The uses for AI tools have evolved considerably since the event was first held in 2023, said economics professor Johanna Francis, Ph.D. She helped organize the workshop, held at Fordham Law School, with computer and information science professors Yijun Zhao, Ph.D., and Gary Weiss, Ph.D., as well as Stephanie Adomavicius, director of communications and events for the faculty of arts and sciences. “It was really quite interesting to see all these applications of AI,” said Francis. 

The presentations spanned multiple fields, from economics to chemistry, and while not every study drew upon AI, its use dominated the discussion. 

Fine-Tuning AI 

One much-discussed topic was training or “fine-tuning” AI to improve its performance on a specific task—say, by feeding it complex data sets.

Computer science professor Mohamed Rahouti, Ph.D., tested two large language models (LLMs)—one that was custom trained, and one similar to ChatGPT—to see which was best at matching spoken commands for apps similar to Alexa and Siri. His team found that their custom model outperformed the out-of-the-box tool.

Chemistry professor Joshua Schrier, Ph.D., the Kim B. and Stephen E. Bepler Chair in Chemistry, shared his team’s experiments on tailoring ChatGPT for their research. By feeding ChatGPT their specific requirements, his team retrained the tool to predict whether a chemical compound could be made and what ingredients would be needed to make it. 

His takeaway? Fine-tuning ChatGPT worked just as well, if not a little better, than another, custom-trained large language model that took longer to train. 

Mapping Methane Levels in New York City

Other research presentations relied upon tools beyond AI to find patterns in data collection. Physics professor Stephen Holler, Ph.D., who studies air quality in New York City schools to raise awareness about climate change, discussed how he recently expanded his research by measuring methane across the city, using a sensor that detects natural gas leakage from stoves, buses, and landfills. The data showed consistently high methane levels in places like Arthur Avenue and the South Bronx, home to some of the city’s highest asthma rates. These methane emissions, Holler explained, can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, which in turn harms the lungs and can trigger asthma. 

Immigration + More Buildings = Safer City

Economics professor Troy Tassier, Ph.D., presented research about the root cause of infectious disease outbreaks in 19th-century New York City. Public officials at the time blamed immigrants for spreading cholera and other diseases, said Tassier. His data told a different story—that as housing laws improved, making buildings safer and better ventilated, death rates from infectious diseases went down in the city. 

“All the building that happened due to immigration was making the city more safe,” he said. “So we can actually credit all of this immigration for creating a safer city.”

AI in the Classroom

Fernando Martínez-López, a graduate student in computer and information science, closed the event with a presentation of Maestro, the AI-powered tool his team developed, which could help teachers personalize instruction and save time—in theory.

“When we manage a class of 30 students, we would love to pay attention to all of the students, right?” he said. “However, there is a huge problem: we are only one professor or one teaching assistant.”

Maestro’s solution is to take a class outline or presentation slides and generate narrated, animated lessons that simulate the professor’s voice and offer a chatbot so students can pose their own questions. 

Martínez-López then surveyed the students for feedback.

“They really liked it,” said Martínez-López, but the students said it couldn’t replace “real lectures.”

“This brings some hope,” he said. “Because we are not getting replaced—we are getting some help.”

“We go through all the buildings and take the stairs because they’re good for filming as well,” said Timoney, who recently took a scout on a nine-mile tour across the Rose Hill campus for Your Friends & Neighbors, the Apple TV+ show that has been renewed for a second season ahead of its April 11 premiere. 

All that legwork has paid off. Fordham’s filming revenue skyrocketed since she began overseeing film, TV, and commercial bookings in 2022, earning the University over $1 million in revenue in just the last two years alone. The figure is even more impressive considering this is Timoney’s third act at Fordham—she began here in 1993 as the resident director of McMahon Hall at Lincoln Center.

Now, on the eve of her retirement this summer, we caught up with Timoney to talk about the highlights of her 32-year career at Fordham.

Fordham Filming Gets Rolling

Fordham’s campuses have long appeared on screen, but Timoney’s approach made the University even more of a filming destination. She created Fordham’s first-ever “lookbook,” a photo collection of campus locations.

“Once location scouts could see what we had, it really took off.”

Since then, she’s overseen dozens of projects, from The Night Agent to Zero Day and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. 

“I’m not even a big TV watcher,” said Timoney, who got her first Netflix account after Zero Day premiered. 

Behind the Scenes

Timoney now has an insider’s view of the work that goes into one film scene or commercial. When Fordham hosted 175 pastel-clad extras for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, it took a week of filming on Eddies Parade to yield about a three-minute scene.

She’s also witnessed some diva behavior as well as more down-to-earth stars.

“Christopher Meloni [of Law & Order fame]stayed in the Law School and spoke to every student who waited to meet him,” she said. “He didn’t even go back to his trailer. That really stuck with me.”

