Ripon College is a private liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin. As of fall 2018, the college enrolled around 800 students, the majority of whom lived on campus. Students came from 14 nations and 33 states, 53% were female, and nearly 70% of students were Wisconsin residents.

History

Ripon College was founded in 1851, although its first class of students did not enroll until 1853. It was first known as Brockway College, named for William S. Brockway, who gave the most, $25, in a fundraising effort. Ripon's first class, four women, graduated in June 1867. The college was founded with ties to local churches, but early in its history the institution became secular. In 1868 formal ties with

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

and

Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

churches were cut, but Ripon would retain some ties to its religious past. During the nineteenth century students were required to attend two church services each Sunday. The first six presidents of Ripon College had clerical backgrounds, as did the previous president, David Joyce. Today the school offers classes in world religions, but there are no required religious courses, and students are not required to attend religious services. The college recognized social and academic Greek letter societies in 1924. The Ripon chapter of

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...

was started by Clark Kuebler, who served as president from 1944 to 1955. The

National Forensic League The National Speech and Debate Association is an American student debating society. It was established in 1925 as the National Forensic League; the name was changed in 2014. It is one of four major national organizations that direct high schoo ...

was founded at the college in 1925. Since that time communication has been important at the college, which today organizes its endeavors as part of a Communication Consortium that provides real-world experience to students, such as managing the campus newspaper, mentoring people within the broader community about communication, and participating in forensics.

Academics

At Ripon College, every student is expected to complete a major. The college is on the semester system and has two optional three-week summer sessions known as Liberal Arts In Focus. These In Focus programs include both on-campus offerings as well as travel courses to Italy, England, and elsewhere. Students may choose from 31 majors, a variety of pre-professional advising options and also opt to self-design a major. Off-campus study is highly encouraged; nearly one-third of all Ripon College students elect to spend a semester off-campus on a focused area of study. Ripon has a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1.

Catalyst Curriculum

Students take five Catalyst courses that focus on solving real-world problems. The Catalyst curriculum consists of five seminars, two in the first year, two in the sophomore year, and the applied innovation seminar in the junior year. After completing the Catalyst curriculum, students receive a certificate in Applied Innovation. Ripon College provides a four-year graduation guarantee to all students who remain in good academic standing, declare a major course of study by the end of sophomore year, and follow an approved course plan.

Faculty mentoring

Each incoming student is assigned a faculty mentor based on their area of interest. Together, faculty mentors and staff in the Office of Career Development work with students throughout their time on campus to help set goals and construct a course plan to reach those goals.

Associated Colleges of the Midwest

Ripon is a member of the

Associated Colleges of the Midwest Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) is a consortium of 14 private liberal arts colleges, primarily in the Midwestern United States. The 14 colleges are located in five states (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Colorado). The ACM was es ...

(ACM), a grouping of private liberal arts schools that share expertise and collaborate on off-campus study programs. The college is also affiliated with the Annapolis Group of private liberal arts colleges and is a member of the

Council of Independent Colleges The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) is an association in the United States of more than 650 independent, liberal arts colleges and universities and more than 100 higher education affiliates and organizations that work together to strengthen ...

Center for Politics and the People

The Center for Politics and the People was established in spring 2014. The center sponsors scholarship and hosts special events featuring elected officials and policy makers, high-level campaign operatives, academic experts, journalists, prognosticators and citizens representing a spectrum of political views. The center also manages the college's annual Career Discovery Tour to Washington, D.C., and helps place students in internships.

Badger Boys State

From 1941 to 2019, the college also served as the host site for Badger Boys State, a summer leadership and citizenship program for more than 800 Wisconsin high school juniors that focuses on exploring the mechanics of American government and politics.

Arts

The college's C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts houses the Departments of Art, Music, and Theater.

