Club Spotlight: Fordham Hot Notes

Have you ever seen Pitch Perfect? Hilarious, right? Have you ever wondered how it could possibly be based on an actual competition? What is this “ICCA”? Icka?! Well. It’s real.

          Just a few weeks ago, one of Fordham’s own a cappella groups, the Fordham Hot Notes, competed in one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s Quarterfinals for the ICCAs, the same competition that the movie Pitch Perfect is based on. We won second place, and are going to be singing at the Mid-Atlantic Semifinals on March 26^th at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. Our musical director was even recognized with an individual award for his arrangements for our set. We couldn’t be more excited!

We performed four songs at the Quarterfinals at Stockton College on February 6th.   

The Hot Notes, Satin Dolls, and Ramblers all sang Silent Night
together at last year's Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony.

As a freshman, I knew off the bat that I wanted to join an a cappella group as soon as possible. For me, it was a no-brainer; having always loved to sing, I knew that I wanted to continue doing this in college, especially in an a cappella group, so I auditioned for the Hot Notes. At that point, I had no idea what was in store—that I had just become a member of the quirkiest, most talented, and most supportive family, and a participant in Fordham’s vibrant a cappella culture. The Hot Notes are one of five a cappella groups associated with the university—there is also an all-male group, the Ramblers, an all-female group, the Satin Dolls, and two other co-ed groups, the B-sides (based at the Rose Hill Campus) and the F#’s (based at Lincoln Center). Both the Ramblers and the F#’s are competing this weekend in a different round of ICCAs Quarterfinals at Hofstra University.

^After getting results of the Quarterfinals!

 For more information about the Hot Notes and upcoming events and performances, check out our Facebook page or look us up on YouTube!

Important Things You Learn As A Fordham Student (Outside The Classroom)

 1. New York City

Whether you come to Fordham as a New York native or having never stepped foot in the city before, every Fordham student graduates a proud New Yorker. You will learn the ins and outs of the Bronx, Manhattan, and even Brooklyn and be able to rattle off your favorite or go-to restaurants off the top of your head. The Subway? After a few missed stops and a couple mess-ups, you will soon be directing foreigners on their underground travelers. The D train will always have a spot in your heart and a favorite funny memory to go along with it. 

2. Great Italian food

 

Being right next to the famous Arthur Avenue, also known as “the real little Italy”, you will learn to appreciate real Italian food. From awarding winning eggplant parmesan at Mike’s Deli to a late night slice of Pugsley’s pizza to a one dollar mini cannoli at Palumbo’s bakery, you’re Italian food needs will be well exceeded. Hate to break it to you, but Olive Garden will never be the same.

3. How to live courteously with others

Dorm living forces you to be more aware of your surroundings (and your messy tendencies). You will learn to take care of your own belongings, in hopes that your friends do the same. Whether it is taking out the trash or simply not throwing your clothes all around the room, you will become more organized and learn to share the responsibility of cleaning.

4. Time management

Amidst your five classes and say for example-four clubs, a volunteer program, and need to exercise, socialize, and sleep- you will learn the importance of time management as a Fordham Student. In order to carve out time to hop onto the train and enjoy a beautiful day in Manhattan, you must plan ahead and in order to ensure your work gets done on time.  Especially in the month of April when class loads get heavier, the weather gets nicer, and Spring Weekend approaches, students learn to prioritize and balance work and fun schedules. 

5. Dressing for the weather

Living in New York you will learn how to dress for the weather. On a walk to class in below freezing weather in January, you will probably want gloves, a scarf, and a hat. And if you did not realize that the first time, the second time around you will be more prepared. On the flip side, as soon as the sun comes out in the spring you will be pulling out the summer clothes. 55 degrees in the spring= dressing for 70 degree weather and sitting on Eddie’s. 

6. Networking

Fordham prepares you for the real world. How to interview, send thank you notes, get internships, prepare a resume, and most importantly hot to network. Your classmates, your professors, and Fordham alumni all want to help each other out. Coming out of Fordham you will have an impressive LinkedIn profile and hundreds of new connections and be confident in job interviews.

