Ripon Magazine Spring 2010

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From the President Preparing Students for Socially Responsible Citizenship

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ipon College’s mission statement is succinct, straightforward and only two sentences long:

Ripon College prepares students of diverse interests for lives of productive, socially responsible citizenship. Our liberal arts curriculum and residential campus create an intimate learning community in which students experience a richly personalized education.

As a mission-driven (as opposed to a market-driven) organization, we consider this statement of purpose whenever we make policy or strategic decisions. It literally drives the College and provides the focus of both our intent and our execution of initiatives. As with any organization, the leadership of Ripon College must know, believe and commit to this mission. And we do.

One of the distinctive components of our mission is the commitment to preparing students for “socially responsible citizenship.” It is a lofty and commendable goal, but the desire and the execution of that goal often can be difficult to define, educate and assess. We have chosen, with good reason, to emphasize civic engagement and community service as critical elements of this commitment to prepare students for citizenship. Not only do we teach students about service and the civitas, we also provide numerous opportunities for them to participate in the endeavor.

Our approach is unique in that President David C. Joyce we do more than count hours of service. We expect our students to reflect upon their service experiences and to use them as tools when seeking the way to make a difference in both the local and the global communities.

Service organizations offer a means by which an earnest desire to help others can be applied. They emphasize the development process — how individuals learn from merely “doing good” to becoming “agents of good” for the benefit of others. Hopefully, our students learn that who you are is more important than what you do. The lesson is powerful enough that it begs to be passed along. Empowering others to fulfill their own potential creates the same desire in them, and so on.

When our daughter, Anna, was a little girl, Lynne and I bought her a dollhouse. Rather than treat it as a palace for a princess or a mansion in which her characters could play out their lives, Anna came to view it as a place for people to go who didn’t have a home. I believe that the desire to

make the world a better place by reaching out to others is something that is cultivated at the very earliest stages of life. The challenge we have as educators is to harness that desire, encourage grand ideas and provide the tools for empowering others through service. Let’s find ways to fan the flames of passion for service, not extinguish them.

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t’s Spring Break at Ripon College, and many of our students and faculty are using the time to rest, catch up and regroup for the last push toward graduation. A significant number of students and faculty have chosen to commit their time to an “alternative spring break,” whereby they participate in a significant community service activity. Some may be building homes in rural South Carolina for Habitat for Humanity, while others may be in Jamaica working to build a sustainable economic model for a mountain community with severe poverty. The stories are numerous, the impact is significant and the learning is life-changing.

Service has long been a part of the Ripon College culture, due in no small part to our symbiotic relationship with the community. A great many of our students, faculty and staff achieve personal satisfaction through service to others. By combining an excellent liberal education with a culture of service, we’ve set the stage for continued stewardship of our community and the world at large. As long as social ills exist, so, too, will opportunities to serve.

Each year, the Ripon College commencement ceremony is planned around a theme. The 2010 Commencement theme is “Lives of Service,” and the honorary degree recipients who have been selected are individuals who have devoted both their professional and personal lives to serving others.

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invite you to join us Sunday, May 16, to recognize and celebrate the graduation of more than 200 of our seniors. Together, we can help usher them into their next chapter of “lives of productive, socially responsible citizenship.” The Ripon College community shares in its confidence that the world we hand these ambitious graduates will, indeed, be a better place because of their efforts.

Dr. David C. Joyce President joyced@ripon.edu

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VOLUME 43, NUMBER 1

TAUS CELEBRATE A CENTURY OF CAMARADERIE ON RIPON CAMPUS For 100 years, members of the Theta Sigma Tau fraternity have made a family with each other at Ripon and beyond as they moved out into the world. Now, as they plan a spring and summer of special celebration activities, Tau members past and present take a look back at what makes the fraternity unique, and why the members still like hanging out together.

On the Cover: Actors in the theatre department’s production of Sarah Ruhl’s “Eurydice,” a contemporary reimagining of the Orpheus myth, stand around the “tunnel of love.” The production concept for the Ripon production, presented March 3 through 6, was based on a Coney Island-type atmosphere, complete with beach sand, a short waterway and a small boat on stage. Pictured are: at top, Paul Steffens ’10 as Orpheus; middle row, from left, Jessie Lillis ’13 as the Loud Stone, Elizabeth Weigler ’10 as the Big Stone, Cady Cummings ’10 as Eurydice, Jeff M. Davis ’10 as the Lord of the Underworld and Ross Heintzkill ’10 as Eurydice’s Father; and, seated, Megan Richards ’10 as Jim Koepnick photo the Small Stone.

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When English Professor Bill Schang announced his sudden retirement in February because of medical reasons, colleagues and students past and present reacted with overwhelming fondness and gratitude for all he has brought to Ripon over the past four decades. A Bill Schang Fan Club site on Facebook swiftly brought scores of affectionate postings. Here, many share their personal thoughts and memories of a beloved and influential professor.

19 Ripon College prepares students of diverse interests for lives of productive, socially responsible citizenship. Our liberal arts curriculum and residential campus create an intimate learning community in which students experience a richly personalized education.

Ripon Magazine (ISSN 1058-1855) is published quarterly by Ripon College, 300 Seward St., Ripon, WI 54971-0248.

Periodical postage paid at Ripon, Wis. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Ripon Magazine, PO Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971-0248.

Editor: Jaye Alderson e-mail: AldersonJ@ripon.edu Editorial Assistants: Ric Damm, Cody Pinkston Student Assistants: George Infantado ’10, Katie Mead ’11, Alyssa Paulsen ’10, Erin Schaick ’12.

Layout design by the graphics factory – Deba Horn-Prochno ’74 Print Production by Ripon Printers Ripon on the Web: www.ripon.edu Visit Ripon’s online community at: www.riponalumni.org

AFTER 40 YEARS IN RIPON CLASSROOMS AND ADMINISTRATION, BILL SCHANG BIDS FAREWELL

A LIFE IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT From Poland to Omran, Crotia, England, Denmark and Ukraine, Robert Needham ’86 has found that his roots in a liberal arts education have prepared him well for a life in the foreign service.

These Days at Ripon

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Sports

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Alumni

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Class Notes

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Last Word

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Earlier Tau members proudly show off Theta Sigma Tau letters on Mapes Hall.

Proud Taus Celebrate 100 Years at Ripon College

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e, the members of Theta Sigma Tau, recognize the differences that set us apart from each other; and come together as a fraternal organization dedicated to the unity of disunity. We pledge to support our fellow house members in their beliefs and convictions; and in the event those convictions conflict with our own, we pledge to respect our individual differences and to support those house decisions passed without absolute unanimity. This is the Creed of Theta Sigma Tau.” For 100 years, the members of Theta Sigma Tau have been thriving at Ripon College. Founded in 1910, the organization has been through many changes and has seen many faces, but one thing has remained the same: The members of Theta Sigma Tau are a family.

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“Our members consider Tau their family away from home,” says current Tau president, Talley Yake ’10 of Muskego, Wis. “I believe that people are able to find acceptance and friends that last a lifetime when they come to Tau. Tau is an environment where members can feel free to just be themselves. It is a group that can help members break out of their shells and grow in confidence.”

“Tau, for me, is a large family that I know I can depend on when I need to,” says Rachel Tennyson ’11 of Ripon, Wis., Tau historian. “If I had a bad day, I know I can get enough hugs to choke a horse as support, love and shoulders to cry on. If I didn’t have Tau, I’m not sure where I would be. I wouldn’t give Tau up for anything in the world.”

Theta Sigma Tau is accepting of all people on campus.

The organization supports everyone regardless of their

From an early Theta Sigma Tau group in 1912 … to the first coed group in 1980 … to the current members of the fraternity, Tau members have remained close to each other for the century of its existence on the Ripon College campus.

beliefs and acts as a home for those students who may feel out of place at college.

“I never planned on joining any Greek group when I came to Ripon College,” Yake says. “I was painfully shy and actually only went to a Tau preference party because one of my friends dragged me along. The people were so friendly, and I instantly felt at ease with the group. I feel as if the person I am today is not the same person I would have been if I had not joined Tau.” “For me, being a Tau is to be part of a group and family,” says Tennyson. “To function as a member of the house, to do my duties, as well as to actively participate in our philanthropy. I think it is also part of being a Tau to be there not only for those in the house but those who are outside who possibly need that extra hand.”

Throughout the years, Theta Sigma Tau also has focused on giving back to society. In the past, their philanthropic efforts have gone to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, Boys and Girls Club of America and National Arbor Day Foundation. Currently, the group is helping the American Diabetes Association.

To celebrate its 100th birthday, Theta Sigma Tau will be participating in a number of events.

“It is a benchmark of our organization that we are proud to have achieved,” Yake says. “It takes the cooperation of

The Celebration Throughout the remainder of the spring semester, Tuesdays will be renamed Tausdays. On these days, Tau members and alumni will wear Tau shirts and other Tau gear to show house spirit wherever they are.

Sunday, May 2, the Taus will provide birthday cake and decorations at Pickard Commons so all students can share in their celebrations.

During the summer, Theta Sigma Tau will continue the centennial celebrations. On the weekend of June 25, the group will host a reunion during Alumni Weekend on the Ripon College campus. With more than 500 living alumni, the group hopes for a large turnout .

The weekend will be topped off with the Centennial Reunion Dinner Sunday, June 27. Current members and alumni of Theta Sigma Tau, the Zeta Tau chapter of Sigma Nu, social members, honorary members and associate members are invited to attend the dinner at La Sure’s of Oshkosh. For more information, visit www.thetasigmatau.org or e-mail Pete Lenz at plenz@thetasigmatau.org.

each and every member to keep a Greek group functioning and continuing on throughout the years. This gives us an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come.”

Even after 100 years, Theta Sigma Tau is looking to the future.

“We are constantly trying to get involved with the campus through Fireside Chats and with our fund-raising activities for the American Diabetes Association,” Yake says. “Within Tau, we are putting forth an effort to have more social events to give the members a chance to spend more time together as a house. Also, we have started an education committee within the house to make Tau an outlet our members can use for academic improvement.”

Love of Tau is just as vibrant for its alumni. Pete Lenz SPRING 2010 3

An early home for Theta Sigma Tau was Sanford House, located on the present site of Merriman House.

The History On May 2, 1910, the members of the Elms Club eating house officially founded the Theta Sigma Tau fraternity of Ripon College. The fraternity organized and set certain ideals and principles for membership. The group thrived despite the College’s ban on fraternities.

During World War I, the organization was left with two active members and decided to temporarily disband. After the war, the men of Theta Sigma Tau started the organization again and moved to the Sanford House, located on the present site of the Merriman House. In 1939, the organization moved again to Evans Hall in the “Tri-dorms” building after the Sanford House was condemned and demolished.

During World War II, the group disbanded.

The group again was revitalized after the men returned from war.

In 1958, Theta Sigma Tau moved again to the place that they now call home — Mapes Hall. During the mid-1950s, the men of Theta Sigma Tau began the process of becoming affiliated with a national fraternity.

In the fall of 1955, the house became the Zeta Tau chapter of Sigma Nu. It was during this time that Ripon alumnus Harrison Ford ’64 was a member.

By the mid-1970s, the character of the house had changed, and many members were dissatisfied with the affiliation with Sigma Nu. The group made changes that were not in accordance with the national organization’s mandates. In 1976, Sigma Nu revoked the national charter of Zeta Tau. The original Greek name was reinstated and the group was reformed. Theta Sigma Tau retained the best ideals of the Sigma Nu’s creed but renounced the symbolism as a distraction from and barrier to true unity the organization says.

In 1980, the house went coed. The members believed that the richest living experience came from men and women living together as equals. Throughout the decades, Theta Sigma Tau has stayed dedicated to the principles of dignity, equality, fraternity, liberty and loyalty.

’89 of Fredonia, Wis., maintains a Web site at thetasigmatau.org and is helping to coordinate the reunion.

“Some of my best memories from Ripon College were with the fraternity,” he says. “Some of the best friends I’ve made were there. When you live together, you get close to each other. The Web site is helping people get in contact or keep in contact. I enjoy keeping everyone in touch.”

He says he returns to campus twice a year as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors.

“I get to meet the people who are in the fraternity now,” he says. “I think it really does seem like a family. These people have nothing in common with me, but they welcome 4 RIPON MAGAZINE

me in and are happy to see me and listen to my old stories.”

And he has some interesting, tongue-in-cheek stories.

Lenz says that when he was a first year student at Ripon, a fellow student in North Scott suggested that they go check out Tau. He told Lenz, “They play Dungeons and Dragons, so they’re a cool bunch of geeks.”

“The first time I went down to the house, I just felt at home,” Lenz says. “It just felt like this is the place I should be.”

Because there were two “Petes” in the house, he was known as Plenz — for Pete Lenz.

“We’d go off and do goofy stuff. Since we were at a college in the middle of cow country, one of the things you had to do at Ripon College was go cow-tipping. But no cows were injured, and no people were injured, either!”

He also recalls power occasionally going out in the house, and as the heat started to fade everyone would troop down to the fireplace and have a big slumber party.

“It was a nice time,” he says. “What makes it really special was the people. On the whole, it’s more like a family than your real family, at times.”

He says many Taus have met as part of the fraternity and married over the years — including himself and his wife, Viola Martin Lenz ’02, whom he met on trips back to campus.

In 1995, on his first visit after his graduation, Lenz introduced himself to the current members, and they excitedly says, “You were here when all the famous people were here — like Plenz!”

“I’d introduced myself as Pete,” he says. “They didn’t realize. ‘You’ve got to tell us all about them,’ they said. I told them, ‘I can tell them all about these guys, but I’d like to hear what you’ve heard first.’ I learned from them that I had a really good time in college, and I don’t remember any of it! From what they said, I had a blast. Then in walked somebody who was a student there when I was there. He yelled, ‘Plenz!’

“He blew my cover. I was famous to them, and I’m not anything like that. They get to know the real me instead of all the stories they’ve heard. Now that I’m a college professor (at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Kaplan University online), I have to be respectable, right?”

Patricia Beck ’98 of Pittsburg, Kan., also a Tau, says Theta Sigma Tau “provides a place for those of us who are a little different — the nerds, the geeks, the gamers, the people who like loud music. And in college, they had the best parties. Our Halloween party was always the highlight of the year for me. Creative costumes. Good fun. ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ played at midnight.”

She also married a Tau — George Harrison Johnson III ’00.

“Aside from the fact that I had a good time as a member of the House and I still enjoy visiting it and meeting the new people there,” Lenz says, “the real reason that it’s important to me is that I met many of my closest and dearest friends there, people who are as family to me.

Through the years, I’ve stayed in touch with many of them and have made many more friends as the membership has changed over time.” r Katie Mead and Jaye Alderson Mead is a junior communication major from Mauston, Wis.

Bill Schang Bids Farewell After 40 Years

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fter 40 years of teaching at Ripon, IN THE CLASSROOM Professor William J. “Bill” Schang But it is Schang’s interaction with has retired from the English students that is most poignantly recalled. department because of medical reasons.

Michael Timm ’04 of Cudahy, Wis., Schang’s journey at Ripon began in says Schang’s teaching ability was a gift, the 1969-70 academic year, having one that was shared freely and widely. earned his doctorate from the University “He wields an uncanny ability to of Michigan. He quickly gained a reputaunnerve, challenge and support at the tion as an excellent and engaging same time. One moment that sticks out to teacher, earning four May Bumby Severy me in which his experience and instinct Awards for Excellence in Teaching created an amazing classroom environ(2000, 1989, 1984, 1975). A longtime ment was during one ‘Page to Screen’ student favorite, he also won four Senior class. Some 20 or 30 of us in that class Class Awards for teaching (1998, 1986, were tasked with writing short papers on a 1985, 1982) and a James Underkofler short story I can’t now remember. Bill Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Schang facilitated a macro-classroom Teaching (1993). He was awarded tenure discussion on this story by seamlessly during the 1976-77 academic year. eliciting each student’s viewpoints, as “Bill was a great help to me in the expressed in our papers, and integrated all early stages of my tenure at Ripon,” says our comments into the whole in a way President David C. Joyce. “He was that was marvelously comfortable and serving as interim dean until the arrival constructive. It wasn’t boring. It wasn’t of a new president. I asked him to conimbalanced toward one viewpoint or tinue on as dean until the transition of another. He allowed each of our voices to leadership was complete. He eventually agreed, serving with distinction until 2006. Considering how much more at home he was at the front of a classroom than behind a desk, I have always appreciated his willingness to step in when the need arose.”

David Graham, professor of English, recalls his good fortune in being able to follow Schang’s example.

“Little did I realize, when I walked into West Hall as a new assistant professor in 1987, just how lucky I was to be joining Bill Schang’s department at Ripon,” he says. “For 23 years, Bill has been an inspiration. He has been my most reliable source of wisdom on matters large and small, a supportive colleague, an invaluable mentor and a friend.

He never takes himself too seriously, and, in fact, his easygoing humor has smoothed over many a rough patch. But he takes education very seriously, indeed, and has always been my best, most immediate model of integrity, honesty, fairness and hard work.” Bill Schang

contribute something to the whole, and you could see each student light up as we were able to talk on what uniqueness he’d boiled out of our papers.

“And I remember thinking as he went around from student to student, with just a simple prompt getting us to share with the group what we’d only shared with him, ‘Man, this guy is good.’ ” ■ Stacy Erickson ’00 of Fort Wayne, Ind., says Schang’s example has influenced many members of her family — all now English teachers. Erickson teaches at Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind.; her sister, Sara Erickson Baker ’00 at Elgin Community College in Elgin, Ill.; and her brotherin-law, Alex Baker ’02 at Woodstock High School in Woodstock, Ill. “Professor Schang is someone I think about a lot as I go into my own classroom and as I interact with students outside of class. One of the best things about Ripon and Professor Schang, especially, is that he was always there to chat — about class assignments and about larger life plans and goings on. Because of him, I’ve learned the value of keeping my office door open and letting students come in (to talk about a sick grandma, a break-up, ideas about a paper, plans for grad school, to eat some of my candy …). I hope they remember me and my influence as much as we remember Professor Schang in our own English-teacher family.”

■ Sara Erickson Baker ’00: “There are so many wonderful things about Professor Schang as a professor, but the thing I remember the most is how positive he was as an instructor. He welcomed every comment and opinion and openly encouraged students to share their thoughts. His classroom was a welcoming, open environment where every student had an active role. This is something I try to model in my own teaching — to create such a positive and warm classroom community like the one Professor Schang fostered in each of his classes.

■ Alex Baker ’02: “I took ‘Growing Up in America’ with Professor Schang (and Professor Blake) my first year.

