Kicking Off Spring Weekend

Spring Weekend 2017 Schedule

Spring Weekend is one of my favorite Fordham traditions. Every year before finals, Fordham students get a chance to relax and have fun. The events for the weekend include a guest speaker, DJ, concert, dance, and comedian. CAB (Campus Activities Board) does a great job planning these events and hosting other fun activities. This year, CAB held Escape the Room and a Bingo night with cool prizes, including a helicopter ride. 

Behind the scenes- Campus Movie Fest

There's also a focus on student involvement through events like acapella concerts and contests to be the student DJ, band, or comedian opening for the main acts. Another great way for students to get involved is through the Campus Movie Fest.  Students are provided with all the equipment they will need to make their own short films.  It's an opportunity for anyone to act, direct, or write a movie.  

In the past two years, Fordham has had some great guests, including Brandon Stanton from Humans of New York, Jamie Lee from Girl Code, Twenty One Pilots, Shawn Johnson, Aidy Bryant from SNL, and Matt and Kim. This year, Fordham hosted Ice-T and is welcoming DJ Gazzo, Timeflies, and Colin Jost from SNL's Weekend Update.  As this Spring Weekend kicks off, Fordham students are looking forward to enjoying the sun, being entertained, and spending time with friends before finals start. 
 
     

Timeflies will be playing on Martyrs Lawn this Saturday

 

Relay for Life at Fordham!

Last Friday, April 21st was Fordham College at Lincoln Center's 9th annual Relay for Life event! The event was a huge success, and the original fundraising goal of $5,000 was almost doubled, with the collective efforts of the participants reaching a total of $8,105 (and counting)! All proceeds from Relay for Life go directly to the American Cancer Society to provide services to cancer patients and contribute to cancer research.

Relay for Life was held on Friday, 4/21 from 4-10pm in the Indoor Plaza.

Each team hosted an individual fundraiser to raise money during Relay for Life.  This year, teams were especially creative with their fundraisers, selling temporary tattoos, succulents, raffle tickets, cupcakes, hosting "Pie an RA," and more! Because of the amazing and dedicated teams, Relay for Life brought in many new registrants on during the event.

The RHA team sold slime at their fundraising table!

Relay for Life is a bit different at FCLC than at most universities because of its small campus, but that doesn't stop the students' enthusiasm! The participants continuously walked laps in the Indoor Plaza to show their commitment to the cause.

Relay for Life participants were excited to take to first lap!

The FCLC branch of Colleges Against Cancer has worked all year to ensure that Relay for Life is a success, hosting fundraisers and team building events and coordinating with sponsors in and outside of Fordham.  This year, we were able to raffle off amazing prizes like free SoulCycle passes, Fordham swag, Amazon gift cards, and a Kindle Fire thanks to the many amazing sponsors of the event.

Fordham College at Lincoln Center's Relay for Life has become a staple spring event over the past nice years, and it gets better and better with each passing year!

Why I Chose Fordham

One of the most frequently asked questions I get as I give tours on campus is, "Why did YOU choose Fordham?"  As the decision deadline approaches rapidly, the answer to that question becomes especially important.  I'd like to share with you my honest answer to that question, which I share with all of my tour groups as well.

First of all, I should admit that I am from nearby Long Island and couldn't wait to move away from the suburbs I've known my entire life.  The thought of going to school somewhere brand new to me like Boston or Washington, D.C. was exciting.  I applied to Fordham mostly to appease my mom, who didn't want to see me flee so far away.  She was more excited that I was when I received my acceptance letter.

The famed Keating Hall in fall at Rose Hill!

I finally visited Fordham barely two weeks before the decision deadline--right about now, three years ago!  It was miserably rainy outside: we were quite literally trekking through torrential downpour as we toured campus.  Despite getting soaked from my hair down to my socks, I left campus with the biggest smile on my face.

I felt something at Fordham I hadn't felt at any other college I had visited.  I met some of the nicest people that day and felt welcomed with open arms.  There was a positive atmosphere and a strong sense of community on Fordham's campus that I hadn't noticed at any of the many other schools I visited.  From spending one rainy day at Fordham, I was able to picture myself there for the next four years.

A snapshot from Columbus Circle, minutes from our Lincoln Center Campus

Three years later, I still absolutely love living on this sprawling green campus at Rose Hill in a community that is so welcoming and supportive.  Though New York was not a new city to me, it has been incredibly eye-opening to continuing exploring and discovering all that NYC has to offer.  I've worked two internships in Manhattan, visited museums, attended the ballet, and seen Broadway shows. As Fordham students, we are so lucky to have the best of both worlds here--a classic college campus in one of the greatest cities in the world.

