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John Ratzenberger, c’99, believes that strong communities are built through compassion and showing up for one another. Ratzenberger has spent his career doing just that: creating spaces where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can thrive and feel truly included.
While growing up in Lansing, KS, Ratzenberger thought he would follow in his family members’ footsteps and attend a different regional university. However, when KU’s School of Journalism reached out to him in high school, recognizing his talent and encouraging him to think beyond what was familiar, “it clicked,” he said. “I instantly switched and never looked back.”
At KU, Ratzenberger initially pursued journalism, but it was a shift to communication studies that ultimately set the stage for his future. He credits one of his professors, the late Dr. William “Bill” Stuart, as a pivotal influence. “The way he taught was very real and very life-based,” he said. “I learned how the business world acts, how it thinks, and how to advance yourself while lifting others up.”
After graduation, his first job came through a personal connection. A friend working at InterHab, an advocacy organization for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Topeka, encouraged him to apply. “That was my first step into the nonprofit world,” he said.
Though he briefly explored other industries, he always found himself drawn back to nonprofit work. “It just felt right,” he said. “It aligned with my passions.” Ratzenberger continued in the nonprofit world by working at SLI (formerly Sheltered Living) in Topeka, where he met his first wife, Sara Youngers Ratzenberger, a 2001 KU graduate in social work.
However, it was personal tragedy that brought Ratzenberger to Chicago, where he lives now. At just 31 years old, Sara was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. “She had never smoked, was very healthy, and just an amazing person,” he said. Sara passed away two years later. During her illness, the couple found support through the LUNGevity Foundation, a Chicago-based nonprofit, and after her passing, Ratzenberger accepted a role there before eventually returning to the disability services field.
In 2016, he joined Gateway to Learning, an impactful organization serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Chicago. “I lived less than a mile away and had never heard of it,” he said. “It was a tight-knit community doing great things, but they needed help growing.”
Gateway to Learning’s mission is to provide lifelong learning for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities that promotes active inclusion at home, at work, and in the community. Programming includes, but is not limited to, community inclusion and activities, culinary arts and kitchen skills, self-advocacy and self-expression, home living skills, social-emotional education and engagement, wellness and recreation, and hands-on experiences within the community.
Ratzenberger was hired as the organization’s first dedicated development professional. “It was everything—fundraising, marketing, social media and events,” he said.
Then came COVID-19. The organization’s in-person services were halted, and his role shifted overnight. “We had no real tech infrastructure, but we were adamant—we had to keep our participants engaged,” he said. Gateway to Learning became the first organization in Illinois to offer virtual training sessions for adults with disabilities.
Ratzenberger led the charge to wire the building for internet, move operations online and keep the organization running. Today, he is the Chief Operating Officer and oversees budgeting, billing and more. During his time at Gateway to Learning, the budget has more than doubled from $1 million to over $2 million.
The numbers are only part of the story. It’s about community involvement and the organization’s participants.
“Gateway to Learning is a community organization,” he said. “I learned about community from Kansas, tight-knit neighborhoods where you know everyone. I brought that with me to Chicago. Our participants are often living at home, not in group homes. This is their network, their social life and their chance to grow and have a meaningful day.”
Ratzenberger believes that inclusion is a necessity for everyone who is part of a community. “For too long, people with disabilities have not been involved in community. We’re changing that. We’re getting out into the community in small, interactive groups. And the community is learning too—how to engage, how to value and how to include.”
This year, Ratzenberger will celebrate his ninth year a Gateway to Learning. “It’s rewarding on all levels and all fronts,” he said. And he hopes fellow Jayhawks will take away how important community involvement is.
“Get involved in your community, period, whether it’s with people with disability or not,” he urged. “It’s just something that needs to happen, whether it’s through volunteerism, whether it’s through donating for a local organization, mentoring if you’ve got job openings, even just being creative in your thoughts and trying to find ways to be more inclusive for adults and children with intellectual development.”
Alongside his work at Gateway to Learning, Ratzenberger is still involved with the LUNGevity Foundation, the organization that brought him to Chicago, where he lives with his wife and three children. Ratzenberger has fundraised for the organization by running two marathons and continues to give back.
Hawk Link also serves as a community-builder on the KU department side, with collaborative events supporting their common goal of supporting student success.
Last semester, over 400 students attended Fuel Up for Finals with Hawk Link and KU Libraries offering build-your-own finals survival kits. This semester Hawk Link, Student Union Activities (SUA) and International Support Services (ISS) are hosting International Student Night at a KU women’s basketball game on February 18.
“We’re trying to get the word out to more people to get students engaged,” says Coury. “While they’re here on campus, it’s so important that they find community and networking, and that is done through programming. Because if you just have one friend that says, ‘Hey, let’s go to the SUA event,’ then they’re not going by themselves. You have to get out of your room. You have to get out of your comfort zone. You can’t just sit and wait.”
Part of the Stanley family’s community during those tough years, the people dropping off meals and more, were their lifelong friends made at KU. “My time at KU was such a blessing and continues to show up in my life in the most amazing ways,” she added. The Stanley family has recently been spending more time on KU’s campus, specifically the Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena. Taylor, the eldest Stanley daughter, is following in her mother’s footsteps and is committed to play volleyball at KU in 2026. The younger Stanley daughter, Callyn, is now a two-time cancer survivor and a happy and healthy thirteen-year-old.
You can learn more about Braden’s Hope for Childhood Cancer at www.bradenshope.org.
Montenegro and Croatia
Once we departed from Greece, we set sail to Kotor, Montenegro. We stepped off the ship, engrossed in the beautiful views of rugged peaks mirrored in the bay. Along with our Jayhawk friends, we were whisked away on tuk tuks to explore the town along the Adriatic. We noticed fortified walls we later stepped through to be warped into Kotor’s Old Town. Our young tour guide navigated us along curvy roads past striking views as he entertained us with stories about Kotor’s deep history. We learned about the three sisters who were in love with the same young sailor and saw our guide’s home. Interacting with a local in this capacity was so enjoyable because we got a glimpse of what life looks like in Kotor. We arrived at Porto Montenegro, a secluded portside filled with luxury boutiques, waterside cafes and superyachts. After 30 minutes of speed shopping, we got back on the tuk tuk and took an alternate way back to the ship so that we couldexperience the most sought-after lookout point in Kotor. We followed our tour with a stroll through Old Town, past medieval buildings and charming squares with a freshly baked pastry in hand. The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon took the cake of our time in Kotor!
Our final destination before disembarkation of our ship in Venice was Split, Croatia. As the morning subsided, Split was bustling with energy. Split showed elements of both modern life and Roman ruins. The Riva Promenade couldn’t be missed as we ventured further into the city. The lines of palm trees and benches to rest on and admire the views of the port while savoring Krofnes, fluffy-filled Croatian donuts, were just what we needed after an adventure-filled week. Our favorite details of Split were the hidden courtyards and lively markets.
Our Jayhawks Give Back program is presented in partnership with Andrew Wymore, Senior Realtor with ReeceNichols.
Jayhawks Give Back celebrates ’Hawks who are making a difference in ways big and small. Each quarter, we’ll feature a member of the KU family and their story. If you know a Jayhawk who should be featured in Jayhawks Give Back, let us know!
