Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue, Inc.

Fordham University and FUPAC (Fordham University Philippine-American Club) hosted this year’s Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue (F.I.N.D.) on November 5th and 6th. Nineteen schools with their own Filipino cultural clubs and 1200 delegates from all over the East Coast of the United States attended the event.

F.I.N.D. is a student-run, workshop-based dialogue that seeks to educate and empower its delegates with Filipino culture and identity. The theme for this year’s F.I.N.D. was “Boses,” which in Tagalog means “voice.” The goal of the workshops was to help the delegates find their own voices concerning events that relate to the Philippines and the culture. Also, the workshops showed the benefits of dialoguing about an issue rather than resorting to force. Along with the workshops were sale booths and a cultural show. The booths sold both food (delicious food at that!) and clothes. The performances included FUPAC’s dance team Def Jam For Cutie, singers and YouTube sensations Jay Legaspi and Erika David, and incredible dancer Karla Garcia from the show So You Think You Can Dance.

The event was hosted at Fordham University for the first time this year! Every year, the number of international students grows, which strengthens not only the diversity of the Fordham community, but also fortifies cultural awareness across the university. This is a prime example of how Fordham University is making an effort to encourage international students to become a part of Fordham community. Another example is that at the beginning of the school year 2010 ~ 2011, KSA (Korean Students Association) became an official cultural club. Every year, not only Fordham exerts its efforts to increase cultural affairs, but the students are driven to let their culture and heritage be known throughout the university.

Delegates sitting in Freeman Lecture Room for a Presentation

Delegates posing with Ruby Veridiano, a Filipina arts activist

Chef Henry Lee Hits Fordham!

 Global Chef Henry Lee, a Sodexo chef from Hong Kong, visited Fordham's Rose Hill campus November 25th-27th.

During his time at Fordham he prepared multiple meals for students dining in Fordham Rose Hill's cafeteria "The Marketplace," opening his visit with a tasting of his favorite dishes, and ending with a traditional Chinese breakfast— plus a lunch and dinner in between!

Chef Lee also held his own cooking class, where students learned how to prepare the traditional Asian dish beef with broccoli.

Students enjoyed a taste of Asian culture and some of the Chef's best kept secrets in this informational and free class hosted by the Student Culinary Council (SCC).

The Student Culinary Council is excited to announce that they will be inviting another Sodexo Global Chef to come to Fordham in the spring.

And what country's up next? ...Italy!

Fordham CSSA - Chinese Students and Scholars Association

Have you heard about CSSA?

Last year a group of Chinese students came up with an idea to introduce CSSA to Fordham.

Today, I invited Public Relations Officer Tiantian (Tina) Wan and President Hao (Vincent ) Ye to talk aboutCSSA at Fordham.

(Introduction by Tiantian Wan)

Jiayi Xu: What is CSSA?

Vincent Ye: Fordham CSSA (Chinese Students and Scholars Association) is a non-profit organization founded and organized by the Chinese students at Fordham University. Like most CSSAs throughout the world, the mission of our CSSA is to provide a platform for overseas Chinese students, scholars and other professionals to unite together, build network, and share Chinese culture. All people who are interested in China or Chinese culture are welcomed to join.

JX: Why Fordham need a CSSA?

VY: Fordham CSSA is dedicated to the goal of promoting social, intellectual, and cultural activities for Chinese students and scholars at Fordham University as well as others who are interested in Chinese cultures. We also promote mutual understandings of cultures and encourage communications inside and outside of the Fordham.

JX: What can CSSA do for students at Fordham?

VY: We help new Chinese students adapt to the US culture and lifestyle, provide platform of recreational activities for current students, and provide networking opportunities with successful Chinese in New York City. For example, we wrote a New Students Guide for Chinese freshmen. The guide covers housing, dining, transportation, shopping, banking, phone plans, academics, and so on. Moreover, we work to promote exchanges between Fordham CSSA and other CSSAs in greater New York area. We inform members of various events in New York, such as Chinese film festivals and forums. Besides,, we hold parties to celebrate traditional Chinese festivals, such as Chinese New Year Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

JX: What kinds of goals or plans does CSSA have for the future?