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A Bill Schang Fan Club group has been created on Facebook on which dozens of postings state admiration and affection for Bill and what he has brought to Ripon College. Former and current students, colleagues and friends of Bill relate favorite anecdotes, quotations by Bill, photos and words of tribute.

The fan club can be accessed at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=31655 9990677&ref=mf Monetary gifts in honor of Bill Schang can be made to the Schang Family Visiting Writers’ Fund. They may be directed to the Office of Advancement, noting the restriction in honor of Schang.

The endowed fund is used to bring a variety of writers to Ripon College to share their experiences, observations, talent and enthusiasm with Ripon students. It was established by Schang’s sister, Marilyn Ann Varas, in honor of their parents, Jacob and Helen Schang; and in recognition of the importance of Ripon College in the careers her brother; her sister, Barbara Schang Zielinski ’77; her sister-in-law, Louise Schang, former College librarian and archivist; and her nephew, Jeffrey Schang, former systems/network manager in the computer center.

Over the next three years, I took six more classes with him and decided to become an English teacher, so Professor Schang certainly impacted my life. He was the perfect teacher for Ripon because it’s a school that is built around the idea of community, and Professor Schang’s greatest strength was his ability to foster a sense of community in the classroom. His classroom was a microcosm for what I think Ripon College should always strive to be.”

■ Brittney Wiggins ’10 of Plymouth, Wis.: “He’s the kind of person that makes you feel like all your problems, no matter how large or small, are the most important things in the world to him. I would go to him for any problem, and he asked me every day about how things were going in my biology major as well as how I was handling things in English. One of my favorite memories was the time I went into his office to work out my schedule, and we were discussing graduate school. He looked at me and says, ‘You belong in graduate school. In fact, you are ready for that next step, the next challenge and if you could have, you should have been there this year.’

That has stuck with me and is still an 6 RIPON MAGAZINE

incredible inspiration when I feel like I can’t keep moving forward. His classes were difficult, but students learned a lot from him.

Looking at his Facebook fan page, most past students best remember his go-to phrase: ‘Questions? Comments? Personal attacks?’ and use that phrase in their classes still.”

■ Lauren Kelly ’10 of Plymouth, Wis.: “I’ll never forget the candy bowl, the lectures outside on the lawn or the way he made my writing tighter, better, more focused. However, what I’ll remember most about Professor Schang is his innate ability to genuinely care about each and every student. No matter how busy he was, he always took the time to meet or answer questions, and he’s helped me with much more in my life than grammar and sentence structure. I admire and appreciate his kindness, honesty and understanding, and I know many of my peers do, as well. After all, I can remember there being questions and comments, but never any personal attacks!”

WITH HIS COLLEAGUES “As many have pointed out, his teaching does not end when he walks out of the classroom, nor does he confine his teaching to his students,” Graham says. “I cannot begin to list all the things he’s taught me over the years.

“In the classroom and out, Bill treats everyone equally, and by expecting good things from everyone, often receives more than people thought they had to give. No one takes more pleasure from others’ successes, and no one is less inclined to boast of his own.

“I am sad that he will no longer be dropping into my office to chat and tell a joke or two right before our 8 a.m. classes, but I remain forever grateful for the privilege of serving with him for the past two decades. I still can’t believe my luck.”

Professor of English and then Dean of Faculty Douglas A. Northrop once wrote to Schang on the occasion of receiving an award: “Your work as developer as well as coordinator of the writing-across-the-curriculum program needs to be considered in terms of its long-term impact on the College,” Northrop wrote. “It is easy to forget, at this later date, how resistant many faculty were to the initial proposal and how hard you and a few colleagues worked to ensure the passage of the proposal and how hard and well you worked to ensure the success of the program. …

“Indeed, the shift from ‘teaching’ to

‘learning’ as the focus of our educational program is at the very center of the writing program and is the most important aspect of your contribution to the College as coordinator of the writing-across-the-curriculum program.

Nothing less than a transformation of the faculty or a quiet revolution of the academic program has occurred.

“The faculty have changed the overall emphasis from teacher-oriented education to learner-oriented. We have basically replaced the lectureexamination system with discussioninvestigation-exploration-expression.

Writing has become an investigative as well as an expressive technique; we have refocused on the process of learning with writing as a process at the core of that change. In individual after individual, department after department, you encouraged them to explore how they could make the educational process more effective, how by looking at writing as the process of learning they could get the students more engaged, more active and, finally, more knowledgeable about the discipline.”

Northrop says Schang succeeded both as a teacher and as a colleague because Schang’s work in classroom and as coordinator always practiced what it preached: the process is the important thing.

“I think his skill has been widely shared across the faculty and across the curriculum and that Ripon College is a more powerful place because of it,” Northrop says.

“During his four decades at Ripon, Bill has forged deep and abiding friendships, not only with faculty and staff but with innumerable students,” Joyce says. “He epitomizes our commitment to a richly personalized education, and our beloved College is all the more special for his time here.

His gentle spirit and appreciation for the teaching/learning endeavor are the hallmarks of a great educator. Bill will be missed in the classroom.

“However, Bill and his wife, Louise, are fixtures, even icons, on this campus and in this community. I expect to see them as much now as we did back then.

This is their home, and it always will be.”

Timm says the best way to honor Schang would to “to write early and often, to continue to push ourselves to be better, and to share what we learn.” r

These Days at Ripon these days at ripon Briefs BRIEFS

RIPON CITED IN ARTICLE ABOUT FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS

Benjamin Futransky ’99 visits some of the Haitian children living in a tent camp operated by the Haitian Lions Club.

ALUMNUS HELPS COORDINATE RELIEF FUNDS IN HAITI Benjamin Futransky ’99 of Oak Park, Ill., recently returned from earthquakeravaged Haiti as part of his work for Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF).

As assistant manager in the Humanitarian Programs Department, Futransky has visited disaster areas before, but this time was much sooner after the actual event.

“Haiti was pretty crazy,” he says. “The situation is definitely on the intense side.

There are lots of displaced people, buildings destroyed, a chaotic atmosphere. It gives a unique perspective. A less-developed country is not new to me. Working and living in less-developed countries, you develop a sort of immunity to poverty.

But to see a lot of displaced people like that is something I’d never seen before.”

LCIF has raised $2.2 million in donations to support short-term and long-term relief efforts in Haiti. It’s part of Futransky’s job responsibilities to assess the situation in a disaster area, and coordinate the use of funds and approval of projects between the local Lions Club members, the chairman and board of trustees for LCIF. Currently, LCIF is funding three tent camps serving about 3,000 people and operated by the Haitian Lions Club. This is serving short-term, immediate needs.

Long-term, Futransky says, the focus will be on rebuilding homes, public facilities such as schools, medical clinics and hospitals, and preservation of eyesight.

He says LCIF will be active “not only in rebuilding but, in fact, strengthening and making this whole system stronger than it was before the earthquake.”

Futransky has helped LCIF in other disaster areas. He oversaw and coordinated the use of $10 million in donations for tsunami reconstruction funds in Sri Lanka and India, and will return to that area in a few months for another progress check on projects.

“This work is not new for LCIF,” he says. “We’ve done it before, unfortunately.

It’s not always so much to achieve something but to show we’re players and show our work and have the possibility of future collaborations and partnerships.

“These sorts of major catastrophe projects are part of my job. There are opportunities to have some really great experiences in addition to doing a lot of good.”

The Feb. 14, 2010, issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education featured “WalMart’s $10-Million Diplomas,” an article about Wal-Mart’s grants to colleges to help first-generation students graduate.

Campuses with Wal-Mart grants are pursuing a variety of strategies to help more students graduate.

The article read, “The small private colleges are largely focused on improving retention through student services, and the minority-serving institutions, through academics.

“Ripon College, in Wisconsin, for example, is concentrating on career preparation. It has placed first-generation students in shadowing positions — an anthropology major in a museum, a psychology major in a school counseling office — and paid them.”

COLUCCI STARTING TWOVOLUME BOOK CONTRACT Lamont Colucci, assistant professor of politics and government and national security studies coordinator, has signed a book contract with Praeger for a two-volume set titled The National Security Doctrines of the American Presidency: How They Shape our Present and Future. The contract came after Colucci gave a paper presentation, “The Bush Doctrine: Changes in American Foreign Policy, International Relations and International Lamont Colucci Security” at ISSS/ ISAC-APSA (International Security Studies Section/International Security and Arms Control Section-American Political Science Association) in Monterey, Calif.

RESIDENCE LIFE EARNS ACCOLADES The residence life department was rewarded for its efforts at the annual Wisconsin SPRING 2010 7

Briefs BRIEFS STUDENT PRESENTS PAPER IN SPANISH AT CONFERENCE Senior Lucía Castro of Wichita Falls, Texas, a biology major and Spanish minor, presented a paper in Spanish at the Streamlines Undergraduate Conference for the Humanities at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, Nov. 14.

Kristen Swoboda ’10 of Hartland, Lucía Castro ’10 Wis., and Timothy P. Reed, assistant professor of Spanish, accompanied her to the conference.

“Lucía represented the College very well,” Reed says.

RED HAWKS RAISE MONEY FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH The Ripon basketball team’s February Pink Zone event to raise money and awareness for breast cancer was a success, raising a total of $325. All proceeds will go to the Kay Yow/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Cancer Fund to benefit cancer research.

“The Ripon College athletic department was delighted to contribute to such a worthwhile cause, and I hope we can have even more people be a part of this initiative again next season,” Ripon College Athletic Director Bob Gillespie says.

The Kay Yow Foundation is named in honor of former North Carolina State University Head Women’s Basketball Coach Kay Yow, who in 2009 lost her battle with breast cancer. The WBCA Pink Zone initiative is a global, unified effort for the WBCA’s nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. To date, the total amount of 2010 WBCA Pink Zone donations has reached $402,558.26, with more than 1,700 schools and organizations participating.

8 RIPON MAGAZINE

Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU) residence life conference. Ripon won numerous awards and took third place in the roll call competition, an event where schools are judged on creativity and school spirit in coming up with a skit to introduce themselves to all other present delegations.

Ripon received a plaque for this honor.

Joyce Ngabire ’10 of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, took second place in a Case Study Competition in the New Resident Assistant Division. Hall Directors Marcus Neeld and Ryan Dwyer took third place in the Professional Staff Program Presentation category.

Jessica Joanis, assistant director of residence life, took first place for her Professional Staff Program Presentation. “The WAICU Residence Life conferences are always fun, for students and professional staff,” she says. The program that I presented that won first place was called ‘A Few Good Books.’ It was a program designed for professionals in the field to talk about the books that are out there to read about common issues facing college students today. I shared a list of 20 titles that we have read here in residence life and have used as professional staff development or as part of resident assistant training.”

Of Ripon’s successful showing, Joanis says, “I am proud of the Ripon RAs and professional staff members that represented us so well at the conference!”

WAYNE WEBSTER IS NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVANCEMENT Wayne Webster is Ripon’s new vice president of advancement. Webster comes to Ripon from Gettysburg, Pa., where he worked in major gifts since 2006 at Gettysburg College. His work there led to more than $5 million in restricted gifts. Prior to that, he worked in advancement at Doane College in Crete, Neb., for four years.

Webster earned his master’s degree in management at Doane College and is working on his doctor of education from George Washington University.

“As the College continually examines its priorities through the lens of the strategic plan and pursues our vision, the role of Advancement comes sharply into focus,” President David Joyce says. “To marshal the resources we need to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace will require an unprecedented Wayne Webster effort, and I believe Wayne has the right combination of development savvy, earnestness and charisma to be a catalyst for this effort.”

POETS VISIT RIPON Autumn in Ripon brought an abundance of falling leaves and amusing poetry. Brent Goodman ’93 of Rhinelander, Wis., gave a poetry reading and book signing Nov. 18. His work, Trees are the Slowest Rivers, won the 1998 Sarasota Poetry Theatre national poetry competition, and Wrong Horoscope won the Frank O’Hara Chapbook Competition for 1999.

Born in Milwaukee, Goodman earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Ripon in 1993 and his master’s degree in creative writing from Purdue University in 1995. He has worked as a copywriter, editor, free-lance writer and a teacher. He is an assistant editor at Anti-Poetry.com.

Marilyn L. Taylor, Wisconsin Poet Laureate, gave a reading from her newest book, Going Wrong, Oct. 28.

She lives in Milwaukee, where for many years she was an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, her alma mater, teaching for the department of English.

Governor James Doyle appointed Taylor Poet Laureate of Wisconsin in

November 2008 after a highly competitive process. Previously, she served a two-year term as Poet Laureate of the city of Milwaukee. She has a plethora of experience as an author, with eight collections, leader of poetry workshops and a visiting poet across the state. She is a contributing editor for The Writer magazine, where her articles on poetic craft appear bi-monthly.

TODD AND BETTY BERENS HONORED WITH 2010 FOUNDERS’ DAY AWARD Ripon residents Todd and Betty Berens received the 2010 Founders’ Day Award in a special ceremony Jan. 26. The couple exemplify the time-honored values of Ripon College’s founders: a strong sense of community, relentless optimism for the future and a deep respect for the value of education, according to President David C. Joyce.

As with virtually all past recipients of this award, they are so involved in so many aspects of community life that they seem omnipresent. Between the two of them they are or have been involved in the Ripon Historical Society, Friends of Lane Library, Friends of the Arts, Wisconsin Historical Society, Foundation for Ripon Medical Center, Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Urban Ecology Center, Badger State Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Bancroft Library of the University of California at Berkeley, Washington State Historical Society, League of Women Voters, Town of Ripon board and the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, just to name a few.

Short talks on the College’s history were presented by Bruce Kukowski ’10 of Ripon, Wis., who spoke on “The Founding of the Swim Team;” and Jacqie Fingerson ’10 of Mazomanie, Wis., who spoke on “Greek Nationalization during President David C. Joyce, left, joins Todd and Betty Berens as they the 1950s & 1960s.” cut the cake celebrating the 159th “birthday” of Ripon College.

Ric Damm photo

FORENSICS TEAM TAKES SECOND PLACE AT STATE The Ripon College Forensics team took second place at the Wisconsin State Collegiate Forensics Championships in February. Ripon earned 19 final-round placements, three individual state champions and a much-coveted spot in the Interstate Oratorical Association.

For the first time in at least 15 years, a Ripon student has earned the opportunity to represent the state of Wisconsin in the Interstate Oratorical Association’s national contest in persuasion, to be held the last weekend of April. Sophomore Jeremy D. Johnson of Galesburg, Ill., placed second, earning him one of two state bids to the contest held this year in Oklahoma.

Rep. Joan Ballweg, who served as a guest critic, was so impressed with Jeremy’s oration on the topic of permanence of electronic information that she has requested

Briefs BRIEFS REPAIR WORK COMING ALONG AFTER FLOODING DAMAGES STORZER Soon after the students had left for winter break, a recently replaced water main in the basement of the J.M. Storzer Physical Education Center failed. The building’s basement was flooded with nearly eight feet of water, and several major systems were destroyed. This accident on Christmas weekend flooded pool and building water heaters, water softeners, the pool filtration system, emergency generators, sewage ejection pumps and the main electrical switchgear for the building.

Storzer Center was closed for several weeks to allow plant department and others to restore the facility and prepare it for athletic events and classroom use.

Thankfully, playing surfaces and athletic equipment were not damaged.

Installation of the new exterior pad mount transformer and interior switch gear has been completed, and temporary generators have been removed. The new fire alarm system and automated pool control operations are almost completed.

Lawn restoration work will begin after a new emergency generator arrives and is installed into the basement.

RIPON EMPLOYEES ASSIST WITH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL Tylor Loest ’08, development associate for major and planned giving, directed Steven Sondheim’s musical “Anyone Can Whistle” for the Ripon High School Players in February.

Members of the student cast included Morgan Krhin, daughter of Director of Student Support Services Dan Krhin; Maggie Parks, daughter of former instructors Dan Parks and Marguerite Parks; and Ben Schwemmer, son of Secretary/Technician Meg Schwemmer.

Donna Marquart, secretary/ technician, helped with costumes. Sandy Polycn, adjunct instructor of music, directed the orchestra.

SPRING 2010 9

Briefs BRIEFS STUDENTS PERFORM IN ALL-STAR HONORS

BAND

Four Ripon students participated in the College All-Star Honors Band in Wisconsin Rapids in January. Samantha Meidl, a junior from Ripon, Wis., and Jacquelyn Michalak, first-year from Hartford, Wis., performed on clarinet; Rachel Smith, first-year from Marinette, Wis., played bass clarinet; and Gavin Zimmerman, a junior from Ripon, Wis., played euphonium.

This event was sponsored by the National Bandmasters AssociationWisconsin Chapter.

“It was wonderful playing with so many people from all over the state,” Michalak says. “The music was challenging but fun to play with so many great players.”

Meidl adds, “This band is very similar to what the theatre department does with the 24-hour theatre. We rehearse for about four hours and then for about an hour the next day together. That’s it — and to have it sound as good as it does is a great feeling and experience for anyone.”

SOLVERUD REPRESENTS RIPON AT REGIONAL COMPETITION Jessica Solverud, a senior from Wausau, Wis., was the Ripon College equestrian team’s first representative at regional competition for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. The competition was held March 7 in Crookston, Minn.

Solverud was one of 19 who showed in her class.

“It’s an honor just getting to regional competition,” says Mary Avery, coach of the equestrian team. “Everyone who goes to the competition is considered a regional champion.”

The team’s other members, Kate Hamm, a sophomore from Milwaukee, Wis., and Rachel Geary, a first-year from Wauwatosa, Wis., also have placed well all season.

Avery says the team expects more members next year and will be adding western competition to its current hunt seat competitions.

10 RIPON MAGAZINE

a copy of his speech and research for purposes of considering legislation that would address storage of electronic documents in the state of Wisconsin for next year’s legislative session.

Individual results: ■ Senior Jeff M. Davis of Ripon, Wis.: State Champion, Prose Interpretation; third place, Duo Interpretation (with first-year Jessie Lillis of Coldwater, Mich.).

Jeremy Johnson ’12 Jeff M. Davis ’10 ■ Senior Luke Lockhart of Richland Center, Wis.: third place, Communication Analysis; third place, Impromptu Speaking; third place, Extemporaneous Speaking, seventh place, Informative Speaking.

■ Junior Sara Sisco of Carlsbad, Calif.: fifth place, Communication Analysis.

■ Sophomore Jeremy D. Johnson of Galesburg, Ill.: State Champion, Informative Speaking; State Champion, After Dinner Speaking; second place, Oratory; sixth place, Program of Oral Interpretation; fourth place, overall Individual Sweepstakes Champion.

■ Sophomore Breena Brockmann of Merrill, Wis.: third place, Informative Speaking; fourth place, Communication Analysis; fourth place, Duo Interpretation (with Jessie Lillis).

