Business School in the Big Apple

Since 2014, students have been given a choice between taking business courses at Rose Hill and Lincoln Center. Fordham's bustling Lincoln Center campus is an excellent counter to Rose Hill's traditional college campus. As a member of the first ever graduating class here at Gabelli Lincoln Center, I boast of my home campus with pride to my Rose Hill peers. Our campus features a brand new law school building and residence hall and starting next fall, a newly renovated building devoted solely for undergraduates and business students. 

An artist's rendering of 140 West 62nd Street, 

the new home of Gabelli Lincoln Center, will be ready for use next Fall! 

 The freshman and sophomore year curricula, unchanged from those at Rose Hill, is challenging, rewarding and full of purpose. I currently take courses covering all facets of real life business applications, including Marketing, Accounting and Strategic Management. This culminates in our Integrated Project, where we analyze companies and see how they should improve. I will learn material in class one day, and apply those very skills in my internship that I attend on my days off from school. 

The first ever undergraduate business class at Lincoln Center!

Our program here is limited to approximately 80 students per year, making Gabelli Lincoln Center one large family. Everyone in the program knows one another, and are all here to help and support each other to make our time in Fordham the best it can be. Our dean, Father DeCola, provides excellent leadership and is extremely helpful and resourceful. Best of all, Lincoln Center campus is right on Manhattan’s doorstep, constantly inviting me to step out and explore the great city I find myself in. Internships of my choice, parades, shops, restaurants, opportunities and amazing experiences are a short walk away. For me, being so close to both everything that Manhattan has to offer and Fordham’s long standing Jesuit and academic traditions is truly the best of both worlds.

Major Spotlight: Communication and Media Studies

I was the kind of student who came in undecided Freshman year and had absolutely no clue what I wanted to major in, and this is completely fine! Choosing a major can be an extremely stressful decision, which is why I want to share some of the amazing perks of the major that I decided on two years ago and have not regretted since: Communications and Media Studies! 

I didn't fall in love with Communications until I took an introductory class in it Freshman year.  I soon realized that I was fascinated and could definitely see myself creating a career for myself in this field in my future.  I was particularly drawn in by the fact that this major could take me in so many directions, I was not limited to one specific job. 

As a Communications major you will need to pick a concentration, in other words a specific area of study.  There are five different concentrations to choose from: 1) Film 2) Journalism 3)Media, Culture, and Society 4) New Media/Participatory Media and 5) Television/Radio.  

There are some core classes that are the same for all concentrations.  Before moving on in your chosen focus you will need to take two introductory courses, which are both extremely interesting and do a great job of introducing you to the field!  One of my favorite parts of the Communications major at Fordham is the fact that each concentration allows room for electives so you have the opportunity to check out classes from other focuses that you may be interested in.  

All of the professors in the department here are amazing and have an insane amount of knowledge about the field!  Another perk is that the Communications department is constantly hosting fun and interesting events with all kinds of guest speakers! 

Some of my personal favorite Communications classes that I have taken during my time at Fordham are: Communication Technologies & Society, Media Law, and Persuasion & Attitude Change.  I have absolutely loved having the opportunity to study Communications during my time here at Fordham and I cannot wait to see what awesome classes my Senior year will provide me with! 

Click here to learn more about the Communications Department here at Fordham! 

Or check them out on Facebook! 

Fordham takes part in National Screening Day

One of my favorite things about Fordham academics is that learning takes place not only in the classroom, but outside of the classroom as well. At Fordham, there are so many opportunities to learn and explore at events in New York City and on Fordham's own campus! 

On February 3, 2015, colleges and universities across the country took part in a National Screening Day of the soon-to-be released film, The Man Who Saved the World, Fordham being one of them. The Theology Department at Fordham even arranged for one of the film’s producers to come to the viewing and answer questions afterwards.

The film tells the story of Soviet Lt. Colonel Stanislav Petrov’s actions that ultimately averted nuclear war in 1983. Petrov followed his own conscience over protocol. Since the film provides an  entry point to consider the scientific, ethical and moral challenges presented by nuclear weapons, my Research Ethics professor encouraged my class to attend the filming. 

My Professor asked us to e-mail her a "selfie" from the event!

