Making the Most Out of Fordham's 135 Clubs

Are you the kind of high school student who is an all-season varsity athlete, NHS scholar, after school volunteer at a local nursing home, school newspaper editor-in-chief, president of both French Club and Painting With Watercolors Club, and an active member of the Chess Club and Grecian Club even though you’re 100% Irish?

If you can relate, have no fear, most Fordham students were also stupidly over-committed in high school too.

Being involved in so much isn’t necessarily a bad thing- it usually means that you’re passionate about a lot of things and have a wide array of interests, which is an extremely respectable quality to have. It also helps you master the art of time management, and allows you to meet new people with similar interests as you.

However, being over-committed, especially in college, can also be a curse. If you take on too much, you not only overwhelm yourself, but also lose the opportunity to really immerse yourself in what you’re involved in. College can be a big adjustment for some people, so between classes, homework, internships, having fun with friends, exploring New York City, and getting enough sleep, it’s important to remember to only join things you think you will have time for.

That being said, I will now tell you that Fordham has 135 clubs and organizations for undergrads. That’s everything ranging from the Finance Society, to club sports teams, to Fordham Experimental Theatre Group to the Paranormal Society. You can pretty much find an organization geared toward anything you’re interested in; but if not, you can always submit a proposal to start something new!

At the beginning of every semester Fordham hosts a fair (in the fall around Eddies and in the spring in McGinley 2nd) to showcase all of the different clubs. It’s literally like a scene out of Pitch Perfect- the performance groups are singing and dancing at you, and every group in between is offering you candy and trying to get you to sign up for their organizations. 

Fall Club Fair Around Eddies

My advice to freshmen would be to get a feel for all of the clubs first. Talk to the people representing the club at the fair, take tons of brochures and flyers and free food, and do a little bit of research. Whatever you do, don’t sign up for a club right on the spot because if you end up not joining, you’ll still get tons of emails from them until you graduate anyway. After you’ve thought about it and figured out which clubs’ schedules fit into your schedule, join one to four of them. Join some that you know you’re passionate about, and maybe one that you’re curious about. You might learn something new, and meet different people. Also, be active in your clubs! Attend meetings, volunteer to work events, and maybe even run for an e-board position. Getting involved is such a great way to meet great people and truly feel like a part of the Fordham community. 

Expressions Dance Alliance at the Fall 2014 Club Fair

For a full list of the clubs and organizations offered on campus, click here!

Rams Got Talent!

On Saturday March 28th some Fordham Rams put on their very own version of America's Got Talent! Rams Got Talent was organized by CSA (the Commuting Student Association).  The event was part of the associations Commuter Week 2015, which consists of various fun events and activities on campus for all Fordham students. 

The talent show took place in Fordham Prep's theater and was set up in a classic. There were three judges, two hosts, and tons of awesome contestants!  After each act the judges gave their comments and critiques, Paula, Simon, and Randy style!  

Above Left:  Alice Smyth performs her own version of "Price Tag" on the harp Above Right: Doug Soto & Tom D'Agustino perform two original songs Center: Analisa Blanco performs "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree"

After all the acts had gone it was up to the judges to pick the top three! It was definitely a tough decision but they narrowed it down.  After the judges gave their say it was up to the audience to pick the winner!  Every audience member wrote down on a slip of paper who they think should be the winner and the votes were tallied up.  A group named NesianVibe came out on top!  They are a band made up of five Fordham Students and definitely deserved the win!  

                                                                   The WInners: Nesian Vibe! 

The audience was also treated to a surprise performance at the end of the show! Fordham alum Alyson Cadena, who won Fordham Idol 2011, returned to her old stomping grounds and sang!  There was also a raffle that took place during intermission and one lucky audience member won an all-inclusive trip to Reno, Nevada!  Overall, the show was a great success!! 

Make sure to check out CSA's Facebook page to learn more about their events! 

Campus MovieFest

In just over two weeks, on April 8, Fordham will begin its seventh round of Campus MovieFest (or CMF), a national student film competition that takes place at colleges around the country. The challenge? Create a short film under five minutes long in just one week.

CMF provides students with all the basic equipment, including a Panasonic HD camera, microphone, tripod, and a Macbook Pro equipped with tools like Adobe Creative Cloud. After a week, CMF collects all of the movies for judging. The top sixteen films will screen on April 22nd--the same week as Spring Weekend--at a red carpet showcase in Keating Auditorium. There will be prizes given away the Fordham showcase, and the top four films go on to the CMF Hollywood Festival to compete for even bigger prizes.