■ Sophomore Emily Moore of Minoqua, Wis: third place, Program of Oral Interpretation.

■ Sophomore Sharon Klapperich of Wausau, Wis.: sixth place, Prose Interpretation.

■ First-year Jessie Lillis: third place, Duo Interpretation (with Jeff M. Davis); fourth place, Duo Interpretation (with Breena Brockmann).

■ First-year Matt Koch of Laona, Wis.: fourth place, Informative Speaking.

■ First-year Ashton Fries of Williams Bay, Wis.: fifth place, Duo Interpretation (with Lori Schroeder).

■ First-year Lori Schroeder of Mounds View, Minn.: fifth place, Duo Interpretation (with Ashton Fries).

■ First-year Matt Rohrbeck of Portage, Wis.: sixth place, After Dinner Speaking

ACTIVITIES CELEBRATE LIFE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Ripon College’s annual weeklong celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life included a keynote address by Joanna Bland and a performance by slam poet Nigel Wade.

Bland is co-founder and director of the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute in Selma, Ala. She promotes civil and human rights, especially to increase voter awareness.

She began her activism as an 8-year-old, attending a freedom and voters’ rights meeting presided over by King, himself. Stepping right into the middle of the rights battles, she marched on “Bloody Sunday” and “Turn around Tuesday,” witnessing beatings, shootings and the hosing of fellow marchers.

At age 11, she was the youngest of the people arrested at these demonstrations.

She continues to be active in organizations devoted to expanding and securing civil and human rights, including groups like the NAACP, Alabama New South Coalition, and Ladies With a Mission.

Wade, a slam poet from Milwaukee, enthusiastically performed in Great Hall.

His unique style earned him a place on the 2006 Milwaukee National Slam Team among some of the city’s finest poets. He also represented Milwaukee in the 2007 Individual World Poetry Slam in Vancouver, British Columbia. He recently secured his spot on the 2010 Milwaukee Poetry Slam Finals.

Briefs BRIEFS GORE DOCUMENTARY FOCUS OF ADDRESS

New Microscopes for Biology Department

The biology department recently acquired 18 new Nikon E100 microscopes, funded in part from alumni donations. The microscopes are being used by students during this term in Professor of Biology Skip Wittler’s “Plant Anatomy and Physiology” course. Above, Ben Lehman ’12 of Green Lake, Wis., in the foreground, and Eric Schumacher ’12 of Franklin, Wis., at right, use the new microscopes while Wittler talks in the background. “The microscopes are enabling students to view features of plant, animal and bacterial cells at magnifications of up to 1,000-fold,” Wittler says. “They are an important part of ongoing efforts by Ripon College to continually upgrade facilities and instrumentation used in our science courses.” The purchase was made possible in part through generous donations by James R. Clark ’68 of Mequon, Wis.; William C. MacLeod ’73 of Washington, D.C.; Michael R. Reese ’65 and his wife, Kaye, of Appleton, Wis.; and Dena G. Willmore ’67 of Buckland, Mass.

Ric Damm photo

ALUMNUS ALEXANDER LEVIS RETURNS TO RIPON Dr. Alexander Levis ’63 of Aldie, Va., returned to Ripon Nov. 4 for a presentation about his research on the conveniences and advancements that have resulted from military research.

Levis majored in math and physics at Ripon College and continued at MIT where he received bachelor’s, master’s, master of engineering and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering with control systems as his area of specialization. He is a professor of electrical, computer and systems engineering at George Mason University.

From 2001 to 2004, Levis served as the chief scientist of the U.S. Air Force at the Pentagon where he advised the Secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force Chief of Staff on scientific and technological matters.

Colleen Byron, professor of chemistry, says “Professor Levis was exceedingly kind and generous with his time, giving a public lecture on consumer use of technology developed by the military, a scholarly seminar regarding his work in systems engineering, a lecture in ROTC, a career journey in physics and Alexander Levis ’63 a political science lecture.”

She says sponsoring speakers like Levis is important for students and faculty of all interests.

“Students learn state-of-the-art content right from the source of that content,” she says. “Students learn that these are real people that create the knowledge the

Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” was the focus of a keynote address

by Kathryn M. Olson, this year’s Ripon Forum on Ethics and Oratory Scholar.

Olson is director of the Rhetorical Leadership Graduate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a published author in the areas of rhetorical leadership in business communication environments, presidential debate issues and communication and interpersonal violence.

Lindsay Blumer, executive director of the Ethical Leadership Program, says, “The Ethics and Oratory series is an important and relevant way for Ripon College to highlight the inherent ethical implications in communication strategies.”

Olson also spent time working with Ripon’s senior communication majors to help prepare their analyses of conservation communication. Olson’s influence fits in with Ripon’s dedication to innovative education, Blumer says, adding, “Ms. Olson provided the perspective of how rhetorical communication methods and social advocacy intersect. This intersection is part of the future of communication, and Ripon is at the forefront of exploring these ideas in greater depth to provide the maximum learning experience and the greatest good.”

BLOOD DRIVE BRINGS IMPRESSIVE RESULTS Ripon College has hosted several blood drives this year, and the December event had an exceptional outcome. Charge Nurse Kristin Smith says there were a total of 32 donors (30 students, one faculty member and one community member). This was five donors more than the goal.

Overall, the donors saved a total of 114 lives. This blood was given to the Community Blood Center, which provides all the blood used at Ripon Medical Center, as well as hospitals in Berlin, Oshkosh and Appleton.

SPRING 2010 11

Calendar Calendar April 21 Awards Convocation April 24 Phi Delta Theta 50th Anniversary April 29 Alumni Event: Madison Fifth Thursday Happy Hour April 29 Alumni Event: Cincinnati Fifth Thursday Happy Hour May 4 Last Day of Classes May 6 Final Exams Begin May 6 Alumni Event: Fox Valley, Wis., Happy Hour May 12 Last Day of Final Exams May 16 Commencement May 19 Alumni Event: St. Louis Happy Hour June 25 through 27 Alumni Weekend 2010 June 29 Alumni Event: Twin Cities Fifth Tuesday Happy Hour June 30 Alumni Event: Milwaukee Fifth Wednesday Happy Hour

students study, and realize that there are broader opportunities for their interests than they had previously thought.”

STUDENTS COMPETE IN ETHICS BOWL In November, the 2009 Ripon College Ethics Bowl Team competed in the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, sponsored by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics and the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions. The team consisted of Alicia Bruns, a sophomore from Schaumburg, Ill., Sarah Moehrke, a first-year from Lake Forest Park, Wash., Wally Hernandez, a first-year from Burlington, Wis., Katrina Schauland, a sophomore from Lewiston, Minn., and Elizabeth McHone, a junior from Ripon, Wis. The team, coached by Deano Pape, travelled to Northeastern Illinois University for this competition.

“The Ripon College team tied three judges’ ballots and won one judge’s ballot during a close competition in which they discussed topics such as cheating on standardized tests, the use of hate speech versus first amendment rights and many more important ethical dilemmas,” Pape says. “The Ripon team competed with other top colleges and universities and made an excellent showing by arguing their points well, working as a team and keeping up the enthusiasm and dedication throughout the day-long competition. Although the team did not compete in the final round, they made it through several rounds with good arguments and great team spirit.”

STUDENT FROM RWANDA HONORED BY HER COUNTRY Ornella Umubyeyi, a first-year from Greenfield, Mass., and originally from Rwanda, was one of 20 winners from 350 youths to receive the “Celebrating Young Rwandan Achievers” (CYRWA) Award in Rwanda in January. Awards were presented by her excellency, First Lady Jeannette Kagame, president of Imbuto Foundation.

“Literally translated, Imbuto means seed,” Ornella says.

“A seed well-planted, watered, nurtured and given all the necessary support successfully grows into a healthy plant.”

The CYRWA Award was established to honor outstanding young Rwandans who strive toward the highest levels of personal and professional accomplishment, excel in their chosen field, devote time and energy to their community in a meaningful way, and forge paths of leadership for all Rwandan youths to follow.

The first lady said, “This award bears significance for you Ornella Umubyeyi ’13 as well as for the other youth who will, from this day forward, be looking up to you. You are now torchbearers and ambassadors, and we trust that you will endeavor to live up to the expectations of the people who nominated and awarded you. I encourage you to aim for excellence; to believe in yourselves; to educate, engage and empower other young people; and most of all, to surround yourselves with people who will bring out the best in you. Such are the qualities of promising leaders, leaders who aspire to be part of a dignified generation.”

RIPON NAMED TO SERVICE HONOR ROLL Ripon is one of four northeast Wisconsin colleges recognized for community service in 2009 by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The four were named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Honorees were chosen from more than 700 colleges, based on a series of factors, including scope and innovativeness of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

The honor recognizes Ripon’s commitment to service and the great work that 12 RIPON MAGAZINE

students, faculty and staff are doing both on campus and in the surrounding communities.

Details about the honor roll can be found at www.nationalservice.gov/ honorroll/. r

TRUSTEE PROFILE:

C LAIRE S ANTERALLI G REGOIRE ’77 What are some of your pursuits/ hobbies/interests?

Fine arts, playing the What compelled you piano, going to the to become a Ripon symphony; reading; College Trustee? golf; learning about different cultures and My passion for education and helping young adults create political perspectives; options and opportunities for traveling abroad; their future lives. My love and Claire Santeralli cooking; involvement Gregoire ’77 high regard for Ripon College in organizations that and deep desire to give back to an support business and education, particinstitution and a community that has ularly focused on women and children. given so much to me.

What do you see as the most significant challenges for higher What rewards does it offer? education in general, and A strong value of mine is to have Ripon in particular? two dynamics always present: I believe the educational “industry” contributing and learning. In my is ripe for consolidation — this is a Trustee role, I have a great sense of self-fulfillment because these two are very fragmented industry (community colleges, four-year public and always present. private institutions, trade schools, ■ Contributing – Bringing experience, expertise and skills to etc.), and there are far too many colthe table and being able to guide, leges and universities in the United States for the demographics, econolead, impact, influence and make my and social structures to support. a difference.

The demographics of 0-18-year-olds ■ Learning – Committee work, will not fill all of these seats in the special initiatives and board future, education will be competing meetings continue to develop my with health-care funding for a long leadership skills and offer many time, and our philanthropic spirit, as learning opportunities for me, generous as it is in the United States, adding to my life-long learning cannot support all of these. which I value greatly.

For Ripon, we need to not get What qualities do you bring lost along the way, and continue to to the table as a Trustee? stand out as the top-notch, premier Experience/expertise: business “hidden jewel” that we are. management, human resource What excites you the most experience, operations management about Ripon College’s future? experience; Skills: leadership, finanKnowing that Ripon gets stronger cial, organizational, team-building, every day, will be well-positioned to decision-making, problem-solving; Qualities: business acumen, strategic be a survivor and will continue to thinking, solutions-oriented, passion make a difference in the life-long learning of adults throughout the for giving young people access to country and across the globe. higher learning and education.

Elected: August 1998 Business: President, KAMDEN Strategy Group

Briefs BRIEFS PROFESSOR ROY WRITES ‘SKINHEAD’ AUTOBIOGRAPHY Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead: Frank Meeink’s Story, as told to Communication Professor Jody Roy, is a tale of personal transformation from America’s Nazi underground to victory over hatred and addiction.

This is Roy’s third book. She chairs the board of directors of Jody Roy the National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), a national, nonprofit anti-violence organization.

STUDENT CLUBS RAISE $600 FOR HAITI The International Relations Club (IRC), Campus Christian Fellowship and Office of Community Engagement raised almost $600 for the Bush/Clinton Haiti Fund to help victims of the Haiti earthquake.

IRC president Kate Heng, a senior from Appleton, Wis., says members of the club took turns for nearly a week, sitting with a can for change in front of the Commons.

STUDENT NEWSPAPER EARNS REGIONAL HONOR The College Days earned second place in the “Best of Show” category for nonweekly newspapers at the Best of the Midwest College Newspaper Convention in Minneapolis Feb. 14. The convention was sponsored by the Associated Collegiate Press, and student journalists from 26 schools throughout the Midwest attended.

“It’s an honor,” says student editor John Bailey, a senior from Hortonville, Wis. “It shows what a very small staff can do when they are not getting paid or earning credit, but for their own good will.”

SPRING 2010 13

Sports sports Gillespie, Wurtz Lead Hot-Shooting Hawks, Earn All-Region Honors

T

he men’s basketball team experienced a tremendous year during the 2009-10 season, going 15-9, the team’s most victories since winning 18 games in the 2004-05 season. This year’s team also went 10-6 in the Midwest Conference (MWC) which placed them in a tie for third.

This season was an especially historic one for junior guard Scott Gillespie (Ripon, Wis.) and sophomore forward Aris Wurtz (Waupun, Wis.), who both earned First Team All-Conference selections, marking the first time in INTER 11 years that more than one PORTS Red Hawk was named to the ECAP first team.

Gillespie and Wurtz also became the first Ripon teammates to score more than 500 points in the same season, which earned them both a spot on the D3hoops AllRegion Third Team. Gillespie also earned National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-Region honors for the first time in his career, earning a spot on the second team.

Wurtz finished the season averaging 22.3 points per game, which ranked second in the MWC and eighth in NCAA Division-III, while Gillespie averaged 22.1 points per game, third in the MWC and 11th in Division-III. Their final point totals rank sixth and seventh, respectively, for the highest sin-

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Aris Wurtz ’12 was a First Team AllConference selection. He placed second in the MWC and eighth in NCAA Division-III in points and tied for sixth in school history for most rebounds in a single season.

gle season point total in school history.

They also each scored season-highs of 37 points against Grinnell College on Feb. 5, which ties them for the 10thhighest scoring output in a single game by a Red Hawk.

Gillespie also reached a couple other milestones this season, scoring his 1,000th point at Grinnell College on Dec. 5. With his 531 points at the end of the year, Gillespie became just the second player in school history to score more than 400 points in three different seasons. With 400 points next season, he will become the only player to achieve that feat in four different years. Gillespie currently is fifth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,434 points, needing 432 points to break the school record.

In addition to his scoring prowess, Gillespie distributed the ball almost better than anyone in the country, averaging 7.3 assists per game, which led the MWC and ranked second in Division-III. In Ripon’s final game of the season, a 78-74 loss at St. Norbert in the semi-final round of the MWC Tournament, Gillespie recorded eight assists, giving him 176 for the season, which sets a new school record for a single season. He currently ranks fourth on Ripon’s career assists list with 420.

Scott Gillespie ’11 was a First Team AllConference selection. He averaged 22.1 points per game, third in the MWC and 11th in Division-III. He scored his 1,000th point and is fifth on Ripon’s all-time scoring list.

Gillespie also moved into seventh in school history for career steals, after leading the MWC with two steals per game.

He also was second in the MWC in field goal percentage (.542). Gillespie recorded seven double-doubles this season, including six in Ripon’s final 13 games.

Gillespie also moved into seventh in school history for career steals, after leading the MWC with 2 steals per game. He also was second in the MWC in field goal percentage (.542). Gillespie recorded seven double-doubles this season, including six in Ripon’s final 13 games.

Wurtz also did more than just score this season. He also ranked third in the MWC in rebounding with 7.6 per game, making him the only player in the conference to rank in the top four in both scoring and rebounding. His 182 rebounds are tied for the sixth-highest single season total in school history. Wurtz also ranked fourth in the MWC in both field goal percentage (.538) and freethrow percentage (.852), while ranking seventh in 3-point percentage (.390).

As a team, the Red Hawks were one of the best shooting teams in the country all season. They finished the year ranked second in all of Division-III with a field goal percentage of .516.

With the team’s 15 wins this season, Head Coach Bob Gillespie now has 482

Erin Lind ’12, left, and Jessica DeHamer ’10, right, both were named First Team All-Conference.

Lind recorded the sixth-most points and 10th-most rebounds in a single season in school history and was the only player in the MWC to finish in the top five in scoring and rebounding. DeHamer ended her Ripon career ranked 11th in points, seventh in rebounds and second in steals.

victories in his 30-year career, all of which have been at Ripon. For his contribution to Ripon College and the men’s basketball program, Gillespie was given one of the highest honors a coach can receive, as the basketball court at Wyman Gymnasium in Storzer Center was named “Bob Gillespie Court” in his honor prior to Ripon’s game against Beloit College Feb. 13.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The women’s basketball team advanced to the MWC tournament championship game for the second consecutive season, only to lose to top-seed St. Norbert College. It still was a successful year as Ripon went 18-7, the team’s most wins in a season in five years. That included a 13-3 mark and second-place finish in the MWC, giving them their highest conference win total in six seasons. The Red Hawks broke school records for 3pointers made (128), shattering the previous mark by 18, and free-throw percentage, shooting 70 percent from the charity stripe during the season.

Leading the way for the Red Hawks were Jessica DeHamer (Sr., Neenah, Wis.) and Erin Lind (So., Ripon, Wis.), both of whom were named First Team All-Conference. That marks the first

time in five years that Ripon had more than one player earn First Team honors.

Lind had an outstanding season, recording the sixth-most points (381) and 10th-most rebounds (184) in a single season in school history. She was the only player in the MWC to finish in the top five in scoring and rebounding, ranking third and fourth, respectively. Her 15.2 points per game average rank 10th in school history.

She also recorded 18 blocks, the 10thhighest single season total by a Red Hawk. Lind has 35 for her career (with two full seasons to play) and is fifth on Ripon’s career list. Seven of her 18 blocks this season came against Illinois College Jan. 15, the second-most blocks in a single game in school history.

DeHamer also had a tremendous season, as she ends her Ripon career ranked 11th in points (864), seventh in rebounds (569) and second in steals (199). This season, DeHamer was second on the team both in scoring and rebounding with career-bests of 12.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. She also recorded 60 steals (2.4 spg), the sixth-highest single season total in Ripon history, and 3.2 assists per game, which ranked third on the team.

DeHamer was the only player in the MWC to rank in the top 12 in the

Ashley Meister ’10 left her mark on women’s basketball, leading the team with 90 assists, the fourth-highest total in the MWC and ninth in Ripon’s single-season record book.

conference in scoring, rebounding, steals, assists, field goal percentage (.506) and free-throw percentage (.793).

Fellow seniors Carissa Zuercher (Delafield, Wis.) and Ashley Carissa Zuercher ’10 Meister (Suamico, Wis.) also had outstanding seasons, leaving their mark on the women’s basketball program. Zuercher led the team with 61 steals, the fifth-highest single season total by a Red Hawk. She also converted 26 3-pointers, giving her 60 for her career, which is tied for eighth on Ripon’s all-time list. Meister led the team with 90 assists (3.6 apg), the fourth-highest total in the MWC and ranks ninth in Ripon’s single-season record book. That gives Meister 210 assists for her career, which is tied for the ninth-highest total in school history.

