation and annual dinner meeting on Friday night honored eight deserving alumni who are listed on pages 29 and 30.
On Saturday night, members of the Class of 1953 were inducted into the “Golden R” Club. Sunday morning again featured an outdoor memorial service for deceased alumni. At the all-alumni breakfast that followed, each reunion class presented the College with a mock check for the amount of money its class members contributed to the College in 2002-03. The class of 1967 stunned everyone with its astounding total gift of more than $600,000.
In spite of all the activities, the number one activity was simply seeing and visiting with old friends and making new friends from our Ripon alumni family. Our next Alumni Weekend is slated for June 25-27. BE THERE! Alumni Weekend is for all alums, not just members of reunion classes. I have attended every year for many years now and I always have a great time. I hate to leave on Sunday; I relish meeting alums from other classes and decades; I cherish the new memories I make and the old ones I revisit with old and new friends. Whatever your class year, you know many people from the two or three years before, and after your class. BE THERE, and renew those old friendships!
It’s a whirlwind weekend, so come as early as you can so you have as much time as possible to visit. Stay in the residence halls. By so doing, you will be on campus for all that’s going on, but you won’t spend a lot of precious time driving back and forth from out-of-town motels. It’s a whole lot cheaper staying on campus and you’ll be helping boost the college’s revenues. Please give serious thought to attending the 2004 Alumni Weekend. Many new activities are being developed to make this a fabulous, memorable time for every alum. You’ll be forever grateful that you came back to Ripon on June 25-27, 2004. BE THERE!! r
Paul Kegel, President Ripon College Alumni Association Board of Directors
1814 Charles St., DePere, WI 54115 920-337-9186
U P C O M I N G A L U M N I E V E N T S
Milwaukee Ripon Rendezvous
December
Chicago Ripon Rendezvous
January 22, 2004
Milwaukee
January/February
Madison, Wis.
January/February
Ripon College
Basketball Alumni Games
Feb. 21, 2004
Chicago
Ripon Rendezvous
Feb. 26, 2004
Arizona
February 2004
Boston
February 2004
New York
February 2004
Twin Cities
March 2004
Atlanta
March 20, 2004
Florida
Spring Break (March 2004)
Chicago
Ripon Rendezvous
March 25, 2004
Washington, D.C.
April 2004
Chicago
Ripon Rendezvous
April 22, 2004
Northern California
April 2004
Southern California
April, 2004
Chicago Ripon Rendezvous
May 27, 2004
Chicago
Ripon Rendezvous
June 24, 2004
Ripon College
Alumni Weekend
June 25-27, 2004