Last April, I entered Campus MovieFest for the first time. My friends and I had little-to-no experience making films, but we decided it'd be a fun project. Our film, Mine, centers around a spoken word artist who performs a poem as a way to gain closure and strength after ending an unhealthy relationship. Even though we knew the production quality wouldn't be perfect, we tried our hardest to portray a realistic, nuanced portrait of domestic violence.

Production stills from Mine (cinematography by Fenizia Maffucci)

My friends Joe Gallagher (who I'd previously acted with in a play on campus produced by the Mimes and Mummers) and Sarah Davis also joined me onscreen. Sarah and I co-wrote the poem that my character recites in the film while Shannon Morrall produced, Fenizia Maffucci filmed, and Amanda Pell composed the score.

CMF doesn't notify you if your film has been selected for the showcase, so naturally the premieres get a good turnout from both filmmakers and friends. Our team was excited to see Mine show up about halfway through the showcase. I was definitely embarrassed about seeing my face on such a big screen, but I was equally proud of how it turned out, considering our general lack of experience. We also just had a really fun time at the showcase; the final sixteen films were really entertaining and diverse. Some were funny and romantic, others were scary, and some films, like ours, tackled sensitive subject matter. I would've enjoyed the CMF Premiere even if I hadn't competed.




Unfortunately we didn't win Best Drama at Fordham, but that didn't slow us down. All the finalists at each school have the opportunity to submit their film into the CMF National Wildcard round. After facing off with other Fordham films, and subsequently three different films from across the country, Mine officially became a national wildcard winner and got screened at the Hollywood festival!

In an even crazier twist, Upworthy.com found our film sometime during our wildcard campaign and featured it on their website and Facebook. (Here's our Upworthy page!)

A screenshot from the day after Upworthy posted Mine on their Facebook page.
(PS. That is a stock photo, NOT a still from our film... I think even partial nudity is prohibited by CMF haha)

We received messages from allies and survivors around the world, on Facebook and on Tumblr.  We were beyond happy to hear that so many people identified with the film and felt more hopeful as a result. Our experience with Campus MovieFest definitely reminded us of the power and importance of storytelling.

Finally, on a sillier note, here's a few bloopers and deleted scenes from the making of Mine:




If you're an actor, a writer, or a filmmaker--no matter what your experience level--you should definitely enter Campus MovieFest at Fordham! 

Residence Hall Programs at Rose Hill!

I've lived on campus for almost two years at Rose Hill, so I know plenty about all that the residence halls have to offer. I lived in Alumni Court South my freshman year, and I am now living in O'Hare Hall. Over my time in these halls, I've attended many programs that have helped to expand my horizons and let me experience new parts of the city. Here are some of my favorite programs that my residence halls have sponsored so far at Fordham!

Kayaking
My first week of freshman year, my Resident Assistant took us into the city for free kayaking on the Hudson River. The weather was beautiful and we got to see the city in a breathtaking new way that none of us had before. It was a great way to meet new people and we all really enjoyed the experience!

Relaxing on the Hudson

Cronuts
If you've been in NYC, you've heard of the world-famous Cronut. Half croissant, half donut, these delicious treats can be found only at Dominique Ansel Bakery. Our RA took some of us to go try these pastries for ourselves. We had to leave very early in the morning and stand outside in the cold for a few hours, but it really paid off. The cronuts were delicious, and I would definitely do it again!

Apple Cinnamon Cronut

The Colbert Report

Before Stephen Colbert was hosting Late Night, he was hosting one of my favorite shows, The Colbert Report. My roommate and I won tickets through our residence halls and got free tickets to the show. We were selected to sit in the front row and we even got to high-five Stephen. It was an experience that neither of us will ever forget!

My roommate and I with our tickets!

All in all, the residence halls here at Rose Hill host awesome programs which allow students to experience all that New York has to offer.

Intramural Sports

One of Fordham's most popular recreational activities is intramural sports.  Three seasons of sports are held each year, with each season boasting three different sports.  Fall sports include flag football, soccer, and softball.  Winter teams are for volleyball, basketball, and dodgeball.  Spring sports are soccer, softball, and kickball.  (See more information here!)  Students can choose a sport, create a team, and play for whichever league they choose!

