Weekend Update

Caroline Lebranti

Keating Hall on a bright and sunny day

This weekend at Fordham was pretty exciting since it was the first couple of days where it was super sunny and nice enough to be outside without bundling up! On Saturday CAB hosted a County Fair around Eddies where students could play carnival games and get free popcorn, cotton candy, and ice cream. After hanging out there for a while some friends and I hopped on the D train and made our way to Brooklyn where we basked in the glorious weather, played bocce in Park Slope, and got ice cream at Ample Hills Creamery (highly recommended... try their Mexican hot chocolate flavor!). Sunday was also great because not only was everyone out on Eddies playing Frisbee and sunbathing, but it was also the President’s Spring Preview! Campus was buzzing with current and prospective students and families which made for quite a lively afternoon.

Our delicious brunch

Caroline McCue

This past weekend, I had a great time celebrating my friend Rachael’s birthday with a delicious Sunday Brunch.  We went to the Gansevoort Hotel which has a delicious menu. Although it is a little pricey, I would highly recommend going for a special treat! Afterwards, we walked around the Meatpacking District for a little and enjoyed the crisp spring day.  I got the eggs Benedict which was to die for!  Although I have a lot of papers and assignments to finish up before the end of the year, I am glad I got to spend an afternoon relaxing and celebrating with my friends in such an amazing city!

Lake Michigan

Megan McLaughlin

This weekend, besides chatting with some prospective students about Fordham and the best places to eat on Arthur Ave, I visited Chicago. The weather was great, but this view of Lake Michigan doesn't quite beat the view of Central Park stretched out below you at Top of the Rock (30 Rockefeller Center's rooftop).

Great night for baseball

Madeline McDermott

On Friday night, I went to the Yankee vs. Red Sock game. I got $10 tickets through the CAB raffle and the game wound up being the longest game in the history of Yankee Stadium.

Another lovely shot of Keating

Claire McGonigle

This past Sunday was Admitted Students Day here at Fordham! It was great to talk

to prospective students and give them a chance to talk to current Fordham students

along with administrators to give them a better sense of what life at Fordham is like.

A Motley of April Events

Although it was really great to have been able to spend a relaxing spring break at home, I was looking forward to the last event-filled weeks of the spring semester. One of the events that I participated in was being a part of the Holy Week liturgy. As a member of the Schola Cantorum choir, I spent a great deal of my Easter Break and Holy Week rehearsing for Triduum Masses: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil. The rehearsals were tough and filled with challenging music to learn, but all the time that I spent singing with other choir members helped create a bond that got us through the long week. I also had the privilege to cantor for the morning prayers—my first time cantering ever. It truly was a blessed week for me to be a part of, and through the intense rehearsals, I began to realize the miracle of Easter and the importance of understanding the sacred meaning of what Holy Week means to me.

Even as an Outreach Ambassador, I got to help out with Spring Preview on April 12^th, 2015—Fordham’s largest open house event for Admitted Students. I cannot even put into words just how beautiful the day was for this event. With clear skies, Fordham students enjoying themselves on Eddie’s Parade (a beloved green spot for students to hang out), and enthusiastic admitted students on campus, it was the perfect ambiance to show off just how beautiful our Rose Hill campus really is and to talk about what makes our college so special. I remember two Spring Previews ago in which I was in this position of trying to make college decisions and I will never forget the student interactions that I had that persuaded me to want to come here and be a part of this community. That is what makes Spring Preview so special and so easy—ambassadors never have a difficult time bragging about how great their college experience is because everyone’s is unique and special to them in their own way!

Me with the Fordham Ram putting some "horn" hand signs during Spring Preview!

After my shift was done, I headed over to Eddie’s and had a mini picnic with friends. It was wondrous being able to get a tan in and see all the other students enjoy themselves outside of studying and class. Later, I got to enjoy the rest of this beautiful day by also attending the University Choir’s Annual Spring Concert to support my friends in it. It was a lovely afternoon filled with glorious music that filled the University Church that complimented the wonderful day.

The beautiful University Church with University Choir and the Bronx Arts Ensemble.

Although the semester is coming to a close end, it is also one of the most eventful times of the year, with admitted students coming to a decision about schools and extracurricular clubs having their annual spring showcases. It goes to show just how much of a variety of activities Fordham has to offer that truly makes it a community open to people with many interests and outlets to express themselves.

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!

Weekend Update: Spring is Here!

Sorry all! This weekend's update is a little belated...but only because this weekend was so busy! We have temperatures in the 70s and everyone enjoyed themselves accordingly. Hopefully the warm weather is really here to stay! Check out what some students did below!

Juan Garcia 

What I really like about Fordham is its location. Being in the heart of NY, students can go around Union Square and just relax--or even hit up a few stores here and there.

Shannon McKenna

When in the city enjoying the beautiful weather this weekend, I came across decorative eggs that are part of NY's Big Egg Hunt. There are over 260 eggs displayed across the 5 boros each designed by a different artist. Everyone is invited to participate in the egg hunt for a chance to win prizes! Later this month all of the eggs will be displayed in Rockefeller Center. 

Kirsten Simons

This weekend I went to a French restaurant in SoHo for lunch with some friends.

Jessica Timko

This weekend I took advantage of the beautiful weather we have been having and went for a run in the New York Botanical Gardens.  The gardens are gorgeous this time of year, and general admission is free with a Fordham ID.

