Gabelli Dual Degree: My Experience at Fordham Lincoln Center!

As a current undergraduate senior at Fordham's Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill, I have had many unique opportunities to further my education in business. From internships, to case competitions, to consulting projects, there has never been a dull moment for me at the Gabelli School of Business. Now that I am entering my final undergraduate semester, the time has come for me to explore new opportunities the Gabelli School has to offer for its seniors. 

Fordham's Gabelli School of Business at
Lincoln Center is newly renovated!

This semester, I was accepted into the Gabelli School of Business Graduate Business School. Since I am currently a senior Applied Accounting and Finance major, I had the opportunity to apply to begin my graduate education early in order to get a head start on earning my additional credits to take the Certified Public Accountancy (C.P.A.) licensing exams. By creating the opportunity for Fordham undergraduates to get a head start in graduate school, Fordham makes it super easy for accounting majors to get their required C.P.A. credits and sit for their licensing exams! Taking a few graduate classes in addition to my remaining undergraduate classes this semester will allow me to better prepare myself for my career as a C.P.A.. 

Beautiful views from the hallways and
classrooms of the business school!

Fordham's Graduate Business school is located on the university's beautiful Lincoln Center campus on W 60th Street in Manhattan. Taking classes at Lincoln Center has been an amazing experience so far! The graduate business school is a beautiful learning environment, and the Lincoln Center campus is filled with exciting activities. It is very easy for students who live on the Rose Hill campus to take classes at the Lincoln Center campus, and vice versa. When I signed up for my classes at Lincoln Center, I was given free passes to take the campus shuttle (The "Ram Van") from my apartment on the Rose Hill campus straight to the Lincoln Center campus for class! 

View from inside of the Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center

I am so lucky to be a part of a learning community that dedicates itself to helping its students succeed in their careers, and supports students professionally and academically. I am so excited to be taking graduate business classes at Fordham Lincoln Center this semester, and to continue my graduate education as a Fordham Ram! 

Experiencing Music: In the Classroom and in the City

As I conquer the fall semester of my senior year, I’m really lucky to have two music classes that count towards my minor and also for my own personal enrichment--Music Before 1600 and Music Theory I. Music Before 1600 is a really special class for me. My professor, Dr. Eric Bianchi, also taught my Intro to Music History course, and his dynamic and energetic teaching style definitely inspired my decision to become a music minor. In that class, I’m challenged to look at and discuss the significance of ancient pieces of music that I don’t get to hear quite often. I also get to enhance my musicianship skills by transcribing Gregorian chants into modern musical notation--all of which have contributed to my greater appreciation for Gregorian chant music and early polyphonic songs. As someone who already appreciates listening to and performing music, Music Theory has been a great way for me to learn the technical side of music and how to study the process of notating music correctly. My professor, Dr. DeCusatis, utilizes the piano and actively plays out intervals, triads, and scales, and gets us to sing along with him. By the time we’re done playing out these notes on the piano, these concepts are permanently engraved in our minds for our homework and for future musical reference.

An excerpt of a Gregorian chant that I had to transcribe for homework.

Instead of a textbook, Dr. DeCusatis has "Brain Organizers" to teach us Music Theory lessons instead.

But music not only comes in the form of academic study. As a student in NYC, these music theory concepts can definitely be applied to live performances or concerts that we can attend. Last week, I was able to attend Idina Menzel’s album release party at the Brooklyn Bowl where she previewed some songs off of her new album right before it dropped. It was an intimate venue and, I have to admit, I was singing and dancing along to her songs while trying to apply some music theory concepts to what I was hearing, as nerdy as that can be. Is she singing in a major or minor key? What meter is this song in? Can I identify any triads that I might be familiar with? It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience to be at an album release party, but what made it even better was knowing that I had gained some musical knowledge to dig even deeper to Idina Menzel’s new songs.

Idina Menzel singing at the Brooklyn Bowl!

