Club Spotlight: Fordham Hot Notes

Have you ever seen Pitch Perfect? Hilarious, right? Have you ever wondered how it could possibly be based on an actual competition? What is this “ICCA”? Icka?! Well. It’s real.

          Just a few weeks ago, one of Fordham’s own a cappella groups, the Fordham Hot Notes, competed in one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s Quarterfinals for the ICCAs, the same competition that the movie Pitch Perfect is based on. We won second place, and are going to be singing at the Mid-Atlantic Semifinals on March 26^th at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. Our musical director was even recognized with an individual award for his arrangements for our set. We couldn’t be more excited!

We performed four songs at the Quarterfinals at Stockton College on February 6th.   

The Hot Notes, Satin Dolls, and Ramblers all sang Silent Night
together at last year's Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony.

As a freshman, I knew off the bat that I wanted to join an a cappella group as soon as possible. For me, it was a no-brainer; having always loved to sing, I knew that I wanted to continue doing this in college, especially in an a cappella group, so I auditioned for the Hot Notes. At that point, I had no idea what was in store—that I had just become a member of the quirkiest, most talented, and most supportive family, and a participant in Fordham’s vibrant a cappella culture. The Hot Notes are one of five a cappella groups associated with the university—there is also an all-male group, the Ramblers, an all-female group, the Satin Dolls, and two other co-ed groups, the B-sides (based at the Rose Hill Campus) and the F#’s (based at Lincoln Center). Both the Ramblers and the F#’s are competing this weekend in a different round of ICCAs Quarterfinals at Hofstra University.

^After getting results of the Quarterfinals!

 For more information about the Hot Notes and upcoming events and performances, check out our Facebook page or look us up on YouTube!

Another Spring Weekend in the Books!

As quickly as it began, Spring Weekend 2015 has finished here at Rose Hill. This weekend was packed with endless events sponsored and planned by the Campus Activities Board (CAB). All the activities were completely free and welcome to all Fordham students!

Our seats for HONY's presentation

On Thursday, we had an inspirational talk by Brandon Stanton, the photographer and mastermind behind the infamous "Humans of New York" blog. In front of a packed gymnasium, he told Fordham students his life story, with everything from his own college experience to becoming interested in photography. It was an amazing presentation and we were blown away by his kindness. The next night, Solidisco, a DJ group, performed in from a packed crowd. Even though it was cold outside, everyone had a great time celebrating the end of the year.

Saturday was the Twenty One Pilots performance on Martyr's Lawn, right in the middle of campus. The performers were so energetic and crowd-surfed over the pit of students. Josh, the drummer, asked us to hold up his drum while he played on top of us. The lead singer also took turns being lifted up over the crowd. It was an experience that truly none of us will ever forget!

Josh, the drummer for Twenty One Pilots, "drum-surfing" through the crowd

Taking a bow after their performance

After the concert, students dressed up for the annual Under the Tent dance. This year's theme was "The Last Illusion". There was a live band, food and dancing among much else. This spring weekend was one of the best ones yet and continues to be one of the most fun and energetic events on campus!

Senior Spotlight: Kevin Kosciuk

Picture for my last home swim meet!

Name: Kevin Kosciuk

Hometown: Cheshire, CT

Major: Public Accounting

Graduation date: May 2015

Why did you choose Fordham? 

As a student in the business school, being close to the City was very important in making my decision. All of the other quality schools I looked at were not very close to any cities. Also, coming from the suburbs, I wanted to try something different by living close to NYC.

What clubs/organizations/internships have you been involved in? What has been your favorite experience? 

At Fordham I am a member of the varsity swim team and also a member in Beta Alpha Psi (Accounting Society). Outside of Fordham I have interned twice. Both of my internship experiences were great. I also look forward to my third internship this summer with Deloitte. My favorite experience has been being a part of the swim team at Fordham. It was a good experience to be a part of a team and having others as teammates but also as friends outside of competition.

What do you think is the best resource available to students on campus? 

Career services is the best resource available to students on campus. Although is it not a job placement center, they can always help you out the best they can and point you in the right direction as far as internships and possible job opportunities. They were the ones that fixed up my resume and suggested I join Beta Alpha Psi and that has really helped me throughout my time here at Fordham.

What is your favorite personal memory at Fordham? 

My favorite personal memory of Fordham is the first time that I stepped out on to Eddie’s the spring semester as a freshman. I thought that it was the coolest thing to see all of Fordham hanging out there.

Where is your favorite place to hang out at Fordham or in NYC?

