Ripon alumni impact the future with careers in education

From the first graduating class in 1867 through today, Ripon College has continued to educate students who are passionate about sharing their knowledge, continuing their own learning and influencing generations to come through the power of education. They teach around the world at all educational levels from pre-school to graduate school. They serve as counselors and in administration, the Peace Corps and educational programs in service and business settings. Here are some of them.

Madeson Walgenbach ’16

A desire to help others and to share her passion for language led Madeson Walgenbach ’16 to major in educational studies and Spanish at Ripon College. As a student, she received the Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers Future Language Teacher Award.

Walgenbach is a Spanish teacher at Waupun (Wisconsin) Junior/Senior High School, teaching sevenththrough 12th-grade Spanish. “Good educators invest in their students and work to mold learning to fit their needs,” Walgenbach says. “My hope is for students to understand that life will always throw them challenges but that those challenges are what will mold them as people and help them grow.”

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Brown ’13

The transition to being an educator happened “organically” for Elizabeth “Lizzie” Brown ’13. She has a degree in English from Ripon College and a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. She now is an associate professor and reference librarian/ instruction coordinator at Brooks Library at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington.

There, she now also works as an instructor and educator. “I’ve found that the values of educational work aligned closely with my personal interests and values,” she says. “The work I currently do allows me to help students achieve their educational goals, explore the learning edge with them, expose students to new ideas, contribute to the available scholarship in my profession and learn something new every day.”

She says a good educator should be open-minded. “If we ask those we teach to gain new knowledge from us, we have to be open to gaining new knowledge in return,” she says. “Teaching is definitely a forked road, and the same lesson that works for one class may flop with another. Being flexible in the moment requires keeping your perspective on the big-picture goals and constantly reading your group to provide information in a way that’s relevant to them.

There is so much to learn in life, and the time I have with students is limited. If I can inspire them to be their own motivation to learn more, I have done my job.”

Leah Hover-Preiss ’08

“I feel that education is the most important career there is,” says Leah Hover-Preiss ’08 of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. “Without quality teachers at all levels, there would not be good doctors, lawyers, engineers and so on. Society needs educators who want to make the world a better place, and I have always wanted to do so.”

Hover-Preiss teaches math at Poynette (Wisconsin) High School. She also is coach of the math team, adviser to the Link Crew Freshman Transition Program and co-founder and co-adviser to the Literary Arts Council. She recently defended her dissertation toward a doctorate in education from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and has presented papers at education conferences and workshops.

“My biggest desire is for my students to know that while they may never use some of the formulas or mathematical properties they learned in algebra and geometry in their everyday lives, they will use the perseverance, resiliency, collaboration and problem-solving strategies that they developed in the courses and that with those qualities they can do anything they want to do.

“A good educator cares not only for each student they work with but wants to push them to be the best individual he or she can be.”

Lindsey Kreye Heil ’08

Lindsey Kreye Heil ’08 of Savage, Minnesota, is a high school special education teacher, working with students who have mild-to-moderate learning disabilities. She also teaches 10th-grade English and a small-group structured English class.

“While I was growing up, I faced a variety of academic challenges,” Heil says. “Along the way, I was lucky enough to have teachers who believed in me and encouraged me to never give up. … I decided to go into education, specifically special education, with hope that I would be able to help students through their learning challenges and in reaching their highest potential.”

She says a good educator is passionate about the subjects they teach, develops meaningful relationships with students and families, and holds high expectations for all students.

“Each year, I have between 18 and 22 high school students on my special education caseload,” she says. “All of these students have individualized education programs and all have very unique needs. My hope is that they not only take away the skills that I have helped them learn throughout high school but also remember that, although things in life might not always come easily, with hard work and determination, it is possible to obtain your dreams.”

Olivia Wetzel ’13

Olivia Wetzel ’13 originally planned to teach, but hearing a school counselor speak about justice sparked a career change. After completing the professional counseling program and earning a master’s of science degree in education at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, she now is the K-5 school counselor at Rossman Elementary School in Hartford, Wisconsin.

“I decided to go into education because I wanted to be the safe place/ person for students at school,” she says. “Without those safe people I had the privilege of meeting on my own journey through school, I would not be where I am today. WB Yeats said, ‘Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.’ I wanted to be the spark that inspires perseverance, compassion, curiosity, open-mindedness and acceptance. It is truly an honor and privilege to be this support for both students and staff.”

She feels a good educator has a passion for educating others and uses their own education to do so. “A great educator, however, knows they are always as much of a student as they are an educator,” she says. “They are vulnerable, passionate and authentic. They are ready to be challenged and take on challenges, and they believe in their colleagues and students fiercely.”

Bryant Bednarek ’07

Making an impact on a larger scale led Bryant Bednarek ’07 to transition from being a classroom teacher to an administrator. He is the assistant principal at Wautoma (Wisconsin) High School.

As both his parents were teachers, “I saw firsthand that I could live a fulfilling life as an educator. I also feel strongly that today’s youths are in need of positive influences and role models from outside the home because many do not have a stable home environment. I felt I could have a positive impact on many lives as an educator and leave my mark through that impact.”

He says good educators like and want to help students be strong, engaging communicators, and have a love of learning for themselves. “Today’s teachers have to be especially creative to engage students who come in hooked on instant gratification platforms like social media,” he says. “Education is changing and what worked well five years ago may not work well in five more years. In order to stand the test of time, you have to continue to grow your craft.”

He says the most important lessons aren’t found on standardized tests. “I hope my students realize that even though we all come from different places and that we all have different aspirations, the world is better if we are nice to people along the way,” he says. “If they don’t learn anything else, I hope it is how to get along with others who are different.”

