A message from President Craig Johnson
Welcome to Ridgewater College!
Dating back to 1961, Ridgewater College has established a strong tradition of providing high-quality, affordable education for learners who seek to achieve their full potential and enrich their lives through personalized and relevant education in an accessible, supportive and inclusive environment. Today, in 2021, we continue to evolve and grow to ensure that we live up to our mission, vision and guiding principles and meet the changing needs of students, employers and communities around us.
At Ridgewater, we are committed to providing a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds and identities, with a Students First! Philosophy, an active anti-racism stance, and a commitment to equity, affordability, excellence and innovation. The student experience at Ridgewater is enhanced by the growing diversity in our surrounding communities – it enriches our college community, enhances campus life and classroom discussions, and strengthens our capacity to serve as a vital resource in the economic health and well-being of our local communities and region. With our Equity 2030 commitment to eliminate all opportunity, performance and achievement gaps in our student population, we are increasing our focus on providing equitable access to education for every individual who seeks a better quality of life. While academic attainment continues to be critically relevant to career and life success, we also seek to do our part to ensure that every individual has a genuine opportunity for inclusive engagement and success in the workforce and community life beyond our campus boundaries.
While our College continues to face challenges from COVID-19, we will return to our normal range of campus instruction and student life activities in Fall 2021. We expect that masking, screening and distancing requirements will no longer be in place and we will continue to actively monitor and respond to conditions around us, keeping the health and safety of our college community as our top priority while continuing to meet the needs of our students. We also are actively working to apply what we have learned from the changes we experienced under COVID restrictions. Our strong tradition of quality instruction and support services at Ridgewater will be expanded and enhanced by continued use of technology to provide remote and hybrid courses and resources in addition to on-campus, in-person instruction and support services.
We are committed to providing every student with a high-quality education and rich learning experience, on-campus or from a distance. Whether you are seeking specific job training through our Customized Training and Continuing Education division, a career and technical program to prepare you for the workforce, or a liberal arts education for personal enrichment or transfer to a four-year institution, Ridgewater is committed to meeting your needs and exceeding your expectations.
If you are a prospective student considering how Ridgewater might fit into your education and career plans, please reach out and connect with one of our recruiters or advisors. We will put your needs first and help you make decisions that are best for you. If you are a current Ridgewater student, we look forward to welcoming you back to campus in the fall!
Craig Johnson, President