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD The men’s indoor track and field season culminated in a fourth-place finish at the 2010 MWC championships. At that meet, the Red Hawks scored 97 points, the most points Ripon has ever scored,

SPRING 2010 15

Kyle Roy ’11

Cory Zimmerman ’13

breaking the previous record by 33.5 points. At the MWC championships, the Red Hawks broke three school records. They included an NCAA provisionally qualifying mark by Kyle Roy (Jr., Fredonia, Wis.) in the shot put, which saw him throw a distance of 5107, breaking the 23-year-old school record by three inches. Roy also finished second in the weight throw, which helped him earn MWC Indoor Field Performer of the Meet honors for the second consecutive year.

Also etching his name in the Ripon record books was Cory Zimmerman (Fr., Grand Marsh, Wis.), who ran an 800 meter time of 1:58.63, which placed him second in the event. Ripon’s sprint medley relay (SMR) team of Zimmerman, Matt Wood (Fr., Port Washington, Wis.), Majid Abdoulmoumine (Sr., Washington, D.C.) and Jamie Reese (Jr., Columbus, Wis.) also finished second at the MWC championships with a school-record-setting time of 3:41.93, which breaks the seven-year-old mark by two seconds. Ripon finished the meet just one point out of third place.

Breaking records should be nothing new to Wood, who in addition to his part on the SMR team, broke two individual records. He broke the school mark in the 200 Meters on three occasions, with his best time of 22.61 coming at the University of WisconsinStevens Point Invitational. Wood also broke the school record in the 400 meters with a time of 50.73 at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Invitational.

At the MWC championships, Wood placed in the 200, 400 and 55 meters.

Also earning All-Conference honors for a top-three finish was Jason Smith (Jr., Stevens Point, Wis.), who took second place in the 5K and third in the 3K. Ripon placed in the top four in six of their meets this season. Their fourth-place finish at the MWC championships was one spot shy of their school record third16 RIPON MAGAZINE

Jessica Brungardt ’12

Brandon Taylor ’12

place finish at the event, which happened on two occasions. In all, the Red Hawk men placed in 19 events, 11 more than at last year’s MWC championships.

The women’s indoor track and field team earned 35.5 points at this year’s MWC championships, good enough for fifth place. Earning All-Conference honors for the Red Hawks was their distance medley relay team, which con-

sisted of Jessica Davey (Sr., Berlin, Wis.), Alaina Nesbitt (So., Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) Rebecca Ostrowski (Fr., Wautoma, Wis.) and Michelle Matter (Fr., Sussex, Wis.).

Matter also took fifth in the 3K and sixth in the mile. Also earning a fifth-place finish was Jessica Brungardt (So., Peyton, Colo.), who recorded a career-best in the shot put with a throw of 38-03, while finishing seventh in the weight throw with a distance of 41-04. Nicole Schmidt (Fr., Brussels, Wis.) also had a good meet to end the year, finishing sixth and eighth in the 55 and 200 meters, respectively. The Red Hawks placed in 13 events, one more than last year’s MWC championships.

SWIMMING AND DIVING First-year head coach Jennifer Davis took over the reins of the swim team

RIPON’S BASKETBALL COURT NAMED IN HONOR OF BOB GILLESPIE Ripon’s court in Wyman Gymnasium at Storzer Center has been named “Bob Gillespie Court” in honor of current head coach Bob Gillespie, who is the winningest coach in Ripon men’s basketball history.

Gillespie, who is in his 30th season at the helm of the Red Hawks, has compiled a career record of 482-226, the 33rdmost victories by a men’s basketball coach in Division-III. His career winning percentage of .680 is among the top 40 in the history of Division-III. Under Gillespie, Ripon has experienced unprecedented success, as he has led the Red Hawks to six Midwest Conference Championships and 14 appearances in the MWC Tournament, including 10 in a row from 1990-2000. He has Bob Gillespie also led Ripon to the NCAA Tournament on 10 occasions, winning four NCAA Tournament games in his career. In his tenure, Gillespie has coached 39 First Team All-Conference performers, five All-Region players, three AllAmericans and one Academic All-American.

One of the high-points of Gillespie’s career came during the 1997-98 campaign, which saw Ripon win a school record 23 games, including a school record 21 consecutive victories. Gillespie has led Ripon to the five highest single season win totals in school history. A few of his distinguished honors for Gillespie over the years have been the 1998 Midwest Conference Coach of the Year award and his induction to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Hall of Fame in 2008.

“Bob is a remarkably talented and accomplished coach,” says Vice President and Dean of Faculty Gerald Seaman. “Still, for Bob, coaching has always been about more than wins and losses, more than prizes, records and awards. It’s been about the players — their effort, their accomplishments, their hopes, dreams and happiness, and, not least important, their education.

“Naming this court after him will honor Bob Gillespie and be a lasting testimony to his accomplishments, certainly. Perhaps more enduring, it also will remind generations to follow of the importance of those things that are not reported at the scorer’s table and that are most tellingly reflected in Bob’s approach to his work and in the lives of those who were fortunate enough to play for this very special coach.”

Ripon Ladies Find Pleasure in ‘Unladylike’ Boxing

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Jenni Schalla ’10

Megan Rice ’11

this season with an emphasis on teamwork and enjoying the sport. The Red Hawks responded with one of the most tightly-knit teams in the MWC. One highlight of the Red Hawks’ season came at their only home meet, which saw the men’s team defeat Beloit College, while the women’s team fell to the Buccaneers by six points. Brandon Taylor (So., Union, Ore.) highlighted that meet, finishing first in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. Bruce Kukowski (Sr., Muskego, Wis.), Zach Smith (Jr., St. Louis, Mo.) and Lucas Ebert (So., Grafton, Wis.) also won an event each, finishing first in the 1,000yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard backstroke, respectively. The women were led by Jenni Schalla (Sr., West Bend, Wis.) and Megan Rice (Jr., New Berlin, Wis.), who both won a pair of events. Schalla was victorious in the 200-yard IM and 100yard breaststroke, while Rice finished first in the 200- and 100-yard freestyles.

The Red Hawks men and women ended the season with seventh- and eighth-place finishes, respectively, at the 2010 MWC championships. At that meet, Taylor gave the men’s team its highest finish, taking eighth in the 100yard butterfly, while Ebert and Austin McNeal (Jr., Willits, Calif.) finished 10th in the 100-yard breaststroke and backstroke, respectively. The women’s team was led by Rice, who swam three top 10 finishes, including a seventh place time of 56.59 in the 100-yard freestyle, just 1.48 seconds away from breaking the school record in the event.

Schalla also finished in the top 10 in a trio of events, taking eighth in the 200yard IM and breaststroke and 10th in the 400-yard IM. Katie Corbett (Jr., Burlington, Wis.) gave Ripon a 10th place finish as well, swimming a time of 2:26.26 in the 200-yard backstroke. r

rances Grace Wilson, a history major from the class of 1919, was quoted in the Ripon College Crimson saying, “Sometimes I think I want to do something unladylike.”

Ninety years later, Ripon College women are doing just that with the formation of a women’s boxing club last spring.

Last year, there were 33 club members. This year, there are 18 more for a total of 51 members. Ali Borowsky, a sophomore from Oxford, Pa., organized the first meeting.

“My great-grandfather boxed in the Junior Olympics,” she says. “I guess you could say that it’s in the family (blood).

“As an involved member of Student Support Services, I frequently worked with Jessica Spanbauer,” she says. “We would talk about sports, and one day she asked me if I was interested in boxing because she had always been fascinated with it. Growing up in Philly and running up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum just like Rocky, I’ve always loved boxing. Jessica asked me if I would be interested in starting a boxing club at Ripon. So, I did a lot of research, got organized and did fund-raising.”

The history of women on Ripon College’s campus has been a long one, and their presence on campus has morphed throughout the years.

women on campus, which ranged from the dress code for dinner and Sunday lunch to the rules for having male visitors in the residence halls where “parlor lights were not to be extinguished.”

Women’s sports on campus have changed throughout history as well.

School-sanctioned sports for women were nonexistent on campus until 1917.

Gym class was created for women and included “systematic exercises for the development of all parts of the body.

The aim is to develop qualities of organic vigor, muscular skill, correct posture and graceful actions.” The activities included marching, the teaching of games and folk dance.

Sports for women at Ripon have transformed over the years, and now the college supports 12 women’s sports teams, as well as clubs and intramurals.

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ut why boxing and why now?

Borowsky says the world of women’s athleticism and overall health has created a cultural shift.

“The current student body at Ripon has certainly grown up in the healthfocused environment,” she says. “Ripon women are active, energetic and health-

I

n Ripon’s early history, some women participated in the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), a club that worked to develop the Christian character of the campus women. The Women’s Self Government Association (WSGA) was an organization through which Ripon women had the opportunity to show themselves at their best, as willing and able to function as responsible citizens in their college community. Throughout its existence, the WSGA created and enforced regulations for

Andrea Nelson, left, a former pro boxer from Madison, works one-on-one with Alina Jordan ’12 of the Ripon College Women’s Boxing Club.

SPRING 2010 17

Andrea Nelson, right, teaches proper technique to members of the Ripon College Women’s Boxing Club. Ali Borowsky ’12 is in the black T-shirt at the center, and Jessica Martzahl ’11 is to her left in the black shorts and grey T-shirt.

conscious. The boxing club is a good fit for these things.”

She thought starting a boxing club on campus would benefit those who have not found an outlet in other sports. It is one of the only individual athletic endeavors students can pursue on campus.

“Although we work out together and meet as a group, the level of training that each person pursues is up to her,” she says. “This flexibility is really important, given the busy schedules of most college students.”

Boxing is one of the most physically and emotionally demanding sports, emblematic of physical toughness. It’s a visceral, intense, personal discipline sport that demands a balance between aggression and restraint.

“We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback,” Borowsky says. “Some of the women do it for the workout, and others are truly interested in sparring and competing at some point. I run the training sessions almost every day and have developed circuit training.”

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orowsky knew some boxing fundamentals, but to take the club to a new level she sought the help of former professional boxer Andrea Nelson.

Nelson was the first professional female boxer in the state of Wisconsin. She was inspired by the Ripon women and agreed to come to train at Ripon for a few hours. She shared her boxing knowledge and led the women in intense boxing training sessions with

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classic techniques.

Arranging for boxing equipment was more work than the club expected.

“It was difficult to secure space as there isn’t a lot of extra space on campus,” Borowsky says. “Finding an adequate location involved the coordination of several different offices and staff on campus. We bought the equipment using the money we secured through a OneFund (financing) from Student Senate.”

Borowsky says the club benefits the college community.

“It offers a unique physical and athletic outlet for women which can lead to better physical health and wellness, self-esteem and confidence,” she says. “If this club can help just one of its members feel safer in her environment or feel good about what she’s accomplished, then that makes all of my hard work pay off.”

Amanda Prouty, a sophomore from Apple Valley, Minn., and an active member of the boxing club, says she

joined the club to develop her boxing skills and to have a more intense workout twice a week. She believes it is a great way to meet a variety of people on campus and that it’s great to have an individualized workout. “(When I box) I can just rid myself of stress and get away from the busyness of my schedule,” she says. “And seriously, who doesn’t enjoy a workout where you get to punch something and rock out to music?”

Borowsky concurres with the stress-relief benefits of boxing.

“There is something Zen about working out and training your body,” she says. “For many of us, it is a time that our brains can just ‘shut off.’ That’s a really great thing, considering the intellectual demands of college. And no matter what the frustration from school, work or life, the heavy bag is always ready for another round.”

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hese ladies look to improve in the future. The boxing club would like to continue building strength, unity and self-awareness.

“We would like the women who want an excellent workout to learn and master basic techniques of boxing and to feel confident with a pair of gloves on,” Borowsky says. “And for the women who are more serious, we would eventually like to compete in tournaments.”

Whether members of the club climb into a real ring someday remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Ladylike or not, sometimes you just need to hit stuff.

Ali Borowsky transferred out of Ripon since this interview, but the Women’s Boxing Club still is going strong. Jessica Martzahl ’11 of Ripon, Wis., now is the president. r Katie Mead ’11

The great boxing champ Muhammad Ali once said, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”

Little did he know that one day men no longer would rule the ring. In recent years, women’s boxing has taken off. With movies like “Million Dollar Baby” and “Girlfight,” boxing has morphed into a sport in which both genders can excel. In fact, it’s been a long time since the “sweet science” was solely the province of men.

Women’s boxing appeared in the United States during the 1870s, where women let the punches fly in order to win items like a silver butter dish. The sport was changed forever when Barbara Buttrick became the first female boxer to have her fight televised in 1954. In 1993, women boxers finally saw their professional break when USA Boxing recognized and supported the concept of women’s boxing. In 1999, awareness for women’s boxing increased when Laila “Madame Butterfly” Ali, daughter of the great Muhammad Ali, stepped into the ring. Since then, women’s boxing has become a powerhouse sport.

ALumni alumni Alumnus Reflects on Life in the Foreign Service

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obert S. Needham ’86 of Fall Church, Va., is the management counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. Here, he talks about his career and the influence that Ripon College had upon it: “I don’t think I ever imagined that I’d stay in the State Department for as long as this. I joined because it sounded like an adventure, living overseas appealed to me, and it was an excellent way to experience different cultures first-hand. It has been all that and more.

And after more than 18 years as a foreign service officer, I’m still enjoying the challenge of a new job in a different country every few years.”

In his current role, he runs the dayto-day operations to support the entire mission and has a diverse portfolio — everything from local government interaction, finance, real estate management and human resources issues.

“All of this often involves negotiations with local governments or national government officials, or sometimes both at the same time,” he says.

“And they often can’t agree on anything. Ukraine’s a great example of this.

The country’s political and economic problems are well-documented. As a former Soviet state, clear legislation and the rule of law are still lacking, making working and living here quite a challenge. We’re currently building a new Embassy facility here to accommodate our staff members, who are spread out all over the city in five facilities.

Hardly a week goes by without a new wrinkle requiring further negotiations. If there’s one thing I’ve learned working for state, it’s the value of patience, and I’ve needed every bit of it here.”

Needham began his foreign service career in the western Polish city of Poznan.

“After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Central Europe was the place to be,” he says, “and so the consulate general in Poznan was a great introduction to the foreign service. With only five American officers covering all of western Poland, we had an active work and social schedule. I also met my wife in

Robert Needham, right, and his wife, Aleksandra, left, pose with Vice President Joe Biden during Biden’s visit to Kyiv.

Poznan. This is an occupational ‘hazard’ of life in the foreign service — if you’re single when you go overseas, you’re likely to get married overseas.”

From Poland, the couple lived in Muscat, Oman; Zagreb, Croatia; London, England; and Copenhagen, Denmark. Each holds special memories for them.

“Oman was a beautiful country,” Needham says. “Croatia in the mid-’90s was just coming to grips with independence and the war which tore Yugoslavia apart. London was, well, London. And Denmark was a great place for a family with a young kid. In all these places, I’ve had too many experiences and met too many interesting people to recount here. Needless to say, life has never been boring.

“Of course, there are drawbacks to this lifestyle. Moving everything you own every few years gets more difficult as you accumulate more ‘stuff.’ After seven international moves, we’ve become experts, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Probably the most difficult aspect of the moves is that every few years we find ourselves saying goodbye to good friends and having to make new ones in the next place. This doesn’t happen overnight, and it can be particularly hard on kids. Luckily, our son makes friends easily and has adapted well. But many families

struggle with this issue.”

He says one of the best things about the Foreign Service, for him personally, was being able to maintain his interest in soccer. He has played games in Oman until nearly midnight because of the heat during the day; on muddy English pitches that looked more like cow pastures; and, along with his son, held season tickets in England and Denmark and attended matches all over Europe, including a Real Madrid/Barcelona match and the World Cup Final in Berlin.

He also took up coaching while in Denmark at a local Danish club and continues to coach in Ukraine.

“It’s been a great stress reliever for me,” he says.

“I can certainly recommend the foreign service to anyone who has an interest in international relations, or who just wants to live and work overseas,” Needham says. “There are numerous different types of positions which are all described in the careers section of the U.S. State Department’s Web page.

Many who join do so as a second career and they come from all backgrounds and professions, which can lead to some interesting conversations at work.

“And if you were educated at Ripon, chances are you are well-prepared for a job that requires an open mind and the ability to communicate well with others.” r SPRING 2010 19

Thomas Ashley-Farrand ’62 Follows Spiritual Journey from 2-year-old Singer to Certified Hindu Guru

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homas Ashley-Farrand ’62 of Portland, Ore., has been spiritual from a very young age.

He lost faith in his Christian background when he didn’t find the answers he was seeking and went for several years living a nonreligious life.

But a transformation led him down a path to where he now is a certified guru in the Hindu faith, an extreme rarity for a Westerner, and one of the Western world’s foremost authorities on Hinduism. He spoke of the journey while visiting Ripon in March, giving several public and in-class presentations.

“From the age of about 2, I could see a light when I closed my eyes and I would sing to it,” Ashley-Farrand says.

When he was about 4, his grandparents took him to their church to sing for the congregation. He couldn’t understand why everyone there was not singing to the light he saw.

He felt drawn to a religious approach to life and started attending Congrega-

him back to exploration. tional services on his own “I had a life-altering experias a young child. At the age ence in 1970, an out-of-body, of 10, he asked, “If Jesus near-death experience, and says to try to be perfect, everything about my life why isn’t everybody trying changed in about 30 seconds,” to be perfect?” He was told he says. “I realized that I needed it wasn’t possible. to get a handle and understand “I’m a practical guy,” he what was happening to me. I says. “If it’s not possible, went around the country lookwhy am I wasting my time?” ing for spiritual teachers who So from the ages of 10 to Thomas could explain what was 28, he “lived a completely Ashley-Farrand ’62 happening to me and one to secular life,” he says. “Reliplace myself under.” gion was the farthest thing from my He found one in his own backyard mind when I was a student here.” when he gave up his seeking and returned to his home base in t Ripon, Ashley-Farrand earned Washington, D.C. Under his spiritual his bachelor’s degree in speech teachers, he was initiated as a priest in a and co-founded a jazz ensemble, The Hindu temple in Washington, D.C., Indigos, with Ripon alumni Al Jarreau taught at George Washington Univer’62, Peter Bock ’62 and Donna sity, became president of the nonprofit Oberholtzer ’63. After graduating, he organization Sanatana Dharma Satsang earned his master’s degree at Marquette Inc., wrote several books and audio University. programs, and worked extensively in the A series of spiritual experiences led broadcasting industry.

