Marina Gialanella C'20

Email: Feel free to contact Marina Gialanella at marinagialanella21@gmail.com. 

What did you study at Penn and when did you graduate?

I studied English and Creative Writing as my two majors and then did Consumer Psychology, Fine Arts, and Journalism as my three minors. All were in the English and Marketing realm. I graduated during a very unique time, in May 2020 right when Covid hit. Fortunately, we are finally having our in-person graduation this May which I think will be a really nice reunion for our class and I am excited to be back in Philly!

What was your favorite part of Penn/Wharton? 

I would say my sorority was one of my favorite parts. Coming in, I didn't know anyone at Penn, so I found my community and my girls through APhi. The Greek life community is really unique at Penn and they do some awesome things with giving back to the communities nearby and philanthropic events. I was the VP of Marketing for APhi which solidified, along with my classes, that I wanted to go into the marketing field. I really enjoyed planning events and designing the merchandise, as well as being a leader for my sisters. In terms of academics, I took a bunch of really engaging and fun classes with expert teachers in their fields. It’s amazing how you can learn so much from them and they are all so inspiring and resourceful. My favorite class at Penn was Anthony DeCurtis’s music journalism class, which I actually took twice since I loved it that much. 

What advice do you wish you had known when you were an undergraduate?

I didn't know that there were so many opportunities at Penn such as endless clubs and new activities. My advice would be to branch out and get involved in as much as you can. Even if you think you might not like something, just try it, as you never know. Diversify what you're involved in as it's a great way to meet new people you may not meet or interact with otherwise. 

What is it like working at Optimum Sports and being in the sports industry that is so heavily dominated by men?

I think it's taught me a lot about speaking up for myself and being your own advocate as a woman. There are only two women on my team of sixteen so I'm constantly surrounded by men. You really have to lean into your confidence and not be afraid to speak up, and I feel like my confidence has grown tremendously in the past year. I work somewhere really rewarding where they do value my opinion and I’m thankful for that as I know that’s not always the case. We also have our Optimum Sports Women group, which feels very similar to me as Wharton Women which I love, and we hold events and engage with empowering speakers.

What is your favorite sport to watch and favorite team to support?

My favorite sport to watch is hockey. I grew up watching my brother play ice hockey and he plays at Georgetown now. Hockey is so fun and the fights are so dramatic and entertaining. It’s a fast-paced game, and one of my favorite winter activities. In terms of who I root for, I’m all in on Philly sports teams. My mom's side of the family is from the Philly area, and I was born there, so growing up visiting a lot is one of the many reasons I fell in love with the city and wanted to go to Penn. I also love the Philly New York rivalry, it's very fun to be a part of. One of my favorite memories of Penn was being there when the Eagles won the Superbowl. It was a massive celebration and we all ran into Center City to commemorate. 

How do you balance your personal life and work life, especially as someone in their 20s living in New York City?

I feel like I have a pretty good balance. For example, work has been pretty crazy this week because we are preparing to present a big deck to our clients, so I've been up late almost every night (which is not always the case). However, I still planned something fun with friends for this weekend to look forward to. I'll get dinners during the week or go do a fun activity, I usually go out 2-3 nights a week. I also find a lot of value in getting fresh air especially when you’re cooped up working all day. Another luxury I have that I know some people don’t get is being able to turn off anything work related on the weekends and totally removing myself. I’m so thankful to have that refreshing break. I think keeping in touch with your friends and setting up plans to look forward to is really important, making the work week go by a little faster! Also, a lot of my Penn class is in New York so it doesn't even feel like I left.