The Grit Factor
Why Lindner graduates stand out where it matters most
By Haley Fite
In our world today, grit is a skill in great demand — and in short supply — as employers seek initiative, resilience, creativity and critical thinking from new graduates to tackle modern business problems. At the Lindner College of Business, our business problem solvers are tipping the scales on the flow of grit in today's market.
In a sea of challenges facing higher education, employers remain in need of can-do problem solvers. From day one, Lindner embraces this spirit, instilling tenacity and ingenuity in our students with hallmark opportunities like the First-Year Experience and storied traditions like co-op.
At Lindner, grit means more than hard work. It means having the courage, strength of character, determination and resilience to excel. Our college namesake, Carl H. Lindner Jr., embodied these characteristics with his entrepreneurial drive, leadership principles and proactive spirit. Grit is in our DNA.
“Grit is the embodiment of the Lindner spirit,” said Lindner dean Marianne Lewis, PhD. “It is critical to thrive in our ever-changing world. Gritty problem solvers change the world for the better. That’s what we empower, and we’re innovating every day to further our cause.”
It's at our core
These principles do not appear without friction. Challenge breeds innovation and we continue to innovate. The University of Cincinnati founded cooperative education (co-op) in 1906, and for nearly 120 years we have continued that tradition. By requiring our students to complete a minimum of two professional experiences prior to graduation, we attract and develop top talent that continues to give back to the ecosystem of learning we’ve created at Lindner.
“Lindner creates space for students to step into real-world challenges early and encourages them to own their growth,” said Thuy Cao, BBA ’03, program manager team lead at Total Quality Logistics. “Whether it’s through co-op experiences or how they show up in a room, there’s a sense of confidence, curiosity and resilience that stands out. They’re not afraid to ask questions, take risks and advocate for themselves. That’s grit in action.”
Today’s world moves fast, but the value of grit hasn’t changed. It’s the difference between starting something and finishing it. Between being knocked down and standing back up.”
Elroy Bourgraf, BBA '54
As a leading co-op business school, we’ve seen firsthand how co-op builds value. Not only does it ensure that students graduate career-ready with multiple, paid professional experiences on their resume, but it increases the richness of the classroom experience. Co-op invites our employer partners to participate in the educational process, guaranteeing future graduates meet current workforce needs and creating a virtuous cycle of innovation, feedback and opportunity.
“In today’s workforce, change is constant, and success often depends on your ability to adapt, stay curious and keep showing up — especially when things get uncomfortable,” added Cao. “Grit isn’t just about pushing through challenges; it’s about staying open, consistent and committed when progress takes time. At Lindner, grit matters. Grit is in our roots and more valuable today than ever.”
Partners are key to making our learning model work. From our valued employers to our trusted alumni, they truly help cooperative education flourish at Lindner.
It's who we are
Lindner alumnus Elroy Bourgraf, BBA '54.
Lindner’s storied legacy of building grit, discipline and business problem solvers is evident in its more than 52,000 worldwide alumni, each with their own unique stories of resilience and innovation.
Elroy Bourgraf, BBA ’54, founded Ferno Washington in 1956, building it to become a global company and leader in emergency care solutions.
“There was not a road map — just determination, discipline and a deep desire to build something meaningful. Grit is what kept me and my business partner going through economic downturns, product challenges and global expansion,” recalled Bourgraf.
In turbulent times, Bourgraf drew on his Lindner education. In the 1970s, as Ferno Washington was entering international markets, Bourgraf faced a perfect storm of logistical and regulatory challenges paired with new cultural barriers to overcome.
“I remembered what I learned at UC: break big problems into smaller parts, stay calm under pressure and surround yourself with smart, ethical people. We leaned into our values, listened to our customers, and slowly built trust overseas. That experience tested every ounce of grit I had — but it also proved that persistence, paired with a solid business foundation, wins the long game.”
Andrew Burke, BBA ’06, knows there’s no such thing as an overnight success. When American Gaming Systems, the company he was working for at the time, went public in 2018 with a $1 billion-plus valuation, Burke lived the decade of hard work and resilience it took to get the team there.
“When you get to a place where you have total conviction in an idea, having the grit to see it through will really separate the best from the rest.”
When you get to a place where you have total conviction in an idea, having the grit to see it through will really separate the best from the rest.
