Overview
Be Immersed in the Beauty and Welcoming Hospitality of Ripon and the Ripon College Campus
Its architectural heritage, focus on education, and political involvement make Ripon one of Wisconsin's most historically significant cities. Ripon's businesses offer a fine selection of goods and services, provided in a friendly, personal manner, and the city offers a wide array of popular cultural, recreational, social, and athletic activities and attractions. A vibrant campus life melds perfectly with the larger community, where students are welcomed into the fold. With the vast majority of students living on campus, a vibrant and diverse campus scene is both welcoming and highly conducive to an excellent learning and growth environment.
College-Wide Network for Success Features More Choices to Customize the Educational Experience
With a variety of majors from which to choose, students are encouraged to explore the various paths open to them. Self-designed majors offer ultimate flexibility, and members of the Ripon faculty can assist students in creating a structured, custom major. Past customized majors have included peace and conflict studies, criminal justice, contemporary global issues, and museum studies. Popular pre-defined majors at Ripon include psychology, history, English, biology, business management, and education, though there are many more courses of study from which students may choose.
Among the notable and interesting programs at Ripon, some of which are not often offered at other schools, are ethical leadership, exercise science, psychobiology, and journalism, while pre-professional programs include pre-law and pre-med. Various dual-degree programs are also offered, and for those looking for off-campus and study abroad programs, Ripon features a number of programs that are officially sanctioned by the college so that credits and financial aid will be applied to the student's off-campus semester. With a variety of honors societies available, students who excel in their chosen field of study have every opportunity to meet with like-minded peers outside the classroom setting.
A Dedicated Faculty and One-on-One Academic Support Offers Students a Unique Educational Experience
A dedicated and highly-distinguished faculty round out the Ripon offerings and provide the basis for Ripon's dedication to excellence in education. Ripon professors offer challenge, balanced with support, and prove that when bright minds get together, more interesting things happen.
Among the professors at Ripon, Professor of Biology Bob Wallace has the distinct pleasure of having a new species of sessile rotifer named for him. The new species, discovered in Victoria, Australia, has been given the name Floscularia wallacei. Professor of Politics and Government Lamont Colucci has experience as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. His primary area of expertise is United States national security and United States foreign policy. Jody Roy, associate professor of communication, was selected the 2005 Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Wisconsin Professor of the Year. The prestigious honor was announced by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Competitive Athletics, Intramurals, and Myriad Student Activities Mean Active and Involved Students
As a member of the NCAA Division III Midwest Conference, Ripon offers students unique athletic opportunities in cycling, fencing, lacrosse, rugby, and dance, while the most popular sports remain football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, and volleyball.
Athletics are not limited to only NCAA athletes, however, as more than half the student body at Ripon engages in intramural sports, one of the most popular activities on campus. A wide range of other student activities and organizations make campus life fun and educational. Ripon features 5 fraternities and 3 sororities on campus, and there are over 50 clubs that students may chose from.
Offering Extraordinary Opportunities, Global Resources, and a National Reputation for Excellence
With notable alumni including Spencer Tracy, Harrison Ford, and Al Jarreau, Ripon is by all measures an institution of higher learning with a distinct and rich history. The college is also very much dedicated to creating opportunities for its students, and all Ripon students are eligible to receive either need- or merit-based scholarships or financial aid. Academic scholarships are readily available, and over 90% of all students receive scholarship or need-based aid. Ripon truly seeks to offer students every possible opportunities for success.
On that note, the college also takes great pride in the success of students after graduation, and it has been documented that nearly all recent Ripon graduates are employed, student teaching, or enrolled in a graduate program within 6 months of graduation from Ripon.
