The U.S. Army and Ripon College offer Army ROTC courses that can lead to a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. Excellent opportunities, benefits and a variety of careers in the military service are available as a commissioned officer in the Active Army, Army Reserve or the Army National Guard.

ROTC provides continuous development of leadership, time management and decision-making skills along with programs to refine abilities in public speaking, management, evaluation criteria, and behavior and ethics. You’ll need all of these skills to be successful, whether you are a student, involved in civic affairs, or serve as a commissioned officer. Army ROTC provides the fundamentals to deal with the problems in any work environment.

A student who does not complete the basic ROTC courses — normally taken in the first year and sophomore years — may enter the military science program in the junior year, but must seek approval from the military science faculty.

Achieve More

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Faculty

Captain Klotz

Klotz, Captain Paul

Assistant Professor of Military Science

Advising

Ripon College faculty and professional staff are dedicated to helping you reach your goals, whatever they may be and however often they may change along the way. It’s part of our value statement to you.

As a student at Ripon, you will be assigned a faculty adviser based on your area(s) of interest. You will meet with your faculty adviser throughout your time as a student to discuss your current aspirations, plan your course schedule and plot a future trajectory. We also work collaboratively with Ripon College Career and Professional Development to help match your interests and skills to concrete goals and construct a plan for professional success offering personalized career counseling, off-campus learning opportunities and an online job board with potential to connect with local, national and international employers.

Advising at Ripon

Requirements

Requirements for a Minor in Military Leadership 21 credits
Core Courses MIL 151 Leadership and Personal Development, 152 Introduction to Tactical Leadership, 251 Innovative Team Leadership and 252 Foundations of Tactical Leadership, or for students who have completed basic training or the Leaders Training Course, MIL 301 Adaptive Team Leadership and 302 Leadership in Changing Environments; and CMM 215.
Electives
  • One of the following courses: HIS 242 The United States, 1914-Present, HIS 282 World History II, HIS 351 World War I: Causes, Conduct and Consequences, or another history course with department approval;
  • One of the following courses: ANT 110 The Human Experience: How to Think Anthropologically, SOC 110 Introduction to Sociological Imagination, ECO 211 Principles of Economics, POL 112 Global Political Economy, POL 280 Introduction to International Relations, PSC 110 General Psychology, or a third semester foreign languages course;
  • One of the following courses: HIS 362 Topics in History of the Modern Middle East, POL 343 or POL 385.

Career Tracks

Army ROTC prepares college students to succeed in any competitive environment. The leadership training and experiences that students have in Army ROTC will provide them with a foundation to become commissioned Army Officers upon graduation.

Upon completion of the Army ROTC program, graduates will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army and will embark on specialized training in their first Army branch.

Upon completion of officer branch training and a first assignment, Army officers may pursue additional specialized training and postgraduate education opportunities. They will be assigned to advanced leadership job positions and to staff positions in upper management. Also, they may develop doctrine, teach military tactics or serve as advisors.

Unique Opportunities

  • A variety of scholarships from Ripon College and the U.S. Army are available to cover up to the full cost of college tuition, books and fees. The Army gives special consideration for an Army ROTC scholarship to students pursuing degrees in nursing, engineering, the physical sciences and other technical skills currently in demand.
  • Students also may apply for graduate study and professional studies such as law, medicine or dentistry prior to commissioning.