When Michael Fitzsimons left his family”s beef and dairy farm near Mineral Point for the UW-Madison, he figured he”d left agriculture behind him. But plans have a way of changing, says Fitzsimons, a plant pathology major in the Class of 2004.

Fitzsimons started out in chemistry but didn”t like the career options. Next he tried medical technology. Still searching, he thought of Al Ellingboe, a plant pathology professor who does research near his family”s farm.

“I could be a plant doctor instead of a medical doctor,” he remembers thinking.

After meeting with the plant pathology adviser, Fitzsimons decided to transfer. “It was so easy to transfer, I decided to do it even though I wasn”t completely sure,” he says. “But the summer after I transferred, I worked in Leslie Cooperband”s lab in the soil science department studying potato early dying disease. That really solidified my decision to pursue this field.”

Fitzsimons has continued working on the disease in the lab of plant pathologist Doug Rouse. He enjoys his coursework as well as the research.

“There are only about ten undergrads in plant pathology, so I mostly take classes with grad students,” he says. “That”s been a really good thing, especially as I”m considering going on to grad school myself.” If he doesn”t do that, he might pursue environmental law.

Fitzsimons also takes many classes in botany and is pursuing a second major in genetics. He says the two majors complement each other and provide an academic challenge.

Fitzsimons advises undecided students to read up on all of the majors and then shop around. And you might want to start in the College.

“In CALS, everyone is happy to talk to you and tell you about their department. It”s very easy to explore different options.”