Daniella Rossi, GSB ’20 never realized how unique it is to grow up in New York City until she went to college. During her freshman and sophomore years at Penn State, she was faced with many jarring differences not just in day-to-day life, but also in the core values of her and her peers.

“I never found it strange that I don’t have my license (I’ve taken the subway since I was 10) or that I went to school in a converted mansion,” Rossi said. “Growing up in the city is so different, and it really has influenced how I view the world.”

Rossi originally attended Penn State to chase the quintessential college experience on a campus full of greenery, life and, of course, a quad or lawn where students gather and lounge on sunny days off and between classes.

However, she missed the hustle and bustle of city life. “The concrete jungle was calling me,” Rossi said.
Rossi says that she could no longer ignore the “pull” of city life, and transferred to Fordham after two years at Penn State. “Fordham was the perfect combination of both. There is that typical college campus feel, Edward’s Parade in all its glory, but you’re also less than 20 minutes away from the city.”

The city demands and breeds a certain type of person, Rossi explained.

“Yes it is really fast-paced, and it’s fair to say that it’s a city that never sleeps … in light of that unavoidable fact, in order to survive, you have to be a highly motivated, independent go-getter.”

That go-getter attitude is something that Rossi has applied to her life both in and outside of Fordham.

Her passions include fashion, coding, working with children, and advertising. Amazingly, she is able to use the life lessons that the city has taught her to incorporate them into her daily life.

On campus, she is an ambassador for the Office of Career Services, where she helps students with their resumes and prepping for internship interviews. “I’m basically a liaison between the career service office and the student body,” Rossi said.

“I also work a lot with children,” Rossi said. “Aside from teaching a Sunday school program, I also created and run my own after school class to teach preschoolers the basics of coding.” This program consists of playing collaborative, hands-on learning to teach the kids the fundamentals of what it means to code.

Her love for fashion also stems from city-life: “In the city, people never look twice if you’re wearing an extravagantly wild or funky outfit. New York is the capital of fashion,” Rossi said.

This year, Rossi began working as a Rent the Runway representative. Along with spreading awareness of Rent the Runway on Fordham’s campus through social media as well as sponsored events, Rossi revels in being able to style outfits with the rotating closet given to her by Rent the Runway, wear them throughout the semester and post them on social media.

“I want to work in advertising after graduation,” Rossi said. “I really love the mix of creativity and the fast-paced nature of advertising agencies. I also think it would really be cool to use social media and advertisements to create a positive impact on younger generations.”

“Growing up here taught me the importance of accessorizing and to always have a good pair of heels. It also taught me how to run in those heels to catch the 6 train before the doors close on you,” Rossi said. “I will always call the city my home and will probably never leave it again.”