5 of a kind

They say two is coincidence and three is a pattern. In South Philly, they might start calling five a “Troilo.”

It might not be uncommon for a large family to have all its siblings attend the same high school, which was the case with the Troilo family and Neumann-Goretti High School. After all, it was a logical choice to send all five kids just a mile away where they would receive a great Catholic education. 

But when it came time for the Troilo kids to spread their wings and choose their career path, these birds of a feather certainly flocked together.

One by one, the Troilos all ended up at Neumann University. On May 18, Dariana received her master’s degree in athletic training, signaling the end of a six-year stay at the small university in Delaware County. Her brother Joseph, an academic award winner in his class, received his bachelor’s degree in business a few hours later. Lura Troilo just finished her junior year at Neumann studying marketing, and Luca Troilo completed his freshman year in the physical training field. They all followed the footsteps of Ria, who graduated in 2022 with a communications degree.

“My older sister Ria has been the guinea pig,” Dariana said with a laugh. “We all went to Neumann-Goretti High School in South Philadelphia, where we are from. She chose Neumann (University) and I would visit her frequently during her freshman year and I just developed this rapport with the professors and I didn’t even go here yet. It spoke a lot to me. Then after that, it was one after the other.” 

All five siblings enrolled at Neumann University and have enjoyed the tight-knit atmosphere of the campus, while competing for the Knights in various sports, most notably tennis. Once in the doors at college, each Troilo kid found his or her separate path.

“We are all in different aspects of what we want to do with our careers but we all consider this a second home and we all feel that comfort here,” said Dariana, who played both soccer and tennis for the Knights. “Once August hits, we’re all ready to come back to Neumann. We get our two months of summer but we’re all eager to come back.”

That feeling was first experienced by Ria, who then relayed the love she had for the school to her siblings.

“As soon as I stepped on Neumann’s campus, even though it was a raining dreary day, I felt at home and a sense of peace,” Ria said. “I never pushed it on my siblings. They just saw my enjoyment and they saw my success through my collegiate years. I was shy coming in here, but Neumann molded me into the woman I am today.”

Ria works several jobs including the Phillies marketing team, NBC10 as production assistant and assignment editor, and iHeartRadio promotions and marketing team. She has also been a Flyers cheerleader for the last six years. She’s now joined as a Neumann University alum by Dariana and Joseph. 

“We were all so close in age that we kind of harbored that closeness and we’re all each other’s best friends,” Ria said. “It made it a tough intellectual choice because I kind of knew they would all follow me. We all went to Neumann-Goretti and coming into college, I wanted to continue that small-school Catholic tradition of our family.”

Dariana was chosen to speak at Neumann University’s Graduate and Adult Degree Ceremony, where she delivered a heartfelt speech about trial and error in both academics and athletics, and the bonds she was able to form with the training staff.

“I had a lot of emotions going into this day,” Dariana said. “I’ve been here the last six years and Neumann has been critical in my growth and development. I was happy to be able to take my own experience and be able to project it to young individuals that are soon to embark on journeys that might be scary.”

Neumann University awarded a total of 361 undergraduate and graduate degrees, which included 86 master’s degrees and 44 doctoral degrees. Each student has a unique experience there. 

“It’s a little treasure,” said Maria Troilo, mother of all five kids. “I like the fact it’s so personalized. Each and every student that walks through those doors is embraced.”

At Dariana’s graduation ceremony, all seven members of the family were there, front and center. Dariana was speaking at the podium while the other six were in the front row enjoying another blissful moment on campus.

“They bleed blue and gold,” said Neumann University President Dr. Chris Everett Domes. “They definitely do. There’s another family here that celebrated their second graduate of three kids here, so this Troilo legacy story is happening in other ways. Not everyone has five kids. It’s great to see the family believes in the mission and the values of the institution and how they are cared for and respected here.”

Even after Luca potentially graduates in three years, the Troilos will always have a seat at the Neumann family table. The oldest four have been presidential ambassadors at the school and Luca has applied to keep that tradition going. They flock together.

“This small institution — there’s so much growth and development ahead for it, and I’m glad to be a part of it over the last six years of my life,” Dariana said. “I’m so excited that my siblings get to experience what I have gone through here.”