Besides being a fun release and a great nighttime break, intramural sports can serve as a great way to meet people.  In my freshman residence hall, an intramural soccer team was formed through a sign-up sheet in a community lunge during the first few weeks of the fall semester, allowing students with similar interests to meet and enjoy the game.

A recent night in the Lombardi Fieldhouse, where intramural volleyball
(far court) & basketball (first court) games were taking place!

Back in November, I joined a few friends on a Winter League Co-Rec Intramural Volleyball team (the Serve-ivors!).  Although our experience in playing volleyball varied from player to player, we enjoyed seeing our team improve over the course of the season.  We typically had one game each week, and the trips over to the Lombardi Fieldhouse served as a nice break from doing schoolwork for a little while.

Although we wound up losing in our first playoff game, we had a lot of fun playing each week, and we learned how fun intramural sports can be.

That One Year We Learned to Cook...

Yum!

Family dinners with friends!

This past fall, I moved into Walsh Hall for my junior year and opted not to get a meal plan because each room in this apartment-style residence hall has its own kitchen. My roommates and I were eager to learn how to live like *real* adults and prepare each meal ourselves.

The challenge over the summer before move-in was coordinating who would bring what – we didn't understand what we would need and quickly realized we needed to figure out some system of dividing the purchases to avoid all bringing the same thing. Even so, when we settled in at the start of the year, we still somehow managed to each bring pans but forget to bring a paper towel holder…

Fresh pasta from Arthur Ave.

Staying cozy during the snowstorm.

My friends and I heard anecdotes from others about how difficult sharing an apartment could be, but we never really felt the stresses of having both private and public space to take care of, especially since we were already so close before moving in together. We quickly figured out a schedule as to when each person would be responsible for making dinners, washing dishes, cleaning various parts of the apartment, and even making the communal pot of coffee in the morning! It suddenly felt like we were our own little family, and, when our own families came to visit, they were always pleasantly surprised at how responsibly we managed our home away from home.

Dining hall trip!

Every so often, I still stop by the Marketplace – the buffet-style dining hall in McGinley – for a quick bite if I’m in a rush between classes or if I’m meeting a friend. In some ways, I really miss the convenience of on-campus dining (and I really did grow quite fond of the steamed veggies over rice at the vegan station!), but having my own kitchen and being able to make my own meals inevitably made me feel a lot more capable of taking care of myself. This year, my roommates and I learned to grocery shop, pick out fresh produce, make tons of healthy meals, and really bonded over this new level of maturity that we’ve reached.  

Burger night!

Sitting down for a “family” dinner at the end of a long day of classes will always be one of my most cherished Fordham memories.

Juno Takes Fordham

A couple of days ago, word came to Fordham about the storm they've named Juno. Reports were calling for 20-36 inches of snow, and in a few hours, Fordham will find out just how much it's going to get. The weather report is calling for a 100% chance of precipitation from 10 PM to 10 AM, and everyone is anxiously waiting to find out just how much snow we'll all have to trudge through  tomorrow just to get to the cafeteria. States around us are in a state of emergency and the students have just received an emergency alert ordering all vehicles (except those for emergencies) off of the road after 11 PM.

The beginning of the blizzard

Although this sounds despondent, Fordham is actually an awesome place to be during a blizzard! You get to stay warm with all of your friends in the dorms with the promise of no classes tomorrow! Campus food services will be open on their usual schedules, thanks to our incredible dining staff who are trooping through the storm with us. There's also the option of all of the delicious take-out food around campus. Options like sushi from Umai, or penne vodka from Michaelangelo's, or even pizza from Pugsley's are all available to the students so that even if we're stuck inside, we don't have to sacrifice a great dinner (we're always sure to tip well).

A view of my dorm, O'hare Hall, from afar in the snow!

Furthermore, tomorrow we can all go out and play in the snow. Fordham is absolutely beautiful covered in snow, and there are endless outside activities to partake in. One of the Resident Assistants in my building has already scheduled a snowball fight as a program for the whole building! If, however, the snow is not for you, you can enjoy the extra day off with an Arrested Development marathon (thanks Netflix), catching up on some much-needed sleep, or doing some extra reading for your classes (if you're feeling really motivated)!

