Ridgewater College

Ridgewater College Ridgewater is a community and technical college with campuses in Willmar & Hutchinson, MN, and online Ridgewater is the place.
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At Ridgewater College, we are creating opportunities and changing lives for our students every day. No matter what your educational goals, we can help you get there. If you are planning to earn a bachelors or graduate degree, you can get started at Ridgewater by completing the first two years of virtually any major. Our small class sizes ensure you can get the personalized attention necessary to g

et off to a great start. In addition, completing your first two years at Ridgewater will save you THOUSANDS of DOLLARS. Thinking that career training and moving into the workforce more quickly is more suited to you? You can choose from dozens of technical programs ranging from a few months to two years - all aimed at making you a skilled professional and positioning you for a great career in a field you love. Our Page Rules
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Another awesome Home School Career Camp at our   campus in the books!⁠⁠Students explored careers in Art and Photography....
08/21/2026

Another awesome Home School Career Camp at our campus in the books!⁠

Students explored careers in Art and Photography. 🎨 Our Art Faculty, Lisa Bergh and Andrew Nordin, who are celebrated local artists, introduced art career opportunities. They led a hands-on printmaking activity after touring our studios. Students each created their own designs, picked their ink color, and developed their prints. ⁠

Photography faculty member Amy Pawelk introduced students to careers in photography through a scavenger hunt activity. Students were asked to notice their environment and capture it. Then we asked students to describe their photos, explain why they took them, and discuss how the photos could be used. ⁠

Thank you to the homeschool group for bringing your curiosity and energy to - we hope to see you on campus again soon! ❤️

Join the club; come check out the student organizations and clubs at  , August 25th and 27th.❤️⁠⁠From Nursing to Profess...
08/21/2026

Join the club; come check out the student organizations and clubs at , August 25th and 27th.❤️⁠

From Nursing to Professional Agriculture Students, to Literature Club, to , to Electrician and Rodeo Club, you're sure to find your spot among the over 25 clubs across our campuses. ⁠

Click the 🔗 Ridgewater.edu/Club to see how you can get involved at

Starting Strong 💪 at    had the opportunity to visit our   and   campuses to find where their classes are, order and pic...
08/20/2026

Starting Strong 💪 at

had the opportunity to visit our and campuses to find where their classes are, order and pick up books at our bookstores, and learn about the resources available to our students. ❤️

We can’t wait to have everyone on campus next week!

We’d like to wish a big congratulations to our friends across the road Willmar Campus Ministry Center on the groundbreak...
08/18/2026

We’d like to wish a big congratulations to our friends across the road Willmar Campus Ministry Center on the groundbreaking of their 2,5000 square foot expansion with Marcus Construction! 🦺

Willmar Campus Ministry Center supports our mission of creating opportunities and changing lives through offering support, connection, and even two free meals a week to - they served around 13,000 free lunches last year alone! ❤️ We’re very proud and lucky to be neighbors with a community that invests so heavily into our students.

Thanks to generous community contributions, an expansion is underway to add additional bathrooms and a larger dining and kitchen space. You can help the Willmar Campus Ministry Center continue to grow by volunteering or making a financial gift at the
🔗 cmcridgewater.org/help-support-campus-ministry.html

Together, we can help our community flourish.

  Ridgewater Announces Tyler Hebrink as New Athletic Coordinator WILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, MN –   is pleased to announce t...
08/17/2026

Ridgewater Announces Tyler Hebrink as New Athletic Coordinator

WILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, MN – is pleased to announce the appointment of Tyler Hebrink as Athletic Coordinator for Warrior Athletics. Hebrink succeeds longtime Athletic Coordinator and former coach Todd Thorstad, who will continue to serve Ridgewater College as a faculty member in the Physical Education and Geography departments.

Hebrink brings seven years of experience at Ridgewater College, serving as the head baseball coach for the past five seasons. He also supports operations within the athletic department and teaching in the Physical Education department. Under Hebrink's leadership, the Warrior baseball program has earned five consecutive postseason appearances, reflecting his commitment to student-athlete success both on and off the field. "Todd has helped build a strong foundation for Warrior Athletics, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue that work," said Hebrink. "Ridgewater has outstanding student-athletes, coaches, and staff, and I look forward to supporting their success while continuing to grow our athletic programs."

Thorstad expressed confidence in the transition and the future of Warrior Athletics. "Warrior Athletics has a great group of people committed to continuing to grow and strengthen our programs," said Thorstad. "Tyler has demonstrated enthusiasm, organizational skills, and dedication to our student-athletes. I am confident the department will continue to thrive under his leadership."