Days and Nights on Campus 

Timoney was hired as the resident manager of McMahon Hall in 1993, and lived in an apartment in the building for 15 years with her husband and later their two sons. 

She then became associate director of campus operations, leading major transitions like Fordham Law School’s move to its new building and helping the Gabelli School of Business relocate from the Lowenstein Center to 140 W. 62nd St.

And when Development and University Relations moved from 888 Seventh Ave. to Martino Hall, she spent the night on a couch to ensure things went smoothly.

Sure enough, she said, at 11 p.m. the building manager stopped letting the moving company use the freight elevator—and she was there to speak to him. “They didn’t realize somebody was there representing Fordham. They backed off of that.”

Life After Fordham

Timoney is looking forward to spending more time with her husband in retirement to hike and travel—they plan to make a second Camino pilgrimage in Spain this July. She also wants to publish a children’s book inspired by the 3,000 or so acorns she hand-painted to look like miniature pumpkins, “a collection that’s gotten a little out of hand,” she admits.

And yes, she will miss Fordham.

“There’s just such a great energy here,” she said. “It’s been an amazing place to work.”

Reporting on a Journalism Conference

To give his Nonfiction Writing Seminar students real-world industry exposure, English adjunct instructor John Hanc, a professional writer, journalist, and book collaborator, invited them to the annual American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) conference in February at the midtown Manhattan campus of the Fashion Institute of Technology. An enrichment grant from the Dean’s Office at Fordham College at Rose Hill covered the cost of the passes. 

Nine students were able to attend and met him at the event. The most interesting workshop, he said, was a “pitch slam” which featured aspiring authors pitching their book ideas to a panel of literary agents.

“I said to my students, ‘Listen to how these authors pitch their books, listen to the kind of books they’re pitching … I want you to learn—what did the agent like? What did they not like? That can help you in your career.’”

Hanc asked them to take notes and present their learnings afterward to the class.

“They organized it into a PowerPoint, and each of the nine had interesting observations. It was just great—I was so proud of them.”

A Real-World Introduction to End-of-Life Care

Noticing a growing interest in medical humanities at Fordham, theology professor and department chair Brenna Moore, Ph.D., partnered with psychology professor Rachel Annunziato, Ph.D., associate dean of strategic initiatives, to pilot a Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) course called “Spirituality, Health, and Healing.” 

The class examines the role that spirituality plays in our health and well-being. With funding from a CCEL grant, the class recently visited Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, the only hospital in the country that offers palliative and hospice care to adults with life-limiting illnesses. 

Seeing the Calvary staff caring for patients in their final hours was eye-opening for her students, Moore said. “We realized how often death and dying take place in hospitals behind closed doors and how much more compassionate our world looks when we are open and attentive to this stage of life.”

Seeing British Democracy at Work

As part of his Philosophical Ethics course, Fordham London adjunct professor Piers Benn brings students to the House of Commons to watch Parliament in action. “I have run this trip many times since 2015,” he said, “and usually we witness routine ministerial questions and debates.”

But on March 3, “we hit the jackpot,” Benn said. “We all watched the Prime Minister [Keir Starmer] address the House on defense spending, Ukraine’s sovereignty, and his meeting with Trump. There followed questions from the leaders of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, Nigel Farage, and several others.” A student of his recounted the proceedings, and the trip, in The Fordham Ram.

1. Tuesday, April 1, 1 – 2:30 p.m.:
Ghosts Between the Lines: Historical Fiction and the Haunted Page

Award-winning novelist and Fordham-NYPL Jewish Studies Research Fellow Rachel Kadish will discuss her writing process, as well as the power and challenges of bringing history to life through story. Room 109, McMahon Hall, Lincoln Center | Register here

2. Wednesday, April 2, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.:
One-Hour Retreat: Easter Hope

Take a pause with this guided reflection on hope during the Easter season. It’s open to students, staff, faculty, and alumni and a sandwich lunch is included. Room 109, McMahon Hall, Lincoln Center | Register here

3. Friday, April 4, 1 – 2:30 p.m.:
Lunch and Learn—Exploring Executive Authority: Legal Perspectives on Recent Developments

This FitzSimons Presidential Initiative on Civics and Civility series continues with Fordham Law professors discussing the legal and constitutional implications of the President’s early actions in office, and the challenges they face in the courts. Room 3-03, Fordham Law School, Lincoln Center | Register here

4. Thursday, April 3, 6 – 9 p.m.:
Films Worth Talking About Even if Difficult: Akira

Considered the most influential, feature-length anime film, Akira takes on challenging topics such as social unrest and political corruption that faculty and staff will discuss after the screening. Pizza will be served! Visual Arts Complex Screening Room, Lowenstein Center, Lincoln Center 

