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DELAYED COMMENCEMENT 2020
AIt was a long time coming. A few dozen members of the Class of 2020 came back together Sunday, Aug. 8, for an eagerly anticipated and long-overdue celebration of their graduation from Ripon College.
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Their original Commencement ceremony was cancelled in May 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rainy conditions necessitated moving the ceremony into the intimate setting of Great Hall, but the usual joy and pride abounded among graduates, families, faculty and staff. Of the 136 members of the Class of 2020, 38 walked the stage.
The overriding message of the speakers was one of resiliency and the added skills of adaptability these graduates gained because of the challenges the pandemic forced on them in their final weeks as Ripon College students. Some highlights:
• Tom Abendroth ’81, chairman of the
Ripon College Board of Trustees: “We are here today to celebrate you. … You pivoted to a whole new way of operating, adapting and learning new skills, applying yourselves in new ways. This won’t be the last time (you will use these skills in your life.) I’m confident you’ll do it well.”
• Kimberly M. Larson ’08, president of the Alumni Association Board of
Directors: She welcomed the graduates to the roster of nearly 12,000 Ripon alumni worldwide. “The Class of 2020 has endured. Even though your path may have been unexpected, your Ripon
College experiences have carried you all through.”
• Adam Wronski ’20, class agent: He quoted from the wonderfully poetic speech of Haley M. Stowell ’20, elected as the Class Speaker for the original ceremony. Related to that ceremony’s theme of “Wisconsin Music: Riffs from the Heartland,” Stowell wrote: “We all have our own Ripon song only we can hear.” Wronski added, “Despite all the unknowns, we persevered and maintained a sense of community. Our
Ripon songs (are) written. It is now our task to play them for the world.”
• Kent E. Timm ’81, Commencement speaker and 2021 Distinguished Alumni
Award recipient: “We are reminded how much Ripon has done for us over the decades. … You’re a very, very special class. You’ve not only endured, but a lot of you have thrived. Because of that (pandemic) experience, you are so much better prepared. Where you can go is virtually limitless.“Your experience is unprecedented. You don’t know where you’re going to go, but you’re very well prepared. Ripon College is responsible for giving me the foundation that has led me to all my experiences. The College will be here for you as long as it exists. You’re in a position to thrive, wherever you go and whatever challenges and opportunities you face.”
• President Zach Messitte: “Live in the moment, in the present. (Focus on) the joy of this day of being together in a group. … Treat people with respect today and every day. Most individuals are doing their best to do what is right. To make people happy is one of the greatest things you’ll ever do. There is much to be happy about today.”
You can watch the 2020 Commencement ceremony in its entirety at ripon.edu/2020-ceremony.
Professor of Biology Mark Kainz and Alaura Lemieux ’20
President Zach Messitte celebrates with Miye Aoki-Kramer ’20.
Masoud Kermani ’83 of Louisville, Colorado, is the proud father of Mitra Fadai Kermani ’20
Director of Teacher Education Jean Rigden and Jessica Reyes ’20
Members of the band were David Dunning, left, Professor Emeritus of Music Kurt Dietrich, Adjunct Professor of Music Jessica Jensen and Jazz Band director Paul Dietrich.
Student artwork adds to atmosphere of interfaith chapel
From left: Sophia Mercil ’23 of Roseville, Minnesota; Andy Ratayczak ’23 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin; Amanda Barlow ’23 of Appleton, Wisconsin; and Brandon Lyle ’23 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, are among the students who contributed to the collages.
Contemplative artwork by Ripon College students enhances an interfaith chapel at First Congregational Church in Ripon that provides “a quiet space for contemplation, meditation and prayer.”
The church is located just behind East and Smith halls. The mission statement for the chapel reads: “Recognizing that the diversity of the campus community is an asset to the larger Ripon community, the First Congregational Church of Ripon seeks to support students, faculty and staff of diverse faith traditions by providing a safe space for individuals and groups to engage in their faith practices.”
Professor Emeritus of Educational Studies Jeanne Williams, who also works with the church and is a member there, sought to get students involved with this project. “As an open and affirming church community, we value diversity and want to provide a safe and comfortable space for students when they need quiet time or want to engage in prayer or meditation,” she says. “Small groups are also welcome to use the space.”
She reached out to the Ripon College art department to see if they could help engage students in producing art for the space. Professor of Art Rafael Francisco Salas and Associate Professor of English Megan Gannon agreed that the service-learning project would work for students in their Catalyst 220 class, “Poetry and Paper: Collage and the Written Word.”
As collaborative groups, the students made combinations of poetry and collage around keywords such as Justice, Nostalgia, Resilience and Strength.
The updated chapel space was funded with grants from the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ and a Ripon College President’s Grant. They also worked with the Center for Diversity and Inclusion to support students served by the center and to increase use of the space.
The update took about three months to complete, and the chapel is open daily during the academic year.
