Fordham Fact #4: Who are the Jesuits?

"We have a great emphasis on care for the individual student; We have a great desire to introduce excellence and rigor into the classroom and every subject we teach; Third, we believe that students have to be invited to wrestle with the great ethical issues of their time. We want them to be bothered by the realization that they don’t know everything and bothered by injustice.”

—Joseph M. McShane, S.J., President of Fordham University

You are probably aware of the fact that Fordham is a Catholic, and specifically a Jesuit, University. Jesuit ideals, similar to those discussed by Fr McShane in the quote above, permeate almost every aspect of Fordham culture--from residence halls and clubs and activities, to classes and mission statements.

But, who are the Jesuits and why do they matter?

The Jesuits are men who belong to a Catholic religious order called the Society of Jesus. This group was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola over 450 years ago.

There are about 21,000 Jesuit priests and brothers located around the world. About 3,800 of them are in the United States within 10 area Provinces. The Jesuit Communities at Fordham University make up the largest group of Jesuits within the New York Province found in one place.

While the main focus of the Jesuit Order is on education, they are also actively involved in parish work, spiritual direction, retreat centers, social justice projects, and foreign missions.

The Jesuit Community at Fordham University is part of the New York Province of the Society of Jesus and is actually composed of two communities associated with Fordham University (Spellman Hall and Loyola Hall), and one housing the Jesuits of Fordham Prep School (Kohlmann Hall). In addition the community at Ciszek Hall, is the home of the Jesuit Scholastics or Jesuits-in-training, and the New York Province's infimary is at Murray Weigel Hall.

Of the 83 Jesuit priests and brothers who reside in the Fordham Jesuit community, there are approximately 30 who are full time teachers or administrators at the University and 10 at the High School. Nine other Jesuits live in Manhattan and teach at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus. Approximately 10% of Fordham's faculty is made up of Jesuits--one of the highest percentages of Jesuit Universities in the US!

At Fordham, you will experience the same Jesuit approach to education that has challenged some of the world's greatest thinkers for more than 400 years. Jesuit educated notables have included Descartes, Molière, Alfred Hitchcock, Sting, James Joyce, Dee Dee Myers, and Captain Kangaroo.

The approach begins with a deep respect for you as an individual and your potential, a principle the Jesuits call cura personalis. Because they respect you, our faculty will challenge you to strive for ever greater personal excellence in all aspects of life — intellectual, emotional, moral and physical. That principle, called magis, accounts for the rigor of intellectual exchange and the varied challenges you will experience in New York City and the world beyond.

At Fordham, students seek to tap the full potential of mind and heart while leading a life beyond self. Each semester more than 600 Fordham undergraduates follow the Jesuit philosophy of homines pro aliis, men and women for others, by contributing their time and talent in service to the community: tutoring the disadvantaged; feeding and clothing the homeless; planning outings for an orphanage; and spending vacation periods in distant corners of the world, from New Mexico to Calcutta, as part of Fordham's Global Outreach Program.

On both the undergraduate and the graduate level, a Fordham education embraces rigorous scholarship and adherence to ethical values. The School of Law, internationally known for emphasizing ethics, also has several active pro bono programs. Students in the Graduate School of Business Administration make time in their busy schedules to assist non-profit organizations with business planning. The Graduate Schools of Education and Social Service both incorporate field work in the New York City area into their curriculum. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences emphasizes critical thinking and communication, and is dedicated to helping students understand themselves and their world so that they may lead satisfying lives and contribute to their professions and society at large. The Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education is committed to preparing students of all denominations to confront contemporary problems of church communities, while helping to chart future directions through research.

True to its time-honored Jesuit traditions, Fordham endeavors to make excellence the focus of life, and the world the "home of the heart," of every student.

Some of Fordham's novice Jesuits.

