CONSERVANCY TURNS

Ripon College Class of 2021 comes back together again for in-person ceremony

After a year of uncertainty, a cancelled 2020 Commencement ceremony and many adaptations to campus life, the Ripon College Class of 2021 came together Sunday, May 16, with joy, spirit and pride to celebrate at a modified but in-person Commencement ceremony.

The theme was “Wisconsin Music: Riffs from the Heartland,” honoring the significant musical heritage of the state. A full video of the Commencement ceremony can be viewed at ripon.edu/ Commencement.

Honorees included:

• John Harmon of Winneconne, Wisconsin, a widely acclaimed composer, jazz pianist and music educator, who received an honorary degree.

• Maria Dietrich of Ripon, Wisconsin, a longtime community arts administrator and a retired adjunct instructor of piano at Ripon College, who received the 2020

Founders’ Day Award. The 2021 award recognized regional partner the Fond du Lac County Health Department.

• Sandra Polcyn of Ripon, Wisconsin, who received the Distinguished Educator

Award. She is the band director at Ripon

High School and an adjunct instructor of music at Ripon College.

• Longtime supporters Guy Runals

Henshaw ’68 and Susan Siegel Henshaw ’68 of Danville, California, accepting virtually, who received the College’s

Medal of Merit.

During his address, Harmon said, “It’s an overwhelming honor, but the real stars of this show are sitting right over here,” indicating the graduates. “You guys are the ones, especially under the circumstances (under which) you had to operate.”

He reflected on his years as a composer and musician and shared words of wisdom he has followed: “If you love what you’re doing, there is nothing that inhibits you,” he said. And a friend once told him, when things are daunting and progress seems slow, “Never look at how much is left to do,” Harmon said. “Only look at what you’re doing and ‘do it good.’”

Student class speakers were Dakota Marlega of Waupaca, Wisconsin, and Noah Fish of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

President Zach Messitte told the graduates that with the passage of time, we may not remember so much the difficulties of a year in pandemic, but “more about the success you achieved in the classroom, relationships you’ve built with professors and staff, friendships, successes. … You have grown and benefited from working with us, but each of us are better because of each of you.”

He concluded, “Today we celebrate your past and your future. It is important as the years pass for you to remember Ripon College. It’s said that to make people happy is one of the greatest things you can ever do. There is much to be happy about today. We won’t forget you. Don’t forget Ripon.”

Where are they heading?

Here is a sampling of plans for some of our recent graduates

BENJAMIN GEORGIA

of Green Bay, Wisconsin, majored in chemistry-biology. He will pursue a master’s of science in nursing at DePaul University in Chicago.

NHI LE

of Glendale, Wisconsin, majored in communication as well as politics and government. She will pursue a master’s degree in communication from the University of Nevada-Reno.

JULIA GOEKS

of Lake Forest, Illinois, majored in chemistry and physics with a minor in mathematics. She will pursue a doctorate in materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. HANNAH KRUEGER

of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, majored in history as well as politics and government, with minors in national security studies, Spanish, law and society, and American studies. She will attend the University of Miami’s School of Law.

TORI BRAUN

of Juneau, Wisconsin, majored in mathematics with a minor in educational studies. She will pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

ALIENA WALLS

of Madison, Wisconsin, majored in English with a minor in communication. She will pursue a master of fine arts in writing through an online program with Lindenwood University. MARIA REBER

of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, majored in music with a minor in theatre. She will take a gap year then pursue a master’s degree in music therapy at Augsburg University.

KAITLIN HUTCHINSON

of Sturtevant, Wisconsin, majored in chemistry-biology. She will attend pharmacy school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

SHANNON SORBO

of Nekoosa, Wisconsin, majored in sports management with minors in business management and coaching. She will pursue a master’s degree in sports management at Florida State University, while also being a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team.

