On this day in 1914, senior Nathanial B. Dexter took first place at the Wisconsin State Peace Oratorical Contest. A philosophy major and gifted speaker, Dexter was president of the oratorical union and a regular competitor in intercollegiate debate.
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On this day in 1916, Latimer Johns, Class of 1911, returned to campus. As Ripon's first Rhodes Scholar, he was invited back to speak on campus. Johns was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army and was killed in France, Sept. 30, 1918, during World War I.
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Did you know Wisconsin-born singer and songwriter Al Jarreau, Ripon Class of 1962, is the only person to win Grammy Awards in 3 categories: jazz, pop and R&B? He was a psychology major at Ripon and worked as a counselor with war vets before establishing a career as a musician.
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The women's basketball team has advanced to the second round of the NCAA Div. III Tournament and will face host Concordia College (Moorehead, MN) tonight at 8 pm CST. Head to riponredhawks.com for a link to the livestream and cheer on our Red Hawks from wherever you are. Let's go, Ripon!
Make Ripon Yours.
With 40+ majors and 40+ minors, you can discover your passion or customize a course plan to pursue the professional degree you already have in mind. There are endless options and extraordinary outcomes. At Ripon, your education is yours to create.
Is riding a camel on your bucket list? Our 10 students in the 2026 Ripon in Barcelona program had that opportunity during a recent visit to Morocco.
Next Ripon in Barcelona 2027 informational session:
March 10 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Heritage Room, Pickard Commons
As our 175th year heads into March, we celebrate the creative heartbeat of Ripon. This month, we pay tribute to the music, stories and performances that bring our community to life. Here, creativity isn’t just seen or heard — it’s shared and felt together.
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Time flies, as they say. #RiponCollege175
On this day in 1916, the men’s basketball team defeats Lawrence 33-17 on Lawrence’s home court to capture the Interscholastic Championship title. It was Coach Harold Ofstie's first year at the helm. He coached three years with an overall record of 21-13.
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Thank you to everyone who contributed during our first Rally Day of 2026. Your generosity — 400+ gifts from 38 states — pushed us beyond our goal of $175,000, raising more than $208,000. Contributions to the Ripon Fund now exceed $1.6 million for FY2026.
On this day in 1922, an ice and wind storm wreaks havoc throughout the city of Ripon causing a large scale power outage. It would take a considerable amount of time to restore power and communication. The largest loss to campus was the destruction of many beautiful, old trees.
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On this day in 1857, The Rev. Jeremiah W. Walcott deeds the College property to the Board of Trustees, who secure his claim of $6,977 (approximately $260,000 in 2026) by a mortgage on the entire real estate. The campus embraces about nine acres at the time.
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Senior Brendan Kile wrote the following article about Ingram Hall and the former Indoor Athletic Field as an intern for the Ripon Historical Society:
Ramadan Kareem to all who celebrate. We wish you a generous Ramadan.
On this day in 1958, local fraternity Delta Sigma Psi becomes chartered as the Wisconsin Beta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. That charter would be revoked in 1980.
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Wishing you and your sweetheart a special day. This archive photo is described as being from the military ball in 1948.
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On this day in 1919, the U.S. Army establishes a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program on the Ripon College campus. The program was led by Captain William E. Ostemaier and quickly became one of the region's and nation's best-rated ROTC programs.
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In 1851, William Stevens Brockway, a young merchant and a trustee of the First Congregational Church of Ceresco, won the naming rights for what would become Ripon College for $250 (approx. $10,500 today). The name of the College was changed to Ripon in 1864.
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Our students in Barcelona this semester are cooking up some delicious traditional Spanish meals. Find out how you can participate next year by attending the informational session today at 11:30 a.m. in the Dahm Heritage Room of Pickard Commons.
It's Super Bowl Sunday, and the Patriots are back. Tom Brady was key to the team's success (9 Super Bowls/6 wins from 2002-2019). Did you know Dick Rehbein ’77, Patriots' quarterbacks coach in 2000, is credited with convincing Coach Belichick to draft Brady in the 2000 NFL draft?
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Coming to Ripon College next Friday: a FREE musical performance by the Mars:Smith Duo. Learn more at https://ripon.edu/2026/02/03/chamber-music-jazz-at-ripon-presents-marssmith-feb-13/
Presenting the Class of 1867. Ripon's first graduating class was four Wisconsin women: Luthera Harriet Adams, Harriet Hemans Brown, Susan Ann Wright Salisbury and Mary Frances Spencer Thayer.
Learn more at ripon.edu/175-celebration/explore-175
On this day in 1922, plans to form a women’s rifle team are announced after Ripon College receives a challenge from the women at the University of Illinois, Knox College and Northwestern University. Organization efforts were headed by Captain Rice and Miss Taintor, faculty members.
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On Nov. 23, 1850, the Lyceum of Ripon was formed and nine directors were elected to build the College.
Those directors, who we now recognize as the College's founders, were Mapes, Bovay, Northrup, Chase, Bowen, Horner, Kinney, Osborn and Lockwood. Learn more at ripon.edu/175-celebration/explore-175
We loved celebrating with all of you today! We are so proud of the past 175 years of Ripon College, and we’re excited to see where the next 175 years will take us.
We felt the love — and we hope you did too! We'll share a complete update with you tomorrow.
🎯 You did it! You've helped us celebrate the 175th anniversary of Ripon College by raising more than $175,000 to support the extraordinary educational experience only Ripon can offer. The generosity, pride and belief in Ripon students has been amazing to see.
#RallyDays #RiponCollege175
Time is running out to participate in today's Rally Day. There are 175 minutes left to make your gift count.
👉 rallydays.ripon.edu
Celebrate in style with our 1851 Collection featuring retro-inspired looks that are both timely and timeless. Available now at the stores inside Campus Apartments and Willmore Center.
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At last check we are more than 40% on our way to our Rally Day goal with more than $70,000 raised toward our target of $175,000 to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the College's founding. Keep those gifts coming 👉 rallydays.ripon.edu