As I finish my junior year at Fordham, I am so thankful for that fateful rainy day three years ago.  Now I couldn't picture my life any other way.

I love the community at Fordham and being a member of Rose Hill's classical ballet group The Jetés.  Here we are posing outside the Metropolitan Opera in NYC!

Fordham's Spring Preview

Rose Hill Society E-Board

 Last weekend, on Sunday, approximately 3,500 prospective students and their families poured onto Fordham's Rose Hill Campus to tour the school and learn about all the Fordham has to offer. Only one day earlier, at the Lincoln Center campus, Spring Preview was held for student's looking at our Manhattan-based center. 

Rose Hill Society ambassadors and admissions counselors, as well are various academic departments and clubs at Fordham were out in full force, showing the multi-dimensional experience that one gets at Fordham. The day truly kicked off with an address from Father McShane, that was filled with comedic remarks as well as a deeper message about what is means to be a Fordham student. To come to Fordham is to make a commitment to being "bothered," as unusual as that may sound. Fordham wants students to be bothered every day that they are here; bothered to learn more, bothered to make a change, bothered to explore and understand the world around them. 

Keating and our Ram

After lunch time and exploring the fair in the fieldhouse, prospective students and their parents left to tour the campus and see the beauty of Fordham at Rose Hill. Later, students had the time to engage in Classroom discussions with current Fordham students to learn more about the daily life of a student who lives at Fordham. Moreover, fantastic presentations were put on by various faculty, describing personal branding, academic classes, and various other aspects of Fordham University. All in all, the event was a huge success. Moreover, we could not have been blessed with a more beautiful day to hold an event; the weather was delightful and families were able to see Eddie's filled with students; a true testament to the community at Fordham. We are happy to see all admitted students and we hope that, by attending Spring Preview, you may have found your home for the next four years! 

Father McShane in the Rose Hill Gym

Spring Weekend Preparations

Spring Concert 2017 feat. Matt and Kim 

The countdown is on!  With less than three weeks until one of the most exciting weekends here at Fordham, preparations are in full swing.  Spring Weekend is a fun-packed finale to all the events going on throughout Spring week.  Fordham student-run organizations bring in big name guest speakers and host so many fun events throughout the week including a guest DJ performance, a comedy show by a famous comedian, and much more. 

 The entire week and weekend is filled with nice events.  However, the most excitement comes on the Saturday of Spring Weekend.  Students enjoy a morning and afternoon on Martyr’s Lawn with an endless supply of food and fun.  Vendors and food trucks are brought in to provide food, snacks, and drinks with students all day in preparation for the featured performance at the concert.  With a different performer each year, this concert is sure to impress the hundreds of students who attend. 

Students line up hours in advance to buy Under the Tent tickets 

 That evening, Fordham’s RHA hosts the Under the Tent dance.  Always with a fun theme, this formal dance is a perfect ending to a long day.  Friends gather together under a tent to enjoy more good music and food and dance the night away. 

Though each year has different themes, performers, and activities, one consistent thing is how much fun the Fordham students have each year.  After working so hard all year, and with finals fast-approaching, Spring Weekend is a nice stress-relieving time to share with friends.  

Spring has Spung at Fordham

Keating and a beautiful blue sky

On Wednesday, the sun peeked out and the clouds cleared to make way for blue skies. For current students, as well as prospective students and their parents visiting Fordham on Admitted Students Day, the weather could not be more beautiful. 

In fact, Fordham's beautiful Rose Hill campus has been undergoing many landscaping measures and beautification projects to get our school spring ready! Among some of the various visible measures being taken include the beautiful flowers planted around both the fountain and outside of McGinley Center. For me, as well as many of my friends, the planting of these flowers signify the first signs of spring. Soon, the tulips and daffodils planted on various hills throughout Fordham's campus will be breaking ground and blossoming. The grass on Eddie's is a bright green, after being nourished by showers and melted snow. Yesterday, students speckled Eddie's, playing Frisbee, studying homework, and basking in the delightful 60 degree weather.

