Countdown to Commencement: Elisa Gendron-Belen

The next student to be featured in our “Countdown to Commencement” series is Elisa Gendron-Belen, a sport management student with a minor in international studies. Gendron-Belen was nominated by Dr. Katie Burakowski, assistant professor and chair of sport management.

She is described as a student with a “lead by example” attitude, exceptional in the classroom, and an influential individual in the sport management industry. Originally from New Hartford, New York, Gendron-Belen had her eye on Fisher for the sport management program.

“We’re one of the best sport management programs in the country, and I really felt that this was the place that was kind of calling to me,” she said.

Growing up, she watched her father’s career as a professional motorcycle racer. At age 12, she picked up the sport and exceled at her young age, moving into club racing. During her sophomore year at Fisher, she got a call from a professional team and has never looked back. Most recently, in November 2023, the MotoAmerica Junior Cup rider finished among the top three in the Latin American International Women’s Cup in Mexico.

A fierce advocate for women in sport, she aspires to own and manage a team one day. In her nomination, Burakowski noted that Gendron-Belen sets a benchmark for her peers, and exemplifies what it means to actively participate in class while simultaneously integrating industry experiences to complement her academics.

“Elisa is the ultimate ‘lead by example’ student in sport management. Not only is she an exemplar student in the classroom, but she’s also a mover and a shaker in the industry,” said Burakowski. “She is an impressive woman who has been a professional motorcycle racer for years, but who has also been carving her niche and honing her skills. She builds relationships, invests in them significantly, and communicates in everything she does that nothing is superficial, but all her actions are intentional.”