A N N U A L
R E P O R T
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Momentum and change Being president of Ripon College means no two days are alike. While it is easy to get pulled into the dayto-day, it is harder to think about the future. I am pleased how much time we have spent this past year thinking about the kind of institution we want to be in the next 10 years. This discussion will continue this year as our faculty discuss a curriculum review and we prepare to launch the major renovation of a key facility on campus. We derive our revenue primarily from three sources: tuition, alumni giving and interest from our endowment. I am pleased to report that the Imagine Tomorrow campaign (a five-year $60-million drive, largely directed toward scholarships, faculty support and endowment) is succeeding beyond all expectations. Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends, our endowment stands at an all-time high and our annual giving remains robust. While we are proud of our financial successes, I am still most gratified by what we continue to achieve in the classroom. In national surveys, including the Wabash Study and the National Survey of Student Engagement, Ripon College outperforms most of the schools similar to us. In areas such as student-faculty interaction, emphasis of academics, and quality of interactions with student
services, we have comparatively more satisfied graduates. While Ripon grads may spend four years “far within Wisconsin’s prairies,� they Zach P. Messitte also leave President thinking critically, writing clearly and working collaboratively with others. The outcomes speak for themselves. More than 84 percent of Ripon students, upon graduation, say they would choose Ripon all over again, and 96 percent are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation. We live, however, in a competitive marketplace. We must continue to improve and innovate as an institution. Ripon must modernize its facilities and push the envelope to reach a new generation of students raised on technology that many of us adopted only later in life. We must continue to work to find that sweet spot that allows us to be a special institution, mindful of the traditions that make us unique but also open to the changes that will keep us strong.
Imagine Tomorrow Campaign Progress Thanks to generous support from
new endowed funds, including 30
alumni and friends, Imagine
endowed scholarships; 10 endowed
Tomorrow, Ripon College’s five-year
funds to support student research
comprehensive campaign that
and special programs like the Career
launched in spring 2010, achieved its
Discovery Tour; and four new faculty
initial goal of $50 million in January
positions in theatre, chemistry,
2014, 18 months ahead of schedule.
economics and religion.
Ripon College is keeping to its original
In recognition of its campaign
timeline for Imagine Tomorrow with
success, Ripon College received a
an ending date of July 2015. For the
2014 Educational Fundraising Award
remaining months of the campaign,
from the Council for Advancement
the College will set out to reach an
and Support of Education (CASE) for
extended goal of $60 million.
overall performance in fundraising
The College’s endowment as of June 30, 2014, was at $84.8 million, an alltime high. The FY’14 giving total of $7,266,016 included critically needed support for
among private liberal arts and sciences institutions with endowments under $100 million. NEW ENDOWED FACULTY POSITIONS ■
chemistry, L. Leone Oyster ’19
current operations as well as support for our endowment, including eight new scholarships and two pledges to
Colleen Byron, professor of Chair in Chemistry
■
Soren Hauge, professor of
support existing scholarship funds.
economics and assessment
Since the campaign began, several
Barlow Murray ’37 and Nellie Weiss
new initiatives have been started
Murray ’37 Professor in Economics,
to benefit students and create
established with a $1,000,000 gift
better opportunities in the classroom
from Robert and Joan Murray
coordinator, first holder of the John
and beyond. These include: 44
For more information about Imagine Tomorrow, visit ripon.edu/imagine-tomorrow.
Imagine Tomorrow All Gifts to Date by Type
Cash Received 41.3%
Deferred Commitments 45.5%
$50 million and counting: Initial goal met!
Guest artist Sean Chen officially dedicates Ripon College’s new Steinway concert grand piano in a recital Oct. 4, 2013. The instrument was purchased with a gift from the estate of Frank Brewster ’65 as part of the Imagine Tomorrow campaign.
Cash Pledges Outstanding 13.2%
Gifts and Grants to Ripon College Gifts to Ripon College during FY’14
Fifteen new households joined Partners
included $2.18 million in unrestricted
in the Legacy by notifying us of estate
funds in support of the Annual Fund;
plans which include Ripon College.
and $5.09 million in restricted funds, for a combined total of $7,266,016. The $1.33 million in non-trustee, nonbequest giving to the Annual Fund is an all-time record.
