In May 2019, after 22 years as a professor of criminal justice and sociology at Viterbo, and in the middle of a pandemic, Dr. Marlene Fisher retired. In an interview, she reflected upon her time at Viterbo and shared cherished memories she has of her colleagues and students.
Her colleagues remembered Fisher as a “social butterfly,” as Title IX Coordinator Tina Johns recalled. Her office usually had the best snacks, and always had a pot of coffee ready to go. Colleagues, like professor Michelle Pinzl, knew to “seek her out” during in-service meetings “for the most entertaining time” and enjoyed her humorous “smart-aleck comments.” Fisher equally expressed her gratitude to meet and befriend the “amazing people” who make up Viterbo’s community.
That is something she misses in her retirement, working alongside all of the people across the university across all economic levels. “I get along with everybody,” she said, “I get along with people… from the folks who do building maintenance to the president.” She credits this to her social class and growing up in the intercity of Des Moines, Iowa. Fisher shared that she is “proud to have been raised in a working-class family,” with her mother as a telephone operator.
Fisher reminisced about one incomparable past colleague, Earl Medary, a religious studies professor who passed away in 2007. At least once a month on a Friday, Medary would start gathering people for a social hour at Houghton’s for good company and a tasty beverage. After Medary’s passing, Fisher stepped up to honor her friend and restart his tradition under the banner of “Fridays for Fridary’s” (pronounced Fry-dairy).
Beyond coworkers, Fisher has fond memories of events on campus. She recalled what Courtyard Carni used to be like when faculty, staff, and students could gather the afternoon to socialize and even have a beer or two (in a sectioned off part with legal I.D., of course). Fisher reckoned students found it “exciting” as it allowed graduation-bound students the chance to “connect socially” with the faculty who mentored them through four years of college. But, as she commented, “They took that away.” Why was this tradition was eliminated? “One year, about 10 years ago, two or three students decided they would streak across the Carni grounds. One of our beloved Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Sister Jean, was not very happy about that one.” Viterbo hosted one more Courtyard Carni with a beer tent before the university decided to end that tradition. Fisher recalled quipping about this change because, “We’re Catholic, we love to have a beer.”
Additionally, Fisher also enjoyed interacting with students. As a self-proclaimed “total political junkie” and “die-hard Democrat,” she was thrilled to help students form the Viterbo College Democrats club. In the fall of 2004, the club was founded to participate in the run up to the presidential election that year. It was a riveting first year with a passionate group of students who tirelessly worked to increased voter turnout. Not only did the club win the award for Viterbo’s “best club of the year,” but it was also was chosen as Wisconsin’s best College Democratic club.
Fisher is also proud of her work developing and overseeing the Living in a Diverse World (LDW) classes on campus. It is what she misses the most. She stayed informed of social justice matters related to race, ethnicity and gender, and shared these in her classes and among facility teaching other LDW classes. She also misses working with the students and conducting deep discussions on these topics. Fisher explained her enjoyment in watching students “open their minds and develop a sociological imagination –where they could see how their lives were also shaped by society.” She dearly misses this student interaction.
Students who had her as a teacher may recall what she would say on Thursday or Friday as class finished. Before they exited the room, she would say, “Get high on life, not on alcohol and drugs.” It’s not that she did not party when she was their age; she noted, “I’m a seventies girl.” Rather, Fisher wanted to reiterate that fun does not need to include alcohol and drugs.
Several times, she also gave out her phone number for students to call if they were intoxicated and needed a ride home. She would tell them, “‘You guys get wasted, call me.’” One year, she recalled a group of her majors who were inclined to party. She told them, “I will come and get you and take you back to the dorms.”
Occasionally, she let students in on why this topic is close to her heart. “A lot of it is personal,” she explained. “I come from a family of five – three brothers and one sister. My sister and I are the only ones left because all three of my brothers died when they were really young,” she paused,” alcohol was involved in each of their deaths as each had been drinking. […]You can be high on life, or” –her voice became soft: “just be careful.”
At the end of the interview, Fisher applauded Viterbo students. “I believe most of the Viterbo students not only share the values of the university, I think that’s really shown by their contributions while they’re on campus, and then when they go out to the world.” This is further demonstrated, she argues, by the way the Viterbo community is handling the virus: “Even with the corona virus stuff, it appears you guys are doing way better than other campuses.” She continues, commenting it is apparent that this is because Viterbo students “care.” Viterbo’s sense of caring is a value she holds close to her heart, a value that makes Viterbo stand out during this pandemic.
Fisher had one final message for Viterbo: “From the incredible faculty members in my department (Social Work, Sociology and Criminal Justice), to other faculty across the university, to great staff members who are often the engine of the university, to all of the thousands of students I have been blessed with teaching and mentoring, it has been my pleasure connecting with all of them.” When Dr. Fisher talks about the “amazing people” in our Viterbo community, she is not talking about herself, but should be. She has been a pillar of the our community for the past 22 years, and the work she has put into Viterbo will continue to resonate for our lifetime.