My name is Elizabeth, and I'm an International Student

Meet Elizabeth, a current sophomore at Fordham Rose Hill with a double major in Art and Art History, and a concentration in drawing and painting. Elizabeth is from Washington DC, but was born overseas and spent most of her life living abroad. As she came from a government family, she moved around a lot as a child, frequently switching international schools.

I recently sat down with Elizabeth and asked her some questions about her transition from living overseas to attending high school and college in the US.

So, first of all, where overseas have you lived?

My parents both work for the US government, so I was born on a military base in the Philippines. I attended elementary school in Indonesia, before moving to Peru for middle school. My family and I moved back to the US where I attended high school in DC.

Wow, so you've really moved around.

Yeah, definitely. See, I was really used to moving around and going to international schools, and I had a great time. Then my family and I moved back to DC, and I went to high school in Maryland.

How would you describe the transition? What was one thing that really stuck out to you?

The biggest shock when I started going to school in the US was that Americans were the majority, rather than the minority. I'd gone to international schools for my entire life, and then I went from that to going to a very small, Catholic, all-girls school in Maryland. It was a huge change. For one thing, there wasn't as much diversity as I had been used to. I felt like an oddity, like I didn't fit in. I stayed at that school for one year and then transferred to a co-ed Catholic high school. That was better, but I still felt kind of left out. Most of these kids had been going to school together their whole lives, and had grown up in DC, whereas I had always been moving around.

What drew you to Fordham?

I was really drawn to Fordham's location and diversity. It made me feel comfortable, like I hadn't felt at those schools in DC. My transition to college was actually pretty easy. I loved the fact that Fordham was in New York. I was looking for the diversity that I didn't see in high school, and Fordham gave that to me. The great thing is that New York City attracts people from all over the country and all over the world, from all different walks of life. So, it was a place where I felt comfortable as "an international student" because I didn't feel like I stuck out.

What specific things about Fordham struck you?

I wanted to go to a Catholic, Jesuit school. Yes, there are many Jesuit colleges throughout the US and in DC, but the fact that Fordham was in New York gave it a real edge for me. If you're looking for a Jesuit school where you will have fantastic opportunities, Fordham is your school. Being an Art major in New York City has also been a fantastic experience for me. I really take advantage of our location. Every weekend, I head into the city on the Ram Van and go to galleries and museums for homework, class, or just for fun. I love that I can go to the Metropolitan Museum and see classic older works of art, and then hop on the subway and head down to Chelsea to see the work of new, avant-garde, and upcoming artists. The old and the new interact, and, I feel, really enrich my experience.

What was your biggest concern going to school in the States?

I really didn't want to stick out. When you come from overseas, you just want to feel comfortable. You don't want to stick out, and just be "the international kid." What I really loved about Fordham was that everyone was so open and friendly, and really helpful in catering to my special needs. Also, a lot of students--even from the US--are not familiar with New York, so in many cases, you're all learning and experiencing new things together. My biggest fear was coming to a place where everyone knew each other and what was going on, and feeling like I was in an unfamiliar place. At Fordham, however, you adjust with everyone. Everyone is so welcoming willing to help you along. In that way, Fordham made my adjustment less scary than I thought it would be.

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A Walk Around Fordham, Part 1

Hi everybody! It's Madeleine again, here with something you will hopefully enjoy: a photographic walk around the Fordham College Rose Hill Campus. Similar to Courtney's housing update, this post will be the first of many as we strive to give you a look at the Fordham campus in these first few days of Spring.

If you poke around on the Fordham website, you can find a campus map and lots of pictures of campus, but those often fail to give you an accurate sense of where things are and how they look in relation to each other.

This is a copy of the map of Rose Hill from the Fordham website:



The admissions office has also posted a virtual tour map, which you might want to take a look at: http://www.fordham.edu/discover_fordham/virtual_tours__video/rose_hill_interactiv_48686.asp

This first part of our photographic tour starts at O'Hare Hall, where I've lived for the past two years. You can find it on the far right side of your map.


This is a picture of O'Hare Hall.


Ok, we've walked out the door of O'Hare and are heading down the path towards the Fordham entrance and the Football Field.


