Honoring Honor
TU alum, Flight 93 passenger is remembered with scholarship, fundraiser
By Matthew Wright '23 on September 10, 2023
Towson University alumna Honor Elizabeth Wainio ‘95 was many things.
She was a rising star for Discovery Channel Stores. The Catonsville, Maryland, native had become a district manager for the New York/New Jersey region and had her sights set on bigger and better things.
The 27-year-old was a die-hard Orioles fan who loved Mike Mussina.
She was a daughter, a sister, and a proud Towson Tiger.
She was also one of the 2,977 Americans who lost their lives during the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Wainio was aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked and crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
“She was very outgoing, had an infectious smile and was a good person,” says Honor’s father Ben Wainio. “She loved life, and she loved Towson University.”
To honor her memory, the Elizabeth Wainio Memorial Communications Scholarship offers $20,000 annually to students in Towson’s Department of Mass Communication.
Since 2005, more than $200,000 has been awarded to 41 students, helping them achieve their dreams and goals.
“I want people to know who my daughter was,” says Wainio. “I want them to take advantage of this scholarship and know my daughter’s death wasn’t in vain. Something good’s coming out of it.”
To support the scholarship, Towson University Alumni Relations will be holding a special fundraiser at Ropewalk Tavern in downtown Baltimore on Sept. 30 from 2–6 p.m.
Tickets are $50 and include an open bar, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. A wine pull will also be happening during the fundraiser, and $35 of each ticket goes to the scholarship.
For those on campus who wish to reflect on the events of 9/11, TU’s Housing & Residence Life created the Towson University 9/11 Memorial Garden in front of Newell Hall.