The next day in class we were able to have an in-depth discussion of the movie. It was a great way to examin ethical issues using a real-world example. Attending events on campus as part of a class is one of the great ways in which professors make learning exciting at Fordham. 

Opening scene of the film. 

For some of my other classes I have attended on campus events as well as events in the city. For my Irish Literature Class, I went into the city to see a showing of the play Juno and the Paycock. Similarly, for my Jewish History Class, I attended events at the Museum of Jewish Heritage as well as guest lectures in Walsh Library right here on campus. Lastly, as a math major I am always attending math talks on campus and even travel into the city frequently to hear mathematicians speak at other universities! 

Physics and Music: An Academic Possibility Thanks to Double Majoring/Minoring at Fordham!

After multiple snow days and cold weather that makes it so tempting to just want to always stay inside, I am still determined to make spring semester start off on just the right foot! As a sophomore, I have more freedom in which core classes I wanted to take and I was particularly excited to be able to choose classes that I had interest in and which suited my schedule best. After much scrutiny of my schedule and of the classes that I still had to take, I decided to spice up my studies here at Fordham. Although I am an Engineering Physics major, I have always had a great love for music ever since I was little and I wanted to keep music as a hobby and a part of my life. I was so ecstatic to finally be able to add a Music minor to my studies this semester by starting off with an Intro to Music History class. Minoring and Double Majoring is not too difficult of a feat to accomplish at Fordham, in fact, many advisors encourage it! Each of Fordham’s academic departments offer such a range of classes that will definitely be able to fulfill a double major or a minor for anyone who is really interested in studying that field, despite what their intended major may be. My music minor, for example, requires me to take two mandatory classes, an Intro to Music History Class and a Musicianship course, as well as six other electives that I may choose from. I can even obtain some credit from my participation in Fordham University’s Schola Cantorum, which is a choir that sings at the 11:00am mass on Sundays regularly as well as holy days, and I could also receive credit from my weekly voice lessons from an instructor at Fordham’s Music Department. The flexibility that each academic department provides in its courses and its requirements for a major and minor all contribute in making sure that every Fordham student meets their academic goals for the major and/or minor they decide to pursue.

A standard practice room in Keating Hall's basement with a piano. I have my weekly voice lessons here and I also love to come here on my spare time to have a quiet, peaceful place to practice.

Two pieces that I am working on with Schola Cantorum, a choir at Fordham that sings at Sunday mass.

My Music History class is by far one of my most favorite classes that I have ever taken in my academic career. My professor, Dr. Eric Bianchi, has got to be one of the most engaging professors and lecturers that Fordham has and has made my interest in studying music stronger to this day. It’s quite a relief from my heavy physics and math workloads to be able to sit in class and listen to some Mozart and Bach to ease my stress.

My required textbook for Music History. It even comes with CDs of various historic musical recordings!

Fordham’s medium-sized student body and diverse course offerings within each academic department allows its students to take full advantage of their liberal arts education and gives them a chance to tailor their education based on their preferences and what they want to study. At Fordham, I don’t feel limited to just taking straight science and math courses. (I do love them of course!) But it is a wonderful feeling knowing that your academic advisors and professors will assist you on every step of the way in your academic endeavors.

Rams in the Real World!

One of the biggest themes in this blog is the fact that Fordham’s proximity to Manhattan and all of its resources lets Fordham students go on all sorts of adventures. Whether they’re exploring museums or galleries, seeing shows, people-watching in parks or enjoying the tons of delicious food the city has to offer, Rams love New York!  Fordham students don’t only use the city for leisure, however—Manhattan also provides students with opportunities to gain real-world experience through volunteering, internships, and part-time jobs. You know—all those “real people” things that help you learn important skills and evaluate different career options (and make for great resume material)!

Fordham has a great Office of Career Services, with approachable and knowledgeable staff who want to help Fordham students find the best opportunities! They offer tons of different workshops, including resume critiques and mock interviews, and also have a database of literally thousands of internships that are available to Fordham students.  Check out their website here: Fordham Career Services.

I’m in the Pre-Health program at Fordham, so this school year I looked into different research and clinical immersion opportunities for undergraduates near Fordham, hoping to get some experience in a hospital environment.  One of my professors suggested that I apply for a program at Mount Sinai Hospital on the Upper East Side, as a Sinai Research Associate. As a research associate, I volunteer in the Emergency Department twice a week, helping to recruit patients to enroll in clinical studies going on at the hospital.  In this way, not only am I learning about the nature of clinical research, but I also get to interact with patients, as well as shadow doctors in the ER!  The program has provided me with invaluable experience that I hope to apply in my future career!