5. Monday, April 7, 4:30 – 7 p.m.:
TEDxFordhamUniversity: Propelling Humanity Forward

President Tania Tetlow, climate justice advocate Elizabeth Yeampierre, cancer researcher Ronald A. DePinho, M.D., and other Fordham alumni and faculty members will be delivering TEDx talks at Lincoln Center this month. Seats in McNally Amphitheatre have sold out but there are still tickets left for the in-person livestream watch party followed by a reception with refreshments. 140 W. 62nd St., Lincoln Center | Tickets: $15 general, $10 students | Register here

6. Tuesday, April 8, 1:15 – 6 p.m.:
Research Forum: Good Business That Comes from Good Business

Explore how companies can shape a more sustainable and equitable future while boosting the bottom line with faculty, students, and industry leaders at this half-day forum hosted by the Gabelli School’s Responsible Business Center. Bateman Room, Fordham Law School, Lincoln Center | Register here

7. Wednesday, April 9, 5 p.m.:
American Exceptionalism: Catholic Perspectives on a Troublesome Notion

Celebrate the installation of Thomas Massaro, S.J., as McGinley Chair with his inaugural lecture examining the troublesome notion of American exceptionalism through a Catholic lens. Keating First Auditorium, Rose Hill | Register Here

8. Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.:
Voices Up! Spring Concert

Fordham’s biannual music series, organized by Distinguished Professor of English and Music Lawrence Kramer, presents the vocal-instrumental ensemble Primavera, which will be performing works by Philip Glass, Samuel Barber, and more. 12th-Floor Lounge, Lowenstein Center, Lincoln Center 

9. Sunday, April 13 – Sunday, April 20:
Holy Week Services

Join Campus Ministry to celebrate the most sacred week in the Christian liturgical calendar, Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. University Church, Rose Hill

10. Tuesday, April 15, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.:
Lunch and Learn—Power of the Purse: How Congress Sets Law on Funding

This FitzSimons Presidential Initiative on Civics and Civility talk examines how Congress allocates federal funds, and what current executive branch actions could mean for the future. Lincoln Center | Register here 

11. Tuesday, April 22, 7 – 9:30 p.m.:
Nurith Aviv Film Festival: Translating Screening and Conversation

Fordham’s Center for Jewish Studies and Center on Religion and Culture have partnered with Centro Primo Levi to present a film retrospective honoring French and Israeli filmmaker Nurith Aviv. Kicking it off is a screening of her film Translating, which explores the art of translation as an act of devotion and defiance, followed by a discussion with Aviv. Anthology Film Archives | Free with registration by April 15 | Register here

12. Wednesday, April 23, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.:
Lunch and Learn—International Relations and Trade: How Do Tariffs and Trade Agreements Affect Americans?

Fordham faculty breaks down the changes in U.S. trade policy and how these decisions will ripple through to consumers. Lincoln Center | Register here

13. Wednesday, April 23, 5 – 6 pm:
Reid Writers of Color: Keynote Featuring Saidiya Hartman

Acclaimed author and Columbia University English professor Saidiya Hartman is the keynote speaker of this annual lecture devoted to celebrated writers of color. Keating Third Auditorium, Rose Hill | Register here

14. Wednesday, April 30, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.:
Lunch and Learn—The 14th Amendment: Rights of Natural Born Citizens and Non-Citizens

The final lunch and learn in the FitzSimons series, this session focuses on the constitutional right of birthright citizenship and how it’s being tested today. Rose Hill | Register here

15. Wednesday, April 30, 7 – 10 p.m.:
WFUV High Line Bash Featuring The English Beat

WFUV’s annual bash includes a night of music and food at City Winery, headlined by ska greats The English Beat. Spread the word and support Fordham’s award-winning public media station. City Winery, Pier 57, Manhattan | Get tickets

The Urban Anthropologist Who Makes Public Art 

Aseel Sawalha, Ph.D., is on sabbatical this semester, putting the finishing touches on a book about creative refugees from Syria and Iraq who have transformed the culture of Amman, Jordan. But when she returns in the fall, she will have completed another major work: her first-ever public art sculpture. Using her signature medium—discarded academic textbooks whose pages she rolls and crimps into sculptural forms—she is building a 13-foot-tall tower of cascading books, supported and protected by metal, that will be installed in Riverside Park at West 145th Street as part of a program with New York City’s parks department and the Art Students League. 

“My idea was to use books for the sculpture and let it deteriorate and disintegrate in the park because books come from trees,” said Sawalha. The public art program required a more permanent structure, which led her to add an entirely new medium—metal—to her project. “I started taking welding, and now I’m in love with metal art. It was not on my map at all.” 

This April, her book art will also be part of a show in Montclair, N.J., gallery called The Space, featuring other Arab-American artists. “Art is a place of healing for me,” said Sawalha. It is also influenced by her childhood in Palestine, where she grew up watching her mother embroider and women roll grape leaves, two practices that have manifested themselves in her work. “I don’t do political art. But my background comes into my art,” she said.

