Ripon College in Ripon, Wis., is moving forward with a $35 million infrastructure plan that will pay for a new on-campus stadium and the renovation and expansion of a 61-year-old science facility.
The college says in a news release that the plan’s first phase calls for a $24.5 million investment in the science center and an $8.5 million investment in the campus stadium, both of which are projected to break ground in spring 2023.
The plan also calls for upgrades to the college’s residence halls.
The 68,500-square-foot renovation and expansion of the Farr Hall of Science, scheduled for a fall 2024 opening, will add more than 19,000 square feet of new construction. The facility was built in 1961, and college officials say an upgrade is long overdue.
“This upgrade will confirm our commitment to Ripon’s strength and reputation in the sciences, while better meeting the STEM learning needs of current and prospective students,” says John Sisko, Ripon’s vice president and dean of faculty.
Construction of a 157,000-square-foot stadium will provide an on-campus home for the Ripon College football and men’s and women’s soccer teams. The facility will have a 2,000-seat grandstand and press box, and lighting for evening programming.
“Ripon College is the only school in the Midwest Conference without its own campus stadium,” says Ryan Kane, athletic director and head men’s basketball coach. “There is no doubt in my mind that this project will be a gathering space not only for our student-athletes but also for our students, faculty, staff and community members at large.”
After the stadium opens, projected for fall 2023, the college no longer will use a shared field model with the Ripon Area School District.
