Student Profiles
Matthew Berry '13
Matt will be graduating in May 2013 with a degree in political science. The Albany, NY, native is one of Fisher’s student leaders, serving as a Resident Assistant, Student Ambassador, a member of the annual Spring Event committee, and a participant in the College’s Great Beginnings program. He spent the fall 2012 semester in Washington, D.C., where he worked for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Matt says his most memorable experience at Fisher has been getting involved in clubs and organizations which has led him to new opportunities and friendships. He is a fan of the dining hall’s Taco Tuesdays and Wing Wednesdays, and his favorite place to dine in Rochester is Dinosaur BBQ.
Taylor Castaldo '13
Oswego native Taylor Castaldo is a childhood andspecial education major, and a psychology minor. The First Generation Scholar says her favorite thing about Fisher is the size because everyone gets to know each other, including the professors. Fisher felt right to her from the minute she stepped on campus, and her floormates during her freshman year have become some of her best friends.
Keanna Cathey '13
Fisher “felt like home” to Keanna Cathey from the start. The Joseph C. Wilson Magnet High School graduate is a chemistry major with a concentration in biochemistry. Keanna is a member of FisherCRU, a Resident Assistant, and a Student Ambassador – and she’s also a Disney movie fanatic. One of her most memorable experiences during her time at Fisher is the Boston trip that she took with her fellow FisherCRU members. “Fisher will become your second home. You’ll come to miss being at Fisher.”
Jeffrey Fahmer '14
Jeffrey graduated from West Seneca West Senior High School near Buffalo, and says that “it felt natural” to come to Fisher. His sister is a graduate of the College and he has felt like part of the Fisher family ever since her first day on campus. The Nursing major serves on the First Generation Scholarship Executive Board and as a Student Ambassador. He has spent a lot of time in the Rochester community as a First Generation Scholar working with others to build a new playground in a low-income housing section of the city. His favorite things about Fisher are the faculty, staff, and students – and he says there is always a familiar face.
Kelly Gorcica '13
What do you get when you roll rugby, the dance team, and serving as a student ambassador all into one? A student named Kelly Gorcica! The Buffalo native is a Childhood/Special Education major, who is minoring in Instructional Technology, and she says she chose Fisher because of its size and location. Her favorite thing about the College is the friendly people, who she says all hold the door open for one another. She really enjoys her Human Exceptionalities course taught by Dr. Arndt – “an amazing professor that keeps students engaged and having fun while they learn.”
Erin Haffey '13
Hamburg, NY, native Erin Haffey is a double major in Management and Communication/Journalism. She is a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), PRIMA (Fisher’s student-run public relations/ advertising firm), Advertising Club, and serves as a Student Ambassador. She loves that Fisher is an environment promoting active learning, and says the professors are interested in each student, and they go above and beyond to make the student experience truly beneficial. Fisher stood out from 50 other colleges to Haffey as her first choice after she attended several tours and also experienced an overnight stay. The Service Scholar has also done an internship in Walt Disney World. “If you are willing to take the opportunities which are available to you, you will find that Fisher not only provides an outstanding education but it also will help you grow as an outstanding person.”
Maggie Hoogeveen '13
Maggie Hoogeveen is a Nursing major from Stillwater, NY, which falls in between Albany and Saratoga Springs. She is active on the intramural volleyball team, and is a Student Ambassador. The small school atmosphere and the nursing program attracted her to Fisher. She looks forward to the dining hall’s stir fry, and frequently uses the College’s great workout facilities. The transfer student says her first week is her favorite memory because she could not believe how easy it was to transfer colleges, and says everyone was friendly and willing to help her in any way they could.
Kaitlyn Mannix '14
Kaitlyn Mannix graduated from Palmyra-Macedon High School and came to Fisher with a nursing career in mind. The Service Scholar is an active member of Students With A Vision (SWAV), the Student Nursing Association, and is a Student Ambassador. She is also an employee of the Fisher Fund phone-a-thon, and a member of the Honors Program. She chose Fisher because of the Nursing program, which features state-of-the-art technology and clinical rotations that she says made her feel prepared for the real world. Orientation was her most memorable experience because of all of the planned activities and the way she felt welcomed by the College.
Allison Marciano '13
Allison Marciano is a Rochester native, and chose Fisher because she loved the campus. The Childhood and Special Education major’s favorite memory is the 2010 Teddi Dance, when she danced for the full 24 hours (on just 45 minutes of sleep!) and created memories that will last a lifetime. She is a member of Fisher Players, Cardinal Chorale, Student Government Association Senate, and can be seen giving tours as a student ambassador. She says she feels like she has another family at Fisher, and says everyone treats each other with respect. “When I'm here, it's so comfortable, that it feels like home.”
