Matthew Fischer

I grew up on my family’s dairy farm, where we milk 90 registered Holsteins and Jerseys. My responsibilities on the farm include making management decisions with my parents and caring for the cattle and cropping. Also, I am the head organist at my church. I help my mom and grandmother with their greenhouse in the spring. I was actively involved in 4-H, FFA, NHS, Choir, and Theater in high school. I have taken on multiple leadership roles in all of these organizations. Community is something I strongly value and put practical efforts towards improving. During the pandemic, I have stepped up and learned how to run local elections in my home township and have been certified as a chief election inspector, monitoring everything that goes on at the polls to maintain checks and balances. Along with working elections, I donate my time to my faith community. I am donating countless hours a month to keep my church clean and safe during the Covid-19 pandemic and to inspire our congregation with music to enhance the worship. I volunteer whenever it’s possible and give to those who need extra help. While I am new to UWRF, I have already taken steps to become involved in student organizations. I have decided to pledge my brotherhood to the Alpha Gamma Rho- Alpha Psi Fraternity. I have stepped up wherever possible to uphold the core values of AGR. I have joined UWRF Dairy Club and the Collegiate Farm Bureau, listening to guest speakers and partaking in the Collegiate Discussion Meet. In addition to this, I have been participating in community service activities through the Honors Program. Another opportunity through the honors program that I have participated in is a meeting with the Interim Chancellor. I was able to discuss the pros and cons of online schooling through the pandemic. My current academic goal is to stay on track with my major. I plan to focus on dairy cattle nutrition. Professionally I want to be working as a Dairy Nutrition Specialist. I want to be working with a company close to the family farm to stay involved with the farm. With a Dairy Science degree, I will be equipped with the tools and knowledge to succeed in my career. I intend to return home to the family farm with my new knowledge. I plan to help the farm become more efficient with feeding programs and minimize milk production loss from feed changes. I plan to become partners with my family on the farm, expanding the herd size and the cropland’s acreage. The goal that means the most to me is that I hope that I will one day own the farm, raise a family in the farming atmosphere and give my children the same experiences that I have had. I want the livestock to help build my family because farm life provides children responsibility and skills for caring for animals and gives them hands-on skills working with animals.