Trustee Profile: Steven S. Fischman

Why I Serve: A Desire To Give Back Began with the Peace Corps

!n 1961, when President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order establishing the Peace Corps, Steven S. Fischman was an undergraduate at Kenyon College in Ohio. Following his graduation, despite mounting educational loans, he put his purpose and passion to work as a volunteer in Colombia—a decision that would go on to leave an indelible mark upon his life’s journey.

“My experience in the Peace Corps was the first fundamental exercise I had in recognizing my own desire to give back,” recalls Fischman, the Vice Chairman of New England Development.

Growing up in Queens, where he gleaned a first-hand understanding of lower middle-class struggles, was equally influential.

Prior to overseeing the expansion of New England Development into a multi-faceted real estate development and investment company, Fischman was a partner at the Boston law firm of Goulston and Storrs where he specialized in real estate and finance law.

His connection to William James College commenced in 2012 when the largest graduate psychology program in New England moved into the lower floors of One Wells Avenue—the property he and partner Stephen R. Karp owned at that time. Fischman remembers being fascinated by the College’s approach, one that has endured.

“William James College is training people who are likely to go back into the community and provide the kind of mental health support that's not only needed, but also accessible to all,” says Fischman whose tenure on the Board of Trustees spans a decade and includes work in the areas of development, governance, and recruitment of new members. While the College acquired the building at One Wells Avenue in January 2016, Fischman’s connection to campus remains strong.

A highlight came in July 2023, when grandson Thomas “TK” Fischman completed a gap year in mental health through the Behavioral Health Service Corps^SM—a paid service and learning opportunity for college graduates looking to obtain a full-time job in the field of human services while earning credits towards a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. TK, who was interested in behavioral health but didn’t quite know what he wanted to do at the program’s onset, now works as an intake coordinator at the Comprehensive Adolescent Rehabilitation and Education Service at Mount Sinai Morningside. Fischman is proud to see his grandson continue the tradition of incorporating service into his life.

“I have spent a good portion of my career devoting time to organizations that are giving back to the community,” says Fischman, in a nod to myriad nonprofits including Partners Healthcare System, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Kenyon College, Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, and Jobs for Massachusetts.

Six decades following his auspicious journey to South America, Fischman considers himself both blessed and obligated to pay it forward.

“I believe those of us who have found success via the opportunities provided us have a responsibility to give back and to recognize that there, except for good fortune, go you and I.”

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