Student Theatre Groups at Rose Hill

I'm more comfortable on stage than I am in most social situations. But going into senior year of high school, I knew I didn't want to be in an undergraduate acting program. Instead, I chose to attend Fordham College at Rose Hill, even though I knew the school's official theatre program (with its highly selective, audition-based admissions process) was housed at Lincoln Center. At the same time, I knew I absolutely wanted to continue performing in shows. As I prepared to attend Fordham in the fall of 2012, I prayed that I wouldn't be let down by the quality of Rose Hill's theatre community.

Thankfully, our campus is brimming with great theatrical opportunities, especially for a campus of its size. Maybe it's because we're so close to New York City, but for a campus that doesn't host Fordham's performing arts departments, Rose Hill has an abundance of talented and creative students who—despite majoring in unrelated fields—pursue their artistic passions through the student groups on campus, or at professional venues in Manhattan. We even have students from Lincoln Center who come over regularly to audition for our shows.

For those of you who want to continue acting, but don't want to major in it, rest assured that you can do just that here at Fordham Rose Hill. To help you out, here's the run-down on Rose Hill's three student theatre groups!

The Mimes and Mummers
Website: http://www.themimesandmummers.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMimesAndMummers

The Mimes are Fordham's mainstage student theatre group based in Collins Auditorium in Collins Hall. They put on two shows each semester, usually one play and one musical each semester. The students on the Mimes' executive board hire professionals from the NYC area to direct each production. Students manage all technical aspects of the production (lights, costumes, props, set), and cast members are required to complete a certain amount of "tech hours" as well.

So far I've been in four shows with the Mimes: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The 39 Steps, Legally Blonde, and currently RENT. It's been one of my favorite parts of my Fordham career to work with such talented people and act under the direction of professional freelance directors. My director for The 39 Steps is also a teacher at NYU, and we're still friends on Facebook!

If you're visiting Fordham anytime soon, try and catch our production of RENT which opens on February 26 and closes March 1.

Fordham Experimental Theatre (FET)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FordhamExperimentalTheatre

FET is an exclusively student-run theatre group that performs in the well-loved Blackbox located on the first floor of Collins Hall. Like the Mimes, they put on four show a year, two each semester. Many are student-written, and all are student-directed. FET is known for unique show concepts and sometimes wild directing choices. Since I've been at Fordham, several student-written shows that debuted in the Blackbox have been accepted into various theatre festivals in New York. Two of them—Cowboys Don't Sing and My Personal Hell—have even played at the New York International Fringe Festival.

My Personal Hell by Jonathan O'Neill at the NY Int'l Fringe Festival, August 2014.

Me and Mike Dahlgren in The Pillowman, April 2012.

FET also has a number of umbrella groups who regularly perform in the Blackbox, including Stranded in Pittsburgh (improv), Free Pizza Sketch Comedy, Fordham Standup (who occasionally perform at Gotham Comedy Club in Manhattan), and Verbal Essences (spoken word poetry). On top of that, they put on a Playwrights Festival every semester, which features student-written one-act plays. Needless to say, FET offers students a ton of opportunities to perform, and it's a great way to get started in the Rose Hill theatre scene.

Currently FET is working on Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Jonathan O'Neill and Chris Pedro. The show opens during the third weekend of February.

Theatrical Outreach Program (TOP)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/topfordham

TOP is dedicated to abridging important plays, often from the classical tradition, and staging them in a more accessible way for today's audiences. Last semester they put on Our Town and Twelfth Night, or What You Will. After their performances at Fordham, for instance, they bring their productions to under-supported high schools in the Bronx area. They put on two shows each semester, and like FET, all productions are put together solely by students. Currently TOP is working on The Laramie Project, directed by FCRH junior David Schillinger.

Production still from Twelfth Night, fall 2014.

There are so many ways to get involved with student theatre at Fordham. You don't need to be a major to be involved in rewarding, high quality productions. For that, I'm extremely grateful. If you have any questions about the arts scene at Fordham Rose Hill, feel free to email me at vagovida@fordham.edu. Hope to see you at auditions this fall!

Fun Activities for the New Semester

Imagine you've just come back to campus after winter break.  You are just starting your new classes and seeing your friends again after a few weeks away.  To help you get back in the swing of things, Fordham hosts a number of events that help returning students get ready for their new semester.