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I

Sigma Chi Alumni Reunite

Sigma Chi alumni gathered in Green Lake in the fall of 2009. Admiring the new sign on campus were, from left: John Ackley ’62 and Helen Steinman Ackley ’63 of Pewaukee, Wis.; Dan Behring ’62 and Nancy Steeno Behring ’62 of Manistee, Mich.; John Korbel ’60 of Naples, Fla.; and Elise Werner Enk ’62 and Gordon Enk ’62 of Seattle, Wash.

20 RIPON MAGAZINE

n June 2009, he became a guru, a recognized authority in the Hindu tradition.

“I’m a spiritual teacher,” AshleyFarrand says, and reincarnation is at the core of his faith.

“Each of us makes decisions before we come into a body as to what we want to do,” he says. “In my case, I have to assume that I decided this would be a mystical life. I have a sense of the rhythm of life.”

He said his spiritual development has been greatly enhanced by his teachers and gurus, a husband-and-wife team.

“Their ongoing living the life of divine love as a constant example,” he says, “and demonstrating the possible in terms of human spiritual development and ongoing experience that said, ‘Yes, you’re on the right path, you’re doing the rights kinds of things, keep going.’ ”

H

e also is a master of mantra. “A mantra, at its core, is a spiritual

formula that works in a very specific way,” he says. “Each mantra has a seer, an ancient sage who saw how the mantra worked in our spiritual physiology. Just as we have the same physical physiology, and doctors can prescribe certain medicines (for certain conditions), we all have the same spiritual physiology, as well, So the ancient sages can see which spiritual formula will work in which kinds of conditions, or problems or difficulties.

“Mantras deal directly with our karmic predicament depending on the formulas that are used,” he says. “Karma determines the situation of our birth, our family, our friends or our spouses; whether we have good health or bad; whether we have tumultuous or harmonious relationships. All of it is karma and all of it can be changed.”

He said this can be achieved in many different ways, and that prayer is a powerful tool.

“The eradiation of karma is a vast subject, and different approaches teach different techniques and modalities for approaching it,” he says. Because he

understands mantra, that is what he teaches.

“Mantra reduces and eventually eliminates the karmic problems we’re dealing with,” he says.

He said that while many spiritual gifts can be obtained by anyone with concentrated exercise, some have special talents. Just as some can be born with talents in athletics, mathematics and music, the same is true spiritually, he says.

“Those who have certain kinds of gifts can see certain kinds of things. I sense things. … I (relate) in much more of a perceptual and nonintellectual way to my surroundings.

That’s a rich fund of information. It helps one determine or sense what problems, issues or difficulties people may be experiencing.”

Mantras, he says, can get specifically at some of those problems.

“A guru is not a state of consciousness,” he says. “A guru is a job. You have been given some gifts that will help others, some tangible, mystical gifts. It’s really that simple.”

He said the foundations of different religions can be similar. “Our teacher used to say the biggest thing is sincerity,” he says. “And any discipline you do demonstrate your sincerity, and that will bring the grace of God.”

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shley-Farrand says he was pleased to be back in Ripon after nearly 20 years.

“How wonderful it is to be back in Ripon,” he says. “And I’m delighted at all the progress, and the teachers that I’ve met here have continued the tradition that was so important to me — and that is contact with the students. It’s such an important part of the education, (as well as) making themselves available. And that goes right up to the top to David Joyce and Lynne, his wife.”

The full podcast of an interview with Ashley-Farrand, including the recitation of the Gayatri mantra, a powerful prayer written more than 3,000 years ago, can be found on Ripon’s Web site at www.ripon.edu/podcast/index.htm. r

A LUMNI B ASKETBALL G AMES D RAW G REAT T URNOUTS

The annual Alumni Games featuring men’s and women’s basketball players from Ripon’s past were held Feb. 13 before Ripon’s game against Beloit College. The men’s team included, front row from left: Grant Oleson ’10, Charles Belt ’09, Eric Wright ’08, Tim Gera ’98, Matt Becker ’99, David McMullen ’07 and Tommy Becker ’05; middle row from left: Adam Zakos ’98, Jason Loewe ’94, Steve Kohl ’02, Craig Smith ’96, Adam Crawford ’03 and Joe Early ’03; and back row from left: Chris Jensen ’85, Paul Wise ’08, Bo Johnson ’07, Brett Vraney ’01, Brian Schmitting ’07 and Chris Kellett ’08.

The women’s team included, front row from left: Rit Lee ’93, Jeri

Belongia Loewe ’96, Tiffany Goebel ’08 and Julie Johnson, assistant athletic director and head coach of women’s basketball; middle row, from left: Kristin Hereid ’90, Lindsey Gorske Michels ’04, Molly Kneip Maurer ’03, Lisa Sproston Sutter ’94, Christina Schneider ’08, Kristin Dodds ’98, Jeni Yaeger ’09 and Amanda Guay ’05; and back row, from left, Elaine Coll, professor of physical education emeritus, Crystal Helm ’97, Katie Carlson ’06, Sara Gustafson ’07, Karalyn Dehn ’06, Andrea Wepner ’96, Niki Gorske Sutter ’01, Kelly Johnson-Becker ’99, Neely Zakos ’01, Joanie Hammer ’04, Janine Emmer ’05 and Pat Gonyo ’89.

SPRING 2010 21

Class Notes CLASS NOTES 1950s

June 25-27, 2010 55th Reunion, Class of ’55 Frank N. Brockway ’57 of Lisle, Ill., has retired from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He initially retired in 1991 but then stayed on as a part-time consultant as manager of special projects in telecommunications. He fully retired in 2006 after 42 years of service, including being in charge of financial affairs for the physical plant department for about 15 years, director of the campus remodeling program for about five years and manager of business affairs for the telecommunications department that he helped create. “Prior to my university career, I was an Army pilot (thanks to the Ripon ROTC program) and left the service after seven years with the rank of Captain,” Frank says. “Currently, I am doing a fair amount of traveling having visited Alaska, Norway, Ireland, Germany, China and, most recently, Antarctica.

Of course, the really fun stuff is visiting my daughter and playing with my two grandchildren!

And I am still singing with our local community chorus which I have been a member of for more than 40 years and served as president for five of those years. I’m sure I’m going to be asked to join the audience one of these years! Then there is the daily challenge of staying healthy in order to enjoy all this retirement!”

Carolyn Scott Hudson ’58 of Dallas, Texas, taught speech pathology at the university level for many years before moving to Dallas and starting a practice with Dallas Services, a visiting nurse association from which she retired four years ago. “I have been widowed for more than 10 years,” she says. “Now I am enjoying life traveling, art classes, volunteering and walking my two dogs. No grandchildren yet. My daughter works for the EPA in Washington, D.C., and my son-in law has a new novel coming out in April. Life is very good.”

Mary Fischer Stanton ’58 of Wisconsin Dells, Wis., is retired after teaching physical education for 32 years at New Lisbon High School. She now is a waitress at two local establishments.

1960s

June 25-27, 2010 50th Reunion, Class of ’60 45th Reunion, Class of ’65 John Benka ’60 of Park Ridge, Ill., volunteers two mornings each week at the elementary school his children once attended. He is a volunteer aide in a

indicates a marriage or union. indicates a birth or adoption.

22 RIPON MAGAZINE

third-grade classroom helping students who have learning deficits with language arts, reading and math. He also is involved with the district in organizing a melanoma awareness program throughout the boys and girls athletic programs at three high schools. On weekends during the growing season, he keeps busy tending to the David P. Schenck ’64 Richard Willich ’64 David Fukuda ’66 six flower gardens at the home he owns in Galena South Natural Resource District. The state of Territory. His late wife, Diane, developed the Nebraska is divided into 23 districts based on gardens. watersheds. Their responsibilities run the gamut from bicycle trails (outside the city) to soil and Diane Gotz Raniere ’60 of Schaumburg, Ill., water conservation, to urban stormwater and flood retired from her business in 2007 and went on a protection. He was elected to his second term in second trip through the Panama Canal and 2006 and currently serves as chair of the board toured Guatamala, Costa Rica, Mexico and which consists of 21 elected directors. “It is a very Grand Bahama. interesting and challenging position,” Ron says. “It has been a nice step from the theoretical and conEd Siebel ’60 of Newport Beach, Calif., writes: ceptual in the classroom to working on, and “Sue and I are, after all these years on separate resolving, real problems and situations.” tracks — developmental psychology and law — working together from a home office. We’re representing kids with disabilities who need help Anthony Wayne “Tony” Jackson ’62 of San dealing with their school district’s obligations Antonio, Texas, retired in 2006 after a career in under the Individuals with Disabilities Education packaging with Stone Container-Chicago, Act (IDEA). Sue does the negotiating with Georgia-Pacific and Atlanta, running packaging teachers and the school, I do the heavy number if plants in the United States, Mexico and Buenos schools refuse to provide mandated support. It’s Aires, Argentina. rewarding work — most often we help untangle confused communications and provide some Charles Frederick Osgood ’64 of Wilmette, Ill., education to school personnel who don’t underretired in August 2008 after nearly 39 years as a stand the requirements of the IDEA.” photographer with the Chicago Tribune. He continues to work as a free-lance photographer for William G. “Bill” Jochimsen ’61 of New York the Tribune and others, and he teaches at City completed more than 40 years in the pharColumbia College. maceutical industry, the last 15 as a director in the medical department of Pfizer Inc. He has David P. Schenck ’64 of Tampa, Fla., has retired from the University of South Florida after 35 years retired and opened his own consulting firm of service. He now is Professor of Biomedical assisting clients with drug development, clinical Ethics Emeritus in the Head and Neck Program at research and professional relations. He and his Moffitt Cancer Center. He continues to serve as wife, Sharon, have lived in New York City since ethicist to the Head and Neck Program, even 1978, just two blocks from Carnegie Hall, three though retired. from Lincoln Center, and all of Broadway one to 12 blocks south of them.

Richard Willich ’64 of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., has launched a personal Web site at www.richard Dan Behring ’62 and Nancy Steeno Behring ’62 of Manistee, Mich., stay busy. Nancy is president willich.com. Willich is known as a patriot, of the Manistee County League of Women businessman and philanthropist, and the Web site Voters and president of the Women’s Service provides information about his current activities, Club. She helps maintain the community buttercommunity involvement and accomplishments. fly garden and is an active member of the garden He is the CEO of MDI Holdings, now St. Johns club. She also manages a local wine-tasting and County’s largest employer, and speaks publicly gift shop. Dan is chairperson for the Onekama about a variety of topics that reflect his experience Community Planning Council; on the Executive growing up Serbian, serving as a Marine in combat Council of their watershed; and a member of an and the value and obligation of philanthropy in invasive species committee. He also teaches American society. short courses in leadership and management and races on a J/29 sailing boat with a crew of six.

Kenneth A. von Kluck ’65 of Glencoe, Ill., is among 120 attorneys now on staff at Howard and Ron Case ’62 of Lincoln, Neb., says that after he Howard, a Chicago business law firm combining retired from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Defrees & Fiske LLC and Howard & Howard as director of the environmental studies program, Attorneys PLLC. Von Kluck specializes in health he ran for an elected position to the Lower Platte and hospital law, including advising and counsel-

M YERS ’61

Patricia E. Nevers ’68

Don Chester ’69

ing research protection programs and institutional review boards. He also has experience with nonprofit, charitable and tax-exempt organizations.

David Fukuda ’66 writes: “After graduation, I intended to attend the Wharton School of Business, but I decided to serve out my military obligation (ROTC) instead. The earliest the Army could take me was in October 1966, at which time I began serving out my two-year commitment which included a year in Vietnam.

After my discharge, my wife, Judy, and I spent two years at Stanford University where I received my master of business administration degree. We returned to Hawaii where we resided in Honolulu for three years before moving to Maui where we have lived since, raising two kids in the process.

“I have worked in construction, sold tires and office products, and taught at a local high school before finally retiring in 2007. Our children are both married, living in Nashville and Colorado Springs, and have gifted us with four grandchildren. Much of our time is now spent visiting the grandchildren and traveling. I am presently serving on the Board of the Nisei (JapaneseAmerican) Veterans Memorial Center on Maui, working to preserve the legacy of the Nisei veterans in World War II.” Helen Hansen ’66 of St. Paul, Minn., retired in May 2009, “and I find that life has become even more interesting than I could have imagined,” she says. “I have not looked back!” She has taken a four-day rafting trip on the Green River in Colorado and Utah, as well as hiked and kayaked in the Deschuttes National Forest. She also keeps busy with gardening, biking and reading. She is a senior warden of St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis, a board member of Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, Minn., and a member of the Ripon College Board of Trustees.

Bruce Edward Cavitt ’67 of Prairie Village, Kan., married Cathy A. Hunt, Sept. 6, 2008.

Bruce has been a partner at Spencer Fane Britt & Browne (a 100+ lawyer firm) since 1987, having joined the firm after graduating from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1980. “I took retired partner status at the end of 2007 and am enjoying retirement very much,” he says. “I still go in to the office about one day a week for a couple of hours, most weeks. My first wife (of 36 years), Janie, died in 2003 of complications following a lung transplant.”

Patricia E. Nevers ’68 of Hamburg, Germany, plans to retire from her position as professor of biology education at the University of Hamburg Oct. 1, 2010.

WINS

Howard Myers ’61 of Milwaukee, Wis., can add gold medalist to his list of accomplishments.

“I was raised in New England where tennis was a big sport,” Myers says.

“My father played tennis and took me to a court for the first time when I was 7 years old. I immediately took a liking to the game, and have continued to play competitively throughout my life.”

In the spring of 2009, Myers and his partner, Tom Wuethrich, a retired teacher and tennis coach, entered and won gold in the Wisconsin Senior Olympics. This qualified them to compete in August 2009 in the National Senior Games held at Standford University.

They faced some tough competition from across the United States. Despite the unusual heat of Palo Alto, Calif., Myers and his partner held their own. In their first match, they were down 1-7 in the tiebreaker, and came back to win the set 11-9. They were victorious in their remaining three matches, thereby winning a gold medal in the 64-69 men’s doubles division.

“It was very satisfying to ‘win it all’ after having

S ENIOR O LYMPIC G OLD

played in college graduated and tournament from the tennis all my University of life,” Myers says.

Wisconsin “I firmly believe Law School. that we would not “My Ripon have achieved our education goal without a lot taught me how of training prior to think and to to the games.” analyze problems and Myers has Howard Myers ’61 eventually shared his love of how to develop discipline in the game with others. After the practice of my chosen teaching his wife and two sons how to play, he focused field of labor law,” he says.

He practiced for more than on helping others. “I 38 years, representing approached the Wisconsin Tennis Association (WTA) working people and labor and suggested that we start a organizations throughout Wisconsin. Since retireprogram for Inner City ment, he serves as a children in Milwaukee who mediator regarding employbelonged to the Boys and ment and labor disputes.

Girls Club,” he says.

Myers says he is unsure He also helped to develop a tennis program in whether he will defend his title at the next United Wisconsin for deaf and States Summer National hard-of-hearing children.

Senior games which will be Over the years, he has held in Houston in 2011 exposed more than 1,500 and Cleveland in 2013. He deaf and hard-of-hearing children to grassroots tennis enjoys reading, physical with the financial support of exercise and getting together with his friends. Currently, the WTA. Annual clinics he is struggling with his golf have since been held at the game! He and his wife, Wisconsin School for the Elaine, have been married Deaf in Delevan, several for 44 years.

Milwaukee Public Schools, Myers would love to and a two-week summer hear from his old friends at session at the Wisconsin hnmyers@wi.rr.com.

Lions Camp.

Myers majored in Katie Mead ’11 economics at Ripon and

Nancy Gonia Bajorek ’69 of Elmhurst, Ill., retired from teaching in June 2008 after 25 years with the Elmhurst School District. She taught special education at the middle school level. She is enjoying the freedom to travel, take classes, volunteer in the community and at Elmhurst College, and spend time with family and friends.

Linda Houston Cannizzo ’69 of Grafton, Wis.: “I’m enjoying retirement after many years in elementary education. I’m busy with volunteering, tutoring and golf, and my husband, Samuel, and I have been part-time snowbirds in Hilton Head, S.C.”

Don Chester ’69 of West Palm Beach, Fla., was appointed by Florida Governor Charlie Chist to the Florida Rehabilitation Council. The council is committed to increasing employment, enhancing independence and improving the quality of life for Floridians with disabilities. In June, Don received the 2009 ABLE Trust Adult Leadership Award for his community and nonprofit leadership. The ABLE Trust was created in 1990 by the Florida Legislature to provide funding for organizations assisting Floridians with disabilities in achieving employment. Don and his wife, Sally, train service dogs for people with disabilities.

SPRING 2010 23

Cheryl Teschendorf Perry ’73

Deborah Williams ’73

1970s

June 25-27, 2010 40th Reunion, Class of ’70 35th Reunion, Class of ’75 Jean K. Lederer ’73 of Bonita Springs, Fla., has made two trips to Bulembu, Swaziland, on mission trips with a friend. They work in a dayare center for 2- to 6-year-olds whose parents work. In most cases these children would be “home alone” with no adult supervision for hours. Swaziland has the most cases of AIDS in the world, and many thousands of the children are orphans. She now is helping to raise funds so that 6-year-olds coming out of the daycare center can be educated at the local Christian Academy, a superior education to the local school. The first year they supported 13 children. Last year, they supported 19 children.

Cheryl Teschendorf Perry ’73 of Bethel, NB, Canada, retired last year as Provincial Supervisor of HEAR after 30 years on Prince Edward Island.

She has started a second career teaching children with hearing loss in District 10, New Brunswick.

Deborah Williams ’73 of Bowie, Md., is a consultant to the U.S. Department of Education serving as a reviewer for grants competitions. She also consults with a neighborhood high school in implementing their reform program, and with an elementary school establishing a mentoring program for young ladies. She also helped them receive a foundation grant to extend the mentoring program into the summer vacation period for the young men.

Mark Stewart Chevalier ’74 of Annandale, Va., owns Chevalier Photography LLC. Janice Petrovski MacLeod ’74 of Clarendon Hills, Ill., graduated Dec. 20, 2009, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a master’s degree in library and information studies.

Rick Estberg ’75 is a Department of Defense senior intelligence adviser, currently halfway through a three-year stint at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. He works on an international staff of 30 people, representing 22 countries. He’s taken every advantage to travel and has visited 11 European countries during this tour; highlight cities have been Prague, Rome and Paris. Earlier this year, he received recognition for 35 years of federal government service. He volunteers in the drama department at St. John’s International

24 RIPON MAGAZINE

Rick Estberg ’75

Bruce L. Wickert ’75

School in Waterloo, where he lives about a mile from the battlefield, and recently appeared on stage (the oldest member of the cast by about 40 years!) as Chaucer in the school’s production of “The Canterbury Tales.” You can follow some of his travels and observations on life in Europe at: www.roblurick.blogspot.com.

