Rosemont College Students Participate in America250 Pennsylvania Direct Effect Innovation Challenge
Eve Romanowski and her mother Linda with Professor Emeritus, Paul Mojzes the day of Eve's graduation from Rosemont.
A Story of Legacy: Linda ’75 & Eve ’15 Romanowski By Joe Darrah ’11
Staring in awe at Rathalla for the first time as she made her way up the “silent path” off of Wendover Road in the fall of 1970, Linda Romanowski ’75 had no way of knowing that the landmark mansion of this “small Catholic college” that she chose to attend would one day become, essentially, commonplace and familiar in her life. But as she strolls by what today we all know as Main Building so regularly week to week in 2020, Romanowski, again an enrolled student in the School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS), hardly bats an eye. That’s not to say that she’s grown bored or unimpressed by the historic architecture or its aura — no, she’s just become too intimately connected to its appeal and become so ingrained within the community that it’s perched over to feel as lost for words as she did that day — her first as a “day hop.” Such is the reality for someone who’s now
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the matriarch of what has evolved into a true Rosemont College family. When Linda graduates in 2021, she’ll do so not only as a Rosemonster turned Raven, but as the acting president of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, the wife of a current faculty member (husband Ken teaches business in SGPS), and, perhaps most significantly of all, as a Rosemont mom. It’s now nearly 10 years since her daughter, Eve Romanowski ’15, decided to follow in her footsteps (sort of), but when Eve hands Linda her degree as part of this coming spring’s commencement, they’ll bring to full circle one of the more intriguing legacy stories that any Rosemont alumna could fathom to tell. To listen to the legacy story for Linda and Eve Romanowski, click here.
Alex Arriola ’23 and Emily Jeanne Frohner ’22 have advanced to the final round of the America250PA Direct Effect Innovation Challenge (the DEIC). Rosemont is one of just 13 colleges participating in the challenge across the state. The America250PA Commission, in partnership with the Direct Effect Innovation Team and the United States Postal Service (USPS), has launched the 2020 America250PA Direct Effect Innovation Challenge, featuring a theme of “BUY PA,” or buying into Pennsylvania businesses. Arriola, a Marketing student, met with a panel of judges via Zoom on October 6 for the “Campus Challenge” to pitch his and Frohner’s campaign ideas. Their team was selected to move on to the Regional Rounds and compete against other Pennsylvania colleges. The Regional Round was held via Zoom on October 23. Arriola and Frohner will present their campaign to the judges during the Final Round on November 18. “My favorite experience was talking to the judges and getting their suggestions on how to improve the presentation,” said Arriola. “With their help, I feel ready for the next round and moving onto the final.” “This is an excellent opportunity for our Business and Communications students to work with a live client, and with the state of Pennsylvania, on developing ideas for an integrated marketing campaign,” said Dr. Christine Hagedorn, Assistant Professor and Discipline Coordinator, Business Department. “Our students are being guided by Professor Brittney Nix-Crawford and myself to use a design thinking approach to develop an innovative idea for how to engage Pennsylvania businesses as we prepare to celebrate America's 250th birthday in 2026.” The goals of the Challenge are to promote Pennsylvania’s economy by developing integrated marketing campaigns that: • Promote Pennsylvania businesses present and future • Promote growth opportunities for new and existing Pennsylvania businesses • Encourage Pennsylvanians to support local businesses • Connect student marketers and innovators with Pennsylvania businesses
