Corie Wirth Story graduated from Gillespie High School in 1996, earning a $500 Partnership for Educational Excellence tuition scholarship.
Corie attended Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois, graduating in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing.
Today she is a Gift Planning Officer with the American Red Cross in St. Louis and in Springfield, Illinois. “I meet with volunteers and donors to discuss their philanthropic legacy,” she says. “We talk about the importance of having a will and undertaking financial planning.”
Corie also earned a Missouri real estate license in 2004; she maintains it today.
She and her husband Craig keep busy at their Columbia, Illinois, home with their two boys, Hogan (7) and Byron (3). In addition, she enjoys running, golf, swimming, and crafting. “I would like to start an art cooperative in Monroe County,” she says, “and I am looking at teaching swimming lessons again.”
Reflecting on her award from The Partnership for Educational Excellence, Corie notes, “All of the scholarships I received helped me value the cost of an education, and they motivated me to graduate early to save money on tuition.”
Her post-secondary education also prompted her to share some advice with high school students contemplating their futures: “Keep your mindset broad and open while in college. Realize that your career plans can go in different directions from those you start with.”
Corie is the daughter of Rob and Denise Wirth of Gillespie.