FUNDING PROPOSALS Twenty-three grant proposals with a total value of $1,651,175 were submitted on behalf of Ripon College or individual faculty members; 13
The senior class gift of $ 2,571 was
proposals, including the realization
achieved with 77 percent of the Class
of one submitted in FY’13, were
of 2014 contributing along with some
funded as of June 30, 2014, totaling
parents and with supporting funds
$1,649,575. Examples include:
from members of the Alumni Board. The gift was split between the Annual Fund and an endowed senior class scholarship, with initial endowment support provided by Trustee Gary Page ’84. MAJOR AND PLANNED GIFTS 1851 Club membership increased by 98 members to 540 households giving at or above $1,000 in a given year or $50,000 or more in lifetime support. Young alumni (10 years out or fewer) who give an equivalent of $100 for each year since graduation also are members.
■ $565,000, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, for
Faculty Bridge Program, to hire faculty now to transition into vacancies left by planned retirements in the next few years ■ $500,000, Mead Witter Foundation, for expansion
of its endowed scholarship ■ $135,125, Great Lakes Higher Education Corp., for
60 paid student internships ■ $100,000, Suzanne and Richard Pieper Family
Foundation, for servant leadership initiatives ■ $25,000, Kemper Foundation, for a student-run
retail business ■ $22,500, Center for Undergraduate Research
in Math, to support student/faculty research in discrete differential geometry
To view the online Honor Roll of Donors, visit ripon.edu/donors14.
Restricted Giving in millions
Non-Bequest Bequest
Annual Fund in millions
Bequest
Total Restricted Gifts
Total Unrestricted Gifts
Non-Bequest Gifts
Non-Bequest Gifts FY13 FY14
FY13 FY14
$1.9M $3M
$2.1M $2.1M
Bequest Gifts
Bequest Gifts FY13 FY14
FY13 FY14
$4.2M $2.1M
$6.2M $5.1M
0
$0.1M $0.1M
Total Unrestricted Gifts
Total Restricted Gifts FY13 FY14
Non-Bequest
$1M $2M $3M $4M $5M $6M $7M
FY13 FY14
$2.2M $2.2M
0
$1M $2M $3M $4M $5M $6M $7M
Robert Enright ’17, left, Lincoln Wurtz ’17 and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Patrick Willoughby discuss a thin-layer chromatography (TLC) experiment. Robert’s work was supported by a Knop Scholarship; Lincoln’s work was supported by a $55,000 American Chemical Society grant for faculty/student collaborative research. Willoughby applied for and received the grant, as well as a $237,383 National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation Grant to purchase high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) instrumentation with accurate mass capabilities.
Revenue and Expenses The strong progress of Imagine
The College provided more than
Tomorrow coupled with our investment
$14,370,706 in financial assistance to
strategies boosted Ripon College’s
98 percent of its students during the
financial picture during FY’14. Financial
2013-14 academic year, an increase of
statements for the year ended June 30,
$1,259,023 over the previous year.
2014, reflect an increase to net assets of $15,482,208.
The endowment value as of June 30, 2014, was $84,848,979, our highest level
The majority of expenses during FY’14
ever. This reflects an increase during the
were related to student support, costs
year of $13,621,532. The endowment
associated with academic instruction
investments returned 18.7 percent for
and upgrades to facilities.
the year.
Endowment Market Value of the Endowment $100M
$80M percent:
$60M
Students who receive financial assistance from the College. Merit-based awards range from $1,000 to full tuition annually. Lincoln Wurtz
$40M
’17 of Ripon, Wisconsin, receives assistance from a Ripon College Founders’ Scholarship, a
$20M
Ripon College grant, and an Academic Excellence Scholarship from the State of Wisconsin. He
$0
’10
’11
’12
’13
’14
maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is on the dean’s list each semester.
Revenues: $41,831,408 Other Income 4.8%
Investments 30.7%
Student Tuition & Fees 30.8%
Auxiliary Enterprises Contributions 16.6% 17.1%
Expenses: $26,349,200 Academic Support 3.8%
Student Services 17.9%
Public Services 2.5%
Instruction 35.4%
Auxiliary Enterprises 18.2% Institutional Support 22.2%
Each year, Conference Services hosts a variety of visiting groups. For 71 years, Ripon College has been the host site of Badger Boys State, a unique weeklong public affairs program in June sponsored by the Wisconsin American Legion. More than 800 high-achieving male high school students from across Wisconsin attend. All qualified attendees (as well as those who attend Badger Girls State in Oshkosh) are offered scholarships of up to $4,000 per year to attend Ripon College.