ZOE HAZEL ‘22
FRIENDSHIP, WISCONSIN
PARTICIPATING STUDENTS
• Michael Babjak ’23 of Essex, Illinois • Amanda Barlow ’23 of Appleton, Wisconsin • Bennet Beemer ’23 of Westminster, Colorado • Ty Bennett ’24 of Indianola, Nebraska • Dylan Bills ’23 of Nekoosa, Wisconsin • Esteban Borja Pena ’23 of Imperial, Missouri • Cameron Bott ’23 of Madison, Wisconsin • Jordan Bukouricz ’23 of New Franken, Wisconsin • Rufus Burks ’23 of Chicago, Illinois • Parker Campana ’23 of Madison, Wisconsin • Alondra Castillo ’23 of Northlake, Illinois • Kooper Claney ’23 of Casper, Wyoming • Kyle Dippel ’22 of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin • Lydia Ellis ’23 of Dorr, Michigan • Grace Engebretson ’23 of Stevens Point,
Wisconsin • Kiana Fall ’23 of Clayton, Wisconsin • Bridget Finn ’23 of Hales Corners, Wisconsin • Benjamin Fisher ’23 of Waupun, Wisconsin • Kaelyn Flairty ’23 of Hartford, Wisconsin • Mikayla Flyte ’23 of Coloma, Wisconsin • Sam Forstner ’23 of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin • Lydia Fredrick ’23 of New Berlin, Wisconsin • Abigail Gilbertson ’23 of Marquette, Wisconsin • Samantha Giliberto ’23 of Rochester, Minnesota • Alexander Hendrickson ’23 of Wautoma,
Wisconsin • Emily Jacobchak ’23 of Lyndon Station, Wisconsin • Bonnie Jensen ’23 of Waterford, Wisconsin • Deana Johnson ’23 of Adams, Wisconsin • Jacob Jumbeck ’23 of Galesville, Wisconsin • Haley Kramer ’23 of Bancroft, Wisconsin • Alison Leslie ’23 of Clayton, Wisconsin • Brandon Lyle ’23 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin • Sophia Mercil ’23 of Roseville, Minnesota • Natalie Pakosz ’23 of Frankfort, Illinois • Jalen Peters ’23 of Brandon, Wisconsin • Andy Ratayczak ’23 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin • Haley Rewa ’23 of Wayland, Michigan • Emma Sagartz ’23 of Chicago, Illinois • Charles Schultz ’23 of Kewaunee, Wisconsin • Emma Spalding ’23 of Waterford, Wisconsin • Lauren Stae ’23 of Greenville, Wisconsin • Brock Turkington ’23 of Baraboo, Wisconsin • Kara Vande Brink ’23 of Dalton, Wisconsin • Nathaniel Wosmek ’23 of Emily, Minnesota • Kylie Zenz ’23 of Fitchburg, Wisconsin Examples of students’ thought-provoking artwork
Entrepreneur’s legacy lives on at Ripon College
Professor of Biology Mark Kainz and students Szasha Evanoff ’21 of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, left, and Natalie Pakosz ’23 of Frankfort, Illinois, examine a petri plate with bacterial colonies to determine the number of bacteria in a sample.
A significant donation of laboratory assets from Luxerin Laboratories LLC in Fond du Lac is benefiting students in Ripon College’s departments of biology, chemistry and physics, as well as Ripon High School. The massive donation includes equipment, chemicals, glassware, textbooks and supplies valued at just over $54,000.
Luxerin Laboratories launched in 1967 as a family business to fill microbiological testing needs. After the death of founder Patrick Sheridan in November 2020, the business ceased daily operations. “For 53 years, my father took pride in serving customers across Wisconsin and the greater Upper Midwest and always found opportunities to teach and learn the latest in biology and microbiology,” Sheridan’s son, William Sheridan, says.
As the family was working to close the firm’s operations and reconcile the collections, they sought to make a donation that would benefit others.
Joanne Sheridan, Patrick Sheridan’s widow, is “very thankful that the donations you have received from Luxerin Laboratories LLC will be used to help your students learn on their journeys of life in their chosen careers. What could be better than that? My husband’s legacy continues to live on in their lives.” When Professor of Biology Mark Kainz and Associate Professor of Chemistry Patrick Willoughby visited the Fond du Lac facility to access the assets, they “were overwhelmed at what was available,” Kainz says. “Looking in the lab rooms gave us an idea that the donation could be huge and really help us out. Once we entered the lab rooms and started looking into cupboards and drawers, the magnitude of the donation grew with each door or drawer we opened.”
Several staff members of facilities and grounds, faculty members from Farr Hall of Science and many summer research students supplied vehicles and assistance to transport items from the Luxerin lab to Farr in July. Kainz says enhancements include:
•Upgrades to benches in the chemistry labs.
•Upgrades to Associate Professor of
Biology Barbara Sisson’s zebrafish facility.
•Added refrigerator space in the biology and chemistry departments.
•Added incubator space in biology and chemistry.