On the right, we have Keating Hall, and on the left, you can see the side of the football field.


Here's a look at Keating Hall, where many of the administration offices are located, as well as classrooms, art studios, dance studios, and music practice rooms. It's also home to Fordham professional radio station, WFUV.


We're now making our way on the path past Tierney Hall, Freeman Hall, and alongside Edward's Parade, known as "Eddie's" to students. It was still a bit chilly out when I took this, but on a nice day, the green will be filled with students taking advantage of the sunshine, throwing around a frisbee, or hanging out with friends. At the far end of this photo is the McGinley Center, the student center where many club offices and the cafeteria are located.


Here's another look at Eddie's and at Keating. Eddie's is where commencement takes place; for graduation, the green is filled with folding chairs and students receive their diplomas on the Keating steps. Last year, U2 visited Fordham and performed right on the steps in front of hundreds of Fordham students who filled the space!


Now, we're making out way past Finlay Hall, Thebaud Hall, and Dealy Hall.


We're walking behind Duane Library, where the admissions office is, and past one of the science buildings, Larkin Hall. Up ahead, you can see the Walsh Library.


If you turn around, you can see Eddie's in the distance. The building on the left is Dealy Hall, where many classes are held and where the English, Anthropology, Economics, Psychology, and History departments are located.


Now, we're walking towards the Walsh Library. Up ahead, you can see Campbell Hall, a complex of four residence halls which is in construction. The halls will open in Fall 2010, and will house many upperclassmen.


If you turn around, you can see Dealy again. The gothic-style building on the right is Duane Library, where the admissions office and the Theology Department are located.


We've now walked up to Walsh Library. Here's a look at the portico in the front.


If you turn around and look where we just walked from, you can see Martyr's Hall, a residence hall, and Collins Hall, Fordham's theatre and home to the Philosophy Department.

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This concludes Part 1 of the photographic walk around Fordham. Stay tuned for a look at the other side of campus, including the Freshmen residence halls, Church, and Student Center!

Freshman Housing: Part 1

Hi everyone!  My name is Courtney, and I'm so happy to write my inaugural post on Faces of Fordham, the Fordham blog for international students.  I love showing students around Fordham in person because I love Fordham, so I can't wait to show everyone around Fordham in a new, virtual way!

I thought I'd start off with one of the most popular things that incoming students want to know: what is freshman housing like??  This is a huge topic, so I'm going to split it into two (maybe more) parts.  So, without further adieu...

Freshman Housing: Part 1

What building will I live in?
At Fordham, there are currently four residence halls that freshmen can live in.  They are Alumni Court South, Loschert Hall, Tierney Hall Residential College, and Queen's Court Residential College.  For now, let's look at the pictures on Fordham's website:

Loschert Hall

Alumni Court South

Tierney Hall Residential College

 Queen's Court Residential College

Of course, it's much easier to see the buildings without the trees in front, and I will take more pictures when I get around campus.

Freshmen get to pick preferences on housing forms in late May/early June.  They're online now, which means that you're not at a disadvantage, even if you're far away!  You'll find out room info, roommate info, and P.O. Box address in early to mid August.

What will my room look like?

Most freshmen are housed in doubles, no matter what building they live in.  In Tierney, it is possible to live in quads (big rooms that have four people, rather than two - my current roommate lived in one!), and it is also possible to live in a forced triple (three people in a double room, with a discounted rate).  But, since we are building some new residence halls on campus (which I'm sure we will blog about soon!), Fordham hopes to keep the number of forced triples low in the coming years.

So, how big are the rooms?  What kind of things come in them?  Here's an example of my room in Tierney Hall freshman year:

This is one half of the room, post-move-in.

It has my bed and my desk - every roommate has their own, of course!

T

This is also part of my half - my mini-fridge, a set of drawers, and a wardrobe.

The mini-fridge doesn't come with the room, but it's really easy to order one online and get it shipped to your Fordham P.O. Box - you'll get the address in early August!

