awareness campaigns

We Are Tommies – Enzo Vinholi ’21

While it may seem like it was yesterday that the Newsroom profiled Enzo Vinholi ’21, a lot has happened in the life of this virtual reality pioneer since that time.

His company, Like It Was Yesterday, has added significant software developments - such as 360-degree audio - to its custom virtual reality tours for senior citizens. This makes quite a difference for Alzheimer's patients using VR to keep their memories alive.

"I have spent a lot of time with people to create the most convincing simulation we can, which has been a lot of fun," Vinholi said. "It's interesting to learn about not only how people are perceiving daily life but also what parts of that become memories. ... It's a challenge because everybody's unique and you need to recreate the challenge every time, but it's a challenge that I'm up for."

The Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business lets Vinholi use office space in Schulze Hall, where the entrepreneur often can be found innovating between 5 p.m. and midnight.

As all of the company's clients have come through word of mouth so far, Vinholi is gearing up for the time when Like It Was Yesterday launches its first marketing campaign.

"Turning [Like It Was Yesterday] from a really cool project with the potential to change lives into a company that is changing lives is a big step," Vinholi said.

To prepare for that leap, Vinholi is leaning on the St. Thomas community, from LegalCORPS to entrepreneurship associate professor Alec Johnson to his coursework in subjects such as accounting.

Stay tuned for more from this avid gamer with a head for business, and check out the rest of the We Are Tommies features here.