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Four Years Later: Victoria Birchem

Four years ago, Victoria Birchem looked forward to the college experience ahead of her. A second-generation Billiken, Birchem packed up the essentials as she prepared to move to Saint Louis University’s campus for her freshman year later that month.

Now, four years later, Birchem becomes a graduate of Saint Louis University, leaving the university with a master’s degree in accounting through an accelerated program. She’ll start work as an auditor at a local accounting company in September. 

Victoria and Bryan Birchem
Victoria and her dad, Bryan Birchem (Parks ‘89), celebrate on graduation day.

Birchem, an O’Fallon, Illinois native, chose SLU because of its location in the city of St. Louis and for its mission of service. During her four years at SLU, Birchem took advantage of both. 

“Being in St. Louis has made my college experience a lot better than I even thought it was in the beginning,” she said. 

Through Birchem’s work experience and involvement in service in the city, she said she’s been able to connect and network with so many in a way that could only be possible in a city. 

Her desire to serve also led her on a mission trip to Panama during her freshman year with a program called Movement Exchange. Through partnerships with local community organizations, the program connects children with dance education. Birchem went on to start a chapter of Movement Exchange at SLU, which offers free dance classes to St. Louis schools and community programs. 

“We’ve gotten to have a really cool impact on the community around us,” she said. “I’ve gotten to develop this and see it blossom before my eyes - hopefully it will continue on the SLU campus for a long time after that.”

But it was the people she met that have had the most impact on Birchem over the last four years. In 2017, she looked forward to living with others in community. It would be in that community that she would find lifelong connections. 

“My two freshmen year roommates and I are still best friends to this day,” she said. “I think the lasting relationships that you make at college are really what makes it special.”