Visual art

The Art Department manages two gallery spaces, one of which is dedicated to student work and the other to art more broadly. Work by students and professional artists is also shown across campus. A sculpture garden is located adjacent to the building. Two art works of note in the permanent collection of the college are life-size portraits by Anthony van Dyck of Princess Amalia of the

House of Orange The House of Orange-Nassau (Dutch: ''Huis van Oranje-Nassau'', ) is the current reigning house of the Netherlands. A branch of the European House of Nassau, the house has played a central role in the politics and government of the Netherlands ...

and Sir Roger Townshend. The Classics department also manages a collection of classical Greek and Roman artifacts, many of which are displayed in the campus library.

Music

The college has a music department which offers classes, lessons, and ensembles. Students of any major may participate in the music department and are eligible for music scholarships. The department offers the following ensembles: Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Rally Band, Jazz Ensemble, and three choirs (Chamber Singers, Choral Union, and Concert Choir). All musical ensembles, with the exception of Chamber Singers, are open to students, faculty and staff, and community members to join without auditioning. All musical performances by campus groups are free to students and the public. The program also hosts visiting musicians each semester, and performances are free to all students.

Theater

The college's theater program produces three productions per year, with students from any major encouraged to act or be involved with set, costume, and makeup design. Each theater major directs a one-act production their senior year, as part of a campus theater festival. Students regularly participate in the Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. All theatrical events are free to students and the public.

Sustainability and the environment

Sustainability initiatives

Ripon College attempts to be a sustainable institution. It has a fleet of campus hybrid vehicles, a recycling program, and uses energy efficient light bulbs.

Ceresco Prairie Conservancy

The college is home to the Ceresco Prairie Conservancy, consisting of of native prairie, oak savanna, and wetland habitat in the making. The Ceresco Prairie Conservancy is used by different classes in a number of different disciplines. It tries to maintain a healthy population of bees in the area, by including them in the prairie area. Trails for walking and snowshoeing throughout this area connect to a municipally run nature park, the South Woods. A student group, EGOR: The Environmental Group of Ripon, focuses on awareness of these issues. Students can major in environmental studies, which is an interdisciplinary program.

Media

* ''College Days'' – a monthly newspaper, published both in print and digitally * WRPN-FM – a campus radio station with digital broadcasts * RCTV – a television production group (defunct as of Fall 2022) * ''Parallax'' – a literary magazine * ''Crimson'' – yearbook that used to be distributed every spring. The last issue was published in the spring of 2017.

Student life

Clubs

Over 60 student clubs on campus range from fraternities and sororities to special interest groups (focuses include the environment, sexual orientation, race, religion, etc.) to academics (art, anthropology, physics, sociology, music, theater, mathematics, and others) to service groups (Amnesty, animal welfare, etc.) to politics (Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Greens).

Greek life

The college has seven residential dormitories with several sororities, including

Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Chi Omega (, also known as Alpha Chi or A Chi O) is a national women's fraternity founded on October 15, 1885. As of 2018, there are 132 collegiate and 279 alumnae chapters represented across the United States, and the fraternity counts ...

Alpha Delta Pi Alpha Delta Pi (), commonly known as ADPi (pronounced "ay-dee-pye"), is an International Panhellenic sorority founded on May 15, 1851, at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. It is the oldest secret society for women. Alpha Delta Pi is a memb ...

, and

Kappa Delta Kappa Delta (, also known as KD or Kaydee) was the first sorority founded at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University), in Farmville, Virginia. Kappa Delta is one of the "Farmville Four" sororities founded at the university, whic ...

. The college has four all-male fraternities including chapters of

Sigma Chi Sigma Chi () International Fraternity is one of the largest North American fraternal literary societies. The fraternity has 244 active (undergraduate) chapters and 152 alumni chapters across the United States and Canada and has initiated more t ...

Theta Chi Theta Chi () is an international Fraternities and sororities, college fraternity. It was founded on April 10, 1856 at Norwich University then-located in Norwich, Vermont, and has initiated more than 200,000 members and currently has over 8,700 c ...