Andrew Burke, BBA ’06
Burke’s professional journey has known great successes and great challenges. In January 2020, Burke was a newly minted CEO at Bluberi with little foresight into the unprecedented events to come.
“By May, I was faced with some seriously tough decisions. We had to lay off half of the workforce and work without a paycheck to get our small company through the pandemic alive,” recalled Burke. “Fast forward to today, and our company is 10 times the size it was going into the pandemic and has become a real success story in our industry.”
The resiliency he built as a Lindner student proved to be his guiding light.
“I had a full-time course load in finance. I was the student body president and the pledge educator at my fraternity,” reminisced Burke. “I was putting in 60-hour weeks as an undergrad and loving every second of it. It really prepared me for what’s next. When things are tough, I still lean into hard work — that comes from my time at UC.”
With companies tightening their bottom lines, Burke envisions “soft” skills like grit becoming key for those entering the workforce.
“Being able to dive into a company and take on big, complex tasks right away will be key. No one expects perfection. It’s okay to not know how to do something as long as you are willing to learn and willing to persevere. I think grit will be the biggest single factor in most employees’ success over the next five to 10 years.”
It's what we do
Lindner student Aiden Furnish, BBA '27.
Scores of alumni have forged their paths at Lindner for the next generation to follow. But, while Lindner students acknowledge their forerunners, they’re not settling for the road well-traveled. Instead, they are putting their noses to the grindstone to clear their own ways through Lindner’s many flexible pathways.
Aiden Furnish, BBA, LHP ’27, has his eye on the prize. His dream? To become an NFL agent. And he’s making it happen from within Lindner Hall.
“I knew in late middle school, early high school, that I wanted to be an NFL agent. I watched ‘Jerry Maguire’ once and was like, ‘This is all I want to do.’”
Furnish’s story begins even before his first day at Lindner, as he completed advanced coursework while in high school to set him on the path to success. Furnish hit the ground running at Lindner with a fierce determination to pursue his dreams, but that path wouldn’t be without resistance. In the first semester of his freshman year, Furnish faced a health complication that presented a fork in the road: let this be a setback, or embrace the UC community and his Lindner spirit to excel even further.
Now, Furnish is doubling down with plans to pursue a Lindner graduate degree after completing his undergraduate experience. He hopes to enroll in the Master of Science in Finance program and complete his Certified Financial Planner credentials to give him an edge in his quest to receive his NFL Players Association agent certification.
“I’m in college, but I can also graduate as a junior and go into a master’s program in what should be my senior year,” explained Furnish of his long-term plan. “And I still have the same four-year college experiences as the rest of my classmates.”
Lindner student Kyla Ward, BBA '27.
Kyla Ward, BBA, KBS ’27, an operations management major, and her multitude of commitments indicate her desire to maximize her time at Lindner. From domestic and global travel to student involvement with organizations such as the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, Ward is taking full advantage of the suite of personal and professional experiences Lindner has to offer.
“I’ve gotten to experience everything that I had set for myself coming in. All the goals. I've got to experience those and more.”
Beyond her coursework, Ward sought opportunities to refine her leadership abilities and advance to the next level. Independently of her coursework, Ward was accepted into the Management Leadership for Tomorrow program, where she will cultivate her professional persona and further develop her leadership and technical skills.
“I’m very excited about the flexibility that Lindner gives me to be able to have those experiences,” said Ward. “And hopefully it will help me to tailor my experience and know what I want to do in my future career.”
That flexibility manifests in the co-op roles Ward has sought to refine her realworld knowledge and put her Lindner learnings to the test. Her portfolio includes altafiber and Delta Air Lines, with GE Aerospace to follow in fall 2025.
Lindner students exemplify grit starting with their first classes and continuing long after graduation. It’s what fuels Lindner — from our faculty and staff instilling these values in our students to our alumni forging paths in industry.
“Today’s world moves fast, but the value of grit hasn’t changed. It’s the difference between starting something and finishing it. Between being knocked down and standing back up,” offers Bourgraf. “In the workforce, grit is what sets leaders apart. It’s not just about intelligence or creativity — it’s about resilience, responsibility and the quiet discipline to keep showing up. Grit gets the job done when nothing else will. And if we want to build a future that lasts, we need more people willing to put in the work — without shortcuts, without excuses.”