Why I Became a Fordham Ram

1. Strong Academic Reputation

One of the reasons why I chose Fordham is that I knew I would be challenged academically. Fordham offers a high-quality education no matter what you come here to study, and it keeps improving: the University moved up in the 2014 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings to 57th for national universities and the Gabelli School of Business moved up to the No. 38 spot in the 2014 Bloomberg Businessweek ranking of U.S. undergraduate business schools. In addition, the core curriculum has allowed me to explore my strengths, weaknesses, interests and dislikes. My core classes have been some of the most intellectually stimulating classes I’ve taken while at Fordham.

 

St. Ignatius statue and Hughes Hall,
home of the Gabelli School of Business

2. Jesuit Tradition

Having attended a Catholic high school, I was interested in attending a Jesuit university because of the Jesuit tradition's strong values. The Jesuit philosophies of cura personalis (“care for the whole person”) and homines pro aliis (“men and women for others”) resonate heavily throughout the Fordham community. Over the last three years at Fordham, I have interacted with professors and administrators who truly care about my potential as both a scholar and a person. Fordham has not only prepared me for a career, but for life. When it comes to the philosophy of “men and women for others,” Fordham offers many community service clubs and volunteer activities. This philosophy is even evident in the way students always hold the door open for one another on campus.

3. Perfect Size

I wanted a school that wasn’t too big but also wasn’t too small. At Fordham, I love how I am able to walk to my classes and always run into familiar faces but, at the same time, I feel that I am constantly meeting new people around campus. The small class size, usually around 25 students, creates an intimate classroom setting. My professors able to know me on a more personal level and my relationships with my peers have lasted beyond the semester and turned into friendships.

4. The Best of Both Worlds

I wanted a campus but also a city nearby. If playing Frisbee on Eddie’s lawn, eating delicious Italian food from Arthur Avenue (“The Little Italy of the Bronx”), spending a day for free in the New York Botanical Garden, or seeing polar bears at the Bronx Zoo aren’t enough for you, New York City is also right in our backyard. New York City provides endless cultural experiences, internship opportunities and so much more.

5. Diversity

I wanted a school that was diverse. At Fordham, I have met people from all across the United States and the globe. While we recognize and appreciate our differences, we also embrace our many similarities.

For those of you who are Admitted Students, I wish you the best of luck with your decision and I hope you choose to join our Fordham “Ramily” this fall!

El Grito de Lares

El Grito de Lares E-Board with poet Tato Laviera

Fordham University offers many clubs for their students to join ranging from academic clubs to culture clubs. One of the culture clubs available at Fordham’s Rose Hill Campus is El Grito de Lares,which means “the cry of Lares” in Spanish. It stands for the first revolution against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico. This is a Hispanic club that “serves to increase the awareness of the heritage of Latinos through social and cultural programming”. Although it is a Hispanic culture club, students of all races can join!

This club holds meetings every other Thursday during activity hour, that way anyone can participate. Anything and everything is discussed during these meetings, where members can enjoy the discussions and eat great food! Grito de Lares also holds many events during the school year to spread the awareness of the Latino heritage. It recently hosted poet Tato Laviera, a Nuyorican poet, whose famous Spanglish poems address language, culture, identity and race. It also holds many fun events where students can just take a break from school and relax. They are currently giving salsa lessons to any student willing to learn. They hold an annual Latin Gala where a popular Latino artist comes to Rose Hill and performs. I attended last year’s Latin Gala and had the time of my life! There was great food and great music. Not to mention the wonderful performances by the reggaeton artist Fuego and bachata artist Luis Vargas!

El Grito de Lares is only one of many great clubs to join at the Rose Hill campus. If you’re ever around, please come and check out any events that the club is holding!

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