, Phi Delta Theta, and a local fraternity, Phi Kappa Pi, (named Merriman for the college's founding president). Students in all four fraternities live in dormitories on campus, following the recent removal of Phi Kappa Pi from Merriman House (demolished in 2021). Phi Kappa Pi was relocated to the Quad living area, with the other three fraternities, after the Merriman house was condemned and the board of Trustees determined that all students (unless exempted) should reside in residence halls. The three sororities live in one dorm, Johnson Hall, which includes independent and first year women.

Diversity

People of color compose 10% of the student population. The McNair Scholars program supports first generation college students and African American, Native American, and Hispanic students who wish to attend graduate school. The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), inaugurated in 2015, is a space on campus that centers diversity, including programming such as multicultural events. Student groups that focus on the experiences of racially diverse, culturally diverse, and LGBT students are also active on campus, and are part of a wider Diversity Coalition through the CDI.

Athletics

Ripon athletics teams participate in

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

Division III as part of the

Midwest Conference The Midwest Conference (MWC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in the Midwestern United States in the states of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The Midwest Conference was ...

. Conference competition for men includes: cross-country, football, soccer (fall), basketball (winter), swimming (winter), indoor and outdoor track, baseball, golf, and tennis (spring). Conference competition for women includes: cross-country, golf, soccer, tennis, volleyball (fall), basketball (winter), swimming (winter), indoor and outdoor track, and softball (spring).

Campus facilities

Education buildings and offices

The Ripon College Historic District is on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. * Bartlett Hall – part of the college union and houses student services and student organization offices * East Hall – classrooms and faculty offices (the original campus building) * Farr Hall – science laboratories, classrooms, and faculty offices * Harwood Memorial Union – Great Hall, The Pub, lounges, mail center, radio station ( WRPN), and student organization offices * Kemper Hall – Information Technology Services * Lane Library – Ripon College Library and Waitkus Computer Lab * S.N. Pickard Commons – coffee shop, dining facility * Rodman Center for the Performing Arts – theatre, music, and studio art * Smith Hall – business and financial aid offices * Willmore Center – full-sized gymnasium, the tartan area, swimming pool, dance studio, locker rooms * Todd Wehr Hall – classrooms and faculty offices . * West Hall – classrooms and faculty offices

Residence halls

* Campus Apartments – Apartment style living for third- and fourth- year students * Johnson Hall – Independent women and sororities * The Quad – Independent upper-class students and fraternities ** Anderson Hall – Co-ed; the residence of Phi Kappa Pi ** Bovay Hall – Co-ed ** Brockway Hall – Men only; the residence of Sigma Chi and Theta Chi fraternities ** Mapes Hall – Co-ed; the residence of Phi Delta Theta fraternity * Scott Hall – First-year men, upper-class men and women * Tri Dorms (Shaler Hall, Evans Hall, Wright Hall) – first-year women and men

Recognition

The school's

volunteerism Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

and

community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performe ...

earned it a place on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for 2009. In 2009, ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...

'' ranked Ripon 100th on the list of America's 600 best colleges. The school earned an award from

The Chronicle of Higher Education ''The Chronicle of Higher Education'' is a newspaper and website that presents news, information, and jobs for college and university faculty and student affairs professionals (staff members and administrators). A subscription is required to re ...

as being one of the "Great Colleges to Work For" in the nation, an award given to institutions that are well-managed and where faculty and staff are enthusiastic about their jobs.

Notable alumni

* Ryan C. Amacher, university administrator * Frank L. Anders,

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

recipient * Jack Ankerson, NFL player *

Dick Bennett Richard A. Bennett (born April 20, 1943) is an American former college basketball coach who is best known for building the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball program into a mid-major power and revitalizing the Wisconsin Badgers basket ...

, head coach of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix,

Wisconsin Badgers The Wisconsin Badgers are the athletic teams representing the University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin). They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level ( Football Bowl Subdivis ...

