Manresa Scholars Program: A Unique Freshman Experience

Manresa Scholars took a trip to the Hudson River for kayaking. 

For Fordham freshmen seeking a living-learning community, the Manresa Scholars Program offers incoming students the valuable opportunity to grow socially, spiritually, and academically. Manresa Scholars exhibit a sense of commitment to intellectual pursuit, community service, and the Fordham family.

The Manresa Scholars Program is housed in Loyola Hall, where students will experience an engaging academic and social environment. Within Loyola, students have access to live-in Manresa Tutors and Resident Assistants, a Study Commons, seminar rooms, and the St. Ignatius of Loyola Chapel, where Resident Housemaster Rev. Lito Salazar, S.J. holds weekly Mass. During the fall semester, every Manresa Scholar takes a Manresa Seminar, which is taught by a Manresa professor. Examples of course offerings include “Mind-Body Connection: Introduction to Behavior Health,” “Lost Interlocutor: Philosophy of Human Nature” and “Finch, Seed, and Storm: Adventures in Contemporary Evolution.” This professor also serves as the student’s academic advisor and mentor throughout the adjustment to college academics.

Students at a dinner colloquium
in the Loyola Study Commons.

One of the most popular features of Manresa are weekly “dinner-colloquium” programs, in which students gather over a simple meal to discuss a topic with a faculty member or guest speaker. This semester, Manresa philosophy professor, Dean Robert Parmach and Manresa theology professor, Dr. Harry Nasuti hosted a dinner colloquium entitled, “Social Media and the Search for the Self,” during which they examined the ways social media impact the intellectual, spiritual, and social lives of Manresa Scholars.

Additional program highlights include service-learning events such as Bronx park clean-ups and tutoring at a local Catholic elementary school, spiritual events such as Jesuit spirituality-inspired yoga in Our Lady’s Chapel, educational programs such as tutor-led midterm review sessions, and social excursions to Manhattan for kayaking or to explore Central Park.

For further information about the Manresa Scholars Program, please visit the Manresa website, http://www.fordham.edu/manresa, and the Program’s blog,: https://manresaprogram.wordpress.com.

Dean Parmach and Dean Totino welcome
students and their families on move-in day.

Manresa Scholars explore Central Park on a Friday afternoon.