Some Bearcats leave with a diploma. Others leave with a partner, a purpose and a city they now call home.
Vic and Laura Troha didn't meet in a classroom - even though they shared mutual friends inside UC's College of Allied Health Sciences.
They met on graduation day in December 2012 at Fifth Third Arena, seated next to each other as student marshals. What started as a conversation on the basketball court turned into a life built together in Cincinnati.
Vic, a Grand Rapids native, graduated from UC's pre-physical therapy program and now runs his physical therapy practice at Cincinnati Sports Club. Laura, from Hamilton, Ohio, graduated from UC's advanced medical imaging technology program and works in medical ultrasound sales for GE Healthcare.
Years later, when Vic was ready to propose, he brought Laura back to where it all began. He told her they were attending an event at Fifth Third Arena. Instead, the arena was empty - except for two chairs placed on the basketball court in the exact spot where they sat at commencement. The rest is history.
Now celebrating eight years of marriage, the Trohas are raising their family in Cincinnati and giving back to the community that brought them together.
Vic and Laura Troha built their careers - and their family - in Cincinnati. Now, they're giving back to the community that brought them together.
The couple has written two children's books, A is for Anatomy and Counting Your Funny Bones, both published through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. The rhyming books introduce young readers to human anatomy and fun facts about how the body works - a natural extension of their backgrounds in health care.
The Trohas are donated all proceeds this past holiday season to purchase Christmas gifts for children served by Hamilton County Job and Family Services' Kindness for Kids initiative.
"We feel called to give," said Laura Troha.
They're also teaching their daughters, ages 2 and 5, a lesson in generosity.
"We want our girls to experience what it feels like to give back," Laura said. "Kindness is a big staple in our household."
The books themselves are personal. A drawing of their older daughter appears on the cover of A is for Anatomy, while their younger daughter is featured on Counting Your Funny Bones. The first book was illustrated by Tyra Victor, then a student in UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning - another example of Bearcats supporting Bearcats.
"We want these books to be a little bit of a legacy for our girls," Laura said.
It's a full-circle Cincinnati story. Two UC graduates who met on the court at Fifth Third Arena, built careers in health care, chose to stay in the region and are now investing in the next generation.