Colorful spring flowers and the fountain

Also, as the New York Botanical Gardens are right across the street from Fordham, students can look for signs of spring in the park as well. Each week, I go for a walk through the gardens, looking at the progress of all the plant life. On Daffodil Hill, the flowers are being to develop buds; soon, they will be flowering and the path will be lined by hundreds upon hundreds of daffodils...truly a sight to behold.Although Thursday brings more showers, Fordham is beginning to feel a spring fever budding on campus. 

Fordham students sitting on Eddie's enjoying the sun

NYC: A Food Lover's Paradise

One of the many perks of going to school in New York City is the almost endless options you have when it comes to food. Seriously, think of almost any cuisine and there is probably a restaurant in New York that offers it. During my time at Fordham, I have tried all different kinds of food -- some more traditional (like the delicious, warm, and gooey chocolate chip cookies at Levain Bakery) and some more exotic to my pallet (like having dim sum at a restaurant in Brooklyn's chinatown). 

Fresh-baked cookies from Levain Bakery

The best part is that you often don't even have to go very far to get a taste for all that New York's culinary scene has to offer. Arthur Avenue, which is just off Fordham's Rose Hill campus, has some of the best Italian food in the world. And if you're the type that just likes to stick to the basics like pizza, there are some delicious pizzerias on Arthur Ave and just off campus as well.

So whether you prefer to stick to the basics or love to branch out and try interesting and different foods, New York and Fordham offer it all!

Pizza and garlic knots from University Pizza located on Fordham Road

Dodransbicen-what? Fordham Celebrates 175 Years!

2017 marks the 175th year of Fordham University's existence; in other words, Fordham celebrates its Dodransbicentennial! Everyone is in on the celebrations with the university providing students and staff with a year of special events, programs, and exhibits that highlight Fordham's history and influence as the Jesuit University of New York.

Even the Empire State Building showed its colors for Fordham last night in honor of the 175th anniversary!

Here's to another 175 years, Fordham! So that would be a... Semiseptcentennial? Have fun trying to say that in speeches! 

Meet the Bloggers: the Rose Hill Society Ambassadors!

Reading through the “I Am A Fordham Ram” blog posts is a great way to catch a glimpse of all of the amazing opportunities and experiences Fordham has to offer its students, but those who are scrolling through this treasure trove of a website might be a little confused as to who, exactly, is writing the posts--paid students? Administration? A street-savvy robot that the technology department whipped up one day? The answer is, actually, none of the above!

RHS ambassadors pose with Father McShane during an admissions event!

All of these posts are written by Fordham students who are part of the Rose Hill Society, which is just a fancy way of saying that we are unpaid volunteer students who love Fordham and want to help prospective students learn more about the campus. We have to apply and interview to join the Rose Hill Society, and once we’re in we become committed to helping out the people Fordham cares about the most--students just like you! Whether it’s leading tours or writing up blog posts, hosting student panels or snapping photos to put on the RHS Instagram, us RHS ambassadors are passionate about celebrating Fordham and all of its students.

Admitted Student's Day is just one event that RHS ambassadors help with at Fordham

If you want to get in touch with a RHS student representative, just check out the sidebar on the “I Am A Fordham Ram” blogsite and check out our Facebook, Twitter, Insta, or email! If you want to get in contact with a specific student, you can find our emails on the sidebar as well. Happy exploring, and GO RAMS!

Our mascot Ramses (both the real and the cartoon version) are much loved by RHS ambassadors!

Fordham's Performing Arts: Theatrical Outreach Program

The performing arts are an integral part of the campus culture at Rose Hill. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of directing my first feature length production on campus through the Theatrical Outreach Program (TOP). TOP is one of three student theatre clubs on the Rose Hill campus, and strives to perform works of classical and educational theatre for students at local middle schools and high schools in the Bronx. After the performance we have a question and answer session with the students and play some theatre games to get them up and interacting with the stage and the actors. TOP is the perfect blend of performing arts and community service!

 The play we put on was called Kindertransport by Diane Samuels, and focused on the refugee experience of a young Jewish girl during World War II. Admission was totally free, and there was a donation box for the refugee relief organization ActionAid USA, for which we raised nearly $300.  Later this semester, TOP will be putting on William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

At Fordham, there are opportunities for students to get involved in theatre in any way they may be interested: acting, directing, writing, stage managing, budgeting, costuming, or simply just watching! Usually, I am onstage performing, so it was interesting and fun to have a chance to be the one calling the shots and making my creative vision manifest on stage. If you have any interest in theatre at all, there is room for you to exercise your creative muscles at Rose Hill!