A Day in the Life of an Applied Accounting and Finance Student at Fordham

Fordham's Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill has tons of opportunities for students of all schools and majors. From internships, to clubs, to case competitions, to networking events, there is something for everyone at the Gabelli School. I have taken advantage of many of the Gabelli School's opportunities over my last few years here, and I am continuing to do so now as a senior. In this blog, I will be discussing my experience as an Applied Accounting and Finance major at Fordham. 

Fordham's Beta Alpha Psi students volunteering with KPMG professionals

Majoring in Applied Accounting and Finance at Fordham has been an amazing experience, and has been filled with so many amazing opportunities! I am a part of Fordham's chapter of Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) an honor society for accounting and finance majors. In this society, students have the opportunity to network with professionals from Big Four accounting firms, mid sized accounting firms, banks, and other commercial companies. As a part of our membership, students in Beta Alpha Psi also have the opportunity to participate in fulfilling community service events. My favorite BAP community service event was an event sponsored by KPMG's Family for Literacy last semester. Fordham students went to a public school in Manhattan, and read books to students. The event was a great way for Fordham students to collaborate with accounting professionals while giving back to our community. 

Majoring in Applied Accounting and Finance at 

Fordham has opened the door to so many awesome 

career opportunities! Here's a great picture of me 

at KPMG's National Intern Training in Orlando, FL

Fordham is a great school for accounting majors who want the opportunity to intern and work for large or mid sized accounting firms. Due to Fordham's proximity to Manhattan, many business students can easily intern or work at the firms during the school year or over the summer. Another one of my fantastic experiences while attending the Gabelli School was interning at KPMG for the past two summers. Last May, I also attended one of KPMG's leadership conferences with a select group of students from universities across the country. Next summer, I will return to KPMG to intern in the Audit practice in Manhattan. I am so happy that I chose to attend a school that has allowed me to become involved with so many amazing opportunities related to my major. 

Me at my amazing summer internship 

at KPMG's Montvale, NJ office!

Being an Applied Accounting and Finance student at Fordham has been exciting, challenging, and rewarding. The Gabelli School's extensive academic curriculum combined with amazing opportunities to intern and network with firms has transformed me into a well-rounded, passionate young professional. If you are a prospective student interested in a career in accounting or finance, Fordham will definitely offer you the tools and opportunities to be successful. 

Class in the City

One of the many benefits of going to school in New York City is getting to take interesting classes that encourage you to take advantage of the Big Apple!

My favorite class I am taking this semester is Theater Journalism. We learn from actual professionals who work in the Broadway community about how to write and report on theater in a variety of ways. As part of the class, we are required to see three shows this semester, and since I am a HUGE fan of seeing shows, this only gave me an excuse to see some of the newest and best productions of the season.

Outside the Broadway Theatre on 53rd Street!

In fact, my professor got us free tickets to see the latest revival of the classic musical “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Broadway Theatre. This production absolutely blew me away and brought me to tears. It is extremely difficult to get tickets to see the show and I’m so happy that I got to see this as part of my homework.

Sitting in the orchestra!

And, later this semester, a Broadway performer will be coming into class for an interview, which is something I cannot wait to do. I am so thrilled that I chose to take a class this semester that takes one of my biggest passions and makes it a fun and fascinating class that is both challenging and educational. I love taking classes that involve taking advantage of the city and will miss this the most about Fordham after I graduate in May.

My Birthday Weekend at Fordham!

Fordham's New York City location is ideal for academia, internships, and jobs, but going to college in New York is also perfect for celebrations! Whether you're in Manhattan or the Bronx, Fordham is a great place to gather friends and family for special occasions. This weekend, I celebrated my birthday at Fordham and in Manhattan with my friends and family. 

