Donation to Fisher funds lecture series, scholarships 

A $250,000 gift to St. John Fisher University will create an endowment to secure the future of the annual Robert and Janice Loss Science Lecture Series, which celebrated 20 years in 2023. 

The gift was from Janice C. Loss, a board of trustee member at the university and alum, along with her husband, Frederick Cohn, MD.  

Janice Loss established the lecture series with her late husband and fellow alum, Robert Loss, MD, to promote the study of the sciences among young people by bringing renowned researchers to campus. 

“The earth and civilization are facing many simultaneous challenges and we believe that financially supporting students at St. John Fisher University in the basic sciences will help provide solutions to these complex and pressing problems,” Loss and Cohn said in a joint statement. “Our family has supported education, research and lectures in the sciences for many decades and through this gift are expanding our support with additional endowments directed towards lectures and women pursuing higher education in the natural sciences. We are proud to be a part of St. John Fisher University’s leadership and growth in this discipline.” 

Loss, who is the president and owner of Skin Search of Rochester, Inc. and DermaSpa Partners of Dermatology Associates of Rochester, P.C., joined the university’s board in June 2016.  

She has been a longtime philanthropist of Fisher, funding lectures, scholarships and student experiential opportunities. This latest gift was made in support of the university’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, Fisher Forward. 

The gift also allowed the university to establish the Dr. Frederick Cohn Endowed Scholarship in the Natural Sciences, which provides financial support to women pursuing natural sciences majors in the School of Arts and Sciences. 

In addition, the couple’s support provides additional funding for the Robert and Janice Loss Science Scholarship, an endowed scholarship fund established in 1989.  

Each year, the scholarship is awarded to an incoming first-year student with distinguished academic achievement who is majoring in biology, chemistry or physics.  

“From providing essential financial assistance to students pursuing an education in the natural sciences to the thought-provoking discussions sparked by the lecture series, Janice has had an indelible impact on science education at Fisher,” said Gerard J. Rooney, university president. “We are grateful for her ongoing generosity and strong support of Fisher.” 

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