So, if you can take those pictures and imagine them doubled (for two people), you can picture a typical Fordham room!  Some differ - Loschert and South have closets, not wardrobes, for instance, and the layout changes depending on the room.  However, this is the typical size for any double room at Fordham, and it was more than enough room for me and my roommate!

Below, are some other pictures of rooms here at Fordham. The room in these pictures is in O'Hare Hall, one of the upperclassmen residence halls. O'Hare, located right next to Tierney Hall, is where many sophomores and juniors live.




Here's one side of a double room



And here's the other side--as you can see, everyone finds an arrangement that works for them. Here, the bookshelf is on the desk, to allow for extra space.

What if I don't know anyone?

One of the best things about freshman housing is that you are living with a bunch of other freshmen who are just as new to Fordham as you are!  In Tierney, I knew nearly everyone in my building, and we were all friendly with one another.  It helped that Tierney was a smaller building as well (Tierney and Queens house between 150-200 students; Loschert and South are between 250-300).  Here's a picture of a lot of the Tierney residents at the End-of-the-Year Barbeque:

Our Resident Director took this from the roof!

When I moved into Fordham, I didn't know a single person, even thought I'm from Connecticut.  But neither did my roommate, so we would go to lunch together for the first couple of weeks of school.  I'm not going to lie- the first week was hard.  The good thing was that I wasn't alone, and I found friends who felt just as nervous as I did.  And guess what... they're still my best friends today!  I even live with one of them!

Along with the other freshmen in your residence hall, you have Resident Assistants and a Resident Director.  The RA's throw lots of programs for residents (we got to see Broadway shows and play nighttime Capture the Flag!) and they genuinely want to get to know their residents.  I have three friends who are RA's, and they are all really nice and fun.

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That's all for this part of the Freshman Housing topic!  Stay tuned for part two and keep checking back in here for great posts from our other Fordham bloggers!

What else are you curious about for freshman housing?  Ask questions... and we will answer!

Cultural Clubs and Organizations at Fordham

Even though Fordham is a Jesuit University in New York City, its appeal reaches far beyond the shores of the Unites States. While Fordham is proud to have students from all 50 of the states in the USA, we also welcome International Students from over 89 foreign countries. Students come from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds and share rich traditions, which we celebrate with dozens of Cultural Clubs and Organizations.

Our many Cultural Clubs include, an Hellenic Society, a Filipino Society, a German Club, a Polish Students Organization, various Hispanic Clubs, and a Gaelic Society. Religious Organizations include Liturgical Ministry, the Jewish Students Organization, the Muslim Students Association, and the Orthodox Christian Fellowship. There are literally tons of other Cultural Clubs and Organizations as well!


Below, I've written up brief descriptions of some of our Cultural Clubs.

FUPAC, The Fordham University Philippine-American Club:

The purpose of the Philippine-American Club is to promote Filipino culture among students of the Fordham community by sponsoring cultural, service, and social activities.



You can follow updates from FUPAC at
http://fupacinfo.tumblr.com/ and
http://twitter.com/fupacinfo

PCE, The Polish Cultural Exchange:

P.C.E is an organization that was established in 2005 by several Polish students. These students found a need for an organization that would not only educate people about the Polish culture, but also celebrate their Polish heritage. Moreover, they wanted to make the campus aware that Fordham is home to a fairly large Polish community. Ever since 2005 the club has worked hard to become known and involved on campus.



JSO, The Jewish Students Organization:

A club devoted to providing Jewish Students with a network of friends, sponsoring Jewish Cultural events and outings, and celebrating Jewish traditions.



OCF, The Orthodox Christian Fellowship:

In 2004, Fordham formed a chapter of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship. The Orthodox Christian Fellowship is a pan-Orthodox organization of college students who meet for fellowship, worship, and support at colleges and universities across the country. In addition to worship services, the group hosts speakers and performs charitable outreach. In 2009, Fordham University was honored to confer an honorary degree upon His All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, on Oct. 27 at the Rose Hill campus in the Bronx. Before the ceremony, His Holiness met with the OCF, who honored him with the gift of a rose.