On Saturday, my friends and I took the D-train from Fordham's Rose Hill campus down to Manhattan's Lower East Side for a lovely birthday dinner. Getting to Manhattan from the Bronx is very convenient, which makes it easy for my friends and I to leave campus for work and for fun! My friends and I had so much fun at the restaurant, and I was happy that everyone had fun at my birthday dinner. The friendships I have made during college are amazing, and I am so happy that Fordham connected me with such wonderful people.  

My friends and I had so much fun celebrating my birthday in Manhattan!

On Sunday, my birthday celebration continued closer to my home at Fordham's Rose Hill campus in the Bronx. My family drove to campus from New Jersey, and we went out for a birthday lunch on Arthur Avenue, the Bronx's Little Italy. Arthur Avenue is right across the street from Fordham Rose Hill, and is home to many authentic restaurants, bakeries, and shops. Most of Arthur Avenue's restaurants are Italian, but my family decided to try something new and took me to a Mexican restaurant called Estrellita's. The food was delicious, and the restaurant was only 5 minutes from campus! 

My family and I at Estrellita's on Arthur Avenue

Fordham has given me so much over the last three years, and its endless opportunities for work and for fun never disappoint. Celebrating my birthday at Fordham again this year was a great reminder of how lucky and happy I am to attend such an amazing school with so much to see and do. I am so proud to be a Fordham Ram! 

5 Reasons Why I Love Going to School in New York

Here are just 5 reasons why I love going to school in New York- and trust me, there are definitely more than 5!

1. Manhattan is just a short ride away from the Bronx. Whether you take the Ram Van, the Metro North, the D-train, or maybe even the bus, there are so many ways to get in and out of Manhattan.  Not only does this allow you to participate in incredible internship and research opportunities, you get to explore the most incredible city in the world on the weekends for some pretty cheap prices!

2. Broadway and musical entertainment are all literally right there.  I'm a musical theatre freak, and I love going to see shows on Broadway.  As a student of a New York based university, I can show my Fordham ID and get student pricing on tickets to various shows, whether they're Broadway related or not.  Within the last year I've been lucky enough to see The Phantom of the Opera, Gigi, On the Town, and The Christmas Spectacular! Another huge perk of being a Fordham student is having access to the Lincoln Center campus, where there is always some type of performance going on that is Fordham related!  Plus, you only have to go to one place to see the ballet, the opera, or an art exhibit! I also recently went to see Jessie James Decker (wife of New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker and mom of two really cute kids) at The Cutting Room and even got to grab selfies with Jessie, Eric, and Nick Folk (New York Jets kicker)!

Selfies with On the Town star and famous ballerina Misty Copeland and So You Think You Can Dance winner Ricky Ubeda!

My friend and I with Jessie James Decker, Eric Decker, and Nick Folk!

3. The food.  I love New York because anywhere you go you'll find some incredible food, even in the most obscure places!  Whether you're looking for a fancy dinner or a quick fix, you'll find something incredible on any street in the city.  Going to school in the city has really opened me up to trying new things, and I love going on adventures to new places!  Just a few weeks ago I went to Butter for dinner (shout out to my Gossip Girl fans) and it was mind-blowing how delicious the food was.  And I can't get enough of the Wafels & Dinges at the food truck across the street from the Lincoln Center campus. (Disclaimer: When you see the picture below, your mouth will water)

I warned you that your mouth would water!

4. Education + the City = Perfection.  It's pretty common for a professor to assign a project involving venturing into the city.  I've spent countless hours in the Metropolitan Museum of Art with friends who need to go see pieces for art history classes, and it's opened me up to a whole new appreciation for art and the vast history behind the donated pieces.  Last spring I even had a professor send me to see a movie at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas, known for playing indie and cultural films, as a part of my final exam for the class!  There are also so many incredible internship opportunities available to students who go to school in New York, especially when you have an alumni network as incredible and well-rounded as Fordham's!