Julie Moslow '13
Service scholar Julie Moslow, a Buffalo native, is studying Communication/Journalism with a minor in Visual and Performing Arts. She is the Publicity Coordinator for Fisher Players, a Peer Advisor, and a member of the Resident Student Association and the Visual and Performing Arts Club. She says she chose Fisher because she felt like the College staff really cared about her as a person and as one of its students. She looks forward to Fish Fridays in the dining hall because of the featured macaroni and cheese bar! Moslow really feels like Fisher is a place where students not only grow through academics, but grow with other people and through experiences. She says, “Everyone at Fisher truly cares about your growth as a person.”
Staci Palacios '13
Staci Palacios is from Barker, in the Buffalo-Niagara region, and liked Fisher’s location because it’s not too close to home, but not too far away from home either. The Biology and Childhood Education major loves the College’s small-town atmosphere, but also the fact that it is minutes from Rochester. She is involved in the One Campaign, the Teddi Dance for Love, and plays for the College’s field hockey team. She says if she could tell prospective students one thing about Fisher, she would tell them that Fisher is truly all they will ever need or want in a college. She says the various clubs bring events to campus for students to enjoy, and all of the professors help students achieve their goals. “It’s the best of both worlds - there are no compromises between fun and academics.”
Marissa Petta '13
“I have never spoken to a student who does not love it here,” said Marissa Petta, an English and Adolescence/Special Education major from Stillwater, NY. Originally, she chose to attend a big university and found out soon after starting there that it just didn’t feel like home. She says she knew she belonged at Fisher, and she’s never been happier. She is a First Generation Scholar, Student Ambassador, and a member of the Gospel Choir, and credits her Leadership and Self Development course for learning what it takes to be a leader, and how she can positively impact the lives of those around her.
Brittany Pietras '13
New Jersey native Brittany Pietras has a heavy course load as a Childhood and Special Education major with minors in Psychology, Instructional Technology, and Spanish. And on top of her studies, she is a Student Ambassador and has been a member of the Orientation Team. She is also a Service Scholar, and is involved with the Teddi Dance and the Relay for Life. She chose Fisher for the Education program, and felt comfortable on campus, which was important since she is far from home. Her advice to students who are in their college search is to pick the school that fits them best, and she says Fisher is “absolutely phenomenal in making anyone feel taken care of and welcomed.”
Jose Ramos '13
Jose Ramos says Fisher has become his home. The Business Management major is a student in the Higher Education Opportunities Program, and is involved with Sustained Dialogue, the Intramurals Program, and as a Student Ambassador. He chose Fisher for the great and welcoming environment, and the beautiful campus. His favorite thing about Fisher is how you get to know so many people. “It is nearly impossible to walk around campus and not be greeted by someone.”
Lorena Rodriguez '14
A Nursing major from the Bronx, Lorena Rodriguez came from a very small high school and chose Fisher because she wanted to continue to benefit from the advantages that come with attending a small school. She is a member of the Black Student Union, Arts in Motion, and is also a Student Ambassador. Her favorite thing about Fisher is the campus life, including all of the diversity events that take place and the food! If she could tell students who may be considering Fisher one thing about the school, it is that no matter how far away you are from your hometown, Fisher makes everyone feel right at home.
Amanda Scheutzow '13
Amanda Scheutzow loved Fisher’s beautiful campus, the small class sizes, and the management program. The Fairport native is a member of the women’s lacrosse team, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and serves as a student ambassador. She says she loved having the same classmates thanks to her learning community because she got to know people easily!
Brandon Smith '13
“It was love at first sight,” says Brandon Smith when asked why he chose Fisher. The Prattsburgh, NY, native majors in Communication/Journalism and Legal Studies and is involved with Cardinal Television. He is also a Resident Assistant. Video Production was his favorite course because he gained hands-on experience and produced videos that were actually distributed and viewed. To anyone thinking about Fisher, he says, “Coming to Fisher is unlike any other experience that you have ever had. You will love every second you are here.”
Bill Walter '13
Bill Walter came to Fisher from Marcellus, NY, a suburb of Syracuse. The Adolescence Education and Math major quickly became involved on campus as a member of the Fisher Ski Association, Fisher Players, Teddi Dance, Intramural Sports, and other activities. When he came to tour campus, he said that is what sealed his decision, because he felt more comfortable here than anywhere else he visited. He also thought the location was great because Rochester would be a great place to spend four years. If he could give advice to students who have Fisher in mind it would be: “If you’re thinking about going to Fisher, come for a visit and experience one day here. You will get a true feel for how amazing the campus, the campus life, and the people are here.”