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Initially on a path to becoming a medical researcher, taking environmental classes at Viterbo showed Maggie Triska '06 a different opportunity that fit with her love of the outdoors. She became a wildlife habitat researcher, with experiences all over the world, from Australia to far northern Canada to Botswana.
May Lane received dozens of flyers from colleges during her senior year in high school in Baltimore. The postcard from Viterbo,with its Franciscan logo, caught her attention. At the top of the postcard it simply said, “Come Grow with Us.” She felt so drawn, she never visited campus before deciding to attend Viterbo, trusting her intuition.
As highly as he thinks of Viterbo University’s academic excellence, people and relationships are responsible for the bond Darren Orcutt has with Viterbo, a connection that has kept him coming back every year for alumni soccer games for nearly 20 years.
“As dean of a nursing school with 2,000 students, I know how important scholarships are financially,” said Jane Kirschling '80. “But more importantly, it’s a vote of confidence. It says that somebody is investing in you because they believe you can succeed.”
Viterbo graduate Maria Norberg's adventures in entrepreneurship got rolling when Todd Ondell, her onetime business instructor, offered her the chance to buy his business, Grounded Specialty Coffee. She bought the coffee shop, then started a gourmet food truck.
Josh Clark, who has a stake in 12 Culver's restaurants in four states on top of a related business consulting business and other ventures, has had to be creative in his career so he can balance business and family.
Laurie (Otte) Finn ’87 and her husband, Frank, started their own business before she was even out of school. Thirty-five years later, Finnottes Nut & Chocolate Shop is still going strong.
When Colin Luz ’14 came to Viterbo University, his path seemed clear. Sport management was calling his name. Or so it seemed.
When Lynda Wallis ’82 came to study at Viterbo University, she already had studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, her home stomping grounds for much of her youth. She knew she had artistic skills, but she knew she needed more.
Like many entrepreneurs, Naomi (Hemesath) Harm '99 has a sharp eye for opportunity. Since her days in Viterbo University's education program, she has been on the lookout for ways to improve the way we educate our children, particularly when it comes to STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.