Posted: September 21, 2022
If you were to look at the ×îÐÂÈý¼¶Æ¬ College Foundation Board of Directors list, you’d find individuals who reside in a variety of different places, including Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and as of 2019, Switzerland.
When NWC alumnus Ron Weathermon ‘91 contacted Foundation Executive Director Shelby Wetzel, he asked how he could become more involved in the Foundation’s work and if it was possible to do so from Basel, Switzerland.
“×îÐÂÈý¼¶Æ¬ has always been close to my heart,” Ron said. “I wanted to be a greater part of the College.”
The quarterly board meetings always start at 4 p.m. in person or via Zoom, but for Ron, who is eight time zones ahead of Wyoming, they get underway at midnight and are often complete around 2 a.m., his time.
Ron’s generosity extends beyond his service on the board. What began with a gift to chemistry scholarships in 1995, a few years after he graduated, has since grown into a diverse giving history that has touched several areas of campus and positively impacted many science students’ lives.
Three years ago, Ron’s mother passed away from cancer, inspiring him to create the Weathermon Health Sciences Scholarship Endowment, which was established to help support education for full-time students majoring in pre-professional sciences. Throughout the years, he’s also shared his generosity with other science-related areas of campus he’s been part of.
Like many others, however, Ron’s involvement in NWC began during his time as a student. His siblings and father attended ×îÐÂÈý¼¶Æ¬, and after graduating high school in Laurel, Montana, he felt like coming to Powell for his education would be a natural fit.
He has fond memories of his time on campus and recalls how the residence halls were constantly buzzing with activity. As a student, Ron studied pre-pharmacy and enjoyed feeling at the center of a community. Under the supervision of Dee Havig, who is currently the interim vice president for student services, he became a resident assistant.
He recalls enjoying learning from faculty and staff members like Neil Hansen, Dave Barkan, and Havig.
“I remember there was this time at the end of the semester where it was -20 below,” he said. “Cars wouldn’t start, and there was nothing to do, so we were all up to no good in the residence halls. Dee caught us,” he laughed.
Soon after his time in Powell, he attended Idaho State University, where he earned his doctorate in pharmacy. “Even after I graduated, at the end of the day, everything always seemed to point back to ×îÐÂÈý¼¶Æ¬ College,” he explained.
Ron is currently the project lead and head of global medical affairs and training governance for Novartis International, a global pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland. Novartis employs more than 100,000 people across 120 countries.
He often jokes he originally came to Switzerland on a two-year assignment; he’s now lived there for 12 years. Ron wears a variety of hats in his current position and has had several roles within the company, spending much of his time working to protect patients’ medical data. Throughout his career, he’s worked in 16 different time zones.
Noting his passion for the outdoors, Ron describes Switzerland as his “fountain of youth” because of the endless opportunities for biking, hiking, and other outdoor activities.
He also enjoys the country’s diversity and various opportunities he has to learn about different cultures. As a world traveler, he’s visited more than 30 countries.
When he looks back, he wishes he would have taken advantage of the recreation opportunities available in the area when he was a student at NWC. He emphasizes that ×îÐÂÈý¼¶Æ¬ is more than an academic experience.
“With Yellowstone National Park about an hour away, there are endless world-class outdoor activities. When I go back to Powell, it’s really about getting back to nature.”
For prospective students who are thinking about attending NWC, Ron offers a piece of advice: “Challenge yourself. Take classes that will set yourself up for the future.”
In his free time, he enjoys hiking, cycling, yoga, and traveling with his wife Martina.