UW Oshkosh Today

Select Page

Meet Alumni Board member Andrew Fisher

by | Jan 29, 2009 | Alumni News

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Association recently welcomed eight new members. Each month, another of the new members is featured. This month, meet Andrew Fisher.

Name: Andrew Fisher

Age: 24

Year of graduation/degree: 2008 BA, Political Science and International Studies

Hometown: I have lived nearly all my life in Oshkosh. I currently live in Madison.

Profession: Recently completed term as Compliance Assistant for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. Currently seeking a position in political campaigns or in the Wisconsin State Legislature.

Why were you interested in serving on the Alumni Board?
I was interested in serving on the Alumni Board because I wanted to give back to the University and to stay involved in the University community even after I graduated.

What are you most looking forward to in this role?
I am looking forward to meeting new people and assisting the Alumni Association in achieving its goals.  I want to maintain a good relationship with the University and help it to increase its ties to other alumni.

More specifically, I am interested in getting to know more UWO alumni in the Madison area and also assisting the UWO Model U.N. Team in organizing its 25-year reunion.

How did UW Oshkosh help you get where you are today?
I think the value that UW Oshkosh places on student engagement and student organizations to supplement what is learned in the classroom really helped me to further develop my skills in certain areas. I was able to take knowledge learned in classes for my international studies and political science majors and apply it to Model United Nations research and competitions.

I am interning in the State Assembly right now, a position that I would not have been able to attain or excel at without my political science education or my involvement in the College Democrats and the opportunity it gave me to get involved in politics in the Oshkosh community.

Please share a brief description of what you do in your job.
Currently, I am interning in the Office of State Representative Gordon Hintz in Madison. I do many basic office tasks, such as answer phones and make newspaper clippings, but I also research legislation and issues, draft letters to constituents, and attend hearings and press conferences on issues that are of importance to the 54th Assembly District.

I think I was able to get a very high-quality education at UW Oshkosh as well as the opportunity to go beyond what was normally required for classes. Through my upper level classes and in Model U.N., I was able to develop critical thinking skills and research techniques that guide me in many aspects of my work in the State Assembly as well as the ability to work in a high-pressure environment, something that will be an asset to me in future jobs.

Any special memories of your time on campus?
The most special memories of my time on campus come from my involvement in student organizations, such as Model U.N., College Democrats and OSA. As I mentioned before, Model U.N. was one of the most important and rewarding experiences that I had while at UW Oshkosh, and I was fortunate to have been able to learn so much from our faculty advisor, Dr. Grieb, who also taught some of my most challenging courses.

I really value the trips I was able to take to New York City with my Model U.N. teammates, many of whom I consider good friends, and being able to discuss my research with high-level United Nations officials.

Did any of your family members also attend UW Oshkosh?
My grandmother attended the Oshkosh Teachers College and graduated in 1954. My sister, Emily, is a junior at UW Oshkosh, and my other sister Laura will be attending UW Oshkosh as a freshman beginning this fall.

Related stories: