From the University of Cincinnati to Southern California
Thornburgh Scholarship empowers Lindner Business Honors alumna to live dream
Victoria Wilhelmy, LCB ’22, can tell you the exact moment she learned she received the Richard E. Thornburgh Honors-PLUS Endowment Fund scholarship.
“I remember it vividly,” she says. She was on vacation with her family when her phone alerted her to the email. “I remember being ecstatic and feeling great honor that all my hard work had been rewarded.”
She made sure to write a thank you letter on that very trip.
Dick and Cornie Thornburgh.
Wilhelmy is among more than 125 University of Cincinnati students to receive the scholarship named for one of the Carl H. Lindner College of Business’ most dedicated alumni, Richard E. Thornburgh, Bus ’74, Hon ’09. A longtime leader in the financial services industry, Dick and his wife Cornelia “Cornie,” are some of the college’s — and indeed university’s — biggest supporters.
“Dick serves as an alumni model for excellence, support and engagement,” says Marianne Lewis, PhD, dean of the Lindner College of Business. “He and Cornie meet regularly with their scholarship recipients, providing invaluable opportunities for their mentorship. Through the years, Dick has personally helped guide his scholars through their co-op opportunities and ongoing career development.”
At UC, Wilhelmy met with both Dick and Cornie to speak about her studies and career aspirations.
“Connecting students with distinguished alumni and donors is just one of the many benefits Lindner Business Honors (LBH) offers students through the Lindner Honors-PLUS (LHP) and Kolodzik Business Scholar communities,” says Ruth Seiple, director, Lindner Business Honors and professor-educator, Department of Operations, Business Analytics, and Information Systems.
In addition to networking opportunities, the LHP program provided Wilhelmy access to classes with more individualized attention from professors and opportunities to develop “soft” business skills such as speaking and presentation abilities, including a memorable etiquette dinner.
I will never be able to thank Mr. Thornburgh enough, however, if there is one thing I would thank Mr. Thornburgh for it would be for all the of the opportunities presented to me and for the family that Lindner Honors-PLUS is.
Victoria Wilhelmy LCB, '22
“The scholarship enabled me to have one of the best college experiences,” Wilhelmy says. “Not only was I able to make life-long memories with other go-getters in my cohort and the overall Bearcat community, but I was also presented with invaluable opportunities which I am very grateful for.”
Today, Wilhelmy is an associate finance analyst at Edwards Lifesciences in Irvine, California. Living and working in a place that allows her to pursue her passion for surfing is a dream come true and something Wilhelmy firmly believes was made possible thanks to her time at UC and the support she received there.
“I will never be able to thank Mr. Thornburgh enough, however, if there is one thing I would thank Mr. Thornburgh for it would be for all the of the opportunities presented to me and for the family that Lindner Honors-PLUS is,” Wilhelmy says. “I use all of my skills I learned in college every day and am representing the University of Cincinnati strongly in Southern California.”
Featured image at top: Victoria Wilhelmy at spring commencement 2022. Photo/Michael Keating for the UC Foundation.
Next Now
With its focus on innovation and impact, Next, Now: The Campaign for Cincinnati is where ambition meets action. At the University of Cincinnati and UC Health, we’re driven by next; thinking bolder and dreaming bigger to create the tomorrow we envision, today. Learn more at nextnow.uc.edu.
Caitlin Whitehurst
For the UC Foundation
Caitlin Whitehurst is a writer living in Columbus, Ohio. She earned her MBA from the Carl H. Lindner College of Business in 2019.
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