Fordham tips its hat to New Orleans’ Mardi Gras tradition in two ways. At Rose Hill, Campus Ministry sponsors a dinner on March 4. And the same day at Lincoln Center, faculty and staff are invited to a Mardi Gras luncheon featuring shrimp gumbo, dirty rice, creole vegetables, po’ boys, and king cakes donated by the Office of the President.
The force behind the luncheon, and many other Fordham events geared toward faculty and staff, is the Fordham University Association. Started in 1964 by wives of Fordham faculty members who wanted to spark friendships across the University, the FUA still prioritizes social get-togethers and connecting across departments. Run now by University staff members, the FUA organizes Fordham community favorites, including the Mardi Gras Celebration and the Children’s Christmas Party with Santa, as well as weekly Knit, Chat, and Crochet circles on Wednesdays and a summer book club.
All Fordham employees are automatic members of the FUA, and financial support for its activities comes from the Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Opportunity (EIO), the Office of the President, and other sources.
“I love meeting people,” said FUA President Jacqueline Gross, project coordinator and executive assistant to the dean of arts and sciences. Her two children graduated from Fordham College at Rose Hill, and one them, her daughter, is also an alumna of the Graduate School of Education.
“When someone asks me, ‘How can I meet people here at Fordham?’ I suggest, ‘Please join the FUA’s executive committee or please come to one of our events,'” she said. “I think it’s a wonderful way to connect with someone you may not work with on a day-to-day basis.”
For Gross and others who help plan these events, it’s a chance to provide the same joy that they found at an FUA event themselves.
“I used to bring my children when they were young to a lot of the Fordham functions, especially the Christmas parties,” said Esther Morgan, senior executive secretary in the physics and engineering physics department. “And I enjoyed it so much, watching the excitement on my children’s faces, I decided I would love to join the FUA to give back what I received.”
A Close-Knit Group
Morgan has worked for Fordham for over 40 years, and both of her daughters, like their mother, graduated from Fordham and earned master’s degrees in social work from the University.
In that time, Morgan also became a grandmother, which inspired her to learn how to knit a baby blanket. She found skilled knitting teachers in her department: physics professor Christopher Aubin and academic advisor Corbett Bazler. Once she became adept, Morgan decided to share her knowledge.
“I said, why don’t we have a knitting club? It encourages us to be more social and promotes a sense of community,” said Morgan, who is also on the FUA executive committee.
Knit, Chat, and Crochet began at Rose Hill in 2023, and every Wednesday, a group of around six regulars come during their lunch hour to knit and teach the newcomers who attend. Morgan has since made many blankets—and scarves, afghans, and hats—over the years, and still shows off her first creation, a purple scarf, with newbies, who can treat themselves to supplies that Morgan keeps on hand for drop-ins. Lincoln Center also has its own chapter of Knit, Chat, and Crochet that meets on Wednesdays.
Reading Together
The newest FUA group activity is the Summer Book Club. Last year the FUA was able to purchase multiple copies of the 2024 summer read, James, through funding from the EIO Office, and this year Gross plans to do the same. The book will be announced before the spring semester ends and the club will meet in September in person rather than Zoom in the spirit of the FUA.
“I just love the social aspect of it,” said Gross. “That’s really what we’re here for.”
Celebrate with the FUA
Mardi Gras Celebration tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door (cash only), along with $1 raffle tickets for prizes and tickets for the 50/50 raffle, where the winner gets half of the proceeds (the rest goes to the FUA to plan future events). Register here if you plan to attend by Friday, Feb. 28.
The FUA is also seeking book suggestions and discussion leaders for the summer book club as well as volunteers to host the Lincoln Center knitting group on occasion. Reach out to Jackie Gross if you’re interested.
