A Mother’s Day special: Smiles aplenty as Ripon College holds 157th commencement | News

Before Ripon College degree recipients walked across the stage and eventually moved their tassel to the left side of their cap on Sunday afternoon, they were asked to participate in a moment of silence by Dr. Zachary Morris ’02. 

Morris was this year’s honorary degree recipient and commencement speaker. 

“This is a moment to be both proud and grateful,” Morris said. “None of you got here on your own. There’s many people here who we owe a thanks to for that. But they didn’t do it for you either. You did this and you should be proud. And the same goes for the families. None of them put forward a child here without the help of others, but they did it.”

Morris is a radiation oncologist and associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A multi-sport athlete, Morris graduated from Ripon College with majors in chemistry and biology, in addition to minoring in Latin. He went on to receive, among other degrees, his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. 

“The one thing you all have going forth from here is your time,” Morris said in advising the class of 2023 to find their passion. 

Morris added that while graduation marks an incredible journey, it is important to strive for more achievement, even if that may be hard to imagine immediately. 

“Find something that you are passionate about,” Morris said. “When you find that thing that you’re passionate about, one of the lessons I took from a great faculty member here, Eddie Lowry, who taught Latin, was to not short-change your training. You just graduated, and the last thing you may want to be doing is thinking about additional training, but a few years, a few months invested in training, will pay off for a lifetime. And it feels good to be an expert in your field and to bring that forth to the things that you are passionate about.”

Morris jokingly noted “I don’t know that Professor Lowry intended for me to stay in school for another 13 years, but I did,” before adding that, “At many times it seemed like a long time, but now it seems very worth it.”

Morris also recommended that graduates attempt to find balance in their lives moving forward. 

“The journey you are embarking on is a marathon and not a sprint,” Morris said. “Find balance between work and play, time with family and friends, for new hobbies and vacations. These are the moments and activities that give color to life.”

Morris then emphasized confidence and humility.

“As Ripon [College] graduates, you have all the tools you need to go forth and to pursue your passions,” Morris said. “I can tell you, as President [Victoria N.] Folse listed off the various institutions where I got degrees, that the most difficult test I ever took came from Bob Wallace here at Ripon College. That observation about the strength of the Ripon [College] education and the challenging tests is one that is easier to hear now in your seats.”

The commencement ceremony also recognized Marta Ruiz Yedinak, a Spanish teacher at Ripon High School, for her continued impact on students. She joined Ripon High School in 2014 and was awarded the Distinguished Educator Award by Ripon College on Sunday. 

In her speech, Yedinak stressed the importance of mental and physical health to the graduating class of 2023.   

“First, be kind to yourself,” Yedinak said. “Your mental and physical health must be your No. 1 priority. It is sort of like the instructions with the oxygen mask on an airplane. You must place your own mask first and then assist others. No time to be selfless here. If you want to be at your best, take care of yourself and please know that there is nothing wrong with seeking help when you need it.”

Also recognized was Peter E. Stone, chairman of the board of National Exchange Bank and Trust and the private Stone Family Foundation. Stone received the college’s Founders’ Day Award.

In speaking to members of the audience and specifically to the graduating class, Stone stressed adversity, something he says cannot be avoided but must be prepared for. 

“All of us as we go through life suffer some type of adversity,” Stone said. “Some of us have more than others. There was a man that ran a large insurance company which had an office in Fond du Lac and he used to say, ‘Adversity breeds success.’ That you got smarter when you handled it; you become more capable.”

In what was an afternoon filled with smiles, and for many mothers perhaps double the excitement on Mother’s Day, Ripon College Folse ended with some words of encouragement for this year’s graduates. 

“The world needs Ripon College graduates now more than ever,” Folse said. “What I know is that your Ripon College degree has prepared you for a life of relevance and a life of purpose. Class of 2023, Ripon College is indebted to you. Your activism has challenged us to think broadly and deeply. Your resilience has made us all stronger.”