Location, Location, Location!

Exterior of the Bronx Museum of the Arts

Location is a big pull factor for Fordham; students from all over the country and all over the world are drawn to pursuing higher education in New York City. The city doesn’t just offer plentiful opportunities for future careers, but also those for cultural engagement and entertainment.

Personally, I love to spend weekends visiting museums. Like any big city, New York has its fair share. There are the famous ones in Manhattan, like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, and then there are the smaller ones dotted throughout each borough.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts is a world-renowned institution of contemporary art exhibitions and innovative education programs. Just four subway stops away from Fordham’s Rose Hill campus, admission is always free! The museum is also known for its special cultural events, including live performances and workshops in poetry, salsa dancing, and more.

Last spring, I attended a truly spectacular event where women of the Bronx performed music, stories, and poems inspired by an art piece within the museum, in front of that specific piece. This July through October, the museum is home to "Art AIDS America," the very first exhibition to explore the impact of the AIDS epidemic on American art and culture.

Willie Cole, How Do You Spell America? #2, 1993
Exhibit: Art AIDS America

The Bronx Museum of the Arts is not one you’d want to miss!

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Fordham Spotlight: FLASH Magazine

At Fordham, if keywords like fashion, city culture, or even simply the arts catch your attention, then look no further than FLASH Magazine!

FLASH is a fashion, culture, and arts publication on campus that has had multiple issues and is something that I've been a part of since my sophomore year. I've modeled for the magazine, written articles, and am currently the marketing co-chair. Fashion, culture, and beauty are just a few sections that we feature. From articles on health, to discussing current trends, to reporting on Fashion Week, to articles about the best bucket lists for Manhattan, there's a little something for everyone in the magazine.

We're in the process of becoming an official club on campus, but we have a very good following so far! A lot of people are involved in the production of the magazine, from layout, to writers, to models, to photographers. It's a lot of fun, creative people that get together to create something beautiful.

A fun experience that I've had with FLASH is definitely being able to go to Fashion Week. I went to the BCBG fall 2015 runway show. I took pictures for the magazine and got to see the new collection! What I love about fashion is that it truly is an art form to me, it's so creative and each individual piece is literally a work of art. I'm so happy that because of FLASH, I have an outlet to express my appreciation and passion for this. It's a lot of really motivated people who are working together to design something awesome that's centered around the best city in the world (although I admit I am biased)! Check out FLASH magazine, you won't be disappointed, and when you come in the fall if fashion or art is something that you're impassioned about, you have plenty of channels to express that!

A picture I snagged from the show!

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!

Summer in Paris

View from the dorms in the Latin Quarter

This summer I studied abroad for 6 weeks in Paris, which was an experience that was all that I could have wanted yet could have never expected.  As a French minor, I felt that it was necessary to take what I had learned inside the classroom and apply it to the real world.  This desire was definitely fostered by Fordham’s mission to educate the whole person where learning is not confined within the walls of a classroom.  With the help of the Office of Study Abroad as well as guidance from faculty in the French Department, I found the program that was right for me.  During my 6 weeks I took 2 classes – French Culture through Cinema, and Art History – that would transfer back at Fordham as 8 credits towards my minor.  After months of finding the perfect program and restless nights leading up to my departure, I finally arrived in the city of light!

My first, and one of my favorite memories of my summer abroad was my first French Ferris wheel ride.  In “Les Jardins de Tuileries,” the garden beside “le musée de Louvre” has a small carnival that opens each morning and closes at dusk.  I was so surprised to see such a carnival with games, fun houses, slides, a giant Ferris wheel, and flying swings, right beside one of the world’s most impressive art museums!  On my first full day in Paris, I went along with several of my new friends in my program to ride the Ferris wheel, where we were able to look over the entire city of Paris.  It was a truly breathtaking moment as I was taken completely by surprise at my first introduction to this magical city.

Views from the Ferris Wheel!

Caught the sunset on the London Eye

Throughout the trip I was required to visit museums such as the Louvre, Marmotton, D’Orsay, Pompidou, and Rodin for my Art History course as well as watch classic and contemporary French films.  I even was able to visit the quant city of Chartres which houses one of the oldest Catholic Cathedrals, and even went to London for a weekend! After studying movements from neoclassicism to post-modernism, training my ear to understand the countless films I had to watch, and enjoying the Parisian ambiance, I felt by the end of the trip that I could have stayed there permanently.  This is the power of expanding your global network!

I recommend anyone to study abroad and make the experience their own because it can truly be life changing!  

A video taken from Bastille Day, France's Independence Day

Labor Day so the Rams Will Play

I'm not entirely sure that I'll ever get used to spending Labor Day away from my home at the Jersey Shore, soaking up the sun and the sand, but I can guarantee that each year my holiday and day off will be filled with adventures. This Labor Day was no exception. 

Knowing that we had a long weekend, my friends and I all cleared our Monday schedules, finishing coursework on Sunday and preparing for in advanced for Tuesday's classes. We woke up bright and early (well noon... but not so bad for a day off!), dressed, and headed to the caf where we further plotted the day. The weather, perfect in its transition from summer heat to autumn cool, set the scene for a trip to Central Park. Since it is located just a block from Fordham's Lincoln Center campus, we all hopped on the Ram Van and headed downtown. We spent hours and hours exploring the park deeper, visiting Belvedere castle, the boathouse, the Great Lawn, and many more hidden treasures. 

Following the park, we jumped on the subway for a quick, safe ride to SoHo to check out some bands at one of many free concerts that can be easily found throughout the year. There we danced and mingled until our appetites got the best of us. I, immediately suggesting my favorite dumpling spot in Union Square, grabbed my friends' hands and brought them along for the ride. We ate until we couldn't eat anymore-- a little holiday treat for ourselves on a quickly ending night. 

With one more subway ride my friends and I arrived back at our Lincoln Center campus, got our tickets, and rode the Ram Van back to Rose Hill, where we were greeted by warm beds, sweet dreams, and the memories of Labor Day's adventures to get us through Tuesday's classes.

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