When first-year student Lucy Madron visited the Rosemont College Archives as part of her First Year Seminar in fall 2024, she discovered something that immediately sparked her curiosity and creativity: The Cornelian, Rosemont’s long-retired yearbook.
The last issue of The Cornelian was published in 2010. But as Lucy flipped through the beautifully crafted pages with her friend and classmate, Tori Jones, she felt inspired.
“Tori and I looked at each other and thought, ‘This is so special,” she recalled. “We wondered why it had stopped and decided we needed to bring it back.”
With the support of Katie Baker, Associate Professor of Writing; Michelle Moravec, Professor of History; and Jenn Thorpe, Director of Alumni Relations, Lucy turned her idea into action-creating a for-credit internship to lead the revival of The Cornelian.
Lucy and Tori, co-editors-in-chief, worked tirelessly throughout the 2024–2025 academic year to bring the yearbook back to life. From taking photos at campus events and organizing senior portraits to designing the layout and coordinating with a publisher, the pair oversaw every detail.
“We’re really proud of it,” said Lucy. “We went through every single old yearbook, studied the artwork, and drew inspiration from the past. We wanted to preserve Rosemont’s history while creating something new and meaningful for our classmates.”
Both Lucy and Tori are Resident Assistants and are already planning for the next edition of The Cornelian, with work beginning as early as move-in this summer.
“We can’t wait to make it even better next year,” Lucy said.
Following the spring 2025 announcement of Rosemont’s future merger with Villanova, the return of The Cornelian feels even more significant.
“What a gift this is-to remember these last years of Rosemont, and to help make the next few years the best in our history,” said Lucy.
