Fordham takes part in National Screening Day

One of my favorite things about Fordham academics is that learning takes place not only in the classroom, but outside of the classroom as well. At Fordham, there are so many opportunities to learn and explore at events in New York City and on Fordham's own campus! 

On February 3, 2015, colleges and universities across the country took part in a National Screening Day of the soon-to-be released film, The Man Who Saved the World, Fordham being one of them. The Theology Department at Fordham even arranged for one of the film’s producers to come to the viewing and answer questions afterwards.

The film tells the story of Soviet Lt. Colonel Stanislav Petrov’s actions that ultimately averted nuclear war in 1983. Petrov followed his own conscience over protocol. Since the film provides an  entry point to consider the scientific, ethical and moral challenges presented by nuclear weapons, my Research Ethics professor encouraged my class to attend the filming. 

My Professor asked us to e-mail her a "selfie" from the event!

The next day in class we were able to have an in-depth discussion of the movie. It was a great way to examin ethical issues using a real-world example. Attending events on campus as part of a class is one of the great ways in which professors make learning exciting at Fordham. 

Opening scene of the film. 

For some of my other classes I have attended on campus events as well as events in the city. For my Irish Literature Class, I went into the city to see a showing of the play Juno and the Paycock. Similarly, for my Jewish History Class, I attended events at the Museum of Jewish Heritage as well as guest lectures in Walsh Library right here on campus. Lastly, as a math major I am always attending math talks on campus and even travel into the city frequently to hear mathematicians speak at other universities! 

Top Ten Differences from being a Freshman to being an Upperclassman

 1.  You are able to choose you schedule

Coming in to Fordham as a freshman your schedule is handed to you. However, after that, you are able to choose your own schedule. This is a great way to take classes that interest you and plan a schedule that fits your daily routine. If you are a morning person, like me, you can choose to sign up for all of the 8:30s!

2. You take classes at the Lincoln Center Campus

Whether its because a course is only offered down at Lincoln Center or because you just want to get into the city for classes and have an excuse to venture into the city, as an upperclassmen you may find yourself taking classes down at Lincoln Center. I am currently taking a graduate Geometry course at Lincoln Center on Wednesday nights and it’s a great change of pace and its, surprisingly, great being able to get into the city at least once a week.

3. Your dorm style changes, if you are living on campus.

For those who choose to live on campus, as a freshman you will live in a single room dorm in either a double or a triple. The bathroom, at least in most of the residence halls, will be communal. Not to worry, this is how you will, surprisingly enough, meet most of your friends freshman year! As a sophomore you will once again live in a double or triple with an added bonus of the bathroom being in your room. Finally, as a junior or senior you will have the opportunity to live in an apartment style dorm which includes a living area, a kitchen, bathroom and single or double rooms.

4. The number of classes that you are required to take decreases

Once you become a junior, you are only required to take four classes whereas underclassmen are required to take five. The reasoning behind this is that students, in their junior and senior years should be getting internships and volunteer opportunities to prepare them for life after Fordham. Since  I want to be  a teacher, I currently volunteer by tutoring girls at the Rosedale Center in the Bronx.

5. You begin to take more classes for your major

In my personal experience, as I advanced through Fordham I slowly began to take more classes per semester that applied to my major than to the standard core. I am a math major and last semester all four of my classes were math classes!

6. You take on leadership roles within clubs and organizations

The clubs and organizations that you choose to join freshman year will play a big role in shaping your Fordham experience. For this reason, while you may just be a general member during your freshman and even sophomore years, as you become a junior or senior you may take on E-board (Executive Board) positions and hold more responsibility. I am not the Club Liiason of the Polish Club which I have been involved with since my freshman year.

7. You realize that office hours are the best resource around, and they are actually very helpful

As an underclassman I always hesitated to go to my professors office hours. However, after being here for three years,  I now go to at least one office hour, practically every day.

8. You become more focused on the future

As graduation approaches, you begin to think more about your plans for the future. I am currently working on graduate school applications to get my masters in Secondary Education.

My friends and I as underclassmen. 

9. You know your way around Arthur Avenue, the Bronx, and NYC more.

Once you become an upperclassmen you begin to know the best pizza place, the best restaurant on Arthur Avenue, the cheapest place to get groceries and the best places to hangout with friends. Additionally, all of your trips into the city as a freshman make you a master at the subways and cool things to do in the city.

10. You know the ropes

As a freshman everything is new and exciting. You are exploring where your classes are, what your professors are like, who you will be friends with, what clubs and activities you will become involved in and what you will do on the weekends. As an upperclassman you have been able to get settled in and can now enjoy all that Fordham has to offer, and believe me, from experience, it has a lot to offer!

Still great friends as upperclassmen! 

With all of this said, not everything changes as you move from being an underclassman to an upperclassman. For me, while all of these changes were taking place the one thing that did not change was my group of friends. I am glad that I have been able to share all of my experiences with them! 

