THEIR LIFE'S WORK
11 Questions
Joanie Fitzgerald has managed campus-wide office services for almost two decades, “the longest I’ve done anything except being a wife and mother.”
See why Joanie's popularity remains undimmed.
What about you would surprise people the most?
I attended a Beatles concert during one of their first U.S. tours in 1964. I was in eighth grade, and I went with three friends. Our seats were so close that we could actually hear them singing, in spite of all the screaming. I was a big Paul McCartney fan until George Harrison looked right at me and winked during the concert.
What is the best thing about your current job?
I love that I get to know students, faculty, and staff, and that no day is the same.
What do you most value in your friends?
Humor, kindness, and loyalty.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Playing the piano or singing. I absolutely can't sing at all.
What trait do you most like about yourself?
My optimism.
Who is your favorite fictional character?
Samwise Gamgee, because anybody can be a hero, and anybody can be stalwart and get the job done. I'm a huge Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fan.
What is your most treasured possession?
A family Bible my uncle gave me when I got married. It's crammed with notes and drawings from my kids and letters from loved ones . . . about twice as thick as when I got it.
What's your favorite place to hang out?
Anywhere with family and good friends! I'm also a gym-rat—but not for working out. I like watching sports when I have a connection with the team—I watch Nazareth basketball, volleyball, and hockey, some soccer and lacrosse, and I've been a die-hard Red Sox fan ever since I lived in Boston.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Anyone who is kind, generous, works diligently, and can maintain perspective and keep a sense of humor.
What's your favorite meal and why?
Really good Italian food, like chicken scaloppini—I love the chicken, I love the wine, I love the garlic.
What's your guilty pleasure?
Watching bad sci-fi movies, like Piranhaconda or Sharkasaurus.
Joanie Fitzgerald