#Fisher2023: Where There’s a Witt There’s a Way

A member of the Class of 2023, Alyson Witt ’23 said her time at St. John Fisher University offered an invaluable experience that shaped her into the person she is today.

For Witt, the value of a Fisher education is immeasurable. A public health major, she credits the University for allowing her to explore her interests and cultivate them into opportunities and skills that will serve her well in her future career. She also emphasizes the sense of community at Fisher, describing a supportive network of friends, professors, and advisors who have helped her along her educational journey. “I think what sets Fisher apart from other schools is the ‘Fisher family’ community and that professors are dedicated to you and aren’t afraid to ask you the hard questions,” she explained.

Witt said Dr. Terence Gipson, assistant professor of public health, shares her values and passion for public health and has been instrumental in shaping her plans for the future. “Being a student of his has changed my life, and I have learned so much from him,” she said. “His drive for change and passion for public health is contagious, and it has inspired me to do the things I do. I correlate a lot of my success to him and his support.”

Witt said the Campus Ministry team provided the opportunity to lead leadership conferences, plan mission trips, and participate in service projects, deeply impacting her time at Fisher and helping her connect with like-minded peers.

As she moves forward, Witt has exciting plans. This summer, she is working in the emergency department at Highland Hospital and volunteering at the Rochester Center for Youth. In August, she will embark on a one-year service placement with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Sacramento, California. There, she will work as an outreach assistant at the Mustard Seed School, a school for children experiencing homelessness, where she will help to facilitate youth education and provide them with a safe environment to learn. She will also work with families to help them access resources to escape homelessness. Additionally, she will be volunteering at the Sacramento Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen. “Doing this work reminds me of why public health is so important and why this work is so needed,” she said. “After that year, I will be returning to New York to attend SUNY Brockport to enroll in their graduate public health program.”

Keep following the #Fisher2023 series to see what more members of the Class of 2023 have planned in their lives after Fisher!