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Ripon College Red Hawk

Attending a recent college reunion brought back many fond memories, as well as rediscovering the benefits of a small college.

Ripon College, founded in 1851, is located in Ripon, Wisconsin. As a small, private liberal arts college, Ripon has lots to offer the best and brightest students in the way of individual attention, extracurricular activities and a personalized education. 

Equally impressive is Zach Messitte, the college president. Starting only his fourth year, Zach, as he likes to be called, has big ideas for the campus and has set extraordinary expectations. Imagine Tomorrow, the college’s largest campaign in its history, had a goal of raising $50 million. The campaign exceeded it goal by $20 million for a total of $70 million. 

Ripon College Zach Messitte

A couple more of Zach’s “goals in progress” include reviewing the curriculum and renovating Storzer Athletic Center, the health, wellness and athletic facility. When Zach is not teaching a class or taking students to Italy in the summer, he can be seen buzzing around campus on a powder blue Vespa. Getting to know the college president and making a personal connection is unlikely at a big university. But that’s Ripon College! By the way, Zach’s favorite food is yogurt, and his current favorite physical activity is walking in the nearby prairie.

During the reunion, I even ran into my favorite English professor, Dr. Douglas Northrup. He is retired but still has a presence on campus.

Dr Douglas Northrup

Attending a small college has many lifelong benefits that aren’t always obvious at first. For more information, check out www.Ripon.edu