T H E K A R E N L. A N D M I C H A E L E. F I S H E R S C H O L A R S H I P F O R AT H L E T I C A N D A C A D E M I C E X C E L L E N C E When Michael and Karen Fisher decided to make their largest charitable gift ever, they looked in just one direction — to Bryant University. Michael “Mike” Fisher is the chair of Bryant’s board of trustees (formerly serving on the board from 1992 – 2001) and retired managing director of Barclays Global Investors. He and his wife, Karen, regular financial supporters of Bryant for many years, recently committed to a $ 1 million gift to fund The Karen L. and Michael E. Fisher Scholarship for Athletic and Academic Excellence. The endowed scholarship fund will support male and female varsity athletes with proven need who demonstrate leadership and excellence in their chosen sports, as well as a high level of academic achievement.
Fisher characterizes his gift as a modest one positioned to achieve great results. “It’s not relatively big financially — it’s big in terms of our expectations of the end results,” he explains. “We hope to see a procession of young men and women come through Bryant and emerge better for the experience. “With the Division I transition, we have outstanding academicians among very solid athletes in all the sports — not just one or two. We’re delighted to try and pitch in a bit to help studentathletes as they proceed through Bryant. It’s not an easy trail they follow. That we may have helped in some small way means a lot to us, because Karen and I have never forgotten how Bryant once took care of us.”
Planning is everything
The Fishers have also included the University in their estate plans, naming Bryant the beneficiary of an additional $ 2 million. “It’s one of the easier ways to give to Bryant because it’s not immediate,” says Fisher. “You can feel really good now about doing it, and you can rest assured that your gift will be put to good use.” Fisher’s pride in Bryant runs as deep as his roots. “Though it was a very different institution back in the 1960s, much of the bedrock of the ‘old’ Bryant remains intact,” affirms Fisher. “Students have a much heavier load in terms of their academic focus — as it should be. We’re getting students in the athletic programs who are causing the tide to rise for everyone and bringing all the ships up.” The will to succeed
To have helped means a lot to us, because we have never forgotten how Bryant took care of us. M I C H A E L E . F I S H E R ’6 7 Chair of the Board, Bryant University
It was at a young age that Fisher came up with a long-term plan that belied his years. He resolved that he would be successful and that his future life would never lack the stability he yearned for in his day-to-day existence growing up. “My dad, an Australian, was an entrepreneur before anyone knew what that word meant,” he recalls. “When things were good, they were really good, but when they were bad... The elder Fisher’s ventures ran the gamut from a spaghetti factory to a plywood plant to
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