Three Important Resources in the Gabelli School of Business

As an accounting major in the Gabelli School of Business, I’ve found that Gabelli offers many different resources for students to develop professionally and to decide what major they would like to pursue. The first resource is the freshman year class, Ground Floor. Whether you take it first or second semester, this class starts to open your eyes about the different areas of business offered at Gabelli, as well as group work needed in the business world. Professors from all the departments speak to students weekly about the subject and different career paths that evolve from the major. The final project of the class is to come up with a business plan for a new business and to present it to the class as if they were investors. My group came up with the idea to open up an arcade with old-fashioned games and food on Arthur Avenue for Fordham students to enjoy.

The PowerPoint of my final presentation

Another important resource in the Gabelli School of Business is the professors. Many of the business professors have worked in the field either prior to teaching or they currently still work part-time. As a student, I find this very valuable to learning not only the textbook side of the profession, but also what really happens on a day-to-day basis. After my last semester’s tax class, I realized I wanted to pursue the taxation part of accounting. I was able to talk to my tax professor, Stanley Veliotis about different tax issues and professional development skills in the Big Four accounting firms, where I hope to work full-time one day. He worked in a Big Four firm for many years before teaching, so I was able to hear stories about different issues he experienced while on the job.

Professors' Backgrounds can be found on Fordham.edu

Lastly, Gabelli has their own office devoted to helping students with professional development. The Office of Personal and Professional Development is located on the third floor of Hughes Hall. Services offered are resume, cover letter, and interview help. The difference from Career Services, however, is that it is catered to students based on the industry they are pursuing. This means you can still go to Career Services for help with your resume, but afterwards go to the office of Personal and Professional Development to have it tailored to your profession. Students can make appointments for this office with their username and password on Gabelli Access.

Gabelli Access is found on GabelliConnect.com

Taking Class Outside the Classroom

As a student at Fordham, you will commonly here the phrase – “Fordham is my school, New York is my campus.” What does this actually mean? To start, Fordham is located in the Bronx borough of New York City. The school’s close proximity to Manhattan makes travel super easy and accessible! On average, it takes about 35-45 minutes to get into Manhattan by Ram Van, which is my favorite way to travel into the City. The Ram Van is always reliable because it leaves on time and is an inexpensive, safe way to travel.

But what does “New York is my campus," really, mean?”  Yes, Fordham’s location facilitates City travel, but this phrase means so much more.  It is guaranteed that at least one professor per semester will encourage or require students to venture into the city.  This not only makes lessons more dynamic and interesting, but makes the lesson plan more applicable.  For example, last year, for my Fine Arts requirement, I took a class on Opera.  My Opera professor encouraged our class to go to the Metropolitan Opera after he received reduced price tickets for students.  This was a truly great experience as the class culminated in an actual visual of what we studied all semester.  Students met and traveled together for the Opera showing at Lincoln Center for a night of music and culture.

With my classmate and good friend, Nick Hardiman, at Lincoln Center for the Opera.   

This year, I ventured to the Museum of Natural History for Lab credit for my Astronomy class.  Again, this took a topic that seemed so obscure and made it accessible and interesting for students.  Receiving this lab credit was definitely my favorite part of the class as information presented at the museum reiterated and reinforced class lectures.

Ram Van and Museum Ticket

At Fordham, professors realize how busy students are, but they also recognize the importance of our access to the City.  It may seem burdensome to take out extra time to work on class projects or receive credit by travelling.  However, these out of the classroom lessons are what really makes the information come into fruition, which I have found is a common thread amongst all professors at Fordham.  This is what I have come to realize what it means for New York to be my campus.  

GUEST BLOG featuring Professor McCarthy

An exciting new initiative for the blog this year is a Guest Blog featuring students and professors on our campus that are outside of the Rose Hill Society, the club that contributes to this very blog. When thinking of who to ask for our first one, I immediately thought of one of my favorite professors here at Fordham, Professor Nancy McCarthy. I have taken her course in Business Communications and I am currently enrolled in her Personal Leadership course, both offered through the Gabelli School of Business. Not only is she an awesome professor but a really interesting person! Below are her responses to my interview questions. Read on to hear what she loves about Fordham!

Name: Nancy McCarthy

Hometown:  Throg’s Neck, Bronx, NY

Hobbies:  Love photography, especially wild life.

Courses Taught at Fordham:  I’ve taught Business Communication, Applied Business Communication, Personal Leadership, and Integrated Core for Juniors. Also, I've taught Management/Communications courses at Manhattan College.

How did you get to this part of your career at Fordham?  When I came to Fordham I worked as support staff. Being around students who were so eager to learn made me realize the importance of a good education. In my opinion, there was no better school than Fordham. I went back to school as an adult and got a few degrees.

How is your career now similar or different from what you pictured for yourself when you were in college?  I am living my dream job. I was fortunate to work along with people who shared the same work ethic. The entire staff always had the student’s best interest at heart. 