Ridgewater College thanks Thorstad for his years of leadership and service to Warrior Athletics and looks forward to the continued growth of its athletic programs under Hebrink's direction.

For more information about Athletics, go to www.ridgewaterathletics.com.

 , we'll see you in a week for the first day of school!⁠ ⁠We can't wait to begin another awesome year at   💫 Make sure t...
08/17/2026

, we'll see you in a week for the first day of school!⁠

We can't wait to begin another awesome year at 💫 Make sure to mark your calendars for our welcome week events- check your Ridgewater email for all the details! See you on campus! 👋

Kinda chic to be a   💫❤️
08/13/2026

Kinda chic to be a 💫❤️

  Chief Trevor Berger Memorial Scholarship Established at the Ridgewater College FoundationWILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, MN – ...
08/12/2026

Chief Trevor Berger Memorial Scholarship Established at the Ridgewater College Foundation

WILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, MN – The Legion of St. Michael Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club (LEMC) – Lakes Area Chapter has established a $10,000 endowed scholarship at the Foundation to honor the late Atwater Police Chief Trevor Berger. Funded by the Schmidt-Berger Memorial Ride, the scholarship supports future law enforcement students in memory of Berger, who passed away in 2022.

Members of Trevor Berger’s family presented the check to Ridgewater College President Dr. Cheryl Norman and Interim Foundation Operations Specialist Stephenie Jimenez at the Willmar VFW on Monday, August 10, 2026. Representing the Berger family were Kate Berger, Trevor’s wife; his sons, Micah and Ryan; and his parents, Marvin and Nancy Berger.

Berger dedicated his career to law enforcement and the community he grew up in. He served with the McLeod County Jail, Silver Lake Police Department, Eden Valley Police Department and Atwater Police Department before becoming Atwater’s police chief.

Lakes Area Chapter President Matt Ledeboer stated that the scholarship carries both professional and personal significance. “As a non-traditional student going back to college in my 30s, I had kids, a mortgage and all of the normal responsibilities that don’t stop just because you decide to go back to school. Scholarships helped me pay for the classes and other things I needed to get through school and start my career.”

Ledeboer said Berger also played an important role in giving him an opportunity to build his career. “Trevor Berger gave me one of my first opportunities as a police officer. I will always be grateful to Trevor for giving me that chance, and I’m equally grateful to Ridgewater College and the people who helped me when I was working toward that career. Being able to give something back now and help the next generation of law enforcement officers is something that means a great deal to me.”

The $10,000 contribution establishes the scholarship as an endowed fund through the Ridgewater College Foundation. Endowed scholarship funds are invested so they can provide scholarship awards to students for years to come, creating a lasting tribute to Berger and his commitment to law enforcement.

Dr. Cheryl Norman, Ridgewater President, stated, “We are deeply grateful to the Legion of St. Michael Lakes Area Chapter for creating the Trevor Berger Endowed Scholarship. This endowment will help support future professionals who share Chief Berger’s dedication to serving others. We are also thankful to Chief Berger’s family for allowing us to partner in this effort and for sharing his legacy with future generations.”

For more information about Ridgewater College Foundation, visit www.ridgewater.edu/foundation.

Congratulations to   faculty member Erica Sawatzke on being named a finalist for Farmfest "Woman Farmer of the Year "!  ...
08/11/2026

Congratulations to faculty member Erica Sawatzke on being named a finalist for Farmfest "Woman Farmer of the Year "!

Erica Sawatzke is a sixth-generation farmer at Oakdale Turkey Farm in Kensington, Minnesota, a farm with roots stretching back to 1866 when her great-great-great-grandfather broke ground on 160 acres. Alongside her husband, Eric, they raise approximately 132,000 light hens per year, with 32,000-33,000 birds on the farm at any given time. Erica leads the daily care of the turkey flocks, from the brooding barn through the finishers. Their farm hosts an annual Thanksgiving virtual farm tour through Minnesota Ag in the Classroom that reaches students across the nation. Oakdale Farm has even been featured on Dirty Jobs and RFD's FarmHer.

Thank you to Erica for helping us create opportunities and change lives. ❤️ Erica inspires, empowers, and educates the next generation of poultry farmers every semester to lead with care, tenacity, and integrity.

This year marks 30 years of   excellence. ❤️ Since 1996,   has been creating opportunities and changing lives on our   a...
08/07/2026

This year marks 30 years of excellence. ❤️ Since 1996, has been creating opportunities and changing lives on our and campuses. Take a scroll through memory lane to see how Ridgewater has grown ➡️

Address

2101 15th Avenue NW
Willmar, MN
56201

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+18007221151

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