Ripon College Holds Groundbreaking Ceremonies For Two Major Projects

Ripon College held ground breaking ceremonies for two major projects Friday, April 21, 2023. An expanded and renovated science center and the school’s first on-campus stadium.

The existing Science Center, which was built in 1961, will get more than 68,500 square feet of renovation and expansion with more than 19,000 square feet of new construction. Included will be instrumentation upgrades, a new laboratory and classroom and collaboration spaces. The space is designed to meet the STEM learning needs of science students today and create the flexibility to adapt to needs of the future.

The new science center facility will be named the Franzen Science Center in honor of benefactors Mark and Janice Franzen who both graduated from the college in 1983. The Franzens’ comprehensive campaign commitment to the science center, campus stadium, residence halls and endowment, is the largest cash commitment in Ripon College’s history.

The new stadium will be named Hopp Stadium in honor of a leadership commitment from benefactor Steven Hopp who also graduated from the college in 1983, and is a member of the Ripon College Board of Trustees. The 157,000-square-foot facility will be Ripon’s first on-campus stadium and is designed to support Ripon’s continued athletic excellence and enhance the overall student experience.

The mixed-use space on the corner of Thorne and Union streets will house the football and men’s and women’s soccer teams, seat 2,000 people, and provide a setting for concerts and other student and community activities.

The completed facilities are projected to open in the fall.