The hospital is right next to Central Park!

The Early Action Deadline is November 1st!

Colorful folders make organizing application material way more fun!

It's seems like just yesterday that I was completing my application for Fordham University...but it was actually 4 years ago! Yikes! Time really does fly by. So for all of you prospective students, relish every moment! For me, applying to college was the most exciting time of my high school career. Organizing and crafting every piece of my application was like putting one foot toward my future.
Now I am jumping toward my future by applying to graduate schools and fellowship opportunities for post-graduation!! This means writing another personal statement, and taking another standardized test, and making sure I get all my letters of recommendation. Fordham has been such a great help in getting me ready for grad school. I have taken practice free GRE tests rights on campus, and my advisors have been continuously critiquing my personal statement. While applications seems tedious now, I know that pursuing further education and fellowship experience will make me the ideal candidate for competitive job positions in the future. I hope to pursue an MA in Public Policy which will, hopefully, allow me to work within legislative government, or just let me leap right into the White House ;) Wish me luck! And good luck to prospective students! May the odds be every in your favor. 

Almost as daunting as the SAT!

Just a few reminders to myself.

THE EARLY ACTION DEADLINE FOR FORDHAM UNIVERSITY IS THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST! 

Completing your application for early action is a non-binding commitment, but a good way for the admissions staff to get a jump on holistically reviewing your material. It shows your interest in Fordham and allows for an early admission decision. You still have until May 1st, the national decision deadline, to make your final decision.

You can follow Fordham admissions on Instagram: @fordhamadmissions
and on Twitter: @fordham_admis
and don't forget to join Varsity Outreach: apps.varsityoutreach.com/fordham

These platforms will allow you to get the most up-to-date information on Fordham and the admissions process, as well as allow you to ask questions to current students!

A Day in the Life: Ram Edition

Fordham offers a unique combination of the traditional campus community and the big city; because of this, the typical Fordham student is absurdly busy between classes, extracurricular activities, volunteering, internships, and trips into the other boroughs.  One example: yesterday, I was able to work on a research project, go to class, and see a concert by one of my favorite artists, all in a single day!

Above is a sample gel electrophoresis analysis;
this is one way we study the genes of the monkeys!

I started my day by working in lab for a few hours.  I just started with a conservation genetics project involving black lion tamarins (an endangered species of monkey.) As a biology major hoping to attend medical school, conducting research provides me with invaluable hands-on learning experience—and is so much fun! There are tons of ways to get involved in research at Fordham and not just in traditional science disciplines. Fordham holds an annual research symposium in the spring semester, where students present their projects to peers and faculty. We also publish a student-run journal featuring undergraduate work called the Fordham Undergraduate Research Journal, or FURJ.  For more information, check out Fordham's website for Undergraduate Research!

The black lion tamarin is an endangered species native to Brazil!

From lab, I walked to the Dunkin Donuts across the street from campus for a quick caffeine boost before class.  On Thursdays I only have two classes in the afternoon; first, a music theory course, followed by statistics.  Even though I am a biology major, I am also planning on completing a minor in music—it is fairly easy to incorporate a minor or even a double major during your four years at Fordham, and a large number of students take advantage of this!

Since it was such a beautiful day, I drank my Dunkin on Eddie's,
our main quad on campus, before heading to class!

After class, I had just enough time to grab a salad at the Cosi on campus (yum!) and then caught an Uber cab to West 175^th and Broadway (Uber is a car company with an app you can download that lets you request a driver for your specific location, as well as get an immediate rate quote—super convenient!). My friend and I headed to the United Palace Theater in Washington Heights to see one of my favorite singers, Sam Smith. Just a 15 minute drive from campus, the concert was an awesome way to end the day!

The United Palace Theater was opened in 1930, and has a beautifully ornate, vintage interior!

Sam Smith, or the man with the golden voice, serenading the crowd! 

