Marsden Fisher of Yorkville, a May 2026 graduate from SIU Carbondale’s zoology program (shown with her dog, Echo, a German Shepherd mix), recently received national honors with a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship. (Photo by Russell Bailey)
August 11, 2026
SIU alumna Marsden Fisher earns Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Time definitely hasn’t stood still for Marsden Fisher, who took full advantage of opportunities available to her during her four years at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
While on campus, Fisher — who graduated in May 2026 with a 4.0 GPA in zoology with a pre-veterinary specialization — used her time to be involved with SIU’s canine sciences research program, SIU’s University Honors Program, Sustainability Council and Green Fund Council, and also was the executive officer in SIU’s U.S. Army ROTC program.
Selected as SIU Carbondale’s 2025 Student Lincoln Laureate, Fisher, who is now pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, joins another select group with Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship. She is one of 40 students to receive an $8,500 fellowship from the nation’s oldest and most selected collegiate honor society.
“I spent all four years utilizing the resources on campus,” said Marsden, who is from Yorkville, Illinois. “I kept myself very busy. I enjoyed every second and cherished my time spent at SIU. I developed as a leader, a student, and a person.”
‘Well-rounded education’
The fellowship “was an amazing surprise,” said Fisher, who was in the University Honors Program and invited to join Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) her junior year by Elizabeth Donoghue, assistant director of the honors program and SIU Sustainability Council chair. Fisher noted she is thankful for the support she received in the application process from SIU faculty, who, she said, have been an instrumental part of her education.
Fisher’s involvement in volunteering led her to restart the registered student organization Students Embracing Nature, Sustainability, and Environmentalism (SENSE) and advocate for campus initiatives, she said. The group received funding to build a butterfly and vegetable garden on campus that supports local native insects and provides local food to the community.
“The University Honors Program allowed me to invest time into developing my character as I learned,” she said. “The classes I took taught me how to center myself through yoga and sound healing, and embrace my independence as we traveled to Ireland. The honors program helped me establish a well-rounded education that influenced how I see the world and approach problem-solving.”
Fisher spent six weeks in Zimbabwe as a volunteer tracking and caring for wild roaming rhinos, elephants and cheetahs at a rhino and wildlife conservation range. At SIU, she joined a research lab studying senior dog cognition headed by Erin Perry, an animal science professor, along with a research lab studying the nutrition of beef cattle. These undergraduate research experiences developed her love of learning through research, Fisher said.
Donoghue was Fisher’s mentor in two honors program classes, including a study-abroad class in Ireland, and served with her on the Sustainability Council. “Marsden is one of the best and most dedicated students I have worked with in my 16 years as an educator,” Donoghue said in a recommendation letter.
Future path
Fisher was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in May. She received an educational delay and will be in the U.S. Army Inactive Reserves until she completes her veterinary degree at the University of Illinois in 2030. Fisher said her goal is to join the Army’s veterinary corps after graduating veterinary school, and she plans to serve at least eight years active duty.