The Scientist Who Draws from Science Fiction 

“All artists have a conduit inside them, to let what is inside flow to the outside,” said Daniel Kohn, Ph.D., a biochemistry lecturer at Fordham and self-described “scientist who loves color.” Though he went to art school to tap into this conduit fully, he decided at the time that he “didn’t quite have enough to say.” But that compulsion to draw and paint never disappeared. “I love chemistry and being a student of the natural universe. And I love painting just as much and I can’t drop it—it would be like cutting off an arm.”

The slightly askew world of science fiction is a major influence for him, and you can see its traces in his oil paintings, which often include text or numbers presented upside down or human figures melding with creature forms. “Science fiction changes the world in one minor aspect that gives a rotation on the world that we’re familiar with—in a sense, I’m looking for that kind of thing in my art.”

The Sociology Professor Who Learned to Improvise

On the fifth floor of Lowenstein, a grand piano sits unplayed in the early mornings—except when sociology professor Jeanne Flavin, Ph.D., sneaks in a few minutes before class to practice her jazz chords.

“It is just such a source of delight and so different from what I usually spend my time thinking about,” said Flavin, who also plays a keyboard in her office.

She returned to the instrument she played as a teenager after picking up the guitar in 2003, when she was glued to news coverage of the Iraq War. “I had always wanted to learn how to play guitar, so I told myself, I could only watch television if I was practicing my scales and learning the fretboard and chords.”

Exploring a new instrument encouraged Flavin to revisit the piano using the improvisational style that the guitar taught her. Along with that freedom to experiment came a new appreciation for learning. 

“It reminds me of what we’re constantly asking of students, especially their first year of college—‘Hey, let’s throw a whole field at you that you’ve never been exposed to! Please show up and trust that you’re going to learn something that will be useful and meaningful to you and stay with it, even when it’s hard.'”

The Provost Who Was Called Back to Painting

Though Dennis Jacobs, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, was a chemistry and physics double major in college, music and art have always found a way back into his life, particularly in the last 20 years. He’s circled back to painting on the weekends or evenings at home, sometimes completing as many as three or four paintings a month.

“I do think there’s a lot of bridging between science and the arts, and many people who are drawn to the sciences have also, I think, an artistic side of their brain.”

He likens the inspiration he gets for a painting to the cravings of an accomplished cook. “I could imagine someone who has a taste in their mouth going out and making that particular food. That same thing happens in my art,” he said. “I’ll always have some sense in my mind of the direction I’m heading, and once that is in my mind, I can’t get it out, so I have to express myself in that way.” 

His style veers from abstract paintings that evoke his dreams or spiritual beliefs to landscape paintings of his travels to stunning locales like Iceland. Many hang in his office and the President’s office.

The Executive Secretary Turned Art Student

For Linda Negron, art is a family affair. The executive secretary in the Graduate School of Education took painting and photography classes at Fordham alongside her children, who studied here as undergrads when she was completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology. 

With her daughter, she took a painting class at Rose Hill. “Painting turned out to be a great stress reliever for me,” she said. “A blank canvas lets me put down my ideas, my dreams—whatever I feel.”

In the photography class she took with her son at Lincoln Center, she learned to develop black-and-white film in a darkroom and mix her own chemicals. Now, she uses her iPhone to photograph the city and street art that reminds her of growing up in the Bronx during the heyday of graffiti. “I love capturing how neighborhoods change over time.”

The Storyteller Who Loves to Perform

On a good week, you can find Francesco “Franco” Giacomarra rehearsing for a musical, writing his own theater productions, and composing songs for an upcoming show, all after his work as a writer in University Marketing and Communications. “It’s what makes me happy,” he said of his multiple pursuits. “It’s the only thing that makes me feel settled.” 

The multitalented Fordham alumnus—he was a Class of 2019 theater major with a concentration in playwrighting—considers himself a writer above all. But performing is also a major passion.  

“I love the collaboration with other people, and with live performance, I love the energy exchange with the audience.” (You may have even spotted him on the big screen—he appears as an extra in the opening scenes of In the Heights.)

His love of science fiction and fantasy helped inform the musical that he co-wrote and starred in, Planet W, about a couple forced to save Earth after an alien abduction. Following its one-night run at Arsnova last summer, Giacomarra and his co-creators are currently meeting with producers in the hopes of staging it again soon.

Being immersed in storytelling by day for the University feeds his ability to invent stories, too. “I love talking to people and learning their stories—I find it really energizing.” 

With an eye for unconventional artists and atypical art spaces, he picked an eclectic assortment of film, photography, mixed-media, and architecture shows to catch this spring. But he was sure to note that before you head to MoMA or the Bronx Documentary Center for one of his suggested exhibitions, start close to home, and see the work of Fordham’s own art students at the Lipani and Ildiko Butler Galleries throughout this semester as part of their Senior Thesis Exhibitions.