7.  To Be Grateful

Perhaps the most important lesson you will learn at Fordham is to be grateful. Everyday as I walk around campus, I think of how lucky I am to be here. I thank my parents, my siblings, and all of my friends for helping me get to this point. This lesson will carry you through your life and make you really appreciate all that you have and all that you have accomplished. 

Senior Spotlight: Kevin Kosciuk

Picture for my last home swim meet!

Name: Kevin Kosciuk

Hometown: Cheshire, CT

Major: Public Accounting

Graduation date: May 2015

Why did you choose Fordham? 

As a student in the business school, being close to the City was very important in making my decision. All of the other quality schools I looked at were not very close to any cities. Also, coming from the suburbs, I wanted to try something different by living close to NYC.

What clubs/organizations/internships have you been involved in? What has been your favorite experience? 

At Fordham I am a member of the varsity swim team and also a member in Beta Alpha Psi (Accounting Society). Outside of Fordham I have interned twice. Both of my internship experiences were great. I also look forward to my third internship this summer with Deloitte. My favorite experience has been being a part of the swim team at Fordham. It was a good experience to be a part of a team and having others as teammates but also as friends outside of competition.

What do you think is the best resource available to students on campus? 

Career services is the best resource available to students on campus. Although is it not a job placement center, they can always help you out the best they can and point you in the right direction as far as internships and possible job opportunities. They were the ones that fixed up my resume and suggested I join Beta Alpha Psi and that has really helped me throughout my time here at Fordham.

What is your favorite personal memory at Fordham? 

My favorite personal memory of Fordham is the first time that I stepped out on to Eddie’s the spring semester as a freshman. I thought that it was the coolest thing to see all of Fordham hanging out there.

Where is your favorite place to hang out at Fordham or in NYC?

Arthur Avenue is probably my favorite place to hang out around Fordham. The food and the markets in the area are all delicious and it is nice to live so close to it all.

What are your plans/goals/aspirations for post-graduation? 

Post-graduation, I will be attending graduate school for one year here at Fordham to get my Master’s Degree in Professional Accounting. I then aspire to start working for one of the “Big 4” accounting firms in New York.

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! 

Speakers and Celebs on Campus!!

In high school, if I heard the words "speaker" or "lecturer" I would've cringed, like most other kids my age. I associated these words with boredom and was so excited to go to college to have these lectures be optional. Since coming to Fordham, my opinion has changed completely. 

Some other club members and I before a speaking event on campus!

Fordham has brought some super cool speakers to campus, whether they're politicians, famous business people, musicians, you name it. I go to events around campus not because I have to, but because I want to. For example, I'm a part of the College Democrats. Every year we bring two speakers to campus and we've had some really big names! We just had Ezra Klein, political news journalist; we've had former Senator Dennis Kucinich, Bobby Kennedy Jr., and David Axelrod just to name a few! In college, especially at Fordham, it's important to take advantage of all the events that are offered to you, or you really are missing out! 

The exec board of the College Dems with Ezra Klein!

Another fun example is Jerry from Ben & Jerry's ice cream, who came to Fordham's Spring Weekend 2 years ago and brought free ice cream for everyone! It was super interesting to meet such a famous person and hear his success story. These are awesome opportunities that you won't find just anywhere! While my classes at Fordham have been great, it's amazing to be able to see world-class speakers and presenters, for free! When you come to Fordham and finally officially become a Ram, make sure to check out all of the events that Fordham has to offer!

Arthur Avenue: Not Your Average Cappuccino

Cute little puppy coffee!

Blue Mediterranean has amazing seafood dishes.

Academics are incredibly important here at Fordham, but when we want to unwind from class and catch up with friends, Arthur Avenue is the place to go. 

I still remember my first time going to Bronx’s Little Italy after visiting Fordham during my junior year of high school. I had never been in such a neighborhood before, and it was fascinating seeing all of the quaint Italian restaurants and cafes.

Quick Tino's veggie
lasagna lunch
before class.