Enrollment/Outcomes education that attracts top candidates. Ninety-eight percent of students received some form of financial assistance. OUTCOMES : number of Ripon McNair
Graduates
Scholars entering graduate school in the fall
219 students earned degrees in 2014.
of 2014. Max Roy ’14, who majored in exercise
Of those, 19 earned Phi Beta Kappa
science, is enrolled in the public health
honors; 16 graduated summa cum
program at the Medical College of Wisconsin in
laude, with a cumulative grade
Milwaukee.
point average of 3.90 or higher; 26 magna cum laude (3.70 or higher);
Ripon College received a record
and 44 cum laude, (3.40 or higher).
number of 1,493 applications for first-
The most popular majors were
time, first-year admission for the fall of
psychology, business management,
2014; 1,007 were offered admission,
biology, history, English, politics and
another record, and 211 enrolled.
government, and exercise science.
Sixteen transfer students also enrolled. The Class of 2018 includes 23 legacies, whose brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandparents or greatgrandparents attended Ripon. Our freshman retention rate is 86 percent, for all first-time, fulltime, bachelor’s degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered Ripon in the fall of 2012 and returned
Jobs and Graduate School Ninety-six percent of 2013 graduates were employed, student-teaching or in graduate school within six months of graduation. Our recent national rankings include “The Best 379 Colleges” and a “Best Midwestern College,” by The Princeton Review; “Best Value” college, ranked
in the fall of 2013.
#30 in the nation, by U.S. News & World
FINANCIAL AID
to Work For” by The Chronicle of
We continue to offer a nationally
Higher Education.
recognized, liberal arts and sciences
Report; and among “Great Colleges
SOCIAL MEDIA Our social media accounts continue to gain likes and follows: Ripon College Facebook: 4,391 Likes Red Hawks Facebook: 1,549 Likes Ripon College Twitter: 1,682 Followers Red Hawks Twitter: 854 Followers
Incoming Class 2014
percent: Ripon College’s five-year
ACT Mean
24
Top 10% Graduating Class
25%
school – more than twice the
Top 25% Graduating Class
45%
national average.
average placement rate to medical
Sophia Kaounas, 2014 senior class speaker, graduated cum laude and with honors in politics and government. During the summer, she assisted at the National Speech and Debate Association’s national tournament in Kansas and taught with Deano Pape, former Ripon faculty and forensics staff, at the Harvard Debate Council’s China Camp in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She currently is an administrative coordinator at Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP, a communication law firm in Washington, D.C.
Student Life Ripon’s wide range of activities, programs and services ensure that life on the residential campus is fun,
81
percent of students volunteer their
time to the service of others.
interesting, safe and valuable for our
There were
students.
5,522
service hours volunteered in 2013-14.
SAFETY AND SECURITY New emergency manuals were
ORGANIZATIONS/ACTIVITIES
placed in all classrooms and offices.
There are more than 80 clubs and
Other initiatives included suicide
organizations, including a new Math
prevention training, revamping of
Club; 20 intramural sports; and 20
campus sexual assault responses and
NCAA Division III varsity athletic teams.
a tabletop tornado exercise with
Nearly 100 athletes participated in the
local and state agencies. Safety and
first “Leadership in Athletics and Life
security meetings with faculty, staff
Conference” sponsored by the Center
and students were held monthly.
for Social Responsibility.
DIVERSITY
Resident Assistant events numbered
There is a new focus on attracting
360. Late Night Breakfast during fall
students from diverse backgrounds
finals attracted nearly 500 students;
and supporting them after they arrive
and Yule Ball had 325 attendees.
on campus. A Safe Zone training day was organized by the GLBTQ
TUTORING CONTRACTS
(gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual or
Ripon’s “success-oriented” tutoring
transgendered, queer) community,
model served 340 contracts,
and anti-bias training was held.
representing about a third of enrolled students.
Ripon hosted a social justice retreat; diversity initiative training day for all
COUNSELING AND HEALTH SERVICES
higher education institutions in Fond
Students were assisted in 1,600 visits to
du Lac County; and Step Africa
Health Services and in more than 700
Dance Troupe.
counseling hours.