1. Pia Dehne, “Faced with a Choice Do Both”

Artist Pia Dehne’s work fuses a super-realistic, old-world master painting style with surrealism, said Apicella-Hitchcock.

“If you think about botanical studies at the New York Botanical Garden or Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings, there’s this dialogue about femininity and sensuality. Pia’s work has that as well, but it’s a different generation’s conversation—it’s a little more punk, a little more rock and roll.”

Running through April 19 at Isabel Sullivan Gallery, 39 Lipesenard Street, Tribeca

2. Jamel Shabazz, “Seconds of My Life: Photographs from 1975-2024”

Jamel Shabazz is a Brooklyn-born photographer whose work captures 1970s and ’80s New York City and its early hip-hop era. 

“His work is sometimes critiqued because the subjects are always smiling,” said Apicella-Hitchcock. “But he flips that critique—he says, ‘No, that’s what I want. That smile is indicative of what I brought to the exchange and how I made them feel comfortable.’”

The space is special, too: The Bronx Documentary Center [BDC] is dedicated to educating young photographers and providing resources for local artists. 

Running through April 20 at Bronx Documentary Center Annex, 364 East 151st Street, the Bronx 

3. Christian Marclay, “The Clock”

“The Clock” is a “staggeringly good” 24-hour cinematic piece, where Christian Marclay has spliced together thousands of film clips featuring clocks and watches, all synchronized to the actual time. 

“It’s fascinating because you start to realize how much happens in films at one minute before the hour. People are running for trains, proposing, bombs are about to go off—and then, at the hour mark, all hell breaks loose.”

Running through May 11 at MoMA, 11 West 53rd Street, Midtown

4. Dieter Roth, “Islandscapes,” and The Roth Bar

Dieter Roth was an artist who blurred boundaries between painting, sculpture, books, and installation art, said Apicella-Hitchcock, who admires his sense of humor and his “very organic, indeterminate mix of materials.”

The Roth Bar accompanies the exhibition. In the past, this installation operated as a fully functioning bar and living social experiment, said Apicella-Hitchcock, where patrons’ empty bottles became part of the work, conversations were recorded and archived, and Roth’s art hung on the wall. For now, it is only open for private gallery events.

Running through April 19 at Hauser & Wirth, 443 West 18th Street, Chelsea

Bonus Picks

• “Louis Faurer/Helen Levitt” at Deborah Bell Photographs through April 19—Levitt is one of Apicella-Hitchcock’s favorite New York street photographers, and Faurer is an underappreciated contemporary of hers, he said.
• “Pirouette: Turning Points in Design” at MoMA through Oct. 18—A survey of groundbreaking design moments, covering everything from Crocs to the origins of emojis.
• “Swamp Summit: Dirt and Water” at Storefront for Art and Architecture through April 19—Apicella-Hitchcock said Storefront is a “great space” whose exhibitions are themed around architecture and urban design; their current one explores our relationship with water and climate change.

“But amidst all of this change over the past decades,” said Tetlow, “what has remained constant is all of you.”

The event is held each spring to show appreciation for Fordham employees’ longstanding service of 20, 40, and 60 years. In recognition of their unique contributions, faculty receive the Bene Merenti award, administrators receive the Archbishop Hughes award, and staff receive the 1841 award. All but one awardee honored on Sunday—recent retiree and 40-year honoree Charlotte Labbe, the former Head of Interlibrary Loan—celebrated two decades of work at Fordham. President Tetlow bestowed a medal to each in attendance as their colleagues, partners, friends, and families applauded them.

“You have shaped this University, not just through your work, but through your presence,” said Tetlow, enumerating the many gifts the honorees bring to Fordham. “We recognize all your years of dedication and the profound impact you’ve had on generations of students, colleagues, and the Fordham community at large.” 

Verenika Lasku, who received an 1841 medal for her 20 years of service, emigrated from Kosovo to the U.S. in 1995 with her husband. She waited until their youngest child entered kindergarten to join Fordham as a temporary cleaner and later became the first female foreperson for Fordham’s Campus Operations. 

“Twenty years at Fordham University has been an incredible journey of growth and learning,” said Lasku, who was surrounded by the three Rams in her family: Her daughters Valentina and Gabriella earned master’s degrees in education from Fordham after receiving their bachelor’s degrees here, and her son Robert, currently a sophomore, is studying public accounting. “I am so appreciative of the support and opportunities I’ve been given, and I’m excited to continue contributing to our community.”

Deborah Russelli, who began as an operations assistant and is now assistant vice president for administration, earned her bachelor’s degree and her M.B.A. at Fordham. Her son Andrew also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Fordham, both in the sciences. And her team was there to cheer her on. 

“I love Fordham,” she said. “Our whole division is like a family; everyone showed up, so this is more than just a place to work. This really is my heart.”