Bruce L. Wickert ’75 of Greenwell Springs, La., retired Oct. 1, 2009, as a senior staff process engineer after 31 years with Exxon Mobil. He now is doing bike/pedestrian consulting work with the Capital Regional Planning Commission.

Peter William Tuz ’76 of Albemarle County, Va., has been named president of Chase Investment Counsel, Virginia’s oldest independent investment management firm.

Elena Kezelis ’77 of Springfield, Ill., is executive director of the Memorial Medical Center Foundation in Springfield, Ill., and is responsible for all of the philanthropic activities of this large teaching hospital. When she and her family moved to Springfield from Chicago in the 1990s, they discovered that their sons’ then-new pediatrician, Dr. Terry Jones ’78, was a classmate of Elena’s at Ripon. Terry’s daughter, Amy Jones, is a member of the Class of 2009.

Harry M. Quinn ’77 of Belcamp, Md., is the deputy division manager for the Chemical Biological Solutions Division of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC).

Lisa Wollan ’78 of Valley Forge, Pa., has been elected vice president of the board for the Philadelphia affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a breast cancer organization. Wollan previously served as secretary. She is head of consumer insights and brand strategy for Wawa Inc. Stanley J. Cieslewicz ’79 is retiring from the Air Force Reserves after 12 years of service at Aviano Air Base in Italy.

Thomas James Hinrichsen ’79 of Woodbridge, Va., now is a senior financial analyst with Paradigm Technologies Inc., a privately owned company providing financial management services to government agencies. It’s based in Arlington, Va., just outside of Washington, D.C. Tom supports the Department of Homeland Security and the Missile Defense Agency.

Lisa Wollan ’78

David Janssen ’81

1980s

June 25-27, 2010 30th Reunion, Class of ’80 25th Reunion, Class of ’85 Jerry M. Hardacre II ’81 of Racine, Wis., is chairman of the Department of Surgery at Wheaton Franciscan Medical Group-South. His son, Jerry III “Jay” is a junior at Ripon.

David Janssen ’81 of Oshkosh, Wis., a boardcertified plastic surgeon with Fox Valley Plastic Surgery, and a member of Ripon College’s Board of Trustees, has been elected to associate membership status in The Rhinoplasty Society, a nonprofit, worldwide organization dedicated to the open exchange of innovative ideas and techniques concerning rhinoplastic surgery. He is the only surgeon in Wisconsin to be elected to the society.

Gary Morrow ’82 of San Luis Obispo, Calif., is president of Yosemite Asset Management LLC, a registered investment advisory firm. He manages individual accounts through Charles Schwab and runs a long/short hedge fund. Prior to forming Yosemite, Morrow spent 12 years on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange trading foreign currency and interest rate futures. He also contributes financial articles to Real Money on thestreet.com.

James Joseph Mendyke Jr. ’83 of Stevens Point, Wis., retired in June 2008 from Sentry Insurance after 25 years of service. He was a senior consumer products specialist.

Janet Krueger Matsubara ’84 of Burlington, Mass., is the laboratory manager at Oxford Diagnostic Laboratories in Marlborough, Mass.

D.C. Ramsay McLauchlan ’84 of Madeira Beach, Fla., is clearance manager at Home Shopping Network. He also is staying active in politics, serving as the chair of the Pinellas County Democratic Party.

Beth Bruestle Shanahan ’84 of Omaha, Neb., teaches Spanish at Marian High School.

Suzanne E. Eskola ’86 of Middleton, Wis., is retired from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police.

After serving for more than 15 years, she retired as a detective sergeant. She now is a sales agent with American National Insurance Co. in Waunakee, Wis.

Matthew C. Keller ’87 of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., is president of Voion North America, a retail packaging and supply chain business.

David G. Olenchek ’87 of Brookfield, Wis., is chair of the math department at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wis. Karl G. Feld ’91 Peter J. Sausen ’87 of De Forest, Wis., is global vice president of Program Management Services for Covance Laboratories Inc. Covance is a multi-national drug development company specializing in helping clients bring new drugs to the market. It offers a wide range of support for drug development needs, whether it be in the area of drug discovery, conduct of clinical trials or regulatory submissions. Peter’s group, Program Management Services, works primarily with small and emerging pharmaceutical companies which don’t have internal resources to evaluate the safety and efficacy of their potential new drugs.

Laura Kreofsky ’91

Randall Dean Wickman ’91

care IT consulting firm that has been the industry leader in health IT strategy and planning for the past two years. It was voted the Best Small Consulting Firm to Work For (across all industries, nationwide) in 2009.

Karen Kaull Weiss ’91 of Salt Lake City, Utah, has been promoted to executive director of Tour of Utah, a well-respected cycling event. She previously served as chief operating officer and then deputy director from 2006-2009.

Sara N. Colburn-Alsop ’93

Jon M. Kaminski ’95

classes plus clinicals. She then worked as a registered nurse at Johns Hopkins. “Currently, I am busy being a new mom,” she writes. “On Nov. 21, 2009, my husband (David) and I became the proud parents of Max Allen Bizot. Just prior to his arrival, we relocated to Ann Arbor, Mich. We are enjoying our new home and extended family.”

Kristie Raupp Bugenhagen ’94 of Waukesha, Wis., is an oncology technical sales specialist with Prometheus Therapeutics and Diagnostics.

Steven “Zev” Barnett ’88 of Centennial, Colo., is business development manager for Earthstream Global in Denver. EarthStream provides energy and earth sciences recrutiment services globally.

Randall Dean Wickman ’91 of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and is commanding 2nd Battalion, 10th Infantry at Fort Leonard Wood.

Gebriel Miller Lefeber ’94 and Jason Lefeber ’96 of Sun Prairie, Wis., have a daughter, Rebekah Naomi Lefeber, born July 3, 2009.

Matt Kittell ’88 and his wife, Cathy, of York, Pa., have a daughter, Corinne Amelia Kittell, born June 10, 2009.

Heather Klitzke Wiseman ’91 of Aiken, S.C., teaches Spanish at Westminster Schools of Augusta.

Calvin James Bergman ’89 of Madison, Wis., is now the associate director of residence life at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Brenda Billerbeck Bauske ’92 of Tomball, Texas, is an adjunct instructor of German at Lone Star College-Tomball and a teacher at the Houston German Saturday School.

Kevin Douglas Pratt ’94 of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., has been promoted to lab supervisor at Abbott Laboratories. His wife, Ashleigh Henrichs ’94, is director of Children’s Ministry at St. Mary’s Lutheran Church in Kenosha, Wis.

John Henry Mathews ’89 of Riverside, Ill., is a professional risk manager with Mayer Brown LLP.

1990s

June 25-27, 2010 20th Reunion, Class of ’90 15th Reunion, Class of ’95 Christine M. Wiedmeyer ’90 of Lancaster, Pa., now works as a staff audiologist at the VA Medical Center in Coatsville, Pa. Laurie Mueller Dziekan ’91 of Random Lake, Wis., has been promoted to senior business analyst at Acuity’s corporate headquarters in Sheboygan, Wis. Karl G. Feld ’91 of Clayton, N.C., owns the survey service company People Chasers. The company was selected for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Survey Service: Locating category by the Small Business Commerce Association. The awards recognize the top 5 percent of small businesses throughout the country using consumer feedback.

Laura Kreofsky ’91 of Madison, Wis., is the director of research at Impact Advisors, a health-

Craig S. Bleeker ’92 and Amy Butler ’95 were married May 1, 2006. They live in Wayzata, Minn., and have a daughter, Lillian Grace Bleeker, born June 18, 2009. Craig is employed with Best Buy and Amy works for the State of Minnesota Public Defender’s Office.

Kenneth A. Larsen ’92 and Jodi Piotrowski Larsen ’94 of Waunakee, Wis., own Exel Transportation, a third-party logistics company.

Sara N. Colburn-Alsop ’93 of New Whiteland, Ind., who teaches at Franklin College, has been recognized by the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association as the Spanish Professor of the Year in Indiana. She also was recognized by the Indiana Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese as the Outstanding College Professor of Spanish in Indiana.

Brian Marquardt ’93 of Seattle, Wash., is a research professor and senior engineer in the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington.

Paula Souik Bizot ’94 of Ann Arbor, Mich., received her bachelor’s of science degree in nursing from Johns Hopkins University in July 2008. It was an accelerated program for people with prior degrees, so it took only 13.5 months to complete four semesters’ worth of

Jason R. Brooks ’95 of Hillside, Ill., is chaplain of the Chicago chapter of the Lumen Institute, a leadership training organization (www.lumen institute.org). There also are chapters in New York, Atlanta, Dallas and Washington, D.C. Jon M. Kaminski ’95 of Mooresville, N.C., is a manager in the Supply Chain - PLM practice with Accenture LLP. He has been married to Christine L. Elekes Kaminski since Sept. 5, 2006.

Lorie Stellmacher Simms ’95 and her husband, Peter, of Tempe, Ariz., have a daughter, Ruby Elizabeth Simms, born Aug. 11, 2009.

Steven E. Martin ’96 and Michelle Toutloff Martin ’98 of Ripon, Wis., have a son, Kellan Reed Martin, born Feb. 3, 2010.

Carey Ann Molinski ’96 of Oshkosh, Wis., completed her master of arts degree in professional counseling from Liberty University Dec. 29, 2009.

Mike Guenther ’97 and Jessi Kofler Guenther ’97 of Kirkland, Wash., have a son, Graham Roman Guenther, born Oct. 22, 2009.

Brooke Husbands ’97 of Rowley, Mass., married Aaron Emmerich, July 11, 2009.

Brooke works at Candlewick Press as Book Club & Subsidiary Rights Sales Manager, responsible for subsidiary rights and book club sales, as well as for sales of UK territory rights.

SPRING 2010 25

RASHID ’79 DOCUMENTS SCENES OF LIFE THROUGH HIS MUSIC As a composer, Steve Rashid ’79 of Evanston, Ill., has had his music featured through a multitude of different outlets, including television networks A&E, Bio, the History Channel, Weather Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery and OLN. His works also have been mentioned in Billboard, Variety and the New York Times, and featured on the “Today Show” on television.

Rashid received his bachelor of arts in music and philosophy from Ripon and a master’s degree in music composition from Northwestern University. He then founded Woodside Avenue Music Production, which offers music composition, arrangement, performance production and recording.

The company, named after the street on which he grew up in Ripon, is also a record label.

Most recently, Rashid composed the score for the documentary “Lost and Found: Legacy of USS Lagarto.” The program originally aired on public television in Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri, and will be shown on PBS stations nationwide beginning in May 2010. The USS Lagarto was a submarine built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. during World War II. The ship sank during her second war patrol with 86 men aboard. The submarine was missing for 60 years before being found in 2005 on the bottom of the Sea of Thailand.

The documentary features the dive to explore the Lagarto, excerpts from interviews with crew members’ relatives, and first-hand battle experiences recalled by sub veterans – and, of course, the wonderful musical score.

“I enjoyed the chal-

Joseph Kroncke ’97 and Erica Smith Kroncke ’98 of Neenah, Wis., have a son, Jack Gordon Kroncke, born May 21, 2009.

Sonja Lee ’97 of Milwaukee married Casey Meehan, Oct. 10, 2009, in Milwaukee.

Bradley W. “Koz” Kozaczuk ’98 of Fond du Lac, Wis., is the running back/linebacker football coach at Oshkosh North High School. He previously served as head coach for two years at Fond du Lac High School.

Stacie H. Hackel ’99 of Cincinnati, Ohio, married Michael Snow, Sept. 26, 2009.

Hunter Russell, son of Tara Engel Russell ’99 and Tim Russell ’00, was the ring bearer.

Adam Martin Schrieber ’99 of East Troy, Wis., teaches fourth grade at St. Peter’s School in East Troy.

James Nicholas Willich ’99 of Livingston, Mont.,

26 RIPON MAGAZINE

lenge of creating Rashid music that also performs reflected different regularly in historical periChicago, and ods,” Rashid says, recently “as well as very launched an different locations online music — Manitowoc, site, Café Wis., to the Underscore bottom of the Sea (cafeunder Steve Rashid ’79 of Thailand.” score.com).

Growing up so near This project grew out of a to Manitowoc also played bout with writer’s block. a role in Rashid’s “One day while comexperience with the posing in a coffee shop documentary. and faced with a block, “I found ‘Lagarto’ out of pure whimsy and not only an interesting self-amusement, I and powerful story, but focused on a fellow in the the fact that much of it café,” Rashid says. “And took place very close to thought to myself, ‘What where I grew up — I am if my job was to undera Ripon native — made it score him?’ In other that much more relatwords, I picked someone able,” Rashid says. in the room, imagined The score of who he was, or the “Lagarto” won Rashid his moment he was experifirst Emmy (Chicago/ encing, and tried to score Midwest Emmys) in that image. Kind of like November for Outstand- making an artist’s sketch, ing Achievement for Indi- but with music.” vidual Excellence Off The Web site features Camera: Composition/ musical portraits of Arrangement. people, opening up a

is co-driver and mechanic with Griffin Racing and president of Progressive Energy Technologies.

2000s

June 25-27, 2009 10th Reunion, Class of ’00 5th Reunion, Class of ’05 Timothy Michael Barber ’00 of Fitchburg, Wis., married Sarah C. Walkenhorst, Oct. 24, 2009. Pat Casey ’00, Andre Miksha ’00, Michael Laupan ’99 and Michael Barber ’02 were in the wedding party. Justice Jon Wilcox ’58 attended and spoke at the reception. Tim is a senior associate attorney with Axley Brynelson LLP, Madison. His Axley page can be viewed at www.axley.com.

Camille Carlson Clemons ’00 and her husband, Rick, of Fox River Grove, Ill., have a

whole new interpretation of the picture and answering the question: If life were actually scenes in a movie, what would the underscore — the music under the scenes — sound like?

Rashid says he owes much of his confidence in his musical abilities to his professors and experiences at Ripon.

“My philosophy major taught me so much about critical thinking, logical analysis and problemsolving that still serve me daily,” he says. “And thanks to a supportive music faculty of Ray Stahura, Don Cuthbert, Donald Spies and Doug Morris, I left Ripon not only with strong musical training, but a belief in my own abilities as a musician and composer.”

Alyssa Paulsen ’10 Paulsen is a senior communication major from Winneconne, Wis.

son, Flynn Patrick Clemons, born Nov. 28, 2009.

Chad Marcus Cleveland ’00 of Hazel Green, Wis., married Mandy Hopfensperger, June 18, 2009. After Ripon, Chad received a bachelor’s degree in art education/certification from Lawrence University. He teaches high school art at Southwestern Community School District in Hazel Green. He also coaches football and in 2007 was part of the team that was the Division 7 runner-up. Chad’s artwork can be viewed at www.custom-metal-creations.com.

Charles Leroy Larson III ’00 and Kersten Holm Larson ’00 of Wauwatosa, Wis., have a son, Charles LeRoy Larson IV, born Nov. 6, 2009.

Erin Brooke Vasconcelles ’00 of Nashville, Tenn., has received a doctorate in 2008 from Bowling Green State University. Her dissertation topic was, “Social Networks of NCAA Division I College Athletes: Relationships Between Network Structure, Personal Goal Orientation and Well-

Michael Isaac David ’03 of Portage, Wis., married Kathryn Beuchner, Nov. 28, 2009.

Mike O’Neill ’04 and Adam Field ’04 were in the wedding party. The couple live in Portage.

April Leigh Dunlavy ’03 opened her own law office in Clintonville, Wis., in February 2010.

Lisa Sharpe Elles ’01

Gail Gitcho ’01

Being Correlates.” She is a licensed psychologist practicing at Vanderbilt University Psychological and Counseling Center in Nashville.

Lisa Sharpe Elles ’01 of Lawrence, Kan., is an assistant professor of chemistry at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. She teaches biochemistry lecture and lab plus a comprehensive general-organic-biological chemistry course for nursing students.

Gail Gitcho ’01, formerly the national press secretary for the Republican National Committee, now is communications director for U.S. Senator-elect Scott Brown’s Washington, D.C., office. “Gail is an experienced communications professional who is well-known to the national and Washington press corps and has a reputation for being fair and responsive to reporters,” Brown said.

Michael Barber ’02 married Marlaena Schnitzler, March 29, 2008. They live in Big Bend, Wis., and they have a son, Matthew Donald Daniel Barber, born Sept. 10, 2009.

Katherine Frances Brophy ’02 and Mary Wilk were registered as domestic partners Aug. 14, 2009, in the office of the Dane County Register of Deeds during a blessing ceremony for seven couples at the Wisconsin Capital Rotunda.

They live in Madison, Wis., where Katherine is a cooperator with Community Pharmacy Cooperative.

Joshua J. De War ’02 of Ripon, Wis., earned a doctorate in educational administration and leadership from Marian University, Fond du Lac, Wis., on Dec. 19, 2009. Josh previously was director of residence life at Ripon College.

Julie Ann Hansen ’02 of Minneapolis, Minn., married Justin Marchant, Sept. 11, 2009. Julie works for Best Buy in the Dotcom department, optimizing the Cart, Checkout, Gifting and My Account experiences on Bestbuy.com.

Jessica Rosen Lively ’02 and her husband, Douglas, of Arlington, Wash., have a son, David Jonathan Lively, born Oct. 23, 2009.

Erin Nelson Pues ’02 and her husband, Ryan, of Appleton, Wis., have a daughter, Aubrey Ellen Pues, born Dec. 30, 2009. Erin is a child care coordinator with the YMCA of the Fox Cities.

Heather Braund ’03 of Madison, Wis., married Eric Kotleski, July 18, 2009.

Matthew Gehring ’03 of Minneapolis, Minn., graduated with a law degree and master’s degree in public policy from the University of Minnesota in 2006. He works as a non-partisan staff attorney/legislative analyst for the Minnesota House of Representatives, specializing in civil law and elections issues. In his spare time, he runs as a member of the Slab City Running Company, a local amateur competitive running club.

William W. Kalkhoff ’03 of Mogadore, Ohio, has been promoted to associate professor of sociology at Kent State University.

Toni Dahlin Knorr ’03 of Eden Prairie, Minn., is the donor relations coordinator at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation.

Timothy James Krueger ’03 of Richmond, Va., is a data analyst with Capital One. Katherine Morrissey Stahl ’03 of Winterville, Ga., is teaching public speaking and interpersonal communication at the University of Georgia.

