All in the (Fisher) Family

For the Lamphear family from Camillus, New York, St. John Fisher College has been a part of dinner conversations since 2007. That’s when their oldest daughter, Lindsey, first heard about the College from an older classmate who had visited the campus.

“She came back exhilarated by her tour of the school and for this reason, Fisher always stuck in Lindsey’s mind,” recalled Deb Lamphear, the matriarch of the family. “When it came time for her to tour colleges and make her decision, she fell in love with Fisher and the Biology Department after an open house at which she got to meet with the biology professors. On her subsequent visits to the school, she felt the family-like atmosphere and knew this was a place that she would feel at home.”

Lindsey’s Fisher experience became the roadmap for her siblings (and according to Deb, several family friends). Not only did she enjoy her studies, but she became involved as a peer mentor, peer tutor, and a student researcher, even traveling to the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology in Colorado to present her research on a national stage. She also took advantage of the study abroad program, spending a semester in Costa Rica, which sparked her love of global travel.

For Deb and her husband, Lou, as well as their other three children, Brendon, Louie, and Julie, their Fisher experience came to include attending events like Family Weekend, Alumni Weekend, and, of course, several Orientations and Commencements.

“We all became a part of the Fisher family when Lindsey started, and her siblings always felt that they belonged there from that time,” Deb continued. “When Louie was applying to college and told us that he already felt like Fisher was his second home, it became clear that Fisher was definitely the family tradition.”

Every other year, the Lamphears found themselves back in college search mode with their children, all three of whom were either seriously considering or “had their heart set” on Fisher and eventually found themselves on campus. Each crafted their own Fisher experience, but followed in Lindsey’s footsteps as they became involved in clubs, including the Sport Management Club, Cardinal TV, Student Government Association, and Teddi Dance for Love. According to Deb and Lou, each was able to find their passions because the environment Fisher provides allowed them to explore their individual interests, giving them experiences that have helped “pave the way for their future journey of life.”

Today, Lindsey ’12 is a physician practicing family and sports medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio. Brendon ’15 started as an events coordinator working with the NHL in New York City and is currently working in the music entertainment industry as an events coordinator in Nashville, Tennessee. Louie ’17 started his career in marketing with advertising and public relations agency Dixon Schwabl, then transitioned to sales and marketing in the Syracuse area while he pursues a career in real estate development. Their newest graduate, Julie ’21, is currently seeking a communications and social media position, with her eye on the music industry in Nashville.
For the Lamphear parents, Fisher was everything they could have wanted in a college experience for their children. The small school atmosphere, in their view, helped their children’s relationships with professors and gave them more opportunities to thrive. To them, campus also felt like home.

“We loved so many things about the school, but what we loved the most was the family atmosphere. The whole family attended Alumni Weekend and Family Weekend every year since Lindsey was a freshman, and all of us felt like a part of the Fisher family from day one,” Deb said. “Our children had so many opportunities to join organizations, take on unique experiences, and build their own community within the walls of Fisher.”
The College also provided something else that hadn't been expected, but was perhaps the best return on the family’s investment in Fisher.

“Fisher not only provided our children with the tools to succeed, but built a unique bond between the siblings that is simply indescribable,” said Deb. “In a time of life that often sees siblings growing apart and on their own paths, our children have grown closer together. They have developed irreplaceable memories with each other from these years and have formed a special connection that will keep them close forever.”