5. Holiday Celebrations.  It's no secret that New York goes all out for holiday occasions, and the city never disappoints.  The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a staple to my family's holiday celebrations, and although we only watch it on TV I've seen the prep that goes into making those floats possible, and it's incredible!  Walking around 5th Ave during the Christmas season, which just so happens to be finals time, is also one of my favorite things to do on a study break, because even though I can't afford anything there, the window displays are always decorated to perfection!  There's ice skating at Rockefeller Center, the tree, the shops at Bryant Park, and so much more to go and see in the city during Christmastime, plus it gives you the opportunity to take a break from the books and enjoy the city that we are so lucky to call home.  In the Bronx, the Zoo and Botanical Gardens light up the night with beautiful displays for the holiday season! 

The Christmas tree at Tiffany & Co. on 5th Ave

My roommate and I at Rockefeller Center last Christmas season!

Fun with the Fordham Core

It's hard to believe that I am already a senior here at Fordham.  With this being my final year, I thought I'd share some of my favorite classes that I have taken so far.  I really enjoyed having the liberal arts core because even though I am a double major in computer science and math, I was able to take classes in a variety of subjects that were interesting to me.  Here's a description of some of the classes I choose to take to fulfill the core requirements:

Latin American History: We studied the history of Latin America starting from about the 16th century with the indigenous, ancient civilizations, and we worked all the way up to the Bolivian Water Wars of the 21st century.  I enjoyed that this class utilized not only text books, but primary sources, documentaries, and films to discuss the material. 

Keating Hall, in addition to being the home of our radio
station (WFUV) and deans' offices, is an academic
building where many of my core classes were held.

New Yorker Tales: I was excited when I saw that the only material required for this class was a subscription to The New Yorker.  Each week we were assigned a short story from the fiction section of an old New Yorker magazine, and then we would discuss, analyze, and critique the selection during class.

Capives, Cannibals, and Rebels: This was another literature class formatted in the seminar style where we would read books related to the topics from the course title and then we would spend the class time discussing the texts.  Some of our readings included: primary sources of Puritans who were taken captive by Indians in the 15th century, Robinson Crusoe, Typee, and Benito Cereno.    

Dealy Hall is another academic building where I had my
literature and sociology courses.

Physics of Light and Color:  I was not looking forward to having to take a physical science class here because the subject had never really interested me, but learning about how our vision works was actually very fascinating for me.  The professor enjoyed teaching and was very good at engaging us in the material.

Religion and Public Life: I am actually enrolled in this course now.  We sit around a large conference table and use readings to drive discussions and debate about the role religion plays in daily life.  I never thought I'd willingly take a religion class in college, but I had a great experience with this professor when I took him before for an "Intro to the New Testament" course that was a part of the core.  In that class we got to go on a field trip to The Cloisters.

  

For one of my religion classes, out class
took a field trip to The Cloisters.

Gender, Class, and Race: This class was the first sociology course I ever took, and I wish I had to take more.  We read academic articles and watched documentaries to explore these social constructs.  My professor also incorporated pop culture into many of our lessons so we could discuss the topics from another perspective.  

Urbanism: My first assignment for this class was to walk three miles in Manhattan, starting from the base of Central Park all the way down to Union Square.  As we walked we had to note how space was being used at particular locations.  In this class it was cool to learn how cities were structured for particular purposes depending on the time periods in which they evolved.

This picture was part of my first assignment
for my Urbanism class.

These are just a few of my favorite classes I have taken as part of the liberal arts core in Fordham College at Rose Hill.  Although I love taking major classes such as Data Mining and Differential Equations, I enjoyed having these other courses that allowed me to explore new and exciting topics.   

Weekend Update Super Post

Check out the fun Fordham students have been having for the past couple weekends!

Some new friends from the retreat

Nicole Chiuchiolo

This weekend I went on my first Fordham Retreat, Emmaus 114. The retreat took place at Fordham’s amazing retreat house in Goshen. I had an amazing weekend full of prayer, personal reflection, and lots of fun! This was one of my favorite Fordham experiences so far. I made so many new friends who I can’t wait to hang out with outside of the retreat. It was the perfect way to recharge before midterms.