Erika Doss ’78 of South Bend, Indiana, comes from a family of educators. Her mother taught elementary school, and her father, Seale Doss, was a professor of philosophy at Ripon College from 1964-99. “Their respect and enthusiasm for learning and for critical thinking about how and what we learn was infectious,” Doss says.

She now is a professor in the Department of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame and received Ripon College’s Distinguished Alumni Citation in June 2018.

The qualities of a good educator: “Being fair and being clear. Being able to explain how and why the subject that you are teaching is relevant and important. Not assuming you know everything and being open to alternative points of view. Modeling a kind of behavior and a way of thinking that motivates and inspires students to think for themselves and achieve their own goals and ambitions. Having empathy. Having a thick skin. Staying curious and enthusiastic about what you teach.”

Her hope for her students, she says, is for them to always forge their own paths and stay curious about the world.

Stuart Russ ’07

Education is a family tradition for Stuart Russ ’07. His mother and three aunts were teachers. His father was a school board president. His uncle was an elementary school principal. He has siblings and cousins who are all in education.

“Growing up, teaching was something that always interested me,” Russ says. “It was not until I entered the classroom that I became interested in pursuing a career in administration.”

At Ripon College, Russ majored in history and minored in English and educational studies. He taught for six years, was associate principal at a high school for four years and now is in his first year as principal of Shawano (Wisconsin) Community Middle School.

“No two days are ever the same,” he says. “I am responsible for staffing, professional development, student achievement and everything in between.”

He says good educators can form genuine, positive relationships with students and challenge themselves and their students to achieve at levels they did not think possible. “I hope my students know that I value them as people,” he says. “I want them to be able to go into the world with the ability to think for themselves and not take everything at face value. We live in a time when the ability to critically think and evaluate information is more important than ever.”

Missy Skurzewski-Servant ’04

Missy Skurzewski-Servant ’04 discovered a passion for education, first as a teacher and then as an administrator. She earned a Ph.D. in leadership studies, served as associate dean at UW-Sheboygan and now is dean of the School of Business and Technology for the various campuses of Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin.

“Lifelong learning is a part of (an educator’s) identity, while at the same time they are masters of their skill/discipline,” she says. “A good educator cares about people’s needs and mentors individuals toward their goals. They set high standards for students and colleagues and hold themselves and others accountable for providing a quality learning experience and environment in their classroom. These individuals know that their impact is experienced not only in the classroom, but also through their support of institutional events, in the building of partnerships with businesses and other educators, and in spreading their knowledge to the larger surrounding community.”

She wants students to learn and develop from her modeling and guidance. “I hope that all students realize how fortunate they are to have had the opportunity to experience education and that they encourage others to embrace learning,” she says. “I hope they achieve their dreams, utilize their talents to contribute positively to society and pause often to reflect and appreciate all that their educational experience provided for them.”

Nick Osenberg ’11

“One of my first memories is pretending to be a teacher with the neighborhood kids as my pupils, so being an educator was something I grew up wanting to be,” says Nick Osenberg ’11 of Ferndale, Michigan.

At the Warren (Michigan) Consolidated School of Performing Arts, he teaches design and technical theatre, oversees costume shop operations, works with student carpenters and painters, and with parent volunteers on box office duties and ushering.

“A good educator is a listener and a believer in the next generation(s) of citizens,” Osenberg says. “I strive to make my classroom a place where I talk for less than a third of the class period and my students spend the other two-thirds working and actively participating in class while I listen and respond to their work.”

He says he also believes in the power of education to help democratic societies thrive and create well-informed citizens. “I want my students to believe that they can do whatever they set their minds to and make them self-actualized learners,” Osenberg says. “Much like Ripon College taught me, I want my students to be able to learn new things throughout the course of their lives.”

Bryan Nell ’09

Teaching was always the goal for Bryan Nell ’09. “I find it very rewarding to share my knowledge of a subject with my students and pass along what I know,” he says. “It is a very challenging but very gratifying experience.”

Nell majored in chemistry and minored in economics at Ripon College. He earned a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Oregon, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. He now is an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Minnesota, Morris, teaching primarily organic chemistry and other upper-level electives. He also performs chemical research with the help of his undergraduate researchers.

“I think there are many ways one can be a good educator, and it is a constantly evolving process of learning how to be better at teaching,” Nell says. “I find that being passionate about a subject can really engage students and get them to be actively learning in the classroom. Other key things I think are important: patience, being a good listener and asking lots of questions.

“I hope that my students come away from my classroom being able to solve problems and to think critically. Not every student will continue on in chemistry, but they still can learn valuable skills they can use the rest of their lives.”

Emily Dozier ’14

“I am passionate about learning and wanted to share that passion with others,” says Emily Dozier ’14 of Quincy, Illinois. “Education provides endless opportunities, and I believe the lack of an education is what keeps people rooted in poverty.”

Dozier is an adult education transition coordinator at John Wood Community College, working with adult students on their GEDs, basic education skills or improving their English.

She says a good educator recognizes that one size does not fit all. Her students come from diverse backgrounds and ability levels and learn differently and at their own pace. “On top of educational challenges, many also struggle with very real-world problems like transportation, child care and even housing,” she says.

It is important for students to realize that education is the only thing that can’t be taken away from them, she says. “I hope they keep moving forward in their educational journeys or careers. Most of the students in our program live challenging lives with poverty at the center of it. Since many have grown up in, or are still immersed in, a culture of poverty, it can be difficult for our students to see the bigger picture to continue their education when they have immediate needs.”