Who Interns in a Pineapple Under the Sea?

This semester I am fortunate enough to be interning at Viacom, a mass media company that owns television and film networks like MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Paramount, Spike, and Comedy Central, among others. I am specifically working with the Nickelodeon account at their Times Square office, which to me is the opportunity of a lifetime.

I landed this internship with the help from my senior peer advisor, Kyla, who was assigned to me when I was a freshman (every freshman at Fordham is assigned an advising group and a peer advisor depending on your major for the first semester of college). After forming a relationship with her through the advising program and RHS, we’ve kept in touch since she graduated in 2013. I was aware that after leaving Fordham she moved on to a position at Viacom, and after contacting her about internship opportunities, I quickly found myself filling out applications and going on interviews. A few weeks later I found out I got the position, and that Kyla would be one of my managers!

Since starting my internship with Nickelodeon I have been working on their consumer marketing team. No day at the office is the same since I get to work on such a variety of projects. In recent weeks I have been revamping the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fan Club, as well as developing content for Nick Jr.’s new “Beyond the Backpack” program, which is geared toward helping parents prepare their child for kindergarten. In my opinion, the office environment is a perfect combination of hard work and fun. While it’s important to meet deadlines and be productive, you’re working in an office with giant Lego Spongebob statues and Nicktoons jingles playing from computers at every other desk. In addition, it’s quite common that you’ll see Fordham pennons hanging in cubicles, since a good amount of Viacom employees are Fordham alumni!

It’s only been a month since I became a Viacom intern, but I couldn’t be happier with the job. Opportunities like these make me proud to be a Ram, because without the help of Fordham’s rich alumni network and fantastic career preparation-geared curriculum, I wouldn’t be nearly as successful as I am today.

Back in the Swing

The Fordham Campuses are quickly filling up with students once again as classes quickly approach. Here at the Rose Hill campus, students are looking forward to more than just classes. On campus there are already a variety of activities going on. Many students are moving in early to prepare for the incoming freshmen and to prepare for the university clubs and sports. And just as quickly as students are moving in, posters are already going up to advertise upcoming events like the Annual President’s Ball. 

Poster advertising the upcoming President's Ball on September 12th.

I am a senior with a double major in political science and women’s studies. I just moved into Campbell Hall on Wednesday. My on-campus apartment is located on the sixth floor of the building and I have a great panoramic view of the Bronx. I am lucky enough to be spending the next nine months living with my three best friends before we all graduate! It goes by so fast! I moved in earlier than the rest of my peers to participate in training for the Rose Hill Society. RHS consists of about 180 volunteer student ambassadors who become experts on the ins-and-outs of Fordham in order to share our knowledge with prospective students. At our training, the society hears presentations from a variety of departments on campus. We are always up-to-date on the most recent changes and campus happening.

 

My single room in Campbell Hall!

Along with the Rose Hill Society ambassadors, students who are New Student Orientation leaders, student athletes, and residential assistants are back on campus preparing for the upcoming year. Even with all of the orientations going on, students still seem to make time to hang out of Eddie’s.  I even had a free moment to check out the new freshmen dorm building, Loyola Hall. The building has been completed renovated in order to house about 120 incoming freshmen. It is BEAUTIFUL! The first floor study lounge is very Hogwarts-esque.

It is great to be back on campus and to be surrounded by my friends and peers once again. The Fordham community is outstanding and it feels good to have everyone back on campus. It feels like home. And what better to kick off the new school year than with the first Fordham football game on Saturday?! Fordham will be versing Saint Francis University this Saturday at home. Hopefully they can do even better than their 12-2 (wins-losses) record from last year! It is good to get back into the swing of things.

Students lounging on Eddie's in between orientation and training!

Spring Preview 2014

The Rose Hill campus felt a little cramped on Sunday, April 13, as thousands of admitted students and their family members flocked to the Bronx for the annual Spring Preview. With the May 1 deadline looming on the horizon, the Spring Preview provided the perfect opportunity for the high school seniors who have yet to make a deposit at their university of choice to get answers to any last-minute questions.

Rose Hill tour guides ready to go!

          There was a full schedule planned for all who attended, beginning with campus tours. Led by Rose Hill Society Ambassadors, the tours included a peak at a classroom, a freshman dormitory, the Rose Hill Gymnasium, the Gabelli School of Business at Hughes Hall, and the McGinley Center. Fordham tour guides love giving tours during Spring Preview because the attendees have already been admitted, which means they are already enthusiastic about Fordham and have lots of questions!

The Welcome Address

Father McShane, the president of Fordham, gave his legendary Welcome Address at noon in the packed Rose Hill Gym, reminding the audience that "New York is the capital of the world and the greatest city on the face of the earth," something you never forget if you attend Fordham! The speech was followed by the Faculty, Administrators, and Student Club Fair and Lunch in the Lombardi Center Fieldhouse, where representatives from the deans’ offices, various academic departments, and student organizations were on call to answer questions.

Academic presentations by professors in a variety of fields began at 2 pm. Some of the more popular lectures included "Harry Potter and Philosophy," given by Dr. Jude Jones of the philosophy department, and "Gourmet Chemistry: The Elements of Chocolate," by Dr. Amy Balija of the chemistry department.

Shannon and I are seniors, so this was our last Spring Preview!

The afternoon concluded with more tours, as well as student life panels. Each prospective student was assigned to a different classroom, where groups of Rose Hill Ambassadors were ready to answer tough questions and to talk about their own Fordham experiences. This was an especially poignant moment for me, since I am a senior and would give anything to be back in high school with four years at Fordham ahead of me! All in all, Spring Preview was, once again, a success. It was a gorgeous day, and the students, parents, and tour guides were in high spirits. Check out the hashtag #Fordham4Me to see more photos!

Two tour guides take a quick pic on Eddie's with their tour group!