VY: We want to encourage Chinese students at Fordham to rate their professors from Chinese students' perspective. By creating a Chinese version rate-my-professor, Chinese students can share their experiences of difference classes and professors, and help each other to achieve academic excellence. Studying aboard is a big challenge, so CSSA wants to be a big resource and guidance to every Chinese student. For long term, we want to obtain official club status. Because of the growing size of Fordham Chinese students, we need Fordham to support us to arrange more events and diversify school activities. Also, we want to improve cooperation and promote communications with other clubs on campus. We will continue to try our best to help Chinese students to improve life at Fordham.

Fordham's Newest Club: International Community at Fordham (ICF)

Big news for International Students! As of Friday, October 15 Fordham University officially welcomed it's newest student club, the International Community at Fordham.

ICF members at the first meeting of the 2010-2011 school year

As a new member myself, I spoke with Social Chair Monica Stark to get to know the club, its members and its purpose.

Michelle FlorCruz: Who makes up ICF?

Monica Stark: ICF is open to any member of the Fordham community. We represent a wide range of students. We have members from China, India, Indonesia, Bulgaria, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, American, and many more countries.

MF:Why was ICF formed?
MS: ICF was formed by senior Alex Slavtchev FCRH '11 and graduate Lee Su CBA '10 because there was no club at Fordham that represented the international community as a whole. They saw the importance of forming a strong relationship between international and non-international students at Fordham.

MF: What kinds of goals or plans does ICF have for the future? What are a few things the group has already done?

MS: ICF has three main goals. The first is to bring cultural awareness to the Fordham community. The second is to build a global network for students. The third is to have a mentor program for incoming international students. One of our most successful events was during International Business week last spring. We represented over 15 countries any had over 100 people attend the event. It was a great learning experience for many of the Globe Students.

MF: Why do you believe ICF is essential to Fordham?
MS: ICF is essential because the international community is the fastest growing sector of the Fordham population. Last year there were 300 international students throughout Fordham's campuses and now there is 1,000 international students. There is no other club that brings everyone from such diverse backgrounds together. ICF is also a support for international students who want to voice their issues with being a international student at Fordham.

ICF representing different countries at a networking event, International Business Week

For more information about the club, visit their Facebook page or email them directly at icfordham@gmail.com

Fordham: The Cultural Connection

On October 16th, Fordham hosted a friendly sports competition between Fordham’s FUPAC (Fordham University Philippines-American Club) and St. John’s PARE (Philippine Americans Reaching Everyone) at the Rose Hill Campus. There were five different events: soccer (or football), basketball, volleyball, dodgeball and a relay race. The Sports Fest has been a FUPAC and PARE tradition. By participating in this event, I not only played my favorite sports but also met new friends from other schools! In my experience, I also grew closer with fellow FUPAC members.

While this was a competition, school pride and good sportsmanship brought the clubs together fostering friendship. The relationships that were built on this day will certainly be useful at the FIND Inc. (Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogues) conference - which will be held at Fordham this year (I'll be sure to elaborate on this when the date comes)!

Fordham University's international cultural clubs not only allow international students to mingle with other Fordham students, but also fellow international students across the East Coast. In conjunction with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, cultural clubs within the Fordham community manage to make Fordham feel like a home away from home.

To learn more about these international cultural clubs and the Office of Multicultural affairs, check out:

FUPAC - http://fupacinfo.tumblr.com/

PARE - http://www.stjohns.edu/campus/queens/studentlife/activities/stu_orgs/stu

_orgcultural/pare.stj

OMA - http://www.fordham.edu/student_affairs/multicultural_affair/index.asp

Volleyball Competition

FUPAC's Snack Table

FUPAC and PARE Group Picture

Little Carts of Culture

New York has always been considered a mixing pot of many cultures, that's why I am always encouraged-- and encouraging others --to go out and actively experience everything that the city has to offer. Luckily, sometimes we don't have to go too far:

That's right, just a mere twenty meters away from the doors of Fordham's Lincoln Center campus, a food cart, "Wafles & Dinges" feeds Fordham's hungry.

I'm not Dutch or Belgian myself, but I do have a close connection to their culture and have tasted my fair share of authentic waffles. And these are pretty close to the real thing! They are inexpensive (1-7$), unique from the usual hot dog cart, and offer special discounts or freebies with an ID on certain days (Tuesdays, for sure). Whether you're looking to have a taste of something familiar like I was, or looking to try something totally different, this will definitely satisfy!

