Mary Lou Schillinger, BA ‘80

Mary Lou grew up in Buffalo and is the oldest of three siblings born to Italian parents. Her parents hoped she would attend Bryant and Stratton to become a secretary. Instead, she chose a university education and graduated six years later as she had to work to pay for her education. She graduated from UB with a bachelors in Social Sciences in 1980. She established the Mary Lou Schillinger Scholarship in the College of Arts and Sciences to help future generations of women to attend UB and limit the time working to concentrate on their studies. After graduating from UB, Mary Lou worked in the Occupational Therapy department of Kenmore Mercy Hospital in Buffalo for three years and then moved to Corporation II, a mental health center before relocating to Florida for a position with a startup Home Health company. In Florida she served on many philanthropic boards including the Medical Society Auxiliary, Sandoway House Nature Center, Women’s American ORT, Lupus Foundation, and Society for American University Women. Mary Lou is the owner of Vintage ETC., an online boutique formerly a brick and mortar shop which developed out of her interest in fashion collectibles. Mary Lou has two sons, Raymond and Gabriel Schillinger. She and her fiancé, Joseph Griffin, share their time in Florida and New York City. They are avid supporters of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra and in 2020, Mary Lou joined the UB Alumni Association Board of Directors.