ALLOUEZ — Bishop David Ricken is not the only American College alumnus from Green Bay. In fact, he is not even the first Green Bay bishop-alumnus. That honor goes to Bishop Joseph J. Fox, the only Green Bay native to serve as its bishop. Bishop Fox attended the American College from 1874 to 1879.
According to Dr. John A. Steffen, director of admissions at the American College (and a Peshtigo native), six other men have attended the American College – either the seminary or one of its sabbatical programs. They include:
• Fr. Frank Melchior
• Fr. John H. Van Deuren
• Fr. William L. Van de Kreeke
• Fr. Mathew J. Simonar
• Msgr. James E. Dillenburg
• Fr. Martin F. Fox
In addition, the college’s rector is Msgr. Ross Shecterle, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. One of the newest faculty members is Fr. Paul Czerwonka of the La Crosse Diocese, who teaches an iconography class.
The American College has three seminarians from Wisconsin: Chad Droessler and John Putzer of the Madison Diocese and Kevin Barnekow of the Milwaukee Archdiocese.
Next fall the Diocese of Green Bay will have its first seminarian at the American College since 1991, Alvan Amadi, a native of Nigeria who currently lives at Xavier House in De Pere.