Fordham Students' Experience at Chinese Film Festival

On September 18th, the 1st New York Chinese Film Festival kicked off at Lincoln Center in New York City. Chinese International students from different schools, such as Fordham, NYU and Pace, volunteered to arrange this festival.

Before the opening ceremony, top entertainers including movie stars Cheung Pak Chi, Zhang Hanyu, Su Youpeng and Chinese "Super Girl" winner Zhang Liangying walked the red carpet, raising fans' cheer and screaming. Among these fans, there were some Fordham students. Some of these Chinese International students coming from Rose Hill campus who said that it was a big surprise and excitement for them to witness so many Chinese stars in the United States; especially because the venue was next to the Fordham Lincoln Center campus. They were glad of Fordham’s location – near the world’s leading performing arts center. Besides, they were pleased with the service of Ram Van (the intercampus transportation between two campuses Rose Hill and Lincoln Center). It is the most convenient and safe way to get out of Bronx and into the Manhattan.

In addition, one volunteer from Fordham expressed her pride in not only helping the Chinese Film Festival but also helping Chinese movies go abroad. She hoped more and more people in the U.S. could get to know and understand the culture and arts from China. Also, she was proud of herself to represent Fordham Chinese students in front of students of other schools. It is good to see that international students from Fordham are trying to build a good reputation for Fordham, when Fordham has a growing international student population.

International Student Forum

Hi International Students!

Fordham's International Forum took place in the Faculty Lounge on September 16th to solicit the opinions of international students on the adjustments they face coming to our university. USG (or, our United Student Government) wants to open a dialog up to international students so that improvements can be made based on their various needs . Although international students are given a brief overview of obstacles that they have to overcome in their International Students Orientation, those conflicts are not explained in-depth and may exclude certain situations faced.

As a rising academic institution in both rankings and popularity, Fordham is trying to not only better serve its domestic students, but its international students as well. Fordham has a growing international student population, and SiHien Goh, a Sophomore international student from Singapore who serves as the vice president of his class in the Gabelli Business School (formerly known as the College of Business Administration), highlighted this fact to USG senators during this conversation.

It is not an easy achievement for international students to adjust to life in a foreign country; therefore, USG pledged to continue helping international students raise these issues with the administration. USG is working withfaculty around Fordham University to maintain its reputation and satisfaction from its student population. As their population, and in turn needs grow, International students have become a popular topic seizing the attention of Fordham’s administrators.

Fordham continues to have a growing ratio of international students to staff in the office of international students. This can be attributed to U.S. News and World Report's new Fordham ranking, #56. (Moving from the 80s to the 50s in several years is a big leap!) While there is always room for Fordham to improve its international student services, there is no denying that it recognizes this and is trying its best to acquire suggestions on ways to better services for its international students directly from the mouths of the international students themselves.

The International Forum pledged to inform administration and faculty about the needs of our growing international population so that it may continue to prosper in the Fordham Community.

Fordham Welcomes the Rose Hill Class of 2014!

Today, at Fordham's Rose Hill campus, just over 190 orientation leaders and captains greeted the incoming freshman class. From the blaring music and excited shouts I can hear from my window, it sounds as though the New Student Orientation has gotten off to a great start! Among the newest rams who arrived at Fordham today are international students from all around the world. Greeted by the smiles and shouts of orientation leaders calling their names, every one of them was sure to feel welcome in their new home after many hours of traveling. Teams of representatives were set up all over campus to help their newest peers get situated at Fordham.

At Alumni Court South, orientation leaders grab bags and boxes as new students move in.

In front of Jogues Hall, a few Resident Assistants help freshmen to check in.

Inside the McGinley Student Center, one of Fordham's Emergency Medical Technicians respresents FUEMS by offering first aid kits to new students.

A little further down, members of the Tiger Team at IT answer questions regarding internet access and technology on campus.

Without a doubt, very few schools can compare to Fordham when it comes to making students feel welcome on campus. I remember the day I moved in; there were so many people to greet me and make my transition easier. The air of openness at the university is the reason I chose to enroll at Fordham, and I haven't regretted it once.