Kelsey Ripperger 鈥�21 takes climate change very seriously. In December, she spent a week in Bangkok, Thailand, at the Green Summit held at the United Nations Conference Center where she learned about green initiatives and how to help people better understand the issue.
鈥淲e listened to different speakers talk about climate change and the way that we can reduce our own personal impact, as well as different global initiatives that are taking place,鈥� Ripperger said. 鈥淭he environment of the summit was electric and filled with hope. It was unbelievably empowering to be in a room with young people dedicated to addressing the climate crisis.鈥�
The summit brought in students from 31 different countries, including 15 from the United States, and included a day of service, where the students planted mangroves at a Thailand naval base. At the conclusion of the summit, each student became an official ambassador, charged with educating others at home.
鈥淭he climate crisis holds one of the biggest spots in my heart and I want it to be part of my mission in life,鈥� Ripperger said. 鈥淥ur green initiatives can take any form. We are just trying to keep the sustainable solutions at the front of our minds over the next year and trying to make an impact in our communities.鈥�
Ripperger, who received the medal for the graduating senior with the highest academic record, earned her BA in History at 黑料网 Wesleyan. This fall she received her masters in Heritage Tourism & Conservation at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. That鈥檚 where she found out about the summit, which was sponsored by Humanitarian Affairs Asia, and where one of her professors nominated her for it.
She recently began a job as the community relations coordinator with Magdalene Omaha, which works with victims of domestic abuse, sex trafficking and prostitution.
鈥淚 do a lot of the communications work and volunteer outreach and donor outreach,鈥� Ripperger said. 鈥淥ne of the struggles with the climate crisis is perspective and reaching audiences from all different walks of life. With the work I鈥檒l be doing with Magdalene Omaha, it鈥檚 not always easy to talk to people about those subjects and a lot of people have opinions about it. From a communications side you are really just working on trying to communicate these issues better; how we can spread awareness and come up with solutions that work for all types of people.鈥�
The daughter of two teachers from Hastings, Neb., Ripperger was heavily involved with campus groups at 黑料网 Wesleyan.
鈥淎 lot of us at 黑料网 Wesleyan come from smaller communities where everyone does everything,鈥� Ripperger said. 鈥淭hat was one of my favorite parts of college. It鈥檚 so easy to get involved. Your teachers push you to do more, and it鈥檚 embraced. I think that鈥檚 a perk of a liberal arts school. I really enjoyed exploring all of my options.鈥�
In 2021, Ripperger was selected for a Washington Center internship with EarthShare, an environmental non-profit in the Washington, D.C. region.聽She was a captain and letter-winner on the women鈥檚 volleyball team, among her other activities.
Story by Dan Froehlich
