Countdown to Commencement 2026: Hailey Gunther

Each year, faculty and staff nominate members of the graduating class for “Countdown to Commencement,” a video series that recognizes the accomplishments of soon-to-be-alumni of the University. Fisher News Highlights features a student every week of the spring semester, as we countdown to the Commencement celebrations in May.

The first student to be featured is Hailey Gunther, a marketing major. She was nominated by Dr. Dan Connolly, dean of the School of Business.

Gunther found Fisher as a transfer student, poised to embrace and make the most out of her college experience. During her time at Fisher, she has served as president of the Dean’s Student Advisory Council (DSAC) in the School of Business, is a member of the American Marketing Association, and has volunteered to serve as a student speaker at prospective student events including Open House. In her role as president of DSAC, she organized a business student clubs event in the fall semester that had broad engagement, and she is working with the council to develop new student programs such as a Fashion Your Future/Dress for Success event and a luncheon for transfer students. In her junior year, she studied abroad in Florence, Italy, completing a marketing and social media internship for a boutique agency while there and staying connected with Fisher.

In his nomination, Connolly commended Gunther for her enthusiasm for Fisher and for the ways in which she aims to help other transfer students assimilate quickly to the campus community.

“As a transfer student, she wants to find ways to help other transfer students and provide a smooth onboarding. She seeks to get the most from her Fisher experience by getting involved and passes that advice on to new students she meets,” he said.

Gunther has enjoyed her time at Fisher so much that she recruited her younger sister, Lexi, to enroll. The sisters are enjoying being first-year and senior year Fisher students together. For future Fisher students, especially transfer students, Gunther’s advice is to “be determined.”

“Always keep an open mind because opportunities are going to come. Professors and peers are all here to help, so just take advantage of that and be willing to help other people, too,” she said.

Connolly predicts that Gunther will have a prosperous marketing career and said he could see her opening her own digital marketing agency someday.

“Hailey exemplifies the traits of a Fisher student. She is enthusiastic, engaged, and humble,” he said.