Рипон-колледж: история и современность американского гуманитарного университета.

Private liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin, US

Ripon College is a private liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin. As of 2024, the college enrolled around 754 students. Nearly 80% of students were Wisconsin residents.

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 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 and Congregational 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. Today students are not required to attend religious services. The National Forensic League was founded at the college in 1925. Since that time communication has been an important subject at the college.

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.

Students take five Catalyst courses that focus on solving real world problems. The Catalyst curriculum consists of five seminars spread over three years. 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.

Ripon is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (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 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.

The Center for Career and Professional Development offers resources to students such as workshops, employer visits, job fairs, and assistance with writing a resume. It also helps organize the annual Career Discovery Tour.

SOAR is a program offered to students of various disciplines to research alongside professors over the summer while living on campus and partaking in volunteer projects around the local community. It was first offered in summer 2021.

From 1941 to 2019, the college 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.

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

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 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. 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.

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.

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. Trails for walking and snowshoeing throughout this area connect to a municipally run older growth woods nature park, the South Woods.

A student group, EGOR: The Environmental Group of Ripon, focuses on awareness of environmental issues and contributes to the restoration and preservation of the prairie.

Students can also major in environmental studies, which is an interdisciplinary program.

There are over 60 student clubs on campus, including special interest groups, diversity based groups, political groups, Greek organizations, and academic honor societies. There is also a Student Senate, a student government that is open to all students to discuss issues and vote on different matters.

The college has several sorority chapters and fraternities.

People of color compose 16.9% 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.

Ripon athletics teams participate in NCAA Division III as part of the Midwest Conference. Conference competition for men includes: cross country, football, soccer (fall), basketball (winter), swimming (winter), indoor and outdoor track, baseball, and tennis (spring). Conference competition for women includes: cross country, soccer, tennis, volleyball (fall), basketball (winter), swimming (winter), indoor and outdoor track, and softball (spring).

The Ripon College Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.

For 2023, U. S. News & World Report ranked the school tied at #136 in National Liberal Arts Colleges and tied at #38 in Top Performers on Social Mobility. The school's volunteerism and community service earned it a place on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for 2009. In 2009, Forbes ranked Ripon 100th on the list of America's 600 best colleges. The school earned an award from The Chronicle of Higher Education 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.