Fleet of Foot and Finger

Carthage student stands out in track and music

"I really found a home at Carthage," says Kenton Rauwerdink, '10. "It was absolutely the right place for me."

Kenton, from Hingham, Wis., graduated in May with degrees in chemistry and music, and represented the Class of 2010 at the New Alumni Convocation. While at Carthage, he was a two-time College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin decathlon champion for the Red Men track team. He also ran for four years on the cross-country squad.

"He's one of the busiest guys on campus," said James Ripley, associate professor of music, who helped arrange for Kenton to spend two weeks in Japan last fall, touring with a Japanese wind orchestra.

"Very few schools were willing to let me pursue music and athletics," Kenton said. "Carthage was willing to work with me scheduling-wise, my coaches have been extremely helpful, and Dr. Ripley has been willing to help me split time."

Kenton has been a bassoonist with the Carthage Wind Orchestra, and performed in nine campus theatrical productions.

"I didn't want to give up theatre," Kenton said, citing this as a reason he passed up opportunities to attend a music conservatory. "At a conservatory, they're just going to hammer the music," he explained, "and I wouldn't have had the opportunity to run."

Woodrow Hodges, associate professor of music at Carthage, said Kenton "plays almost like a master's degree player. He came to us as one of the best high school players in Wisconsin. We were lucky to get him."

This year, Kenton took the top prize in the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra's annual Youth Concerto scholarship competition in January. He performed with the orchestra on May 7. He had twice previously won the college portion of the competition, but this was his first overall win.

"I'm really excited," he said before the concert. "Winning a competition of that magnitude ranks up there with winning a CCIW championship."

Brett Witt, head coach in both cross country and men's track and field, called Kenton, who ran the 400 and 800 meters and competed in the long jump at Oostburg High School, "probably the most versatile person I will ever coach, as an athlete and as a person."

To successfully compete in the decathlon, Mr. Witt added, "he had to be able to run, jump and throw. Most people can do one or two, but to be able to do all three, and to do them well, is unique."

Kenton minored in religion and physics, and earned a place on the athletic director's honor roll. "I've taken the entire opportunity to explore a bunch of areas of study," he said.

Last summer he had a summer internship in organic chemistry at Texas A&M University, and expects to attend graduate school there. "Chemistry is going to provide me with a means to eat, but I will always have a place to play," he said of music. He expects to play in community orchestras.

Both Prof. Hodges and Mr. Witt will miss Kenton.

"Anytime you lose a two-time conference champion, it hurts the team," the coach said. "I'll miss him as much as a person."

Prof. Hodges called Kenton "a Renaissance man, a real all-star, and just the nicest guy."

— Bill Kurtz, Carthage College