AMELIE SEDLACK / FEATURE EDITOR

Many of the students who knew Corinne Stackpole spoke about her kindness, support and humor above anything else. While they all met in college, it was living close by, traveling, learning. Working together and finding common hobbies made their individual relationships with Corinne grow fast over the years. 

Corinne and her friends enjoyed exploring other areas off campus. Photo courtesy of Cici JobeCorinne had tattoo of a poppy. 

Last spring, after being diagnosed with cancer, Corinne took time off from school in the spring of her junior year to focus on her treatment. From campus, her friends supported her through her journey. Corinne won her battle with leukemia, but faced complications while in remission and passed away on March 27 at the age of 22.

Corinne was deeply involved in the community at USD. Between working in the Writing Center and shifts at Aromas, she still made time for her friends. Corinne wanted to become an occupational therapist after college.

USD senior Maribel Acevedo is a close friend to Corinne. 

“I call her Corn,” Acevedo explained. “We lived two doors down from each other in Maher … They start out as friendships of convenience, but I was very lucky that that’s not what that friendship ended as.”

Acevedo shared about her friendship with Corinne.

“We both really liked Adriane Laker. One of our favorite songs is “not a lot, just forever,” and that’s something I think about a lot,” Acevedo said. “I’m going to miss her, not a lot but I’m going to miss her forever. And I say not a lot because  I  don’t  feel  like  she’s  gone. “

USD senior Veronica Gomez described how her friendship with Corinne began. 

“My first impression of her was that she was so, so kind and warm,” Gomez shared. “She was always smiley and friendly and had such welcoming energy to her. She always made me feel included, and we especially instantly bonded over our mutual Taylor Swift obsession.” 

USD senior Jacob Bocanegra met Corinne at Neon Night their first-year and later realized they lived near each other. The two also worked together at the Writing Center. When the stress of college started to get to them, they started a weekly tradition together. 

“Circa December 2023, the two of us were going through the toughest semester ever with our course loads and work schedules,” Bocanegra explained. “By Friday, we both had a hard week and were feeling defeated. That was until we got into the water at Scripps during golden hour and surfed all the way through what must have been the prettiest sunset I’ve seen. We went through the same cycle of admiring the beauty and laughing hysterically at each other when we fell off our boards. I remember thinking in the moment that it was the first time I had experienced 100% joy without stressing out in a long time.”

USD senior Emma Parker  spoke about her favorite memory with Corinne. They officially met sophomore year when they moved into the Alcalá Vista Apartments. After that they realized they had many classes together, both worked at the Writing Center and even shared many of their friends. 

“My favorite memory of Corinne was our decision to study abroad in Spain together,” Parker shared. “I remember our decision to room together and live with a host family in a different country created  a  new  level  of  trust  … I never doubted for a minute that Corinne always had my best interests  and  I  felt  so  happy  having a best friend I trusted with  me  as we were far away from home.”

Acevedo shared a story of driving down to San Diego from Corinne’s hometown of Manteca, Calif. together, so Corinne could get her car on campus. 

“I flew up to her hometown,” Acevedo described. “She needed to drive her car back down so I was like, ‘Oh I’ll fly up there and we can drive down together.’ So then we did two days of driving down California together. It was just us two … I could be with Corn for three days and I would be like, ‘I’m not even tired of you yet, don’t leave me.’” 

USD senior Cici Jobe shared how Corinne’s love of family impacted her. 

“One thing I would like people to know about Corinne is that she came from such a loving family,” Jobe said. “Her father wrote a children’s  book  about  her growing up and she has two brothers who also adore her and love her so much … Her family was such an anchor in her own life and I think that allowed her to extend a lot of authentic love to other people. It’s important that we acknowledge the people that shaped the Corinne we know because they are left to be mourning her like we are.”

Corinne’s parents, Mark and Charlotte Stackpole shared a favorite memory of their daughter and something they want others to know about her. 

“The thing that I want people to know about Corinne is something that they likely already know, because she could not hide it: the size of her heart, which she always wore on her sleeve,” Mark Stackpole said. “She was a good listener because she cared about you. She wanted to help because it was the right thing to do.”

Corinne’s mom Charlotte Stackpole  shared  memories of her daughter from greeting everyone as a toddler to showing her maturity while abroad. 

“As mom, there are so many favorite memories of Corinne,” Charlotte Stackpole recalled. “Her enthusiastic toddler greetings of strangers when she was barely walking to being the best plant-shopping coffee date anyone could ever ask for. Corinne was pure magic wrapped in curls wrapped in stars and moons … She loved USD and was so very excited to marry her love of travel, learning and friends [when she was studying abroad in Madrid]. Corinne moved effortlessly through both the landscape and the language, introducing me to her friends, taking me to her favorite spots and exploring new places together. Stepping into the world Corinne created in Madrid and watching her flourish gave me memories I will never forget.”

Acevedo shared what she would want others to know about Corinne. 

“I guess I would just want people to know that who she is as a person is so much more than anything her time on Earth could have ever described,” Acevedo explained. “Who she is and who she was, is genuinely one of the miracles I’ve gotten to witness.”

Acevedo continued, trying to put the love she has for her friend into words.  

“It’s hard to say what I wish people knew, but I just wish you could have met her,” Acevedo said. “I wish people could have gotten to meet her and those who did, understand why I say that.”

Gomez described something that others who had not met her might not know about Corinne. 

“I want others to know how much Corinne truly loved love,” Gomez explained. “She valued close connections and deep conversations. She really saw you as a person, for all parts of you.”

USD senior Emma Vertiz met Corinne through a class and again through the Writing Center where their bond grew. 

“Even as she was undergoing treatment,   she   was  just   so positive  about  her  situation  and her  outlook  on  life,”  Vertiz  recalled. “After she has passed,   people   who   know   her  can continue that attitude and  personality   within   their  own  lives.  That’s something we should take away of her being on Earth and us having the privilege to know her.”

Acevedo described the light Corinne’s presence brought to every room. 

“It’s hard to put into words how much love and care and acceptance she emulated,” Acevedo described. “How much grace she had. For just the light that she is, I don’t think there’s a word that can fully describe that.”

During her time at USD, Corinne bonded with many students who will carry her memory and positive attitude with them forever. On May 15 at 12:15 p.m., Founder’s Chapel will be holding a mass in Corinne’s honor and memory followed by a celebration of life at 1:15 p.m. 

Corinne’s family and friends remember her bright smile and curly hair. Photo courtesy of Emma Parker

Art by Kyra Lefebvre

Corinne spent time with friends. Photo courtesy of Veronica Gomez

Corinne’s family was an important part of her life. Photo courtesy of Emma Parker