Why I Became a Fordham Ram

1. Strong Academic Reputation

One of the reasons why I chose Fordham is that I knew I would be challenged academically. Fordham offers a high-quality education no matter what you come here to study, and it keeps improving: the University moved up in the 2014 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings to 57th for national universities and the Gabelli School of Business moved up to the No. 38 spot in the 2014 Bloomberg Businessweek ranking of U.S. undergraduate business schools. In addition, the core curriculum has allowed me to explore my strengths, weaknesses, interests and dislikes. My core classes have been some of the most intellectually stimulating classes I’ve taken while at Fordham.

 

St. Ignatius statue and Hughes Hall,
home of the Gabelli School of Business

2. Jesuit Tradition

Having attended a Catholic high school, I was interested in attending a Jesuit university because of the Jesuit tradition's strong values. The Jesuit philosophies of cura personalis (“care for the whole person”) and homines pro aliis (“men and women for others”) resonate heavily throughout the Fordham community. Over the last three years at Fordham, I have interacted with professors and administrators who truly care about my potential as both a scholar and a person. Fordham has not only prepared me for a career, but for life. When it comes to the philosophy of “men and women for others,” Fordham offers many community service clubs and volunteer activities. This philosophy is even evident in the way students always hold the door open for one another on campus.

3. Perfect Size

I wanted a school that wasn’t too big but also wasn’t too small. At Fordham, I love how I am able to walk to my classes and always run into familiar faces but, at the same time, I feel that I am constantly meeting new people around campus. The small class size, usually around 25 students, creates an intimate classroom setting. My professors able to know me on a more personal level and my relationships with my peers have lasted beyond the semester and turned into friendships.

4. The Best of Both Worlds

I wanted a campus but also a city nearby. If playing Frisbee on Eddie’s lawn, eating delicious Italian food from Arthur Avenue (“The Little Italy of the Bronx”), spending a day for free in the New York Botanical Garden, or seeing polar bears at the Bronx Zoo aren’t enough for you, New York City is also right in our backyard. New York City provides endless cultural experiences, internship opportunities and so much more.

5. Diversity

I wanted a school that was diverse. At Fordham, I have met people from all across the United States and the globe. While we recognize and appreciate our differences, we also embrace our many similarities.

For those of you who are Admitted Students, I wish you the best of luck with your decision and I hope you choose to join our Fordham “Ramily” this fall!

Studying Abroad: Living What You Learn

Hola from Granada, amigos! Last weekend, my entire Fordham in Granada program united (outside of our class together) for a weekend trip to Portugal, Sevilla, and Cordoba. We visited three separate cities in Portugal, where oddly enough most people prefer to hear you speak English than Spanish, and then the two Spanish cities. Being together as a group is always fun, but my favorite part was experiencing places that, before the weekend, I had only ever seen in textbooks or powerpoint slides.

The most breathtaking real life visits were to the Chapel of Bones at the Church of Carmen in Faro, Portugal and the famous mosque in Cordoba. The chapel was built out of the bones of monks from the associated monastery. It served as a way to create more cemetery space and was also a very much the fashion in southern Portugal in the late 1700s. The Great Mosque dates from the 7^th century and has housed both Catholic churches and Islamic mosques. After the Catholic reconquest of Spain in the late Middle Ages, a church was actually built in the center of the mosque and it is still in use today.

You may think that bringing history to life is limited to students who study abroad, but the truth is that Fordham is surrounded by history, and Fordham professors know how to make the best use of it, and I’m not just referring to art professors who go to the Met. We’ve got cloisters, zoos, museums of all types, opera houses, art galleries, national parks, and historical houses to name a few. Fordham actually offers courses on New York City—Fall 2014 offers new views of the city from the points of view of English and Political Science. So New York City is indeed Fordham’s campus (as Father McShane likes to say), but so are Granada, London, Pretoria, Shanghai, and all of the other places you can study abroad during your four years here. 

Major Spotlight: English

Before coming to Fordham I didn’t know what I wanted to major in, and the fact that I had to take a somewhat extensive core made me nervous. It is the core, though, that helped me realize what my passions are and what I’m good at. 

I always grappled with the idea, but my courses here in literature and composition reinforced my idea that English was the right major for me. The skills that an English major will give you in knowing how to read and write effectively and analytically are so valuable in today’s ever changing market and society. You can obtain all sorts of different and varying careers from being an English major, from business to teaching to journalism to law, etc. It’s such a strong department here at Fordham!