The retreat house's peaceful backyard

Shannon Donovan

This weekend I also went on the Emmaus 114 retreat. We stayed at Fordham’s own beautiful retreat house in Goshen, NY. There are various retreats available for students throughout the year, each with a slightly different focus.  It was a very fulfilling experience, and I definitely recommend signing up for one!

Rolf's beautiful decorations

Deirdre Hynes

The cold weather couldn't stop me from heading into Manhattan this weekend for a delicious dinner at Rolf's, a German restaurant known for its awesome food and Christmas decorations (that stay up all winter)!

My delicious Cuban dinner

Marisa Diaz

This past weekend, I went into Manhattan and had dinner at Havana Central, a Cuban restaurant in Midtown. After dinner, I stumbled upon a really good cookie place called Schmackary's. On the menu were 45 different types of cookies. The one I got was chocolate chip with a hint of sea salt.

My awesome new boomerang

Cerisse Gabion

This weekend was a great opportunity for me to hang out with friends from both on campus and off! I took the Ram Van downtown and went to see the musical If/Then with a friend and also met up with a friend from Australia at the theatre who gave me this really cool boomerang!

My friends and me enjoying dinner

Kayla Giampaolo

I went to see the musical Wicked on Broadway with my roommates. Out of the five of us, only three of us had seen it before so it was a really exciting trip. We began the evening by going out to dinner at Enzo's, one of our favorite restaurants on Arthur Avenue. After that we grabbed some dessert at Palombo and sprinted to catch the next Metro North Train to Grand Central. After quickly navigating through the city we made it just in time for the show to begin. Although I have already seen Wicked once before, it was an amazing performance. After the show, we decided to take the subway home to save some money and came back to Fordham. One of my favorite aspects of attending Fordham is how easy it is to explore and experience Manhattan. There's no better feeling than escaping the Bronx for a little while and enjoying the endless opportunities that lie just 20 minutes away.

Rose Hill or Lincoln Center: Why Not Both?

One of the major decisions all Fordham applicants must choose from is which campus they want to go to: the beautiful and iconic Rose Hill campus in the Bronx, or the happening, city campus smack in the middle of Manhattan. Now let's admit it- that's a really hard decision. That one check mark on Fordham’s application is bound to determine your college experience for the next four years…or will it?

City Life Lincoln Center Campus

Iconic Rose Hill Campus

While students do have to chose between which campus they want to live and primarily take classes, there are a multitude of resources and opportunities on both campuses that can be pursued by all students. I believe that this is one of the most overlooked perks of Fordham University. Not only can students from each campus take classes at the other campus, but the dining halls, facilities, libraries, and study spaces are available for everyone. Essentially everything on both campuses is at most only a Ram Van ride from students’ fingertips.

Perhaps the biggest of these perks is the ability for Fordham students to dorm on any Fordham campus during the summertime, given they take an academic Fordham summer course or have an internship. This gives students the flexibility (and affordability) to take classes or work in Manhattan during the summertime. Additionally, it gives students the opportunity for a change of scenery from their normal campus and dorms.

Just a normal summer day in Manhattan

I am a Rose Hill student but this past summer I took full advantage of this opportunity and lived in McMahon Hall at the Lincoln Center campus while I interned at an advertising agency downtown five days a week. Not only did Fordham housing alleviate a long, long commute from my house in Connecticut, but it also allowed me to explore New York City even more than I already do as a Rose Hill Student. I ran in Central Park almost every day, went to so many new restaurants, attended summer concerts, and made new friends with other students living in McMahon for the summer.

Dinner and a view from my LC apartment 

It is possible to get the best of both worlds from the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses; students just have to utilize all the resources and opportunities that they are given.  As for me, I love living in the Bronx during the year but plan to switch over to Lincoln Center again for the summer months (despite the sweaty subway rides).



For more information on summer housing with Fordham University, click here.