Sertan Kabadayi, Ph.D., the Joseph Keating, S.J., Distinguished Professor in Business at the Gabelli School, expressed the same sense of connection. “I never thought that I would stay in the same place for 20 years, but I think when it’s Fordham, it’s been easy. Since the first day, I felt valued, I felt recognized, so it’s great to be part of this big family.”

2025 University Convocation Honorees and Slideshow

Click the right arrow to scroll through the images.

Below are the names of faculty and staff who were honored. Congratulations to all! 

Bene Merenti Medal | 20 Years

Jose Aleman, Susanna Barsella, Kirk Bingaman, Edward Cahill, Gregory Farmer, Bradford Hinze, Karina Hogan, Robert Hume, Sertan Kabadayi, Rachelle Kammer, Youngjae Lee, Todd Melnick, Sophie Mitra, Daniel Ott, Yan Peng, John Pfaff, Giorgio Pini, Erick Rengifo Minaya, Thierry Rigogne, Lise Schreier, Asif Siddiqi, Blanca Urizar, Yuewu Xu, Suzanne Yeager, and Tiffany Yip.

Archbishop Hughes Medal | 40 Years 

Charlotte Labbe

Archbishop Hughes Medal | 20 Years 

Deborah Adwokat, Alisa Ali, Stephen Brunetti, Adika Christian, Xiomara de Leon, Nicolee Feliz, Pooja Grewal, Aisha Harpe, Jeffrey Haynes, Jack Lugo, Angela O’Donnell, Irving P. O’Neal, Anastasia Pappas, Anibal J. Pella-Woo, Luisa Porretta, John Puglisi, Jeanne Renner, Deborah Russelli, Palma Salerno, Gülay Siouzios, Jeremy Slatken, John Stadler, and Anne Treantafeles.

1841 Award | 20 Years

Yaniris Baez, Ana Brito, Moises Burgos, Tomas Cepin, Erik Cuascut, Carmen Demiroski, Arnold Dorismond, Frederick Grey, Catherine Henson, Juliana Krammer, Verenika Lasku, Viliam Litavec, Kerri Maguire, Iris Mapson, Palina Markic, Kevin Mavrich, Angela Michalski, Ines Montero, Linda Negron, Kathleen Sweeney Parmiter, and Virginia Ungaro.

“On this campus, where 6,000 classes are offered every year, very rarely do we have the opportunity to gain visibility into what happens in these sacred spaces,” said Dennis Jacobs, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, in his introduction to the awards ceremony. “So tonight’s a night that we get to celebrate and be inspired by our colleagues.”

The event was held annually from 1994 until 2020, when COVID-19 put it on indefinite hold.

“I always loved it as a faculty member,” said Robert Hume, Ph.D., who was determined to resurrect the event. Hume taught political science for 15 years before becoming first an associate dean and then interim dean of arts and sciences faculty. “There aren’t enough occasions when we’re just gathering and celebrating faculty and the work of faculty.”

Supporting Faculty Research 

Four professors who received up to $5,000 in Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) micro-grants kicked off the evening by presenting their work. The grant program, created by Hume, supports tenured assistant and associate professors on the path to full professorship—a critical step for becoming department chairs, deans, and leaders in their fields.

“Giving mid-career faculty the support to move to that last stage of their career is really important,” said Hume. The grants fund travel, access to data, and other research needs to help faculty complete projects that can aid their promotion to full professor.

Grant recipients expressed their gratitude for the funding, including Daisy Deomampo, Ph.D., associate professor of anthropology, who credited her grant with helping her finish her upcoming book on race and egg donation. 

Other presenters included Jennifer S. Clark, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication and media studies, who shared a portion of her book in progress about Hollywood landscapes and the U.S. film industry; Robb Hernández, Ph.D., professor of English, who explored East LA Latinx artists’ use of science fiction imagery in their work; and Carey Kasten, Ph.D., associate professor of Spanish, who traveled to Jesuit organizations supporting migrant communities at the U.S.-Mexico border as part of her research on migration justice and the practice of accompaniment.

Recognition for Exemplary Teaching 

Each year, students are asked to nominate professors for teaching awards in four categories: Humanities, STEM, Social Science, and Graduate Teaching and Mentoring. 

The chosen professors are never announced in advance, adding Oscars-style intrigue to the evening. Stephanie Adomavicius, director of communications and events for the faculty of arts and sciences, played up the theme by creating an animated gold and black video that celebrated the nominees.  

The 2025 Arts and Sciences Faculty Award Winners

Robert Hume; Maura Mast, Ph.D., dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill; and Ann Gaylin, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, took turns presenting the awards, and shared the student praise that helped secure their wins.

Theology professor Leo Guardado, Ph.D., won the Humanities award. 

Physical and biophysical chemistry professor Elizabeth Thrall, Ph.D., received the STEM award. 

Psychology professor Harold Takooshian, Ph.D., received the Social Sciences award.

Psychology professor Molly Zimmerman, Ph.D., received the award for Graduate Teaching and Mentoring. 