OFF-CAMPUS OPPORTUNITIES
Angela Pamperin ’17, a music major, and David Peterkes ’16, a psychology/anthropology major, paint a mural with the Jamaican national emblem on the wall in the square of Hagley Gap, Jamaica. They were participating in “Peace Studies in Jamaica,” a three-week immersion term as part of the Liberal Arts In Focus program.
32 10 7 2
foreign, semester-long programs U.S.-based semester-long programs three-week Liberal Arts ln Focus trips Career Discovery Tours to major U.S. cities + Alternative service trips during fall, winter, spring breaks
Faculty Achievements Ripon College professors are active
the late 14th-century Siennese painter
scholars and leaders in their disciplines,
Taddeo di Bartolo. The research was for
and their rich real-world experience
a book being written by Dr. Gail Solberg
offers unparalleled educational
of Florence. Kraaz has since presented
and mentoring opportunities for our
and published on the subject. She will
students. The student/faculty ratio of
rejoin ACM Florence in the fall of 2016.
11½:1 ensures that students receive personalized attention both inside and
Mary Unger, assistant professor of English, is managing editor
outside of the classroom.
of Legacy: A Journal of
Soren Hauge, professor of economics
American Women Writers.
and assessment
Her article, “ ‘Dropping
coordinator, has been
Crooked into Rhyme’:
named the first John
Djuna Bames’s Disabled
Barlow Murray ’37 and
Poetics in The Book of Repulsive
Nellie Weiss Murray ’37
Women,” recently was published in the
Professor in Economics.
journal.
Hauge has served as a professor in the economics department at Ripon College since 1998. The professorship was established with a $1 million dollar gift.
FACULTY AWARDS ■
Jaqueline Clark, sociology, May Bumby Severy, Class of 1908, Award
■
Diane L. Mockridge, history, Senior Class Award
Sarah Mahler Kraaz, professor of music,
■
chair of the department,
communication, Faculty/Staff
and College organist, was a visiting affiliated scholar
Deano A. Pape, forensics and Mentor Award
■
Jeanne F. Williams, educational
with the Associated
studies, James Underkofler Award
Colleges of the Midwest
for Excellence in Undergraduate
(ACM) Florence off-
Teaching
campus study program in 2012. She began research on the significance of musical angels in an altarpiece for the Dominican church in Gubbio, Italy, by
During the summer of 2014, Associate Professor of Art Rafael Francisco Salas designed and created a mural on the south wall of 214 Watson St., owned by Farrell’s Fine Furniture, in downtown Ripon. It portrays the original Long House of the first settlers, the Wisconsin Phalanx. “The Long Way Home” was supported by a Ripon College 14 for ’14 grant.
Recognizing Our Distinctive Faculty Lamont Colucci, associate professor and chair of the politics and government department, was named interim director of Ripon College’s new Center for Politics and the People. Ann Pleiss Morris, assistant professor of English, was a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Scholar. Jody Roy, professor of communication, was named the Victor and Carrie Palmer Endowed Chair for Leadership Values. Touorizou Herve Some, associate professor of educational studies, contributed a chapter to the book Indigenous Discourses on Knowledge and Development in Africa. Lorna Sopcak, associate professor of German, received the Recognition of Merit Award from the Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers. Emily Stovel, associate professor and chair of the anthropology department, organized a multinational workshop in Mendoza, Argentina, in November.
Engagement Ripon continues to offer a variety of events and communications, building long-term, meaningful relationships between the College and our 10,000 alumni. ALUMNI WEEKEND Attendees enjoyed more than 30
engagement events in 22 cities, with more than
events at Alumni Weekend June 26-
2,300 attendees. Col. Jim Laufenburg ’79 (ret.)
29 and represented 34 states and
interacts with students on the Washington, D.C.,
Canada. The sixth annual Red Hawks
Career Discovery Tour.
Golf Scramble raised more than $17,000 for the Athletic Department.