, and

Washington State Cougars The Washington State Cougars (known informally as the Cougs) are the athletic teams that represent Washington State University. Located in Pullman, Washington, WSU is a member of the Pac-12 Conference in NCAA Division I. The athletic program com ...

men's basketball teams * Emma H. Blair, class of 1872, editor, translator, historian, and compiler * Joseph H. Bottum, South Dakota state senator *

Theodore Brameld Theodore Brameld (20 January 1904 – 1987) was a philosopher and educator who supported the educational philosophy of social reconstructionism. His philosophy originated in 1928 when he enrolled as a doctoral student at the University of Chicag ...

, philosopher * Halbert W. Brooks, Wisconsin State Representative *

Fremont C. Chamberlain Fremont C. Chamberlain (October 6, 1856 – December 4, 1931) was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. Biography Chamberlain was born on October 6, 1856, in Ripon, Wisconsin. Attending Ripon College, for a dozen years he taught sc ...

, Michigan State Representative * Allen Cohen, composer * Dennis Conta, politician and consultant * Bernard Darling, NFL player * W. R. Davies, second president (1941–1959) of

University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (UW–Eau Claire, UWEC or simply Eau Claire) is a public university in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System and offers bachelor's and master's degrees. UW–Eau Claire h ...

* Harrison Ford, Academy Award-nominated actor and star of franchise film series such as '' Indiana Jones'', '' Star Wars'', ''

Blade Runner ''Blade Runner'' is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, and written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos, it is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick' ...

'' and '' Jack Ryan'' * Justice Michael Gableman, class of 1988, Wisconsin State Supreme Court Justice 2008–present
* George Glennie, NFL player *

Tubby Howard Lynn "Tubby" Howard (June 10, 1894 – May 30, 1969) was a player in the National Football League. Howard was born and lived in Mondovi, Wisconsin. He played with the Green Bay Packers for two seasons. He played at the collegiate level at Indi ...

, NFL player *

Bruno E. Jacob Bruno Ernst Jacob (September 9, 1899 – January 5, 1979) was a professor at Ripon College in Wisconsin and founder of the National Forensic League. He served as the league's executive secretary from 1925 until his retirement in 1969. Biography ...

, founder of

* Al Jarreau, class of 1962, Grammy Award-winning singer * Harley Sanford Jones,

U.S. Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...

general * Alan Klapmeier, co-founder of Cirrus Design Corporation and CEO of One Aviation Corporation * Lewis G. Kellogg, Wisconsin State Senator * Oscar Hugh La Grange,

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

general *

Frances Lee McCain Frances Lee McCain (born July 28, 1943) is an American actress. Early life and education McCain was born in York, Pennsylvania and grew up in New York, Illinois and Colorado in addition to California. She graduated from Ripon College with ...

, actress *

Mabel Johnson Leland Mabel Johnson Leland (September 7, 1871 – March 23, 1947) was an American lecturer on Scandinavian literature and translator from Norwegian to English. Her most notable work with the translation of Arne Garborg's ''The Lost Father'' from the Ne ...

, lecturer, translator * Charlie Mathys, NFL player for

Hammond Pros The Hammond Pros from Hammond, Indiana played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1926 as a traveling team. History The Pros were established by local businessman Paul Parduhn and Dr. Alva Young. Young, a boxing promoter and owner o ...

and Green Bay Packers * James Megellas, member of 82nd Airborne during World War II * Elmer A. Morse, U.S. Representative *

Orville W. Mosher Orville Watson Mosher (November 8, 1853 – October 6, 1933) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate. Biography Mosher was born on November 8, 1853, near Waupun, Wisconsin. He graduated from Ripon College ...

, Wisconsin State Senator * Ingolf E. Rasmus, Wisconsin State Representative * Joan Raymond, superintendent of the

Houston Independent School District The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the largest public school system in Texas, and the eighth-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and ...

McAdams, Donald R. ''Fighting to Save Our Urban Schools-- and Winning!: Lessons from Houston''.

Teachers College Press Teachers College Press is the university press of Teachers College, Columbia University. Founded in 1904, Teachers College Press has published professional and classroom materials for over a century and currently publishes 70 titles per year. Hi ...

