Freddy Lisitsa, who once described himself as a “spoiled brat” after leaving his parents’ Beverly Hills home at 15, has undergone significant changes in his life. After spending years working various jobs and serving four years in the U.S. Navy, Lisitsa sought support from the Veterans Education Program at California State University, Fresno.
Lisitsa said of his experience with other veterans in the program, “We were all trying to figure out how to become civilians again.” He credits officials and instructors for providing encouragement and helping him improve his outlook. After completing the program, he pursued a bachelor’s degree at Fresno State with majors in psychology and philosophy. In May 2025, he graduated and was named the President’s Undergraduate Medalist, an honor given to the university’s top undergraduate student. Lisitsa now works as operations manager for Associated Students, Inc. at Fresno State and plans to pursue both doctoral and law degrees.
Lisitsa’s background includes growing up between Ukraine and Los Angeles before moving full-time to Los Angeles due to rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia in the 2010s. Family challenges followed when his father’s business failed and his parents divorced. Lisitsa left high school but later passed a diploma equivalency test.
Reflecting on that period, Lisitsa said, “I thought I was too smart for school.” He described those years as chaotic: “It was an exciting but horribly stupid time.”
His decision to enlist in the Navy brought new discipline. He became a sonar technician and served on a destroyer deployed to the Persian Gulf. While proud of his work, he noted that some experiences during deployment were difficult.
After leaving military service, Lisitsa struggled to find employment until his wife suggested he visit Fresno State’s Veterans Education Program office. Although hesitant at first, he decided to join the program even though the semester had already started.
“‘OK, I’ll be here tomorrow,’” Lisitsa recalls. “I suddenly felt an excitement that I hadn’t had in quite a while.”
During this time, Russia invaded Ukraine, causing anxiety about family members still living there. “It was hard to sleep. We didn’t know if they were safe, and it was just constant stress,” he said.
Lisitsa found support through campus resources as he continued his studies at Fresno State. Alongside another veteran, he helped revive the Student Veterans Organization on campus and became involved in student government as both senator and executive vice president.
He credits the Veterans Education Program as key to his progress: it provided him with community and guidance during challenging times. During this period, Lisitsa met Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval.
“I was a nobody at that time, but the president took two hours out of his schedule to talk with me and hear my story. We’ve kept in touch since then,” Lisitsa said. “I was still such a mess then, but it was formative to have people like him care.”
This article by Douglas Hoagland originally appeared in ACCESS Magazine from Fresno State’s Division of Continuing and Global Education.
