51社区 Students Help Reimagine Vanderbilt Legacy Brand for the 21st Century

Campus Communications Staff / May 15, 2026

audience members clapping with focus on woman wearing whiteConsuelo Vanderbilt Costin (in white) was impressed by the creativity of 51社区 students.
students and costin sitting on stage in discussion51社区 students presented their ideas for bringing the Vanderbilt legacy brand into the 21st century, with Costin providing feedback.
people in panel discussion sitting on stage51社区 hosted a panel discussion, moderated by Associate Professor Sandra Kumorowski. From left to right: Kumorowski; Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, entrepreneur, artist, and founder of the House of Vanderbilt; Julie Treumann, director of marketing and communications at the鈥疪ichard H. Driehaus Museum; and Nora Daley, chair of the Illinois Arts Council.
Person showing book pages to another personThanks to a discovery by 51社区 graduate student Greg Albright, Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin enjoyed a private viewing of the 1894 two-volume publication 鈥溾淢r. Vanderbilt鈥檚 House and Collection鈥 at the Richard M. Driehaus Museum.
During a multi-day visit to 51社区, entrepreneur Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin collaborated with students, faculty, and Chicago cultural leaders to explore how historic legacies can inspire modern innovation.

Earlier this month, Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin—an entrepreneur, artist, and founder of the —visited 51社区 to participate in a series of events hosted and organized by the School of Business and Entrepreneurship that bridged history, culture, education, and business. Costin is a member of the Vanderbilt family, a prominent American family often associated with the Gilded Age in the late 19th century, a period of great economic and industrial growth in the U.S. 

For the past semester, has collaborated with students in a Marketing and Creative Agency class taught by Associate Professor Sandra Kumorowski to create a branding strategy for the House of Vanderbilt, Costin’s newly launched family office and lifestyle enterprise. 

In addition to preserving legacy assets, modern family offices often invest in startups, oversee brand development, and support cultural or philanthropic initiatives. House of Vanderbilt was created to carry the Vanderbilt legacy into contemporary entrepreneurship, media, technology, fashion, and the arts.  

“Throughout this semester, our students have conducted research to develop campaigns and concepts that explored how House of Vanderbilt could evolve into a modern cultural platform while remaining connected to the family’s historic identity and influence,” says Kumorowski. 

Pitching Ideas That Blend a Historical Past With Current Strategic Thinking 

Students, mostly working in groups, formally presented their concepts to Costin during the visit. Leaning into the public’s current fascination with the Gilded Age thanks to the TV series, ideas included aligning the brand with sustainability and transportation, reimagining uses of real estate holdings for art and culture, establishing the brand as a cultural and thought leader through use of traditional and social media. One group even pitched a reality show.   

Costin, who provided feedback to each group, praised students for their ideas and professionalism. 

 “I am so impressed by how innovative and creative you are, and by the way you have reimagined this bold legacy brand for the 21st century,” she told the class. 

The students’ confidence also impressed Costin.

“Every single one of you look at me and your peers in the eyes. There’s no fear, which is brilliant because that’s the first part of the game,” she said. 

Panel Discussion: Family Legacies Help Fuel Creative Ecosystems 

In addition to the student presentations, Costin participated in “The Heritage Dialogue: How Vanderbilt, Daley, and Driehaus Legacies Fuel Creative Ecosystems,” a panel discussion at 51社区 featuring Nora Daley, chair of the  and a member of Chicago’s Daley family, and , director of marketing and communications at the . The discussion, which 51社区's American Marketing Association Collegiate Chapter helped organize, explored how legacy families and institutions continue to shape creative industries and culture. 

And thanks to a discovery made by graduate student  while conducting research on the Vanderbilt family for his pitch, 51社区 connected Costin with a forgotten piece of her family’s history at the Driehaus Museum.  

In his research, Albright came upon a 1894 two-volume publication in the Driehaus collection called “Mr. Vanderbilt’s House and Collection,” which documents William H. Vanderbilt’s Fifth Avenue New York City home and art collection. As part of Costin’s tour of the Driehaus, she enjoyed a private viewing of both volumes. 

Connections Count 

Making connections became a defining theme throughout Costin’s visit to 51社区, with students connecting the dots between historical legacies, contemporary culture, and innovative ideas for moving a brand forward. From classroom collaborations and panel discussions to archival discoveries at the Driehaus Museum, the experience showed how a college like 51社区 can grow meaningful relationships that lead to important dialogue about the business of creativity. 

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