Britt K. Steiger ’03 married David Frank, Nov. 14, 2009. They live in Cedarburg, Wis. After receiving her master’s degree in creative writing from Minnesota State University-Mankato in 2008, Britt has been working at David Frank Landscape Contracting Inc. in Germantown, Wis. Sarah Peerenboom Vicari ’03 of Fox Lake, Ill., is a dermatology physician’s assistant at North Suburban Dermatology Associates in Gurnee, Ill. Elizabeth Anne Zirk ’03 of San Francisco, Calif., is working with a co-op which supports fearless entrepreneurs. She will be an operational board member of Young Women Social Entrepreneurs in 2010.

studies and social work at St. Catherine and St. Thomas Universities.

Stefanie Megan Kline ’05 of La Crosse, Wis., received her master’s of business administration, Dec. 19, 2009, from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis. She has been nannying for the past few years for a 4-year-old and 6-month-old. She completed her master’s thesis using the topic of how families determine childcare preferences and the awareness of nannies and placement agencies in the area. Stefanie plans on taking additional marketing classes or enrolling in the doctorate program at Viterbo to be a business professor or consultant, while also looking for marketing and brand management positions across the United States.

Leah Sievert Lubinski ’05 of Del Mar, Calif., is a VA volunteer service coordinator with the American Red Cross. She was a volunteer development associate from June 2008 to October 2009.

Cory John McEwen ’05 of Milwaukee, Wis., is a health and physical education teacher at Milwaukee Northwest Secondary School. He will be coaching varsity baseball for the second year at Milwaukee Madison High School. He also has been coaching 6th- and 7th-grade basketball for the past three years and is the head middle school flag football coach at Northwest. In the summer, he is a WIAA umpire for baseball.

Amanda Zahn ’05 of Ripon, Wis., was married to Eric J. Przybyl, Oct. 17, 2009, by President David Joyce. Amanda is the assistant director of conference and contract services at Ripon College.

Andrew Jason Beswick ’06 of Oconomowoc, Wis., is assistant manager at the Oconomowoc Developmental Training Center. He has started graduate school at Cardinal Stritch University for his master’s degree in clinical psychology.

Michelle Ann Calder ’06 of Menasha, Wis., is a licensed funeral director with Westgor Funeral Home in Neenah, Wis.

Christopher A. Dumke ’04 and Nicole Gutbrod ’06 were married Aug. 8, 2009. They live in Princeton, Wis. Chris is a loan representative for National Exchange Bank & Trust, and Nicole is a credit analyst for National Exchange Bank & Trust.

Stephanie Helen Chacharon ’06 of Seattle, Wash., is marketing manager at Xtreme Consulting Group Inc. She also is enrolled in a master’s program through Utah State University and is working toward a master’s degree in English with a specialization in technical writing.

Nicholas Adam Spaeth ’04 and his wife, Briana, of Plymouth, Wis., have a daughter, Claire Marie Spaeth, born Oct. 12, 2009.

Alisha Gard ’06 of San Francisco, Calif., teaches in the K-1 room at an after-school Kids’ Country School in San Ramon, Calif.

Christopher Jay Thode ’04 of Madison, Wis., completed a doctorate in chemistry at Penn State University in February 2009. April 1, 2009, he began as a postdoctoral associate in the chemical and biological engineering department at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Ryan Jahns ’07 of Madison, Wis., has been promoted to field examiner with First Business Capital Corp. in Madison. He joined the firm in December 2007 after an internship at First Business Bank-Northeast. He previously was a collateral analyst.

Katrina Grasley Van Gompel ’04 of Berlin, Wis., is a buyer at Miles Kimball Co. in Oshkosh, Wis.

Adam Krueger ’07 of Brookline, Mass., is a senior account analyst for the College of Arts and Sciences at Boston University. He is working on a master’s degree in advertising there.

Ivy C. Wagner ’04 of Minneapolis, Minn., is pursuing a dual master’s degree in holistic health

Tylor S. Loest ’07 of Brandon, Wis., is a develop-

SPRING 2010 27

B E E R S ’08 B R AV E S A C T I O N I N F O R T H O O D , A F G H A N I S TA N Amanda Beers ’08 of Janesville, Wis., is serving in Afghanistan, but her pressure under fire started before she even left the United States. She was in the room at the time of the mass shooting at Fort Hood in Texas Nov. 5, 2009.

The rampage killed 13 people and wounded 30 others.

“Talking about what happened at Fort Hood is still a touchy subject as it hit close to heart and took many of my good friends and colleagues away from me forever,” Beers says.

“Not only is deployment stressful enough, my unit got torn apart within only hours once arriving at Fort Hood after a three-week exercise in California.”

Beers assisted in tending to wounded and deceased soldiers, then was even further traumatized by being locked up in that same building for hours after the event took place.

“Once the unit was reunited the next morning, many tears were shed and

teams spread mourning over throughout those we learned Afghanistan, to love was helping out shared,” she says.

Coalition “Overall, it Forces and brought everyone making great in the unit closer impact in and we learned to Behavioral cherish each day, Health. as those we had “As for hoped to be with Amanda Beers ’08 me, I have for the next year been busy doing everything would no longer be with us from setting up computer to enjoy together. and phone connections, to “For me personally, I tracking team and personnel have learned to grow as an individual and as a soldier. I locations, to putting together our unit newsletter. fill in for my commander when she is not present and As for relieving stress, we starting a running club at fulfill all my duties as the my Forward Operating executive officer (XO), above and beyond my initial Base (FOB) and put together races. So far, I duties.” have run in only two races, Beers’ unit has been in but my biggest accomplishAfghanistan for more than ment was completing my three months. She says the first half marathon and unit had to start from placing second overall for scratch as it is the first the females.

Combat Stress/Behavioral “Although I am enjoying Health unit in the country. this experience, I can’t wait “Our patient/workload to get home and spend some is increasing weekly but much needed time with keeping us busy and on our family and friends.” toes,” she says. “We have

ment associate for planned and major giving in the advancement office of Ripon College. He continues his work at the Brandon Public Library, overseeing children’s reading programs, and building restoration and community outreach programs. In 2009, he became the library director where he and the library board created a national and state historic library with a 40-percent increase in library usage.

Alexander Eugene Royzen ’08 of Evanston, Ill., is a merchandising specialist at OpticsPlanet Inc. His job involves inventory management, Web site optimization, brand management, price setting and search engine optimization.

Danielle Elizabeth Paiz ’07 of Corpus Christi, Texas, has been promoted to executive director of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Harrison James Smith ’08 of Milwaukee, Wis., is a compensation analyst with Bucyrus International Inc. in Milwaukee.

Arthur Ward Bratton ’08 of Ripon, Wis., has been promoted to vice president of production at Video Age Productions Inc.

Colette M. Unger ’08 of Chicago, Ill., is an assistant teacher at Francis W. Parker School and a membership sales representative at Lincoln Park Zoo. She is also a free-lance actor.

Alysha Lyn Ebert ’08 of Cedarburg, Wis., is a library assistant at Bayside Middle School.

Ruth Ann Lawrence ’08 of Appleton, Wis., is a personal care worker at Agape of Appleton Inc.

28 RIPON MAGAZINE

Brandon Parrott-Sheffer ’08 of Chicago, Ill., is in the master’s of business administration program at Loyola University in Chicago.

Perfecto Felipe Diaz III ’09 of Chicago, Ill., is an education intern at the American Theatre Company in Chicago and a student at Second City.

Nicole Rae Franz ’09 of West Chicago, Ill., is a

director of youth ministry at St. Matthew’s United Church of Christ in Wheaton, Ill. Joshua Dalhauser Frey ’09 of Racine, Wis., is stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., at the U.S. Army Chemical School for officer training. After graduation, he will be stationed with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas.

Elizabeth Ann Kunde ’09 of Wauwatosa, Wis., is a communications specialist with Alliance for Children and Families, a nonprofit member services organization for child- and family-serving organizations. About 300 members throughout the country range from very small agencies to Boys Town. Liz is responsible for the bi-weekly e-newsletter that goes out to all members, and assists with the magazine and Web site.

Obituaries obituaries If you are aware of a Ripon College alumnus who has passed away, please send that information along with a printed obituary from the paper to the Office of Alumni Relations, Annual Fund and Parent Programs, Ripon College, PO Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971.

A HAPPY RETRACTION

Therese Des Lauriers ’78 of Golden Valley, Minn., is alive! Because of an erroneous report received by the College and a published obituary for a woman with a nearly identical name from the same timeframe, Therese, known as “Trees” to her friends, was reported deceased in the Fall 2007 issue of Ripon Magazine. We are happy to affirm that Therese still is alive and well.

Helen Wells Cooke ’33 of Kirkland, Wash., died Dec. 5, 2009. At Ripon, Helen studied music and Spanish and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega, known as the Lyle House. She was elected to Theta Alpha Phi the national drama fraternity.

Helen held Ripon close to her heart throughout her life and was a charter member of Partners in the Legacy. She was an active volunteer in every community she lived in. She was retired from Cooke Sales Co. Survivors include one son and one daughter.

Margaret E. Treleven Baker-Novitske ’35 of Evanston, Ill., died Nov. 1, 2009. She was born March 27, 1914, in Fond du Lac, Wis. At Ripon, she was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority and majored in English, Latin American studies and history. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1935.

She continued her studies at Northwestern University and Peabody Teachers College. For many years, she taught English and Latin at L.P. Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac, retiring in 1976. She participated in and supported many local and statewide organizations, including a stint as president of the Fond du Lac County Historical Society; work in acquiring the Galloway family home and other vintage buildings and developing the village as a major local tourist attraction of the Historical Society; and service as chair of two state history associations. In 1961, Margaret was the

Worthy Grand Matron of the Order of Eastern Star for the State of Wisconsin. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Fond du Lac, the American Association of University Women and Daughters of the American Revolution.

Margaret served several terms on the Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors, was an avid reader and traveler, and loved quilting, gardening and antiquing. Survivors include a daughter.

George S. Peck ’41 of Alexandria, Va., died Jan. 12, 2010. At Ripon, he majored in biology and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He enlisted in the Army shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and fought through German forces from the tip of Italy all the way to the border of southern France. His accomplishments earned him a battlefield commission to 2nd Lieutenant, two awards of the Silver Star, three awards of the Bronze Star Medal and three awards of the Purple Heart. In 1948, he transferred to the newly formed U.S. Air Force. After serving in a number of intelligence positions, Col. Peck retired from the Air Force in 1968 as a Lieutenant Colonel and an officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency. His last post was at the Pentagon, writing and editing the morning report for members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He then joined Honeywell International as a sales representative for its security and alarms systems division, helping to design security systems solutions for businesses across the country. He retired from Honeywell in 1982. Survivors include his wife, Victoria, 5526 Hershey Lane, Alexandria, VA 22312; one son; one daughter; and a sister, Patricia Peck Perry ’43.

Lloyd P. Williams ’42 of Appleton, Wis., died Feb. 27, 2010. He was born Oct. 30, 1920, in Milwaukee. At Ripon, he was a member of Sigma Chi. He received his medical training at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in 1944.

He interned at Milwaukee Hospital and served as a resident and chief resident physician at Milwaukee Children’s Hospital. He was a member of the American Board of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Outagamie County Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He was the first pediatrician in the Fox Cities, coming to Appleton from Hartford, Conn., in October 1948. He was in private practice through 1955, then joined the Medical Arts Clinic. He was one of the first physicians in the area to use the Salk vaccine. He retired from the LaSalle Clinic in 1992. He belonged to the Inland Bird-Banding Association. He was a member of the Welsh-American Society and Cymdeithas Madog, learning the language of his Welsh ancestors, and of Memorial Presbyterian Church. He enjoyed reading. Survivors include his wife, Jane, 845 E. College Ave., Appleton, WI 54911; three sons and one daughter.

Edward J. Cheetham ’43 of Los Angeles, Calif., died Feb. 26, 2010. He was born Nov. 1, 1921, in Milwaukee. He studied biology at Ripon, was a member of Theta Chi and was commissioned as an officer through the ROTC program. He served in the U.S. Army in World War II. He attended University of California-Los Angeles and earned a teaching credential, following with a master’s degree from Califronia State University, Los Angeles, in education and administration. He served as a teacher and administrator with the Los

Angeles Unified School District for 38 years. Ed participated in many civic charity and service organizations. He was the Scout Master of Troop #779 in Westchester from 1948 to 1960. He was a member of the Airport International Optimist Club, the Santa Monica Elks No. 906 and the Westchester Masonic Lodge No. 529. For more than 50 years, he was a member of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, serving as treasurer and on the Board of Directors. Survivors include his wife, Mary Jane, 6006 Wooster Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90056.

Frederick Lindeke “Mac” McNee ’45 of Wayzata, Minn., died May 21, 2009. At Ripon, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta and played football. He fondly remembered being lined up his first day of practice with a fellow named “Tiny.” “Tiny” went on to play for the Green Bay Packers while Mac studied art at Minneapolis School of Art and Design. Mac served his country during World War II and had a long career at TPI until retirement.

Survivors include his wife, June, 18275 Highland Ave., Wayzata, MN 55391; one son and two daughters.

Lorraine J. Flaherty ’47 of La Crosse, Wis., died Jan. 25, 2010. She was born Jan. 15, 1925, in Two Rivers, Wis. She attended Ripon for two years and was a member of Alpha Phi. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of WisconsinMadison and her master’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She taught English and drama at Viterbo University and English composition at UW-La Crosse for 23 years.

She was a member of the League of Women Voters, the Democratic Party and American Association of University Women. Survivors include her husband, Daniel, 1925 King St., La Crosse, WI 54601; one son and three daughters.

Paul Owen Dudey ’48 of Boynton Beach, Fla., died March 21, 2009. He was born Aug. 24, 1924. At Ripon, he studied economics and was active in College Days, theatre and Lambda Delta Alpha.

Paul was associated with the insurance industry for more than 50 years. He was a long-time author and editor of articles in Adjustors International’s technical property insurance publication Adjusting Today. For more than two decades, he was associate editor of The Fire, Casualty and Surety (FC&S) Bulletins, published by The National Underwriter Company. Earlier in his career, he had worked as a risk analyst, underwriter and broker. Survivors include his wife, Beverly Rosenthal Dudey ’50, 2319 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, FL 33426; two sons; one daughter, a brother, David Dudey ’48; and a sister-in-law, Shirley Benoy Dudey ’49.

Gerald E. “Jerry” Johnson ’50 of Waupun, Wis., died Dec. 1, 2009. He was born Dec. 16, 1928, in Waupun. He attended Ripon for one year and participated in ROTC. Jerry was a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. Upon his retirement, he lived in Neshkoro, Wis. He then returned to Waupun.

He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and the National Association of Letter Carriers. He enjoyed sports and his place in the wild where he could feed the turkey and deer. Survivors include one son.

William C. “Bill” Steaffens ’50 of Stoughton, Wis., died Dec. 20, 2009. He was born May 20, 1926, in Berlin, Wis. At Ripon, he studied history

and was a member of Theta Sigma Tau. Bill served his country in the Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II and in the Aleutians during the Korean Conflict. He worked for 34 years as a gas construction engineer for Wisconsin Power and Light in Portage, Fond du Lac and Madison.

He was a past master of the Kegonsa Masonic Lodge No. 73 and served in many other offices, including secretary/treasurer for 16 years. He was a past patron of the Venus Chapter No. 61 of Eastern Star, served on the Stoughton Housing Authority for almost 25 years and was Scout Master of Troop 12 (712) in Fond du Lac for 19 years.

Bill was awarded the Silver Beaver for service to the Boy Scouts, led National Jamboree Troops to Valley Forge in 1964, Idaho in 1969 and Iowa in 1973, and received various other Scouting awards.

Bill was a member of Stoughton United Methodist Church and the Four Lakes Amateur Radio Club.

Survivors include his wife, Patricia Jenkins Steaffens ’53, 904 Skogdalen Drive, Stoughton, WI 53589; one son and two daughters, including Debra A. Steaffens ’76.

Kenneth H. Schermacher ’51 of West Bend, Wis., died July 25, 2009. At Ripon, he studied biology, was a member of Merriman/Phi Kappa Pi, and participated in athletics. He earned a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was a high school psychologist until his retirement in 1990. Survivors include his wife, Wanda, 831 Beverly Lane, West Bend, WI 53090; two sons and two daughters.

Frank J. Schroder ’51 of Alexandria, Va., died Feb. 10, 2010. He was born Aug. 20, 1927. At Ripon, he majored in economics and was a member of Sigma Chi and Ver Adest. He worked as a sales man for American Greetings Corp. for 35-1/2 years. He retired in March 1990. Survivors include his wife, Rose Ann, 1202 S. Washington St., Apt. 116C, Alexandra, VA 22314; and two sons.

Rosemary Klement Best ’52 of North Egremont, Mass., died Jan. 25, 2009. She was born March 11, 1930. She graduated from Ripon College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and music in 1952. She was a member of Ver Adest and participated in theatre. She earned a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1985. She owned and operated Rosemary’s Enterprises until retiring in 2001. Rosemary was a member of Ripon’s Partners in the Legacy. Survivors include three songs and three daughters.

Thomas Paul Coynes ’53 of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., died Aug. 22, 2009. He was born July 19, 1931. At Ripon, he studied psychology, was a member of Ver Adest and Lambda Delta Alpha, and was commissioned as an officer in the ROTC program. He was a senior manager in human resources for Boeing Co. until his retirement in 1999. Survivors include his wife, Barbara Gidlof Coynes ’53, 28611 Hazelridge Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275; and two sons.

Vernon W. Tank ’55 of Wheaton, Ill., died Oct. 9, 2009. He was born May 14, 1933, in Green Bay, Wis. He studied history at Ripon and served in the Army for three years. He received his master’s of divinity in 1963 from Fuller Theological Seminary and served as a missionary in Taiwan until 1997.

SPRING 2010 29

Survivors include his wife, Marilyn, 1006 N. President St., Wheaton, IL 60187; and three daughters.

Sally Hansche Keppler ’56 of Kenosha, Wis., died June 4, 2008. She was born March 13, 1934, in Racine. At Ripon, she was a member of Alpha Gam Theta sorority. She had been married to Donald Keppler ’51, who died in 2003. Sally had been employed by the Racine Unified School District as a paraprofessional for special education programs. She served as president for the Racine Educational Aides Association. She enjoyed playing bridge, going to movies and live performances, traveling, the Green Bay Packers and the Milwaukee Brewers. Survivors include one son and one daughter.

