Contact: Ron Fisher, Honors College, (517) 355-2326; or Kristin Anderson, University Relations, (517) 353-8819, ander284@msu.edu
10/24/2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. � Ever since she started watching British television dramas such as �Masterpiece Theatre� and �Mystery� as a child, Susannah Fisher of Oklahoma City, now a senior at Michigan State University, has been fascinated by the British culture.
Fisher, who is one of MSU�s nominees for a Marshall Scholarship and the chance to study at an institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom, would like to take her creative abilities and educational experiences at MSU one step further.
�The whole history of England, the climate and the visual arts there just seem magical to me,� Fisher said. �I see myself as a creative person, and the opportunity to study there, to be surrounded by all types of cultures, great museums, and make connections with faculty and students who are and will be leaders in their fields, would be amazing.�
Fisher is the daughter of Timothy and Cheryl Fisher, and is a 2000 graduate of Del City High School. She is a history of art major in the College of Arts and Letters and is a member of the MSU Honors College.
If selected for the Marshall Scholarship, Fisher would pursue advanced degrees in art history at Courtauld Institute of Art at the University of London or Oxford University. Her future aspirations include teaching art history at the university level and remain an active participant in the museum field.
�Through MSU�s museum studies program I have witnessed how effectively museums educate and inspire a much larger audience than scholars and collectors,� she said. �I also have become aware of the many areas in which many museums fail to address the needs of a larger society, such as the mentally and physically challenged. I want to be instrumental in providing the means by which often-neglected groups of citizens can equally enjoy the resources offered in the world�s museums.�
Fisher is the Art History Association vice president, working on creating a series of gallery walks to be presented by art history majors at the Kresge Art Museum, where she served as a professorial assistant with the director. She also is active in ASPIRE, which involves students and the community in Kresge activities, and also works as an exhibits assistant at the MSU Museum.
She participated in an archeological excavation in southwest Michigan, and volunteers in an MSU archeological laboratory. She tutors students in Asian art history, conversational English and other courses and participates in an art history book club. She also was active in the Residence Halls Association.
Being nominated by the MSU faculty for the Marshall Scholarship is a distinct honor in at least two ways: it recognizes the student for their tremendous accomplishments and their academic abilities and also is a reward for the effort the student expends in completing the application process,� said Ron Fisher, director of the MSU Honors College. �We wish Susannah all the best as she continues in the scholarship competition.�
The Marshall Scholarship recognizes students who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership potential, and covers tuition costs, books and living expenses for two to three years at a British university. Approximately 40 scholarships will be awarded, with the recipients announced on or about Nov. 17.
For more information on the Marshall Scholarship program, visit the Web at www.marshallscholar.org