Reflecting on the evening and his award, Guardado said he was happy to see the essential work of faculty members recognized. 

“I think it’s a wonderful gathering to highlight what faculty do every day. … Regardless of whether one is getting an award, it’s a day to highlight that the heart of a university is the teaching and the students. I’m glad that this has returned.”

1. Daily 12 – 12:50 p.m.:
Lunchtime Yoga with Jenny 

This free yoga session just for faculty and staff is offered at Lincoln Center on Mondays, at Rose Hill on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and virtually on Wednesdays and Fridays. You don’t even need to bring a mat! Mondays at McMahon Hall Studio, Room 208, Lincoln Center; Tuesdays and Thursdays at Rose Fit Studio, McShane Center, Rose Hill; Wednesdays and Fridays on Zoom

2. Ongoing through April 4, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.:
Responsible Business Center Annual Sustainable Clothing Drive

Do good while spring cleaning and donate your used professional clothes to the Responsible Business Center before their annual drive ends April 4. Student Success Center, Gabelli School of Business

3. Tuesday, March 4, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.:
Lincoln Center Blood Drive

There’s an urgent need for blood donations right now—sign up to donate at this drive for the New York Blood Center. 140 W. 62nd St., Room G76A | Register here 

4. Tuesday, March 4, 12 – 1 p.m.:
Fordham University Association Mardi Gras Celebration

The Fordham University Association has planned a Mardi Gras feast for its annual Fat Tuesday luncheon, including gumbo and king cakes. Lowenstein Center, 12th Floor Lounge, Lincoln Center (tickets $10 cash at the door)

5. Wednesday, March 5, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.:
Ash Wednesday Mass and Prayer and Ash Distribution 

Mark the beginning of Lent at one of the multiple Mass and prayer services held at both campuses. University Church and McShane Ballroom, Rose Hill and Blessed Rupert Mayer, S.J., Chapel, Lowenstein, Lincoln Center 

6. Thursday, March 6, 1 – 3 p.m.:
Women’s Luncheon—Bloom Beyond Boundaries: Celebrating the Inner Light and Courage of Women

Fordham Vice President and General Counsel Shari Crittendon will deliver the keynote at the annual Women’s Luncheon, featuring a fireside chat with women from various industries, a women empowerment employer panel, and a recognition ceremony honoring women leaders in the Fordham community. Lowenstein Center, 12th Floor Lounge | Register here

7. Thursday, March 6, 6 – 8:30 p.m.:
Film Screening of Cabrini 

Campus Ministry helped organize a Women’s History Month screening of this 2024 biopic about Italian Catholic missionary Francesca Cabrini. Best known as Mother Cabrini, she faced resistance to her charity work while confronting sexism and anti-Italian bigotry in New York City and the Catholic Church at the turn of the 20th century. Keating First Hall Auditorium | Register here

8. Saturday, March 8, 12 – 5:15 p.m.:
Catholic Women Speak

Speakers such as Fordham Theology Professor Jeannine Hill Fletcher and Senior Director for Spirituality and Solidarity Joan Cavanaugh will come together to celebrate and explore the current role of women in the Church, among other topics. Great Hall, McShane Campus Center, Rose Hill | Register here

9. Monday, March 10 and Tuesday, March 11, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.:
International Conference on Im/Migration, AI, and Social Justice 

This two-day international conference, organized by the Office of Research, will foster dialogue on equitable systems for marginalized communities and help develop strategies for using AI responsibly while prioritizing human rights. Lowenstein, South Lounge, and 12th Floor Lounge, Lincoln Center | Register by March 3 to attend

10. Wednesday, March 12, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.:
Staff and Faculty Retreat

Reflect and connect with colleagues at this free spiritual retreat. The Ram Van will depart from both campuses and ferry employees to and from Fordham’s upstate retreat house, where you will spend the day connecting with nature and Fordham’s Ignatian mission. Goshen, New York | Register here

11. Thursday, March 13, 1 – 2 p.m.:
Music Showcase: Sameer Gupta

The Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) presents two concerts in March, conveniently timed around lunch, to showcase the power of music to connect communities. Percussionist Sameer Gupta, who melds jazz with North Indian classical music, kicks off the series. Pope Auditorium, Lincoln Center I Register here 

12. Tuesday, March 25, 6:30 p.m.:
Flannery O’Connor @ 100 Takes the Stage: Performance and Discussion

To celebrate Flannery O’Connor’s 100th birthday, Fordham’s Francis and Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies is sponsoring a screening of the play, Everything That Rises Must Converge, based on O’Connor’s short story about racism in the newly desegregated South. A panel discussion follows, featuring director Karin Coonrod, several actors from the play, Associate Professor of African and African American Studies Mark Chapman, and Curran Center’s Associate Director Angela Alaimo O’Donnell, a leading scholar of O’Connor’s work. Tognino Hall, Duane Library | Register here 

13. Thursday, March 27, 1 – 2:30 p.m.:
Music Showcase: Batalá

CCEL’s cross-cultural music series continues with this all-womxn Afro-Brazilian group known for their high-energy drumming and dancing. Bepler Commons, Rose Hill | Register here

Support for this programming comes from the Flannery O’Connor Trust, which endowed the Curran Center in 2018 with a grant to promote the scholarship of O’Connor and other Catholic writers who have contributed significantly to the American canon. 