What do you like about teaching at Fordham?  I enjoyed being an administrator but teaching makes the connection with the student so much stronger. You actually watch them grow both personally and professionally. They are hungry for knowledge and want to be prepared for the world outside our gates. 

What is something you hope all of your students will take away with them after completing one of your courses?  My course deals with the soft skills of business. Improving your interpersonal skills along with understanding who you are and what you plan to accomplish. I hope they have a better understanding of their strengths and how to navigate through their weaknesses to have a richer life. When I say richer, I don’t mean monetarily, I mean being able to balance work, family, and fun. It’s all about the balance.

There you have it! I love Professor McCarthy's courses because not only have I learned how to become more confident in a professional setting, but I also have gained a stronger sense of self. Her office is located in the home of the Gabelli School of Business - shown in the picture below - Hughes Hall!

Professor Profile: Larry Stempel

Larry Stempel is an Associate Professor of Music, who specializes in the study of Western music of the 19th and 20th centuries, and his research has focused on examining the relationship between the cultivated and vernacular traditions of this period. He has served as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the orchestra of the Universidad de Chile, La Serena, and his compositions have been performed at the Berkshire Music Center, Tanglewood. W.W. Norton & Co. will publish his forthcoming history of Broadway musicals. Dr. Larry Stempel took time out of his busy day to answer the following questions regarding his research, courses at Fordham and his contributions to the Fordham community.


How long have you been a part of the Fordham community?

I have been part of the Fordham community for over thirty years now.

What institutions have you received degrees from?

I received my BA from Queens College (CUNY) and my MA and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

What class(es) have you taught/are teaching for the ’10-’11 academic year?

As Associate Chair of the Department of Art History and Music, I'm on a reduced teaching load. In the fall I taught a course in Jazz History and one in Early Modern Music as part of the Honors Program. This semester I'm teaching Broadway Musicals (using my book as a classroom text) and a course in Contemporary Music for the Honors Program. [The courses typically taught by Dr. Stempel are: Opera: An Introduction; Music History Introduction; Traditions in American Music; Jazz, A History in Sound; Broadway Musicals; Romantic Music: 19th Century; Music in Modern Times: 20th Century; and Senior Seminar (American Studies).]


What are the most noteworthy contributions (publications, special projects) you’ve given your field/discipline?

I've published scholarly articles in several journals (Musical Quarterly, Journal of the Society for American Music) and I've participated as a songwriter in the BMI Music Theater Workshop.

• “Not Even Varese Can Be an Orphan,” The Musical Quarterly 60, 1 (1974): 46-60.
• “Vareses Awkwardness und die Symmetrie im Zwolftonrahmen,” Scweizerische Musikzeitung 119: 69-82.
• “’Street Scene’ and the Enigma of Broadway Opera” in A New Orpheus (New Haven:Yale University Press, 1986): 321-41.
• "The Musical Play Expands," American Music 10, 2 (1992): 136-69.

What current research projects are you involved with?

I'm working on an anthology of original documents related to the development of the history of the American musical theater.

A few weeks ago, current senior Daniella Rizza was asked in an interview with The Ram what has been her favorite class at Fordham, she replied:

This is too hard of a question for me to answer, but if I had to pick one, I'd say my favorite class is Broadway Musicals, which I'm taking now with Dr. Stempel, because it's too good to be true. My homework is listening to show tunes.

Dr. Stempel’s classes are often a favorite among Fordham students and having had him twice myself, I highly recommend his courses to all students, even for those who lack musical talent (like me!).

Click here for more information about Fordham’s Department of Art History & Music.

Research Research Research!

Fordham College Rose Hill: Research Research Research!: "Hello All! This past year I took my first night class at Lincoln Center. It was a really fun experience to take the ram van into Manhatta..."

My Classroom Experience...on Broadway!

Learning outside the classroom: Political Science and Theology double major Andy Steffan shares his unique experience in Dr. Greenfield's Early Modern Literature class.

Fordham College Rose Hill: My Classroom Experience...on Broadway!: "During the first few weeks of my Early Modern Literature course, our class (taught by Dr. Greenfield of the English department) discussed no..."

Discovering the West Side, Politically Speaking

Professor Bruce Berg takes learning outside the classroom in his highly sought after "New York City Politics" class.


Fordham College Rose Hill: Discovering the West Side, Politically Speaking: "For the past month, my Political Science professor Bruce Berg has been detailing the ins and outs of urban economic development and state-c..."

It's the bees-knees!

Senior Biology Major Stephanie Szempruch takes a class trip to the New York Botanical Gardens:

Fordham College Rose Hill: It's the bees-knees!: "Ummm, I'm not 100% sure what this saying means (so I googled it, obviously). Thankfully, it does pertain somewhat to what my post is about...."

Fordham College Rose Hill: Research Research Research!

Have a new discovery to make? Fordham College Students seize the opportunity to conduct research with their professors.

Fordham College Rose Hill: Research Research Research!: "Hello All! This past year I took my first night class at Lincoln Center. It was a really fun experience to take the ram van into Manhatta..."