Desi C.H.A.I., Fordham's Indian Students Association:

A club dedicated to spreading cultural awareness about the Indian subcontinent, via dinner excursions, dances, fashion shows, holiday celebrations and more!



ACE, Asian Cultural Exchange:

Since its foundation in 1999, the Asian Cultural Exchange (ACE) has been committed to spreading the awareness of Asian culture and heritage at Fordham University. We are dedicated to unifying the diverse Asian, Pacific Islander, and Asian American students of Fordham at the Rose Hill campus as well as in its surrounding communities.

ACE strives to provide opportunities for others to learn about the social, cultural, historical, and intellectual pursuits of the Asian community. Through our efforts, we work towards an improved understanding of the wide variety of political, social, academic, cultural, and artistic interests of the various Asian cultures.



Le Cercle Francais, The French Club:

Le Cercle Français looks to share great bilingual conversations, fabulous French food, cultural activities and fun. Come practice your French with and help plan fantastic Francophone events.



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This is just a taste of the Cultural events and groups here on campus. Make sure to check the Fordham Cultural Activities website for more information!

Fordham Fact #3: What's the Weather Like in New York City?

Most of the most frequently asked questions from International Students who come to Fordham is, What is the weather like in New York City? In an effort to answer this question thoroughly, we've laid out a basic description of each of the Seasons in New York.

Spring (March-May)

Spring is one of the most beautiful and most pleasant seasons to be in New York: the days get longer, the temperature is warm but not too hot or humid, and there are occasional light rain showers. Spring usually begins near the end of March and extends until the end of May. In general, temperatures are warm, but mild: the average is between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 15 degrees Celsius). Sometimes weather in the Spring can be unpredictable. It is not unusual to have a surprise snow storm right at the end of March. Thunderstorms are also common in spring.



Summer (June-August)

Summers in New York are hot and humid, especially in the heart of the city which is often 10 degrees F warmer than the outlying suburbs. Average temperatures commonly exceed 90 °F (32 °C), although high temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are about as less common. Humidity levels are usually quite high in July and August. Thunderstorms are also common in summer, although these storms are usually not severe and rarely hit the city directly.



Fall (September-November)

The weather in the Fall is similar to that in the Spring, though temperatures are often higher. Temperatures can be somewhat unpredictable and do fluctuate quickly between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius), and 30-50 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). It is not uncommon to have very warm days followed by a cold spell, and perhaps even the first snow. One of the most beautiful parts of Fall is New York is the foliage--when the deciduous trees' leaves turn vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges. Fordham's campus has especially beautiful foliage since it is a few degrees cooler than the city itself.



Winter (November-March)

Winters are typically cold. Temperatures below 0 °F only occur about once per decade on average, but temperatures in the 10s and 20s (down to -10 °C) are quite common at the height of winter. New York winters often have a great deal of snow. The average amount of snow for New York in the winter is a total of 28.4 inches (.72 meters) per year. Below is a photo from a snow day we had last year here at Fordham. A group of my friends and I built a huge snowman. This picture was taken on Edward's Parade in front of Keating Tower.

The First Days of Spring in New York!

After a long winter with record amounts of snow for the New York area, spring has finally sprung. Everything is getting green again, the first flowers are poking their heads out of the ground to meet rays of warm sunlight, and Fordham looks as beautiful as ever.

The other day, I had the chance to take a walk around Central Park in Manhattan, which was filled with people enjoying the beautiful weather. I took the Ram Van, the shuttle that runs between Fordham's Bronx and Manhattan campuses, and walked over to the park. Luckily, I had my camera and was able to take some photos of the first few days of my favorite season.











A photo of my roommate blowing bubbles by the boating pond in Central Park.

