Grace DiNella
Finding Her Voice Through Design: Grace DiNella’s Story
Grace DiNella is a 2026 graduate of Marywood University, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. Now working as a graphic designer, Grace credits her Marywood experience with helping her build confidence, develop her creative skills, and discover the value of embracing every opportunity that comes her way.
Grace chose Marywood because of the strong reputation of its Art Department and Graphic Design program. “When researching what schools I wanted to attend, I had found Marywood and quickly moved it to the top of my list,” she says. She was especially drawn to the University’s small class sizes and the opportunity to have meaningful one on one time with her professors.
The people she met at Marywood had the greatest influence on Grace’s experience. “Absolutely my Professors and my classmates,” she says. Her advisor, Sue Jenkins, was particularly important to her. “She is one of the loveliest people I have ever met. She helped me through everything you could imagine and made me the designer I am today.”
Grace also found inspiration in watching her classmates develop throughout their years at Marywood. “Watching my classmates grow and change in our small class sizes was so fun and inspiring,” she says. She often looked to upperclassmen for inspiration and motivation as she watched them pursue their own creative goals.
One of Grace’s proudest professional accomplishments has been her work with the Scranton Fringe Festival. She initially joined the festival as an intern alongside her fellow classmate, Lilianna Damian. “We have been working for them as contract designers for 3 years now!” she says. Grace has enjoyed watching the festival continue to expand and develop. “The festival keeps growing and expanding in exponential amounts and it’s amazing to see.”
Her Marywood education also taught Grace an important professional skill that extends beyond design itself: networking. “I learned very quickly how to network and meet new people!” she says. While introducing herself and talking to new people can initially be intimidating, Grace learned that building connections is an essential part of developing a career. “When you learn it’s one of the most important things you need to do, it’s easy and important to pick up.”
Looking back, Grace believes the opportunities she received at Marywood played a major role in her personal growth. When she first arrived, she worried that attending a smaller school might limit what she could accomplish. Instead, she found the opposite to be true. “I truly flourished at Marywood and was faced with so many amazing opportunities that I could keep up!” she says.
Those opportunities encouraged Grace to step outside of her comfort zone, take on new challenges, and discover what she was capable of accomplishing. “It was great to see myself grow and take on new challenges,” she says.
Grace’s involvement outside the classroom grew throughout her time at Marywood. During her freshman year, she joined the cheerleading team for a semester. In her sophomore year, she became a blogger for “Where Creativity Works,” Marywood’s art blog, and was later promoted to Junior Editor.
Her junior year brought another meaningful experience when she joined Alpha Sigma Psi, one of Marywood’s campus sororities. “Alpha changed who I am and I am so grateful for that,” Grace says. She eventually served as Treasurer and Fundraising Chair as part of the organization’s executive board.
Grace also became involved with the WoodWord as its Graphic Design Editor, an experience that allowed her to work with students from different majors. Each of these activities helped her become more comfortable taking on leadership roles, collaborating with others, and becoming an active member of the Marywood community.
As a 2026 graduate who had only recently crossed the stage when sharing her reflections, Grace jokes that she has not yet had time to see how the University experience has changed. “I only graduated a few days ago! Haha, I don’t think it’s changed quite yet!”
For current Marywood students, Grace’s advice is to embrace as many opportunities as possible. “Join EVERYTHING!” she says. She encourages students to learn how to balance their commitments without burning themselves out and to become fully immersed in the Marywood community.
“Being active in your Marywood community and immersing yourself in things is the best way to learn about yourself,” Grace says. She also encourages students not to let fear or the opinions of others prevent them from pursuing what they truly want. “Be confident in your decisions and do not let your friends, families, significant others or anyone hold you back from what you truly want to do.”
Above all, Grace encourages students to talk to everyone, remain open to new experiences, and seek out people and ideas they might not otherwise encounter. “Immerse yourself in activities, ideas, people you’d never think you’d talk to or learn from,” she says.
Grace’s Marywood experience demonstrates how a small campus can create big opportunities. Through her graphic design education, relationships with professors and classmates, professional experience, and extensive involvement in campus life, she discovered new confidence and a willingness to take on challenges. Her advice to future Pacers reflects the philosophy that shaped her own experience: embrace every opportunity, stay curious, and “you will succeed when you’re truly loving what you’re doing!”