Umai Sushi's
specialty rolls.

I’ve made it my mission to visit every eatery on Arthur Avenue by the time I graduate. However, as I’m in the midst of my junior year, I’m slowly realizing that this might not be possible to accomplish in my remaining time at Fordham. 

There are so many options in Bronx’s Little Italy that are essential to try out; some have been around for years, and now ones open all the time. Inevitably, I’ve found my personal favorites, and I suggest them to every visiting family and prospective student I meet on campus.

A common misconception about Little Italy is that it’s only good for dinner, but Fordham students will tell you otherwise. There are plenty of dinner options for sure, but it’s just as easy to go out and grab a breakfast sandwich after a long night of studying, indulge in a quick cup of coffee and pastry between classes, meet friends for frozen yogurt when the weather’s nice, or grab a delicious slice of pizza – just because!

My favorite: taco salad from Estrellita's!

Coffee and
croissant
breakfast
from De Lillo's.

Not only that, but the area is also particularly affordable – especially since many of its patrons are very budget-concerned college students – and offers all different types of cuisines, not solely Italian (even though the Italian food here is second to none…). The area exudes a very family-friendly vibe, and the school spirit lives on in the neighborhood, even more so after homecoming and big football games when the streets fill with crowds of Fordham families and proud alumni.

Fall at Rose Hill

A picture taken while jogging through the Botans.

Nothing beats the beauty of Rose Hill's campus this time of year- we weren't voted the "12th College Campus Most Made for Instagram" for nothing! The combination of changing leaves and cooler weather makes the atmosphere on campus even more exciting. The Botanical Gardens across the street from Rose Hill are especially beautiful this time of year. Students are seen frequently jogging through the trails or even studying in the gardens. Admission is free to the Botanical Gardens, so I make sure to take full advantage of them during the warmer months!

Keating Hall is also especially beautiful this time of year. It stands tall surrounded by colorful foliage and fallen leaves. Students take advantage of Eddie's by studying, eating, or just hanging out with friends before the weather gets cold. Soon enough, the lawn will be covered by snow, so students are making sure to make the most of these last few weeks!

Keating Hall admist the changing leaves.

With Halloween and Thanksgiving quickly approaching, students are keeping themselves busy with midterms. However, there are also a ton of fun activities happening around campus that students are keeping themselves involved in, such as football games, fundraisers and other campus and club sponsored activities. Fall is beautiful at Rose Hill, and our students love to keep themselves involved in all the campus and the Bronx has to offer.

Fordham Famou$

Cameras outside Dealy!

You probably hear it all the time. And, if you’ve visited campus at least once, you’ll know exactly how true it is: Fordham is beautiful. Beautiful. There isn’t a single season that fails to show off Fordham’s impeccable architecture, beautiful landscaping, and energetic atmosphere. Whether the campus is covered in snow in the winter or blooming with bright colors in the spring, you feel like you’re walking through a storybook.

Currently, as the leaves change from green to red and yellow, we feel like we’re walking not through storybooks, but instead, through… movie sets?

Casually walking through a movie set.

Over the past few weeks, Fordham’s been taken over by cameras and production people. If you’re familiar with Rose Hill’s presence on the screen, you’re already well-aware of the fact that this campus has been featured in movies like “The Exorcist” and “Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps”, shows like “White Collar” and "Saturday Night Live”, and even the music video for “What’s Luv?” (Fat Joe ft. Ashanti).

Props table!

Currently, the new CBS show “Madame Secretary” also found a home here at Rose Hill. It’s amazing walking out of class and feeling like I’m suddenly on a Hollywood sound-stage. The filming takes place right in the middle of campus; I can literally walk through a set amidst beautifully-dressed actors and extras on my way to class!

Walking filming from our apartment windows!

Aside from “Madame Secretary”, there are numerous other productions being filmed on campus. Just the other week, we spent an hour hanging out at Keating, watching a protest scene being filmed. Later that day, we watched extras dressed in ‘70’s apparel playing a soccer game – I was surprised at how many takes it took before the directors were happy with the shot.