Central Park is one of my favorite places in all of New York City, and it is at its most beautiful in the Spring. One of the cool things about the Park is that it was designed to represent all of the different landscapes of the United States. There are huge lawns and sports fields, ponds and reservoirs, a woodland walk called "The Ramble," and lots of hidden nooks and crannies. There's even a castle--yes, a castle--near the West Side of the Park.



The Castle has an observatory, which is one of the most popular places for birdwatching in New York. It also gives you a fantastic view of the City. I'll have to make sure to walk over there in the upcoming weeks!

Fordham Fact #2: What's Happening in the Bronx?

When you think about New York City, chances are you think about Times Square, Broadway, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. New York, however, is so much more than that!

I've lived in New York for my entire life--I was born in Manhattan and grew up in Queens--but I think that I've enjoyed living in the Bronx the best. I love the Bronx, and the area around the Fordham campus is one of the best places to be.

Below, I've made a list of some of my favorite places to go in the Bronx that are just a few blocks away from the Fordham gates.

1. The Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo is the largest metropolitan zoo in America, and is home to over 4,000 animals, including endangered or threatened species such as the Snow Leopard. Fordham actually used to own the land which became the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden, but sold it in order to create a natural buffer around the campus. The zoo first opened its doors November 8, 1899, and welcomes thousands of visitors each year. As a Fordham student, you get free admission to the Zoo on Wednesdays by showing your Student ID.





2. The New York Botanical Garden is another fantastic place to visit that is literally right across the street from the Fordham gate. The Park is not only a great place to walk or to jog, but also has an incredible array of exhibitions, classes, and special exhibits throughout the year. The Garden is a museum of living plant collections arranged in gardens and in landscapes across its National Historic Landmark site. The New York Botanical Garden is one of the premier botanical gardens in the United States, located in the Bronx in New York City, and is home to some of the world's leading plant laboratories. It offers major exhibitions and flower shows throughout the year, drawing over 800,000 visitors annually. And it's only a walk away!





Me at the annual Orchid Show at the Botanical Gardens.

3. Arthur Avenue

Arthur Avenue, located right off Fordham campus, is a favorite with students and locals alike. It's where you can get some of the best and freshest food in New York City, especially if you enjoy Italian specialties. It was once the heart of the Bronx's "Little Italy." Arthur Ave and the neighboring streets are lined with delis, bakeries, cafes, and various Italian merchants. On weekends, these streets are crowded with Italian-Americans, locals, and Fordham students shopping at the markets, or eating in the many restaurants. Fordham also sponsors off-campus housing right on Arthur Avenue.





4. The Edgar Allen Poe House

Edgar Allen Poe, the American writer, poet, editor and literary critic best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, briefly lived in the Bronx when it was still relatively rural in the 1840s. He and his wife lived on Valentine Avenue, which is a ten minute walk from Fordham. Fordham was formerly Saint John's Seminary, and Poe would visit and play cards with the seminarians in what is now the Freshman residence hall, Queen's Court. His most famous poem, "The Bells," is also said to have been inspired by the ringing of the Fordham University Church bells. Poe's house still stands and is now an historical landmark, open to the public.



As you can see, there are tons of exciting things to do right here in the Bronx. These are just some of my favorites, but there's much more to explore!

Fordham Fact #1: Where is the Bronx?

Yes, Fordham is in New York City, but where is the Bronx?

New York City is composed of five boroughs--Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx. The Bronx is situated right above Manhattan.



This is a map of the New York City area; the colored dots mark the different boroughs:

Red: The Bronx
Blue: Manhattan
Yellow: Queens
Green: Brooklyn

New York is famous for its cultural vibrancy, diversity, intellectual and cultural events, and social scene. No matter where you go, you're sure to find something new and exciting to do!

The Bronx, in particular, is an especially diverse and dynamic part of New York City, and is just a quick train ride away from Manhattan.

Want to learn more about the Bronx? Keep reading, and take a look at our "What's Happening in the Bronx?" post!