Stacy Fuehrer
Former Council Scholarship recipient Stacy Fuehrer says college was tough, but she still made it through with a degree in Communication Studies. Stacy graduated from UW–La Crosse in 2005, where she says she was the only person on campus who used a white cane and a guide dog. Stacy has been blind since birth and missed the community she had grown up with while away at school. “A part of me felt like I stuck out in a big crowd, which was hard,” Stacy says. “The social transition was difficult, but I had a lot of good times in college too.” Degree in hand, it was time for Stacy to start the hunt for a career.
Finding a job was difficult, Stacy says, as she went to interview after interview searching for the right fit. After searching for about a year, she found work at a call center, where she spent several years gaining experience working with customers. That experience paid off when she moved to Middleton for a position with Top Promotions. After a few years in the Madison area, she decided she wanted to move on to a larger role. That’s when she got connected with Beyond Vision.
Stacy found a listing for a job that, while interesting, was not in a field she had any experience in. After a little encouragement, she threw her hat into the ring anyway, and landed the job in West Allis. “It was a customer service job, but it was in manufacturing, a field I had never worked in before,” Stacy says. “But I had other qualifications through my previous employment that gave me a leg up. I was so excited when I got the job, and they even paid for my movers!”
Over the next few years, Stacy rose through the ranks and now works at Beyond Vision’s Minneapolis location. “I had applied to work at that specific location several times, because I really wanted to live there, but it never worked out,” Stacy said. “So, when I got the opportunity to work there as a customer care specialist, I took it!”
In Minneapolis, Stacy helps both manufacturers and government contractors find the exact items they need from either their in-person store or from their online database. It took some persistence, but Stacy ended up where she felt she belonged. “We are a small but mighty team, and everything flows so well,” she says. “I really like living in Minneapolis. Things are going very well!”
Stacy’s post-college career hasn’t been the easiest path, but today she says she is living the life she wants to live. She tells newly graduated students that even when things look rough, you never know when opportunity will knock. “You’ll probably face some barriers, but it’s important that you never give up,” she says. “Keep your chin up, get some experience, and don’t hold back from doing what you want to do. You’re not always going to get the first job you apply for, but if you keep going for it something will bite!”
Since our founding, the Council has been awarding scholarships to postsecondary students who are blind or low vision. You can find more information about our scholarship program and check out our Meet the 2025 Scholarship Recipients video at WCBlind.org/Events/Scholarships.