The center’s associate director Angela Alaimo O’Donnell, herself a distinguished Flannery O’Connor scholar, is at the center of these efforts, planning multiple events and speaking on many panels about the writer’s profound Catholic faith, the enduring resonance of her fiction, and the ways she wrote about race in her short stories versus her personal letters.

In advance of a sold-out panel discussion on February 23 at the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home in Savannah, Georgia, O’Donnell recalled how she first fell under the spell of O’Connor’s writing in an interview with the Savannah Morning News.

“I learned that she’s a Catholic in the South, which is a very odd thing to be…because she’s southern and very much fits in, but she doesn’t fit in terms of this Catholicism—which most Southerners at the time regarded with a great deal of suspicion…So, I began to have an affinity for her because of the sense of being both of the place and also not of the place.”

On O’Connor’s actual birthday, March 25, 2025, Fordham will be screening Everything That Rises Must Converge, a film of the play based on O’Connor’s short story about a Black woman and a white woman on a bus in the newly desegregated South. A panel discussion will follow featuring director Karin Coonrod; several actors from the play; Mark Chapman, associate professor of African and African American Studies; and O’Donnell, whose multiple books on O’Connor include Radical Ambivalence: Race in Flannery O’Connor, Flannery O’Connor: Fiction Fired by Faith and a book of sonnets that channel O’Connor’s voice, Andalusian Hours: Poems from the Porch of Flannery O’Connor.

This summer, Fordham’s London campus will also host a conference sponsored by the Curran Center, “Flannery Abroad: A Conference in Celebration of Flannery O’Connor’s Centenary” from June 5 through 8.

O’Donnell will also be discussing O’Connor’s legacy on May 5th at the Cultural Center of Milan via Zoom and on May 23 at the American Literature Association Conference in Boston.

“We want people to know that we are here for every student,” said Iglesias. As part of this welcoming effort, her office recently rebranded itself to the Office of Fellowship Advising from the Office of Prestigious Fellowships. “The awards are prestigious, but above all we want students to know we are accessible.”

Below she shares the advice she gives students and the bold move that led her to Fordham.

Getting the Word Out About Fellowships 

“The coaching process starts before we even have a student sitting in front of us,” said Iglesias. “We do outreach everywhere we can, to let students know that they can be a strong applicant. It’s not just for 4.0 students. They just have to find the right fit for them.”

To spread the word, Iglesias and Lorna Ronald, Ph.D., the director of the Office of Fellowship Advising, go to classrooms and partner with programs such as the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, the Center for Community Engaged Learning, and the Higher Education Opportunity Program. They also collaborate with faculty to recruit students and hold mock interviews. 

“We’re a small but really supportive team,” said Iglesias.

Combating Imposter Syndrome 

“We all have imposter syndrome, no matter how strong a performer we are,” said Iglesias.

She encourages students to acknowledge that feeling, and then think, “What tools do I have to get past those things?” She says that looks different for everyone.

“Part of our approach is just being good listeners, creating a space for people to feel like they can talk about their vulnerabilities.”

Learnings from Yoga

As a certified yoga instructor who teaches yoga and meditation at an addiction recovery nonprofit, Iglesias applies her practice to her work. “Yoga ultimately is about learning to tune in and listen to yourself.” 

This is easier said than done, especially for students. “When you’re in a competitive atmosphere, it’s very easy to get caught up in someone else’s goals because you think you need to be walking a particular path.” She encourages them to center in on what they really want. 

Writing Advice That Pays Off

Iglesias, a Cuban American and first-generation college graduate, holds a Ph.D. in English and formerly taught literature and writing at the University of South Florida. Her top advice for students writing their personal essays? Be genuine. 

“If someone else can include the same sentence in their essay, avoid including it. People remember stories. It’s the personal details that let readers connect and visualize the applicant.”

Taking a Leap

After her daughter graduated high school, Iglesias decided to move with her partner back to New York City, where she had lived in her twenties. It was a big leap without a job lined up.

“Many people leave New York to go to Florida, but I always wanted to return, and the time felt right.” She taught writing at Fordham and then learned of an opening in the fellowship office. “I applied, and I fell in love with the work. I am able to get to know students, to hear about the cool things that they’re doing, and to help them reach their goals. It’s incredibly rewarding.”

Students who are interested in applying for fellowships can research current opportunities and deadlines and reach out to the Office of Fellowship Advising.