A boost for research that comes from gratitude

A master’s degree in sociology and finance was a recipe for a successful career for Vivian Lin Thurston. Now she wants to give back and use her success to help U of I students achieve their own goals.

Thurston (MA, ’98, sociology; MS, ’99, finance), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), works for William Blair, a Chicago-based global investment management firm, as a partner and portfolio manager for their Emerging Markets Growth, China A-Shares Growth, China Growth, and Emerging Markets ex China Growth strategies. Before joining William Blair in 2015, she was vice president and consumer sector head at Calamos Investments. She previously worked as an executive director and senior investment analyst at UBS Global Asset Management/Brinson Partners, where she was responsible for stock selection and research for consumer sectors in the United States and emerging markets.

Thurston is also the founder and chair of the board of Chinese Finance Association of America, a non-profit 501(c) organization. With a background in sociology and finance, Thurston was able to combine her knowledge of both degrees to be successful in her field.

“I think my background in sociology helped me tremendously in being a good investor in the consumer space and a broader equity market globally,” she said.  “The biggest benefit from my background in sociology was to learn the method of research and how to analyze certain subjects. For both sides, I benefit quite a lot from my sociology training and study, especially at U of I, and that’s one of the reasons my life and career were able to unfold this way.”

This year marks Vivian’s 25th anniversary of arriving in the United States from China as a graduate student at U of I. She received a university fellowship that provided her the financial ability to study for her master’s in the United States. With that support from University of Illinois, Thurston was able to receive a student visa from China to enter the United States for graduate studies.

“I’m so grateful for all that I have,” Thurston said. “I’ve always been thinking that, as soon as I can, I’d like to give back to U of I because, without receiving the university fellowship, I wouldn’t have started my studies, my career, or my life here in the U.S. It’s natural for me to give back after everything I feel like they have given me.”

Thurston’s dream of creating an endowment fund through the University of Illinois is now coming true through the Vivian Lin Thurston Graduate Fellowship in Sociology Fund. This fund rewards one to two sociology graduate students each year with a fellowship to carry out their research. Thurston hopes this fund will help to continue the academic advancement of the department.

“My goal is very simple. I just want to help fund some of the research interests of graduate students,” Thurston said. “I understand that the funding for social sciences and liberal arts can be less available than natural sciences or business. It would be excellent if I can contribute financially to the younger generation and current graduate students in the sociology field. Social sciences long term is very critical for the development of civilization, in my opinion. That’s why I think the endowment fund is so important.”

Thurston currently holds a position on the LAS Alumni Council, which she says is another way she has enjoyed being involved in the LAS community. She believes that the essence of liberal arts can be applied to all professions and that it teaches the precious habit of continuous learning and pursuit of knowledge. Thanks to the new fund, students in the Department of Sociology can pursue it a little more easily.