“Wittenberg is a place where relationships are formed and best friends are made through long nights of laughing and staying out late. Everyone is here for the same reason: to get an exceptional education while having the time of your life with such amazing people. People hold the doors for you, say hi to you walking across the street, and most importantly support you through the good and bad. We are a community and are here for each other. Don’t miss out on what Wittenberg has to offer!” – Hillary Monninl’12
Last summer, Hillary Monnin learned something that changed her life in a heartbeat. She had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
She remembers the exact moment of her diagnosis and her tearful reaction, but she also remembers something else – an inner strength that was supported by her fiancée, friends, family and the close-knit Wittenberg community.
"There is no greater feeling of having people behind you when certain circumstances like this happen to you," Monnin says. "They didn't need to do this for me, but they did. They did it because that is what Wittenberg is about. We are a community, and we do things to help others."
Because of the support of her professors, her coach and her family and friends, Monnin managed to take a full course load and remain on track to graduate on time with a B.A. in business and accounting.
“I chose my majors because I love to know if the balance sheet or income statement I got is the correct amount. It is black and white, and there is not much gray area,” Monnin says. “I also love knowing all the steps to making a business successful and what not to do when it comes to incorporating a company's strategy with its mission and vision. There are so many things about business that are in your day-to-day life that many people don't realize. So knowing how to handle them in the correct manner is so important. (Plus, the fact that I have always wanted to work in a tall building and wear professional attire all day. This has been my dream since age 11).”
Now just days away from graduating, Monnin looks forward to her future plans with Mettler Toledo as a financial analyst in the company’s Columbus, Ohio, office.
“I am so excited to start this new journey. I am also getting married on Oct. 6 to Colin Puthoff. So many fun things happening!”
It’s that kind of positive energy and positive outlook that has inspired friends and professors alike at Wittenberg. She has also found inspiration in them.
“I have been mostly inspired by Professor John Fenimore, an honorary classmate of the class of 2012, because of his desire to teach and his love for accounting. He knows the information is hard, but he also knows that to be successful, you must work past that and give it your all. His tests are so difficult, but he is just preparing us for the CPA exam and for any obstacle that may be hard to overcome in the future. He implemented the accounting degree here at Witt and worked long hours getting that to be accepted. I can't thank him for the mentoring he has done and for the support I have received from him. I know I can go to him for anything and that he always wants the best for his students. He is not only a professor, he is a mentor and, most importantly, a very good friend I can always go to for help.”
Written By: Karen Gerboth
Photo By: Erin Pence
