Green Bay Reporter

Former U.S. Congressman Reid Ribble will continue his role as political science practitioner in residence at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, having agreed to a second three-year term. His ongoing involvement offers students direct access to someone with significant experience in national policy and government.

Ribble has been involved with UW-Green Bay since 2015, regularly visiting Professor Aaron Weinschenk’s political science classes. He has shared insights from his time in Congress and provided guidance for students interested in public service careers. In addition, he has helped facilitate internships in congressional offices and offered individual career advice.

“I am excited to continue to be affiliated with UW-Green Bay in this way,” said Ribble. “The ability to share what I have learned from my personal experience while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives with students has been incredibly rewarding. It has been a pleasure to get to meet and interact with so many UW-Green Bay students over the past several years. I look forward to continuing to be involved with the UW-Green Bay community.”

During his first term as practitioner in residence, which began in 2022, Ribble organized events, led discussions about careers in politics, and met with students across different disciplines. Professor Weinschenk stated, “We are thrilled that Congressmen Ribble is willing to serve a second term. His insights into our government have helped our students get a better sense of what they might want to do after graduation and to think more deeply about whether a career in politics or government might be of interest to them.”

A discussion event hosted by Ribble earlier this year attracted participants from across campus who wanted to learn more about government careers. Weinschenk commented that it was “a phenomenal chance for our students to learn about the wide array of careers that exist in government and to ask questions of someone with a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge.”

Ribble represented Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District for six years, serving on committees including Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, Budget and Finance, and Foreign Affairs—where he was vice chairman of the Committee on Emerging Threats. He met more than 25 heads of state during his tenure and traveled widely through Eastern Europe and the Middle East as part of his committee work. He also joined President Obama on an effort to normalize trade relations with Cuba—a rare move among Republicans at the time.

Before entering Congress, Ribble led his own roofing company for over three decades in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, later serving as CEO of the National Roofing Contractors Association.

UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander said: “We are incredibly excited that Congressmen Ribble will serve a second term as our practitioner in residence in political science. Our students always benefit from learning from people who can educate through their lived experience in their fields. Congressman Ribble has a wealth of knowledge and is always willing to share his ideas and insights with our students. It is truly special that he is willing to serve UW-Green Bay in this way and we are grateful for his dedication to the university.”

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay serves around 11,500 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students each year along with approximately 100,000 continuing education learners annually across four campuses in Northeast Wisconsin.