For students looking to become more involved with on-campus clubs or groups, there is a spring club fair that takes place during the first week of the new semester.  Various student groups gather in the McGinley Center, inviting other students to see what interests them and to join related clubs.  Additionally during the first few weeks, there are a number of auditions taking place for upcoming on-campus theatrical productions.

We weren't lucky enough to win Fordham blankets or a $200 Best Buy gift card this time,
but there's always next time!

If you're simply looking to spend a little time relaxing or unwinding during the beginning of the new semester, there are plenty of activities for that too!  From bingo to Cinevents movie showings (this week is Big Hero 6),  students can always find a way to enjoy their free time on campus.

Even though it's only the beginning of the semester, there's no shortage of ways to get involved or enjoy Fordham!

Back With a Bang: How Fordham Starts Off the New Semester Right

The first week of Spring Semester classes is officially over here at Fordham, and I’m so glad to be back in New York City with my friends and classmates. Beginning a new semester can be stressful at times, and at first I felt nervous about taking my Spring Semester courses at the Gabelli School of Business. However, as soon as I got to campus, I felt a lot better about beginning my new classes because of all of the fun, stress relieving activities that Fordham offered this past week.

Just as students jump back into their classes at the start of a new semester, they also have the opportunity to jump back into fun activities going on at the university. Starting during the very first week of this semester, students had the opportunity to attend promo dinners for fundraisers, club fairs, and Bingo! My personal favorite activity this week was the O’Hare Residence Hall Winter Carnival. Resident Assistants and Directors in O’Hare Hall organized a fun night of winter festivities, complete with hot chocolate, cookies, and even an ice skating rink! My friends and I had a great time at this event, and it was a fantastic way to welcome everyone back to Fordham.

The ice skating rink was right on the Rose Hill Campus for O'Hare's Winter Carnival! 

Here at Fordham, there is always something interesting going on. Even at the start of the new semester, Fordham Rams know how to hit the ground running and come back with a bang! Coming back to campus to start a new semester really feels like coming home for me. Every semester, I realize more and more that there truly is no place like Fordham. I am so happy to be back on campus again, and I am really looking forward to Spring Semester’s future Fordham activities!

My roommate and I strapped on some skates and hit the ice after we went to the gym! 

Outdoor Fun Just Steps Off the Rose Hill Campus!

Sometimes during the semester, it is necessary to take a break from school-related activities to "recharge your batteries." Luckily, there are many nearby that are great for a quick study break and some fresh air! A plethora of options exists in both the Bronx and Manhattan, but two of my favorite places to take a short break are located minutes from the Rose Hill Campus.

From a recent fall trip to the NYBG

Directly across the street from the main entrance to the Rose Hill campus is the entrance to the New York Botanical Gardens. Fordham students receive free admission to the gardens with their student ID, and its close proximity to campus makes it the perfect place to go for a quick change of scenery. Our free admission allows access to the grounds of the gardens, giving students a choice of which part they want to explore.

The Bronx Zoo is just a few minutes off campus, too! On Wednesdays, admission to the zoo is free, which works perfectly for us since many Fordham students have few (or no) classes on Wednesdays! Measuring 265 acres, this unique city zoo makes for a great place to spend a few hours enjoying the outdoors, walking around with friends and learning about the Wildlife Conservation Society's efforts.

My recent trip to the Bronx Zoo included a stop at Tiger Mountain

One of Fordham's Best Kept "Secrets"

One of the best-kept secrets at Fordham is the Saturday night mass in Keating Blue Chapel. I say “secret” because it is a small, intimate mass that generally only about twenty or so members of the Fordham community attend. Since Sunday masses are so popular and lively most of the community will begin their week/end their weekend by attending the 11:00 AM, 5:00 PM, or 8:00 PM masses on Sundays.

This is a photo taken from the back of Keating Blue Chapel. You can see it is beautiful, little chapel. 

However, Saturday night mass is offered at 5:30 in Keating Blue Chapel for people who are unable to attend mass on Sundays due to their busy schedules. The Blue Chapel is on the third floor of Keating and it is a small, beautifully decorated chapel in which I find myself able to reflect deeply on my Jesuit values. The chapel seats about 20 people, but recently I have noticed more and more members of the campus community attending. I enjoy celebrating mass in this smaller setting and was glad when my friend and I came across this mass time last year when we were unable to attend mass one Sunday.  If you like attending mass on the weekends, but find Sundays too hectic you should definitely try going to Saturday night mass!