Foundation Scholarships

Parisek-Fischer, Mary Memorial Music

This scholarship is open to undergraduate sophomores or above, majoring music (instrument or voice). When possible, the recipient should have graduated from high school in the NORTHWEST part of Wisconsin (north of Hwy 8 and west of Hwy 13) with special consideration to students graduating from Winter High School. Student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0. The scholarship is preferred to be renewable if the recipient continues to meet the qualifications and there are no other applicants that are more in need. Preference given to nontraditional students. Financial need will not be a determining factor.

Application forms are available from the Department of Music and Theatre Arts Office. Complete and return the form to the department office.

As determined by the Department of Music and Theatre Arts.

The Music and Theatre Arts Scholarship Committee will select the candidate that most closely meets the criteria. In the case that there are two recipients who both meet the scholarship criteria, it is suggested that the Dean contact the Fischer’s before the final selection is made.

As determined by the Music and Theatre Arts Department

An award letter will be sent to the recipient by the Music and Theatre Arts Department Chair. Once selection is complete the Chair should also notify Richard and Barbara Fischer about the scholarship recipient. The Chair will also complete and submit a “Scholarship Award Form” to the Financial Aid Office.

This scholarship was created by Richard Fischer as a memorial to his mother, Mary Pariseck-Fischer. Born in Chicago, Mary was the daughter of Czechoslovakian immigrants. Like many young people today, she began piano lessons at an early age. She excelled. By her late teens, she was asked to play with many classical ensemble groups. In a sense, she was a pioneer, as female classical performers were rare. Musical ability was a social requirement for young women and not a career path. In her twenties, she was asked to audition for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The audition never took place as WWII changed everyone’s life. A job suddenly became a necessity. After two wars, a marriage and children, she knew that she could not go back. She played infrequently, she helped others to learn and amazed more with her skill to play just about anything you could name. She was transformed into another person when she played and you knew immediately how much she loved her music and how much she missed it. This scholarship is in memory of her and her love of her piano. It is given in hope that it will help struggling young performers, with a similar love of music, to achieve their aspirations. The recipient should send a letter of appreciation to Richard Fischer in care of the Foundation Office, Schofield 214.