What’s next for the Class of 2025: Isabella Gaglione

“What’s next for the Class of 2025” is a series that features Lafayette grads—where they’re headed, and the mentors, resources, and experiences that inspired their future path. Read all the 2025 stories.

(Photo | JaQuan Alston)

By: Kelly Huth

Major: Double major in film and media studies and English, with a concentration in creative writing 

Destination/future plans: Pursuing a master’s in journalism at Columbia University

Involvement on campus: For Isabella Gaglione ’25 her time on the editorial staff of The Lafayette newspaper has been transformative. She joined in fall 2021 as a contributing writer, became the assistant culture editor (fall 2022), served as culture editor (fall 2023-spring 2024), and ultimately became the editor-in-chief (fall 2024-spring 2025). In March 2025, Gaglione was part of a team—along with Madeline Marriott ’24, Trebor Maitin ’24, and Kristen Vincent ’26—that netted first place in the 2025 Student Keystone Media Awards from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association for the feature “Women of first fully co-ed class look back 50 years after graduating.”

“We don’t get paid to do this, and we don’t get course credit for this, but I’m surrounded by these people willing to give 20-plus hours outside of their coursework to build a 12-page newspaper each week,” Gaglione says. 

There’s really no other incentive besides our love of journalism, and being around them is just so inspiring.”

In addition to The Lafayette, Gaglione became a founding vice president of the Lafayette Film Society (fall 2022); served as a senior interviewer for Admissions (fall 2024); worked with XLC: Experience Lafayette College, Lafayette’s signature event for accepted students (spring 2025); and became an editorial intern with Edible Lehigh Valley magazine (spring 2024-now). 

Mentors that inspired her: 

Gaglione says her initial plan after Lafayette was to go to law school, but questioned if it was the right path for her after developing a love of writing. She talked with English lecturer Kathleen Parrish about whether to pursue law or journalism.

“She could see I really wanted to give journalism a try, and she encouraged me,” Gaglione says. “I am so eternally grateful to have met her and that she encouraged me to pursue my dreams.”

Gaglione says Jennifer Gilmore, assistant professor of English, also inspired her to keep writing. “It’s so important to have someone take your work seriously and to keep encouraging you to get better.”

She credits Andy Smith, associate professor of film and media studies, and Nandini Sikand, chair of film and media studies, for encouraging her craft and building her confidence.

Experiences that mattered most:

In spring 2023, Gaglione had the chance to participate in the Disney College Program. It meant pausing her studies for a semester, but was an incredible opportunity to take storytelling classes, and learn about The Walt Disney Co.

“Lafayette made the process super simple to take that time, which allowed me to make a lot of connections within the Disney network,” she says

Over interim break 2024, Gaglione signed up for the Geological Evolution of the Hawaiian Islands course with Lawrence Malinconico, associate professor of geology, and was able to tour the Big Island, Maui, and Oahu.

From spring 2024 through fall 2024, Gaglione joined Tech Clinic, of which Malinconico serves as director. Tech Clinic participants worked with St. Luke’s University Health Network to find ways to improve digital engagement with patients.- Team members analyzed ways to make it easier for patients to access information and offered solutions to prohibit barriers to care.

“Prof. Malinconico brought so many opportunities to my time here,” she says. “I didn’t know anything about health care and digital interfaces, but he really saw value in adding me to the team and that was such a great experience for me.”

It’s experiences like these she’ll miss about Lafayette.

“Coming to Lafayette you can’t ever know what you’re going to leave with,” Gaglione says. “The idea that I’d be studying geology on top of volcanoes in Hawaii or interviewing Daveed Diggs for a paper—if you come here with an open mind, you will find so many opportunities.”