Fordham Fall Preview for High School Juniors!

Taylor Engdahl, Jill Diehl and I ready to give tours!

Just one day after the Fordham Football team defeated Bucknell in a thrilling game that came down to the last two seconds and a blocked field goal attempt, the Rose Hill Campus welcomed over 600 high school juniors and their families for the Fall Preview Open House. The day began with check-in at 10 where prospective students and their families were welcomed by our admission counselors and volunteer student ambassadors. After receiving a Fordham drawstring backpack (still one of my favorite pieces of Fordham gear!), itinerary, and campus maps, students were invited to join a tour led by one of our eager tour guides! Throughout the day, students were also encouraged to capture their favorite memories and share them on Instagram using #fordhamfp.

Campus Tours!

As students toured the Rose Hill campus they heard all about life at Fordham from the history of Keating Hall, which was completed during the Great Depression in 1936, to some of the differences in the core curriculum requirements of Fordham College Rose Hill and the Gabelli School of Business. Students were also able to see one of the four freshman residence halls and a presentation from the Office of Residential Life which included the opportunity to see a dorm room, information about our freshman integrated learning communities, the role of Resident Assistants, security on campus, and the free laundry services available in each hall (that’s right, no quarters necessary for laundry at Fordham!) Morning tours concluded at McGinley Center, our main student center on the Rose Hill campus. Inside McGinley you can find the gym, post office, cafeteria, Campus Ministry Office, IT Services, Career Services, Office of Multicultural Affairs and of course, the University Bookstore!

College Presentations!

Promptly at noon, juniors interested in the Fordham College at Rose Hill (our liberal arts college) were invited into the Rose Hill Gym for a college presentation on Academic Excellence and Outstanding Opportunities at FCRH. Presenters Michael Latham, Dean of FCRH, and Robert Parmach, Assistant Dean for Freshmen, spoke about the value of a liberal arts education in helping students to realize how they can use their talents and abilities to have a positive and progressive impact on society. In addition, the advising program for FCRH students and some internship opportunities that current and former FCRH students have had were discussed. Concurrently, students interested in the Gabelli School of Business were invited to the Keating First Auditorium for a presentation on the Transformative Business Education. Presenters Donna Rapaccioli, Dean of GSB, and Harry Kavros, Associate Dean of GSB, spoke about the value of a liberal arts core for students planning to obtain an undergraduate degree in business. The presenters stressed the emphasis Fordham places on doing business to help the community and greater society (a reflection of the Jesuit value of being men and women for others) while also giving students some helpful tips on what to look for in the college search process (NO WORRIES IF YOU MISSED IT! Be sure to look at what classes are included in the core curriculum, what electives students have the opportunity to take, where the university is located, and what opportunities students are pursuing after obtaining their degree to help find a program that is the right fit for you!)

Student Ambassadors at Lunch!

After learning a bit about each of Fordham’s different schools, students and families were invited to enjoy lunch catered by Fordham’s current food contractor, Sodexo, in the McGinley Center. While our guests enjoyed sandwiches, chips, fruit, freshly baked cookies (my personal favorite!) and refreshments, student ambassadors sat at each table to help students and families get to know a little more about life as a Fordham student. In preparing for this Fall Preview Open House, the student ambassadors were thrilled to have an opportunity to interact with our prospective students outside of giving tours!

After lunch, students and families were invited to attend one of three academic experience sessions. In the basement of Hughes Hall (home of the Gabelli School of Business) students heard from Gabelli faculty and administrators about some of the major options in GSB including accounting, finance, marketing, information systems, and management. In the this floor auditorium of Keating Hall students heard from Dean Parmach about the Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts of Fordham College at Rose Hill including the English, philosophy, theology, history, modern languages and literatures, political science, economics, sociology, anthropology, and communications majors. Finally, in the first floor auditorium of Keating Hall students gathered to hear from deans and advisors of the science and pre-health programs including the biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, math, and psychology majors.

A beautiful day for Fall Preview!

The last presentation of the day included two workshops; one focused on financial aid and one focused on the college admissions process (HELPFUL HINTS: be sure to devote time to your personal essay, challenge yourself with the advanced/college prep classes offered by your high school, get involved in extracurricular activities, and provide strong letters of recommendation!). Students and families also had the option to join in the last campus tour for the day which departed at 3:15pm.

All in all, it was a wonderful day at Rose Hill! While this concludes the large admissions events for the fall semester (daily tours for the fall semester will conclude at the end of November), we are already looking forward to some of our spring admissions events! Be sure to check out our Instagram and #fordhamfp to see more than 90 pictures posted from the Fall Preview event! Best of luck to all juniors during this exciting time as you begin your college search process!