And let us not forget, on Sunday we had our Spring Preview for Admitted Students where we welcomed the future class of 2018 and their families! Temperatures were high and so was enthusiasm. Our fabulous tour guides and ambassadors welcomed thousands of people to campus that day. Always, the day is topped off with a moving message from none other than University President Father McShane. It was a complete success. Check out all the awesome photos submitted on our Fordham Admissions Instagram account at @fordhamadmissions or at the hashtag #fordham4me. Until next week!

Confirmed by Eggplant Rollatini: Why and How I Chose Fordham

Spring Preview 2012 awaiting my eggplant 

I chose Fordham for the eggplant rollatini. The exact moment I knew Fordham was for me I was sitting in Amelia’s authentic Italian restaurant on Arthur Avenue just outside campus. I was a senior in high school, still deliberating between Fordham and Boston College, and my family and I decided to venture off campus for dinner after attending Fordham’s Spring Preview event for admitted students. Well, let’s just say that ordering that eggplant rollatini was ultimately the best decision of my life so far.

Students playing on Eddie's green

Now, the deliciousness and abundance of off campus food was certainly not my only factor in choosing Fordham to be my home for the following four years- it simply confirmed my decision. Since I did not know what I wanted to major in, I knew that a Jesuit school would give me the opportunity to take a wide variety of classes to help me figure out my interests and strengths. I applied to a variety of Jesuit schools, among others, and visited each campus. I remember being absolutely struck by the beauty of Fordham’s campus and I loved that students were outside lounging on the grass on such a beautiful day. I really sensed a community. Two years later as I walk to class everyday, I always look around me and think how beautiful Fordham’s campus is and how lucky I am to be a part of this community.

Sunday morning run in Central Park

Another important factor that contributed to my choice to come to Fordham is its location in New York City. I have lived in suburbia Connecticut my but the “hustle and bustle” of city life has always appealed to me. What makes Fordham so special is that it really is the best of two worlds- providing a green campus and community to live in, and also providing close access to New York City. This makes Fordham truly a unique university. Having New York City right at my fingertips has lead to so many opportunities and experiences that I would not have been able to find elsewhere. For example, I intern two days a week on 7^th avenue at GroupM ESP, a sports marketing company. I’m not sure how many college sophomores have the opportunity to have such real work experience during the school year. Additionally, I have attended multiple Broadway shoes, went to many concerts, and ate at some truly amazing restaurants- all just a subway ride away.

One of my favorite weekend activities is to go for a run either right outside campus in the Botanical Gardens, or take the Ram Van down to Lincoln Center and go for a run in Central Park. Each time I do this, I realize how beautiful New York City is and how unique it is that I am a part of not only Fordham’s community, but also a part of New York City’s vast community. 

Now, would I have chosen Fordham without the most delicious mozzarella laden eggplant dish that I have ever tasted? Yes, but the deliciousness certainly confirmed my good vibes about Fordham, New York City, and my day at the Spring Preview. Palumbo’s, the bakery we went to after dinner for cannolis, might have also have been contributing factor….

Did I forget about the desserts???

We ARE Fordham

As a rising senior in high school, I felt that the college process took a toll on my confidence as a student.  Ultimately, I felt like wherever I visited, I had to prove to the different universities why I should be accepted to their institution.  To me, this seemed like a game where I was just a number, lost in a sea of students.  In all honesty, I was very hesitant about committing to Fordham, even though the University perfectly met all of my requirements in what I expected of my college experience.  For example, I wanted to go to a medium sized school that was strong in the liberal arts, was in or near a large city, and preferably Jesuit.  I even had a picture of what I wanted to see when I visited colleges - it sounds silly, but when I visited schools in the nicer weather, I wanted to see students tossing around a football or a frisbee, because to me, this is how I pictured my college days – enjoying time with friends in a positive learning environment.  Even though Fordham was perfect on paper in regards to what I was looking for in a school, I still was not convinced since I live so close to campus, as I am from the New York area.  It was ultimately when I came to the President’s Spring Preview when I listened to different Fordham representatives speak that I felt that each person helping with the event cared about the current and prospective students, and that I would not just be a name on an application or a roster.  Then, it was done deal. 

A common question that I am asked on tours is, “why Fordham?”  Today, I can’t help but think, why, not, Fordham?  I think the important question to answer for those interested in attending Fordham is not why I came here, but ultimately, why I chose to stay.  I feel a connection to the University every time I step onto the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses – I experience a wave of safety and relief, as if I were home.  And that is why I chose to stay at Fordham – soon enough, its sprawling lawns and classic styled buildings felt like home.  I believe this sense of community was fostered from the efforts made during orientation and its fearless leaders. 

Students gather together on Martyr's Lawn for Spring Weekend

Ultimately, it was the people I met during my freshman year that made me want to stay at Fordham.  Whether it was endearing professors in their office hours, considerate RA’s or motivated classmates, I found that the welcoming environment at Fordham was too great to consider leaving.  If I could give one word to describe the students at Fordham, I believe it would be camaraderie.  This camaraderie is an experience that touches those who say the words “we are FORDHAM” on their first night together at college, and hopefully three years after they graduate.  So why Fordham?  Because, we ARE Fordham.

The annual candle-lighting ceremony during orientation