Twenty-three students participated,
This year’s reunion classes gave a
alumni, parents and friends of the
combined total of $612,654 to Ripon
College. This effort is managed by the
College. The Class of 1964, celebrating
Office of Constituent Engagement
their golden reunion, came out on
and Career Services, and is funded by
top with the highest attendance at 31
the Alumni Board of Directors.
percent, the highest gift participation at 30 percent, the largest reunion class gift of $330,742, and the largest fiveyear class gift (since the last reunion)
and 16 site tours were hosted by
ALUMNI CAREER DAY This event was held on campus April 3, in conjunction with the spring
of $643,201.
Alumni Board of Directors meeting.
CAREER DISCOVERY TOUR
alumni, attended to recruit students.
This recent initiative expands
Fifteen other alumni met individually
student-alumni career networking
with students to provide advice about
opportunities directly from Ripon
career paths, review resumés, etc.
alumni. The fall tour was to
Forty-five students benefited from the
Washington, D.C., and the spring
exchanges.
tour was to Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Eight companies, represented by 12
More than 650 visitors – matching 2013’s record high – attended this year’s Alumni Weekend.
President Zach Messitte, far left, and David C. Miller ’39, holding the sign for the Golden R Classes, lead the All-Alumni March during Alumni Weekend 2014.
Breakout Achievements ATHLETICS
in shotput. He set school and conference records in the event. ■ Ty Sabin ’17, an undeclared major, was named Midwest Region Rookie of the Year in basketball and was second in Div. 3 for 3-point shooting. ■ Jill VanEperen ’14, a mathematics major, was an Academic AllAmerican Third Team in basketball;
MICHAEL POLCYN ’15, an exercise science major, was both Midwest Conference North Division and
and a finalist for the Jostens Trophy. ■ Second-year head baseball coach
Central Region Player of the Year in baseball.
Eric Cruise again was named MWC
Among other honors, he also was named All-
North Coach of the Year.
American First Team.
SPEAKERS
■ Ron Ernst, head football coach, became just the second in MWC history to reach 150 career wins. ■ Rick Coles, offensive coordinator, was named to the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. ■ Dance team was named 2014 Pom Champions at WOW! Factor Cheer & Dance Nationals. ■ Cycling team took third place in Div. 2 at USA Cycling Cyclocross Nationals. ■ Zach Beek ’15, a business management major, qualified for 2014 NCAA Div. 3 Outdoor Nationals
Commencement speakers were Hanna Rosin and David Plotz of the online magazine Slate. Mark J. Porubcansky ’77, foreign editor of The Los Angeles Times, introduced them. Other speakers included: ■ Tom Barrett, Milwaukee mayor ■ Ron Johnson, U.S. Senator (R-WI) ■ Award-winning poets Max Garland, poet laureate of Wisconsin; Karla
Huston; Patricia Smith and Arthur Stringer
■ Ripon College’s Ethics Bowl Team qualified for nationals for the third
■ Former gang members turned hateprevention experts, Frank Meeink and Sammy Rangel ■ Max Boot, military historian/foreign policy analyst ■ Doctors Paul Hutchison and Sean Smith of Northwestern Medical Center in Chicago
consecutive year and placed 11th of 32 colleges and universities. ■ Four seniors from the Rhetorical Criticism class — communication majors Ben Firgens, Samantha Goodwin and Allie Pasdera and communication/politics & government major Ryan Riebe —
STUDENTS
were among 30 top communication
■ The Speech and Debate team
students from around the nation
finished in the top
invited to attend the DePauw
five at five different
National Undergraduate Honors
tournaments. David
Conference for Communication
Garcia ’14, a history
and Theatre.
and chemistry major, was State Champion in Extemporaneous Speaking and ranked 26th nationally. Allison Reinhardt ’17, a biology and chemistry major, finished among the top 35 speakers in the nation at the Interstate Oratory National Championships. ■ Amanda Gesiorski ’14, a history/
■ Boosting sustainability efforts were Kaitlyn Welzen ’15, a Spanish and environmental studies major, who helped bring about a city ordinance change to allow the College to compost a significant percentage of its solid waste, and who helped get a hoop house (greenhouse) built on campus; Liz Walsh ’14, a biology and English major, who
anthropology major; Naomi Jahn
tended to two honey bee hives on
’14, a history major; and Christian
the Ceresco Prairie; and Mamadou
Krueger ’15, a history/studio art
Toure ’14, an environmental studies
major, published “Ripon (Images of
major, who designed a Living Green,
America Series)” in January.
eco-friendly theme floor for student housing.
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