, 2000. , 9780807738849. p
1
*

Dick Rehbein Richard Rehbein (November 22, 1955 – August 6, 2001) was an American football coach for twenty-three seasons in the NFL, filling a variety of roles as an offensive position coach. Playing career Rehbein attended Ripon College, where he was a ...

, NFL assistant coach * Charles Rutkowski, professional football player * Ted Scalissi, professional football player *

Webb Schultz Wilbert Carl "Webb" Schultz (January 31, 1898 – July 26, 1986) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Schultz played for the Chicago White Sox in . In one career game, he had a 0–0 record, going one inning, and giving up one run and one hit. He ...

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player * Champ Seibold, NFL player for Green Bay Packers and

Chicago Cardinals The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons. Roots ...

Wally Sieb Walter John "Wally" Sieb (May 6, 1899 – January 18, 1974) was an American football halfback for the Racine Legion of the National Football League (NFL) in 1922. He played at the collegiate level at Ripon College. Biography Sieb was born on ...

, NFL player * Dave Smith, professional football player * Harry G. Snyder, Wisconsin State Representative and Court of Appeals Judge * Scott Strazzante, photojournalist for the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...

'' and the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The ...

'' * Richard Threlkeld, correspondent with CBS News and

ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...

* Michael Tinkham, class of 1951, superconductivity physicist *

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

, class of 1924, Academy Award-winning actor * Samuel R. Webster, Wisconsin State Representative *

Lloyd Wescott Lloyd Bruce Wescott (November 21, 1907 – December 24, 1990) was an agriculturalist, civil servant, and philanthropist in New Jersey. Born and educated in Wisconsin, he moved to New York after college before settling in New Jersey where he ...

, New Jersey agriculturalist and civil servant *

Cowboy Wheeler Vincent Lyle "Cowboy" Wheeler (February 6, 1898 – September 20, 1939) was a professional football player who was an original member of the Green Bay Packers. He played for the Packers beginning in 1919, two years before the team joined the Nat ...

, NFL player * Jon Wilcox, State Supreme Court Justice from 1992 to 2007 * Gary G. Yerkey, journalist * Otto Julius Zobel, inventor of m-derived filter and Zobel network

Notable faculty

* Edward Daniels, geologist * David Graham, poet *

Karen Holbrook Karen Ann Holbrook (born November 6, 1942, in Des Moines, Iowa) is the regional chancellor of University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee since January 2, 2018. Career Holbrook earned her B.S. and M.S. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, ...

, President of

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

, founder of the

* Wacław Jędrzejewicz, Polish diplomat * Alfred E. Kahn, Chairman of the

Civil Aeronautics Board The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) was an agency of the federal government of the United States, formed in 1938 and abolished in 1985, that regulated aviation services including scheduled passenger airline serviceStringer, David H."Non-Skeds: T ...

* Peg Lautenschlager,

Attorney General of Wisconsin The Attorney General of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Forty-five individuals have held the office of Attorney General since statehood. The incumbent is Josh Kaul, ...

* Minerva Brace Norton, educator and author * Russell Burton Reynolds,

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

Major General * Clarissa Tucker Tracy, botanist *

William Hayes Ward William Hayes Ward (June 25, 1835 – August 28, 1916) was an American clergyman, editor, and Orientalist. Biography William Hayes Ward was born in Abington, Massachusetts on June 25, 1835. After attending Berwick Academy in Maine, adjacent t ...

, President of the

American Oriental Society The American Oriental Society was chartered under the laws of Massachusetts on September 7, 1842. It is one of the oldest learned societies in America, and is the oldest devoted to a particular field of scholarship. The Society encourages basi ...

References

External links

* {{authority control Private universities and colleges in Wisconsin Liberal arts colleges in Wisconsin Educational institutions established in 1851 Education in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin Buildings and structures in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin Tourist attractions in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin Ripon, Wisconsin 1851 establishments in Wisconsin