DSF: Tell us about yourself.
FP: I am 65 years old, and live in Greenwich, NY, about an hour north of Albany.
DSF: You are extremely involved at your alma mater. Tell us about your work as a volunteer for the university.
FP: I have become involved in the university because of the new president, Fr. Gabriel
Zeis. He was actually a member of TKE before joining the priesthood. When he first came on board, I told him that I wanted to do something meaningful for the good of the school other than just writing a check. He said that he appreciated my honesty right off the bat, and asked me to become more involved with the college. I currently serve as an alumni volunteer for the Admissions Office, and love it.
DSF: What were some of the rewarding things you participated in while in the Beta Phi Chapter at St. Francis?
FP: One of the most rewarding experiences as an undergraduate at St. Francis was the Delta Sigma Phi Annual Parochial School State Wide Basketball Tournament. Schools from across the state of Pennsylvania competed at St. Francis, and our chapter hosted this event. In addition, as a Delta Sigma Phi brother, I participated in assisting with a food pantry for local families in need of assistance. These experiences were very rewarding to me.
DSF: You are also a poet. Talk about your books, and how you got into writing poetry.
FP: I have written three books of poetry, and as one reviewer wrote, “Frederick Pheiffer is a Norman Rockwell of the printed page.” I remember that the first poem I tried to write was in grammar school. No matter how busy my life became, I always made sure that I took time to write. I now volunteer in my area by reading poems once a week at local nursing homes at what’s called “Talk Around with Fred.” It’s very rewarding.
DSF: It seems like you do a lot of rewarding things. Tell us about your other volunteer work with your wife.
FP: My wife and I have rescued numerous horses that were destined for slaughter and we care for them at our home. We began by rescuing two off-the-track thoroughbreds, we now have five. You see, once a racehorse stops earning money, they are of no further use and are disposed of. My latest book, “The Last Stop” is entitled after our home; it is the horses’ last stop. In addition to the horses, we also rescue discarded English Springer Spaniels.
DSF: Talk about your career aside from the poetry.
FP: When I was at St. Francis, a Hungarian history professor told me that I should be a teacher after I showed him some of my poems. I decided to go on to Boston College for my master’s degree, and then on to SUNY-Albany for my doctorate in American History with a concentration on the constitution. However, I got a job in the state legislature, and never completed my doctoral degree.
After getting that job, I worked for a state senator from a rural area whose cause was the environment. He passed the country’s first endangered species law, which I wrote. This legislation was signed into law by Governor Rockefeller in 1974 at a time when environmental and animal rights issues didn’t exist. The current U.S. Endangered Species Act is modeled after this law.
In addition, throughout my career I was the executive director of the New York State Republican Committee. I also directed congressional campaigns, state senate and assembly elections. At the end of my career I joined Governor George Pataki’s administration as a spokesperson for state agencies.
DSF: What advice would you give to undergraduates today?
FP: Always be open to the possibilities that exist around you and be prepared to work hard.
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