B.A., St. John Fisher University
Maherly Schaeffer currently serves as the assistant director, advancement communications, at St. John Fisher University. In this role, she shapes and executes strategic communication initiatives with a focus on alumni engagement and fundraising.
As a proud Fisher alumna, Maherly feels strongly about the importance of maintaining a strong connection between Fisher’s past and Fisher’s future to advance the University. Through print, digital, and social channels, she shares stories of alumni, students, faculty, and staff to engage diverse audiences and foster pride and involvement. She has worked for four of Fisher’s seven presidents – beginning as a work study student in the President’s Office – and is a committed steward of Fisher’s history.
In her daily work, she does everything from graphic design and writing to editing and layout. She is editor-in-chief of Collegium magazine (which won the 2020 Prism Award for Not-for-Profit magazines), content creator for Fisher alumni social media channels, creates direct mail fundraising pieces, designs capital campaign major gift donor proposals, and produces alumni event invitations. Her favorite lunch spot is New York State’s No. 1 rated dining hall at Fisher Dining.
In addition to her professional work, she enjoys being a part of the Canandaigua community. She is on the executive board of the Canandaigua Girls Volleyball and Canandaigua Football organizations and volunteers with the Canandaigua baseball organization.
A native of the Southern Tier, Maherly enjoys being outside (except for cold and rainy baseball games) and can often be found begging her family to walk the dogs with her.
(Also, it's pronounced "Marley")