Arthur Avenue is probably my favorite place to hang out around Fordham. The food and the markets in the area are all delicious and it is nice to live so close to it all.

What are your plans/goals/aspirations for post-graduation? 

Post-graduation, I will be attending graduate school for one year here at Fordham to get my Master’s Degree in Professional Accounting. I then aspire to start working for one of the “Big 4” accounting firms in New York.

Fordham Basketball Games!

This past Wednesday, my friends and I attended the Fordham men’s basketball game against the University of Rhode Island. Going to basketball games is always fun, but this season is especially exciting because 2015 marks the ninetieth anniversary of the legendary Rose Hill Gym.

Sitting in the student section at the Rose Hill Gym!

Though it isn’t quite the size of other Division 1 schools’ gyms, the Rose Hill Gym is one of the oldest in the country and is chock full of history. Because of its old hardwood floors and the close proximity of the crowd to the players, playing at the gym can be extremely intimidating. Shooting free throws is almost impossible for the opposing teams when the entire student section is essentially right on top of the court, distracting the players.

With my friends at the game (I'm wearing glasses)!

Wednesday’s game was extremely exciting. The teams were tied for the end of the second half, but, unfortunately, URI scored at the buzzer and won by a single point. Still, the Fordham Rams played very well, and everyone had a blast cheering them on. Going to basketball games and other sporting events is one of my favorite things to do as a Fordham student!

Back With a Bang: How Fordham Starts Off the New Semester Right

The first week of Spring Semester classes is officially over here at Fordham, and I’m so glad to be back in New York City with my friends and classmates. Beginning a new semester can be stressful at times, and at first I felt nervous about taking my Spring Semester courses at the Gabelli School of Business. However, as soon as I got to campus, I felt a lot better about beginning my new classes because of all of the fun, stress relieving activities that Fordham offered this past week.

Just as students jump back into their classes at the start of a new semester, they also have the opportunity to jump back into fun activities going on at the university. Starting during the very first week of this semester, students had the opportunity to attend promo dinners for fundraisers, club fairs, and Bingo! My personal favorite activity this week was the O’Hare Residence Hall Winter Carnival. Resident Assistants and Directors in O’Hare Hall organized a fun night of winter festivities, complete with hot chocolate, cookies, and even an ice skating rink! My friends and I had a great time at this event, and it was a fantastic way to welcome everyone back to Fordham.

The ice skating rink was right on the Rose Hill Campus for O'Hare's Winter Carnival! 

Here at Fordham, there is always something interesting going on. Even at the start of the new semester, Fordham Rams know how to hit the ground running and come back with a bang! Coming back to campus to start a new semester really feels like coming home for me. Every semester, I realize more and more that there truly is no place like Fordham. I am so happy to be back on campus again, and I am really looking forward to Spring Semester’s future Fordham activities!

My roommate and I strapped on some skates and hit the ice after we went to the gym! 

Club Spotlight! Sláinte: Fordham Irish Dance

Here at Fordham, there are over 100 clubs and extracurricular activities that students can participate in. From political groups, to choirs, to the Campus Activities Board, to a culinary council and more, whatever you’re interested in, Fordham most likely has it.

My suitemate, Kayla Slattery, is the Co-President of Sláinte, the Irish Dance group here at Rose Hill. Apart from Irish dance, there are other dance groups on campus as well for students who may prefer other styles of dance. Check out an interview below that I conducted with Kayla!

Kayla and the team!

So what inspired you to start Sláinte?
Kayla: Dance had been such a big part of my life for so many years that when I came to Fordham that part of me was missing. I knew other girls here who felt the same way, so having this club is a great way to continue my love of dance and meet other people who have the same interests.
Was it easy to get the club up and running?
Kayla: It definitely was a process, but after we wrote our constitution and it was approved, Fordham helped us get our club under way and we’ve grown a lot since it started!
What are some activities that you guys do?
Kayla: We practice twice a week and we work on choreographies and exercises to prepare for upcoming events and performances. We’ll be competing at the intercollegiate Irish Dance Competition in the Spring of 2015! We also host Ceili Nights, which are social dances with food and friends, you don’t have to have any experience to go, and it’s a great way to meet new people and learn a fun dance! Our next one is on Tuesday the 18th.
Would you describe Fordham as an involved campus?
Kayla: Yes, I would definitely describe Fordham as involved. There are so many activities to participate in, and everyone is just looking to be a part of something, and make new friends, and participate in something they love. It’s been a great experience!