AVA CONRAD of Waukesha, Wisconsin, majored in elementary education with a minor in psychology. She will pursue an education specialist degree in school psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

ALEXIS RIGGS of Ripon, Wisconsin, majored in anthropology with a minor in sociology. She will study clinical rehabilitation counseling at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

KAYLEY GRABOWSKI of Plainfield, Illinois, triple majored in mathematics, economics and business management. She will pursue a Ph.D. in economics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. LUKE DRETSKE of Berlin, Wisconsin, majored in finance as well as politics and government, with a minor in law and society. He is a legislative assistant for the Wisconsin State Assembly.

BRITTNY BROWN of Independence, Wisconsin, majored in psychology with a minor in business management. She is working for Ascension Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh.

MEGAN DILLE of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, majored in educational studies and psychology. She will teach in the Fond du Lac School District.

MADISON KING of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, double majored in mathematics and economics. She will be an associate implementation analyst with OpenGov. MADELINE KUHL of Whitewater, Wisconsin, majored in finance and minored in economics. She will be a search associate at e.serv Technical Solutions.

CONNOR KUHN of Hilbert, Wisconsin, majored in mathematics with a minor in educational studies. He will complete his student teaching experience and then become a high school math teacher in northeast Wisconsin.

CALLYSTA HANSEN of Franksville, Wisconsin, majored in biology with a minor in criminal justice. She will be a pathology research assistant at Covance in Madison, Wisconsin.

Abbe Lane ’22 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, posts stickers displaying individual donors’ names during #OneDayRally.

Ripon College’s endowment surpasses $100 million, better securing our future

In March, Ripon College’s endowment crossed above the $100 million mark for the first time. This milestone indicates Ripon’s financial foundation and the commitment of its alumni and friends to its future. Just over a decade ago, the endowment was only $35 million.

The College has emphasized building the endowment over the decades to keep Ripon affordable to the best and brightest students, regardless of their financial situation. One hundred percent of Ripon College students receive some form of financial assistance. The Class of 2024 has 23% diversity, and 45% are first-generation students.

“Colleges traditionally draw their revenues from three principal sources: tuition, annual gifts and interest from the endowment,” says President Zach Messitte. “The larger the endowment, the less we have to rely on students’ tuition dollars. Over the decades, alumni and friends have been incredibly generous, believing in our mission. They have donated their time, treasure and talent to make sure our future will continue to be bright.”

#ONEDAYRALLY

The worldwide Ripon College community came together again for the #OneDayRally giving day April 28 to support the Ripon Fund, Red Hawks Club in athletics and Friends of the Arts.

The event raised $1,694,548 from 2,087 donors, up 72 donors from the 2020 #OneDayRally. Donors included 217 Game Changers who helped inspire participation and new gifts through unique challenges.

The Class of 1978 led all classes with the highest number of donors at 80.

Kate Maynard ’23 of Roscoe, Illinois, left, and Hannah Brockman ’24 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, celebrate #OneDayRally.

The Class of 1967 led with the highest collective donation amount of $505,551.

Support for the Red Hawks Club and Friends of the Arts, which is included in the overall amount raised, included $47,351 from 228 donors to the Red Hawks Club; and $27,075 from 164 donors to the Friends of the Arts.

SCHOLARSHIPS

During the spring semester, major funding sources were established to help bring a more diverse population to Ripon:

• The Richard V. and Frances S. Dietrich Trust Scholarship and

Richard V. and Frances S. Dietrich Faculty Development Fund, with a combined value of more than $2 million, focus on first-generation students with financial need, and creating opportunities for faculty.

They were established in the name of the parents of Professor

Emeritus of Music Kurt Dietrich and his siblings.

• The Conforti and Chemerow Scholarship will benefit graduates of Tremper High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin, who display financial need and improve Ripon’s racial and ethnic diversity.

It was established by Doreen Conforti Chemerow ’73 and her husband, David I. Chemerow, both graduates of the high school.

• The Franzen/Cristo Rey Endowed Scholarship will benefit graduates of Cristo Rey Jesuit, a high school in Milwaukee. The focus is first-generation students. It was established by Mark

Franzen ’83 and Janice Heinz Franzen ’83.

Richard V. and Frances S. Dietrich

David I. Chemerow and Doreen Conforti Chemerow ’73

Janice Heinz Franzen ’83 and Mark Franzen ’83