Fischer, Roland

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/scsu_oh/9 [15213]

Biographical Information: Roland Fischer grew up in Alexandria, Minnesota. He attended his first year of college at the University of Iowa and then transferred to St. Cloud State. Roland graduated in 1958 with majors in Art and Theatre. Upon graduation, Roland taught in Columbia Heights and Forest Lake, Minnesota. He returned to St. Cloud State to get a master’s degree and was instrumental in the establishment of Theatre L’ Homme Dieu in Alexandria in 1961. Over the next 25 years, Roland, his wife Rachel, and growing family moved all over the world: California, Minnesota, Ireland, New Zealand, Minnesota, China, and, then in 1987, Minnesota again and a job at St. Cloud State University. Roland was hired as a staff member in the Center of International Studies, eventually appointed its director in 1992. He served in that position until 1998 and then retired in 2000. He continued to work some after retirement, serviced from 2007 to 2015 as the first Nankai University Binhai College Visiting Professor and as St. Cloud State president Earl Potter’s senior consultant on China from 2008 to 2016. Roland married his wife Rachel in 1958 and they had two children.

Transcript Summary: Roland described his early family history, growing up in Alexandria. After high school, he attended the University of Iowa for a year, then transferred to St. Cloud State in 1955. Roland was very active in the theatre program at St. Cloud State and graduated in 1958. He detailed his participation in the theatre program as well discussed what campus was like in the mid to late 1950s. He taught in Columbia Heights and Forest Lake, Minnesota. Returning to St. Cloud State in the early 1960s, Roland described his role in the establishment of Theatre L’ Homme Dieu in Alexandria, Minnesota, which served as a summer stock theatre for campus.

After a brief move to California, Roland and family returned to Minnesota. From then on, they the family moved to places around the globe, including Europe, New Zealand, and China, returning between each move to Minnesota. Roland described these experiences and what they were doing internationally.

In 1982, Roland met newly arrived Chinese students at the University of Minnesota. They became friends with these students and those who arrived after them. The Fischers were often invited to Chinese events at the University of Minnesota. This connection gave them the opportunity to teach in China. That opportunity came when Roland was hired to teach at Nankai University. At Nankai University, Roland used theatre as a way to teach Chinese students English. Eventually, Roland was able to tour the United States with a Chinese theatre troupe, including stops at St. Cloud State University.

In 1987, Roland returned to the United State and was hired at St. Cloud State’s Center for International Studies. He described his efforts to recruit international students to attend St. Cloud State with the support of St. Cloud State’s president, alum, and Canadian-born Brendan McDonald. McDonald’s successor Robert Bess was supportive of Roland’s efforts, who by 1992 was now director of the Center for International Studies. Roland’s role began to change in 1995 when Bruce Grube. Roland described his job after Grube became president and then in 2000, after three years of phased retirement, retired.