ALUMNI PROFILES
Marcella Marino ‘18 and Tiana Jones ‘02 attribute their Sacred Heart education to empowering them to start their businesses. Marcella Marino ’18 Founder of MarRosa’s Old World Cuisine
Thanks to the pandemic of 2020, Marcella Marino ’18 fulfilled her childhood dream of starting her own pasta sauce company way ahead of schedule. During her second year at Penn State Smeal College of Business, while studying Corporate Innovation, Entrepreneurship and International Business, Marcella and her classmates were sent home to finish the spring semester remotely. She elected to stay home for the 2020-21 school year as well. In December of that year, with plenty of time on her hands, Marcella returned to her parents’ kitchen to combine her family's long tradition of using fine Italian ingredients with her own modern twist to perfect her pasta sauces. Next, she connected with the undergraduate entrepreneurial program ”Invent Penn State'' and soon after, MarRosa’s Old World Cuisine was established. Her products, which are manufactured locally, can be found in five farmers markets in Horsham, New Britain, Newtown Square, Upper Merion, and Wenonah, and in more than 70 stores including Gentile’s Market, Newtown Square, owned by a Sacred Heart family. During her senior year, Marcella applied to participate in Penn State’s version of “Shark Tank,” The Investment. She was selected as one of six
student finalists who pitched their business plan to a four-judge panel. Marcella was one of the two finalists to be awarded $15,000, which will enable her to expand her brand with additional marketing materials, merchandising, and new products. Marcella also plans to use a portion of the funds to participate in the Fancy Food Show in NYC where her brand will receive large exposure to new customers. She hopes to start a line of homemade pasta and olive oil in the future. Marcella credits her Sacred Heart education for empowering her with the confidence to pursue her dream. Student-led activities and programs encouraged public speaking, strong research and time management skills, and the confidence needed to successfully launch a new product into a crowded market. Marcella returned to campus this June as a participant in SHoccupation, a program that invites alumnae to share their career paths and successes with the senior class.
“My family has been making high-quality Italian foods for generations,” shared Marcella. “My passion for combining old-world traditions with modern style is what makes my story and my sauce so unique!” -Marcella Marino ’18
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SACRED HEART ACADEMY BRYN MAWR
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