Kenneth C. Suhr ’57 of Cedarburg, Wis., died Sept. 14, 2009. At Ripon, he was a member of Lambda Delta Alpha. He retired in 1996 after 38 years as a real estate supervisor with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, District 2. Survivors include his wife, Joan, 4722 Timbercrest Drive, Cedarburg, WI 53012; and two daughters.

Hugh G. Daubek ’58 of Valparaiso, Ind., died Feb. 26, 2010. He was born June 8, 1936. At Ripon, he earned a degree in mathematics and business management, was a member of the Lambda Delta Alpha fraternity and participated in athletics and ROTC. He earned advanced degrees in meteorology, master of business administration and a doctorate in business administrationmarketing, all from the University of Utah. He taught at Central Michigan University, Lehigh University and the University of Utah before going to Purdue University Calumet in 1989. He taught marketing and management for more than 20 years on Purdue’s Hammond campus. His professional background also includes positions as a research scientist, consultant and co-author of marketing- and meteorological-related scholarly articles. Survivors include his wife, Ann, 107 Wayne St., Valparaiso, IN 46383; one son and two daughters.

Robert Ellis Langdon Jr. ’58 of Springfield, Mo., died Feb. 8, 2010. He was born Sept. 29, 1936, in Chicago, Ill. At Ripon, he studied economics, was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and commissioned as an officer in the ROTC program. After college, he was commissioned for two years into the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant.

He later was promoted to 1st Lieutenant; Bob served in the infantry at both Fort Benning and Fort Dix. He worked from 1960 to 1977 for Sears and Roebuck in Niles, Ill., where he was promoted to a management position. He and his wife owned Fish’N Fun Resort in Shell Knob, Mo., until he retired in 1999. They moved to Springfield where Bob volunteered as a disc jockey for KTOZ 100.1 FM. He loved Big Band music and the Chicago Cubs. Survivors include his wife, Gail Brainard Langdon ’60, 1607 E. Richmond St., Springfield, MO 65804; three sons and three daughters, including Mary Landgon Rogers ’89.

Joseph L. Hosszu ’60 of Sachse, Texas, died Feb. 16, 2010. He was born May 26, 1938. He earned his Eagle Scout at age 15. He worked in the steel mills, American Bridge and Ford to pay for college. At Ripon, he studied physics and mathematics and was a member of Phi Delta

30 RIPON MAGAZINE

Theta. He also attended the University of Massachusetts for three years. He received a master’s degree in physics at the University of Tennessee while working at Union Carbide for six years at the Nuclear Facility of Oak Ridge, Tenn.

He received his doctorate in physics from the University of Delaware. At age 34, he entered the Navy as Lt. Junior Grade, retiring as Lt. Commander after 20 years. After retiring from the military, he worked for Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas as a radiation safety officer-medical physicist. He retired after 17 years Dec. 31, 2009. He liked antiquing and going to garage sales and auctions with his wife.

Survivors include his wife, Linda, 6611 Hilltop Trail, Sachse, TX 75048; and two daughters.

Lynne Scherbarth Penicnak ’60 of San Antonio, Texas, died Feb. 15, 2010. She was born Feb. 14, 1939, in Milwaukee. At Ripon, she earned her degree in mathematics and Spanish and was a member of Kappa Sigma Chi and Partners in the Legacy.

She earned a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Lynne was a dedicated teacher who taught high school in Wisconsin, South Dakota, New York, and most recently at Park Ridge High School, where she taught for 32 years before she retired in 2000. Her passion was travel.

Survivors include her husband, William J. Fay, 11020 Hueber Oaks, Apt. 214, San Antonio, TX 78230.

Walter W. Labhart ’64 of Skandia, Mich., died Nov. 10, 2009. He was born Nov. 27, 1942, in Chicago. He earned a degree in economics from Ripon. He served in the U.S. Air Force in aircraft maintenance at several Air Force bases around the world, being honorably discharged with the rank of Captain. He then taught mathematics at Northern Michigan University as an assistant professor. He liked working with computers, cooking, photography and spending time in nature hunting and fishing. He was a member of the NRA and Phi Kappa Phi. Survivors include his wife, Wanda, 823 County Road 545 North, Skandia, MI 49885; two sons, Walter I. Labhart ’93 and Wayland Labhart ’96; and one daughter, Wynne E. Labhart ’95.

Linn Janson Andrews ’65 of Anchorage, Alaska, died Dec. 17, 2009, after a 12-year battle with cancer. At Ripon, she majored in mathematics and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta. She was a retired agent with the Internal Revenue Service and enjoyed quilting. Survivors include her husband, Richard C. Andrews, 12621 Sanders Road, Anchorage, AK 99516; one son and one daughter.

Keith E. Kottke ’65 of Oakfield, Wis., died March 21, 2010. He was born March 22, 1943, in the town of Oakfield. He attended Ripon College for a year before joining the U.S. Army. Keith served until 1965. Following his service, he became employed at Green Giant Canning Co., Rosendale, Wis., and continued with the canning industry for 43 years until his retirement. He was a member of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church. He enjoyed watching and playing baseball, mowing the lawn and valuing time with his grandchildren. Survivors include his wife, Carol, W9234 County Trunk TC, Oakfield, WI 53065; and one son.

Bruce E. Engelking ’66 of Pinehurst, N.C., died Dec. 20, 2009. He graduated from Ripon with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He was a member

of Delta Sigma Psi and was commissioned as an Army officer through ROTC. He received a juris doctor in 1972 from Marquette University and was a self-employed attorney. He lived in Cedarburg, Wis., for 28 years before moving to Pinehurst because of love of golf. Survivors include his wife, Patty, 25 Abington Drive, Pinehurst, NC 28374; one son and one daughter; and a brother and sister-in-law Roger and Marjorie Von Sande Engelking ’64 /’64.

Harley James “Jim” Mowrey ’67 of South Windsor, Conn., died March 19, 2010, after a skydiving accident in Deland, Fla. He was born Sep. 17, 1945. At Ripon, he majored in economics and history and was a member of Delta Upsilon and ROTC. After college, Jim served in the U.S. Army for four years as a lieutenant. He had been employed by Federal Express and Pioneer Parachute Co. He retired as a sales manager from Scan Optics in Manchester, Conn., in 2009, when he moved to Deland, Fla. Jim was an ardent sportsman, a long-time member of the NRA, an active parachutist and past president of four terms for the Connecticut Parachutists Inc. Early in his career, he was the first officer DC3 pilot for an Indiana-based charter airline. He flew more than 1,900 commercial flight hours and more than 1,000 hours ferrying skydivers. Jim personally made more than 3,800 jumps and served 10 years as the New England States regional director on the board of the U.S. Parachute Association.

During his tenure as chairman of the U.S.P.A. safety and training committee, skydiving fatalities nationwide declined from more than 50 skydivers per year to 23 per year. Similarly, student fatalities also saw a dramatic decline. Jim was also a member of the Manchester Fireman’s and Policeman’s Bagpipe Band, an enthusiastic runner and competed in the Manchester road race for many years.

Stephen C. Amesbury ’68 of Reno, Nev., died Dec. 1, 2009, in Reno. He was born May 26, 1945.

At Ripon, he majored in economics and German and was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He earned a master’s degree from American Graduate School of International Management in 1970, a degree from the University of Nevada in 1977 and a juris doctor from Nevada School of Law in 1989. He was a self-employed attorney specializing in family law.

Noel J. Julian ’68 of Dayton, Wash., died June 10, 2009. He was born Nov. 25, 1943. At Ripon, he was a member of Theta Sigma Tau, played football and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He earned a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Idaho in 1980. He retired in 2000 as a system programmer for LMITCO. Survivors include his wife, Alma “Ginger” Julian, 103 Zani Lane, Dayton, WA 99328; one son, Zachary Julian ’99; and one daughter.

Richard Cobb Grossman Jr. ’73 of Colleyville, Texas, died Jan. 18, 2010. He was born Aug. 24, 1951, in Marshalltown, Iowa. At Ripon, he majored in chemistry and was a member of Lambda Delta Alpha. He earned his master’s degree at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

He attended medical school at the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery in Des Moines, followed by a residency in otorhinolaryngology

Please turn to page 32

The Lastlast Word the word Defense for Opposing Views I do not remember Mr. Sneesby’s ’47 letter in Ripon Magazine. It must have been awful, indeed, though, because the magazine felt it necessary to print not two, not three, but four strongly-worded letters to the editor, attacking both his opinions and his character, without offering any balance. While attacking Mr. Sneesby’s “narrow-mindedness,” the authors used loaded words like “nasty,” “appalled,” “ultra-conservative” and “Witch Hunts.” While berating him for his one-sidedness, the authors revealed their own very strong and orthodox liberal views, even the author who appeared to erroneously call himself a libertarian. I have yet to meet a libertarian that praised the social-welfare states of Europe as a model for the rest of us.

Do not misunderstand me — I have no problem with students journeying to Washington to see the inauguration. It is an important cultural and political event. And when I was deeply involved in campus politics in my days at Ripon, I both encouraged and helped enable fellow students to attend similar events, even those students who did not share my views. But to attack somebody’s viewpoint in such a way, while maintaining that all viewpoints must be heard, is absurd and hypocritical. How ironic, that one of the four authors that voiced nearly identical viewpoints accused Mr. Sneesby of not being able to think for himself. I have always been amused at people who bask in the glory of their own open-mindedness while shutting down and insulting anyone who dares to voice an opposing view.

Some of the writers appeared to be in awe of their own ability to reason and disagree, while seeing somebody else’s disagreement as narrow, nasty and appalling.

All of these people are entitled to their opinions, and I have no quarrel with their letters appearing in the magazine. It is entirely possible that the magazine received a dozen similar letters with none supporting Mr. Sneesby.

They were right to publish some of them, but to publish four of them was overkill. I believe that most readers, even those who agreed with the basic

thrust of these letters, found the lack of balance disturbing. I would encourage the magazine to continue allowing its readers to voice their opinions. At the same time, it is important for the editors to be sensitive to the appearance of piling on. I can only imagine the chagrin that Mr. Sneesby (presumably in his 80s) and his family felt at his alma mater’s official publication taking up two pages to attack his character.

Dmitri Smirenski ’00 Burlington, Ky. I was so blown away by all the letters about the man who is going to support Hillsdale instead of Ripon that I had to go online to see what he had said and to look at the articles about the trip to Washington. The gist of the letters is that the man is intolerant because he chooses not to support an institution which he sees as incompatible with his own views.

Perhaps he would not have objected to a few paragraphs about faculty and students going to the inauguration as all inaugurations are historic. Were there articles of similar length and import when Bush was inaugurated?

Perhaps he felt that the article focused too much on the color of the President’s skin and not enough on the scope of his ideas. Perhaps he felt that words such as “pilgrimage” were a bit over the top.

In any case, I did not see that the writers were any more open-minded in their comments as they characterized the man as “narrow-minded and right-wing.” The man is certainly entitled to support whichever institutions he wishes with his own money. In fact, he would be foolish to financially support any group which he believes promotes ideas to which he is opposed.

Would the assorted commenters who accuse him of being narrowminded continue to support Ripon if it were perceived by them to be a “conservative institute?” I think not.

Patricia Andrews Gander ’67 Charleston, S.C.

Interesting that all four indignant alumni chanted praises for diversity while excoriating someone whose views they did not like.

To please these and other Savonarolas, who are always as masochistic as they are fanatical, here are some additional vies guaranteed to render them apoplectic.

Ripon today is not what it was 50 years ago. Today, it is a consistory for self-applause. Fifty years ago, it was the perfect city-state. Today, the prevailing idea is that everything is equivalent to everything else. Fifty years ago, the prevailing idea was the principles are principles, standards are standards, and that some principles and some standards are superior.

The transformation of the old Ripon into the present hothouse of pap is one of the most depressing experiences in my life. I speak with passion because when I was there, nobody wanted to graduate. We were that happy! Can the current student body say the same?

Basil P. Coukis ’57 Nashua, N.H. Editor’s Note: Ripon Magazine prints at least a portion of all Letters to the Editor received, unless an unwieldy number of letters is received on the same topic. In that case, a selection of letters offering different viewpoints will be published, and it will be noted that this was a selection only. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Changes Needed at Ripon College As a graduate of Ripon College, I am writing you about the outrageous article

by David Joyce, president, in the Fall 2009 issue of Ripon Magazine. The article confirms Mr. Joyce’s abiding biases: one which is against the fundamental liberal arts academic goals of Ripon College and one which is in favor of his policy of converting Ripon College into a business school, heavy on athletics.

Contrary to Joyce’s claims, there is SPRING 2010 31

NO “uneasy truce” between academics and athletics in the culture and history of Ripon; that “truce” is only in Mr. Joyce’s mind. He is attempting to create a debate or conflict when none has existed in the long history of the College. Ripon always has been an independent liberal arts college which rightly places the academic life at the top of all priorities; long ago, Ripon and its sister liberal arts colleges chose not to emphasize athletics or view it as anything more than one of many extracurricular activities to be participated in by those students who choose to do so. Athletics should have no more emphasis than the choir or the art club.

Joyce expresses his “feeling” that “… athletic pursuits are no less noble or valuable than academic pursuits.”

That statement flies in the face of the liberal arts principles of Ripon College and the clear benefits of those principles to many thousands of Ripon graduates. Joyce’s “business courses/jock” position is a minority view which, in the long history of the College, has been rejected repeatedly.

Joyce suggests that humans are constructed to “compete and triumph,” which “supersedes our simple desire to learn.”

By this, Joyce insinuates that the principal path to the benefits of competition is through athletics.

Nonsense. Academic competition, often intense, always has been alive and well at Ripon College and at every college where academic achievement is the raison d’tre of the liberal arts institution, which seeks to train scholars — and carefully avoid distracting courses or activities which one too frequently finds at junior colleges, business and/or trade schools and some misguided large universities.

Academic accomplishment is based

upon and is sparked by the individual student’s desire to learn; it needs no encouragement from an improper emphasis on athletic programs any more than academics accomplishment is encouraged by foolish courses in the league of “underwater basket weaving.”

In this connection, the curriculum of the College always has been adversely affected by the misplaced views and priorities of Joyce. Now, academic departments, offices and course offerings at Ripon include “Director of Business Administration,” “Exercise Science Department,” “Pre-Engineering,” “PreLaw,” “Health Professions Advising,” “Director of Leadership Studies” and other nonsensical functions entirely alien to classic liberal arts college principles.

To those of us who love and know Ripon College well, it is painful to watch the College slipping in many areas of endeavor throughout Joyce’s tenure as President. Surely, Ripon is overdue for a change.

Ray G. Besing ’57 Santa Fe, N.M.

Brrrrrrrrr!

Not having lived in the North for the past 30-plus years, the cover of the Annual Report 2008-2009 brought back chilly yet somehow warm memories of walking the snow-covered campus and listening to the crunch of every step.

I was instantly transported to the hill behind The President’s House. With friends Jeff, Carrie, Joe, Gail, Rick, Cliff, Margie and others, we tobogganed down the hill shouting and yelling the entire way. And then we would trudge back up just to do it again. Thanks for bringing back those memories.

Marcus Disbrow ’71 Cumming, Ga.

What Do You Think?

Opinions expressed in the Ripon Magazine are those of the author or person interviewed. We’d like to hear what you think about college news and views.

Letters must be signed and include an address and telephone number.

They may be edited for length and clarity.

Send your letters to the Editor, Ripon Magazine, Office of Marketing and Communications, Ripon College, PO Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971.

You also can contact us via e-mail at aldersonj@ripon.edu 32 RIPON MAGAZINE

OBITUARIES

Continued from page 30 and facial plastic surgery. He practiced in the MidCities since 1983. He and his wife traveled to places such as the polar bear habitat of Churchill, Manitoba, and the ancient ruins of Pompeii. He was an instrument-rated pilot who had the recent joy of flying a World War II-era P-51 Mustang.

Survivors include his wife, Lisa, 5607 Versailles Court, Colleyville, TX 76034; and one daughter.

Harry A. Beck ’77 of Osceola, Wis., died Feb. 21, 2010. At Ripon, he was an athlete, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and studied biology. He graduated from the Indiana University School of Optometry in 1981. He served Osceola for 25 years as the community eye doctor, 20 of them in private practice. He saw more than 8,000 patients. He served his country for more than 28 years as a Navy Reservist where he ministered to people’s health needs in many corners of the world, becoming a Captain of the Navy. He was a field optometrist in Togo, Ghana, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras, and twice in northern Alaska. In 2005, he volunteered for nearly a year as a Fleet Hospital Optometrist at two Army camps in Kuwait, where he saw more than 1,800 patients. He was a skilled handyman, car aficionado and mechanic, model car constructor, electrician, home designer and builder, cook, Minnesota Twins purist, computer expert, audiophile, tuba musician, rock ‘n’ roll appreciator and self-taught wood-worker. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Survivors include his wife, Nancy, 2833 50th Ave., Osceola, WI 54020; and three sons.

Glen S. Renner ’77 of Wauwatosa, Wis., died Dec. 28, 2009. He graduated from Wauwatosa East High School in 1972 and participated in athletics at Ripon. He worked for more than 20 years in ticket sales with the Milwaukee Brewers. His father was the late August “Pete” Renner ’43.

Erik “Eric” Raymond Fosterling ’79 of Green Bay, Wis., died Oct. 6, 2009. He was born April 17, 1957, in Livonia, Mich. At Ripon, he was a member of Sigma Chi, participated in athletics and majored in criminal justice.

James S. “Jay” Armstrong ’84 of De Pere, Wis., died Feb. 17, 2010. He was born May 8, 1962, in Hinsdale, Ill. He spent his senior year with Ripon at Bonn University in Germany. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. He worked in sales and at his death was a sales engineer for Optima Corp. of Germany. He loved the sport and camaraderie of rugby, was a member of the Green Bay Celtics and was instrumental in starting rugby clubs in area high schools. He was also passionate about golf, skiing, ice fishing and riding his scooter. Survivors include his wife, Debbie, 1967 Stone Silo Circle, De Pere, WI, 54115; one son and one daughter.

Norbert Rupp, who taught German and classics at Ripon College during the late 1960s, died Nov. 24, 2009, in Vienna, Austria.

The Annual Fund Three Ways to Give: Write to us at PO Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971 Call us toll-free at 1-877-231-0455 Visit us online at www.ripon.edu/gift

High-handed greeting Head Coach Bob Gillespie and Nic Schaalma ’12 greet each other during a basketball game. Ripon’s court in Wyman Gymnasium at Storzer Center has been named “Bob Gillespie Court” in honor of Gillespie, the winningest coach in Ripon men’s basketball history. The Ripon men’s basketball team went 15-9 during the 2009-10 season, the team’s most victories since the 2004-05 season. This year’s team also went 10-6 in the Midwest Conference, placing them in a tie for third.