•A water purification system that will be useful for the quantitative analysis labs as well as general use in Farr. • A substantial addition to Ripon’s microbiological culture media that will allow expansion of lab exercises in microbiology to include food microbiology and clinical microbiology.
•Replenished stocks of laboratory glassware — beakers, flasks, reagent bottles, etc.
•A significant supply of disposable lab items that otherwise would have had to be purchased.
•Upgraded pH meters with research-grade instruments.
The donation also will make the microbiology labs more efficient as the added equipment will allow less waiting time for students using equipment and instruments.
Patrick Sheridan
Mary Hatlen, right, director of the Center for Career and Professional Development, assists Kaelyn Flairty ’23 of Hartland, Wisconsin, as she looks for professional apparel inside Rally’s Career Closet.
Rally’s Career Closet helps students dress for success
Kaelyn Flairty ’23 of Hartland, Wisconsin, checks a mirror inside Rally’s Career Closet to review a blazer.
Removing potential barriers and providing opportunities for students to present themselves as confident, aspiring professionals is the focus of the newly created Rally’s Career Closet.
Mary Hatlen, director of the Center for Career and Professional Development, says Rally’s Career Closet is a collection of clothing students can borrow from for interviews, formal presentations and professional events. “We know for some students it may be cost-prohibitive to purchase a professional suit. Rally’s Career Closet removes these potential barriers,” Hatlen says. “We want to ensure our students have the resources they need to present themselves as a confident professional.”
Hatlen and facilities and grounds staff transformed a former storage room adjacent to the Career and Professional Development Center in Pickard Commons into a showroom of clothing, a dressing room and a small storage area. It’s now a bright, welcoming “boutique” professional clothing closet for Ripon students.
The selection of modern and clean business suit sets and business suit separates initially was assembled by seeking contributions. Rally’s Career Closet got a jump start from a previous effort on campus from which Hatlen was able to pull some professional clothing. “We inspect all donated items to ensure each item is modern, clean and appropriate,” Hatlen says. Unused items are donated to a local charitable organization. Accessories aren’t accepted because of space.
“Students are thrilled that we offer this service,” Hatlen says. Traffic has increased as word gets out on social media. Students have borrowed or adopted clothing for formal presentations, summer internships and job hunting for graduating seniors. Hatlen anticipates increased foot traffic during the spring semester, when more students have the need to present themselves professionally for occasions such as job hunting and interviews.
In its first few months, Rally’s Career Closet has earned some good reviews. “We have had students stop in who are in a bit of a panic due to last-minute interviews or upcoming formal presentations but who don’t have appropriate professional wear with them at college, or the financial means to purchase,” Hatlen says. “I’m happy we were able to accommodate the students who left feeling confident in their chosen attire and presenting themselves as an aspiring professional.”
LOREN BOONE
FORMER DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE RELATIONS
Art donations enhance Ripon College’s collection
“Send in the Clowns,” an abstract painting by Claudette Lee-Roseland. ’60 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, came to Ripon in her memory from her husband, Dean Roseland.
Lee-Roseland died Oct. 3, 2021. At Ripon, she studied philosophy and psychology and participated in student government and Alpha Phi/Kappa Sigma Chi. She received a master’s degree in special education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. After a career as a teacher, she became a professional artist and exhibited around the state.
Her work is displayed on her website, claudetteleeroseland.com.
Portrait of Ripon College founder Jehdeiah Bowen
An 1883 oil on canvas portrait of Ripon College founder Jehdeiah Bowen was donated to the College by Erika Doss ’78 and Geoffrey Thrumston ’78 of South Bend, Indiana. The portrait now hangs in the Ripon College Museum in West Hall.
Thrumston says of Bowen, “He is my great-greatgrandfather. At some point, every person in my family line had something to do with Ripon College, ever since 1851.” After his father, Richard Thrumston ’47 died in 2020, “the picture came to me.” Thrumston says. “Since Ripon College is important to me and important to my father, the obvious place for it to go was to Ripon College.”
Bowen was born in Wales and moved to the United States in 1830. He was one of the earliest settlers of Fond du Lac County and instrumental in founding Ripon College and the Republican Party. He served on the College Board of Trustees from 1851-1882.
His home was on the western edge of what is now called Bowen’s Woods, where Scott Hall is now located. The land was owned by Bowen until 1880 and given to Ripon College in 1929.
The portrait’s artist, Mark R. Harrison, immigrated to the United States from England in 1822. He lived in Fond du Lac, near Ripon College.
Alan Leonard ’86 and his wife, Brenda, of Cape May, New Jersey, donated a 19th-century héliogravure print. The print is made after Rembrandt van Rijn’s “Presentation in the Temple in the Dark Manner,” c.1654. It now hangs in the resource center of C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts.
This is made from a plate of Rembrandt’s work, which Leonard believes was an original from Rembrandt’s studio. Héliogravure is the oldest procedure for reproducing photographic images and is considered an artistic medium in its own right.
Héliogravure print after Rembrandt van Rijn’s “Presentation in the Temple in the Dark Manner”