The classes you can take as an English major are super interesting and while I’m still finishing up my core I can’t wait to take them! Some courses that spoke to me that I can’t wait to take are Charles Dickens, Modernism & Cinema, Poetry Writing: The Poet’s Craft, and American Writers in Paris. As an English major here, you are required to take 5 elective classes, a couple classes in theory, and classes in historical distribution. 

The English department always hosts super interesting speakers, authors, and poets, which give great insight to what people are doing with their English degrees. On top of that, English majors here at Fordham have interned at places such as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, MTV, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins. 

If you love reading, writing, or simply just learning how to think critically, you should consider majoring in English! Fordham has a great program here and I have had nothing short of amazing experiences with the English classes that I have taken here thus far. 

Major Spotlight: International Political Economy

A major reason why I chose Fordham four years ago was the wide variety of majors it offers to students.  As a liberal arts school, Fordham gives students the opportunity to study subjects beyond the basic humanities and sciences, offering many interdisciplinary majors that are not offered at every university.  An example is my major, International Political Economy (IPE).  The International Political Economy major is meant to teach students about the politics and economics that affect how nations and their economies interact with and rely on one another.  It’s very interesting to learn how interdependent our world is becoming, and it’s an area of study that is very practical and useful in everyday life.

The requirements for the major are based in the Political Science and Economics Departments: I’ve had to take Intro to International Politics, International Political Economy, Basic Macroeconomics, Basic Microeconomics, International Economic Policy, and Statistics I and II.  In addition, we are required to take Comparative Cultures, an anthropology course.  The last four courses are electives, which we can choose based on our track.  There are three tracks within the IPE major: Foreign Language Elective Track, Global Business Track, and the General Elective Track.  If you are following the Foreign Language Elective Track, you must take four courses in the same foreign language.  The Global Business Track requires students to take Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting and two other International Economics Courses.  The General Elective Track (which I am on) requires any four international courses within anthropology, economics, history, modern foreign languages, political science, or sociology.  As my electives, I’ve taken Crime and Punishment in Europe, British Politics, Intermediate Spanish II, and Spanish Language and Literature.

The IPE major makes it very easy to minor in Modern Foreign Languages or Business Administration.  I am minoring in Business and three of the seven minor requirements overlap with requirements for my major.  Having completed all of the requirements for my IPE major, I feel well rounded and as if I know more about what is going on in the world around me.  It has prepared me for a career in almost any field, such as law, public policy, or working for a non-profit organization.  I think my major is one of my favorite aspects of Fordham, and I think it’s a great example of the strong academic tradition and cosmopolitan education that Fordham has to offer its students.

The Benefits of a Smaller Class

When I embarked on the long process of picking where I would want to spend my college years I really had no idea where I was going to end up.  I didn't really have a bunch of requirements about a school or have my heart set on anywhere.  However, one requirement that always stuck out to me was that the school I chose could not have huge class sizes.  I knew that I would not work well in these types of environments and definitely wanted and needed a smaller and more interactive classroom experience.  

When I came to visit Fordham I realized that they completely fulfilled this requirement!  The average class size at Fordham is 23 with a student to faculty ratio of about 14 to 1. These smaller classes have a variety of benefits that come along with them.  One is the fact that you will actually get to know your professor, there is no doubt that he or she will know your name and be able to talk with you not only in class, but in their office hours countless times throughout the semester. This becomes really important when you are struggling with something in class, if you feel that your professor knows you it will be much easier to go to them for the necessary help! 

Another great benefit is the ability to ask questions and discuss topics as a class.  With the smaller amount of students it is much easier to formulate discussions on topics that everyone may be confused about or simply topics of general interest having to do with the specific class.  However, in my opinion one of the greatest parts of these smaller classes is the fact that they are without a doubt much less intimidating and I can guarantee you will make tons of new friends in every class! Below are some pictures of the average classroom at Fordham, this particular classroom is in Keating Hall where you will certainly have many classes throughout your time at Fordham! 

Classes take place in many buildings here on campus, some of these buildings are Keating Hall, Dealy Hall, Faculty Memorial Hall, Freeman Hall, and John Mulcahy Hall to name a few! Click here To find out more about these buildings and discover new buildings through Fordham's Interactive Maps!