Amelia Medved, a 2023 Fordham graduate, analyzed how the dead have become part of the landscape of the city in “A Breathing Place: Sanctified Burial Sites in New York City Public Space,” a research project she conducted through a Duffy Fellowship from Fordham’s Center on Religion and Culture. 

Medved, a studio assistant at the landscape architecture firm SCAPE, says that honoring the collective memory of the deceased is a healthy expression of urban life—one that can “enliven our connection to place and engage the dynamic communities that inhabit New York City today.”

Hart Island 

Hart Island, located at the western end of Long Island Sound in the Bronx, has a long and morbidly fascinating history as New York City’s public cemetery, with mass graves stretching back to the Civil War. Described by Medved as a “remote, windy, indeterminate landscape far from the beating heart of the city,” the island had been controlled for many years by the city’s Department of Correction, which used prison labor to bury more than 1 million unclaimed and unidentified New Yorkers. 

The maintenance of the island came under scrutiny in 2012, when Hurricane Sandy unearthed some remains. In July of 2015, the grave sites became accessible to the families of those buried on the island, and in 2019, control of the island was transferred to the New York City Department of Parks.

Hart Island is now open to the public through small guided tours requiring lottery registration. The Hart Island Project, a public charity incorporated in 2011, has worked to destigmatize the burial ground and create an online resource to help families find the locations of their buried loved ones.   

The Enslaved African and Kingsbridge Burial Grounds, Van Cortlandt Park

Consecrated in 2021, this section of Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx was nothing more than a neighborhood ghost story until a chance encounter by Kingsbridge resident Nick Dembowski. After noticing a few broken headstones against a fence, Dembowski went to the Kingsbridge Historical Society. There he learned that the fenced-off area was once home to an 18th-century burial ground, particularly for people enslaved at the estate. Their bones were discovered in the late 1870s, when the New York Northern Railroad Company broke ground in the area. 

Following Dembowski’s efforts, the Enslaved People Project was born—launched by the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Van Cortlandt House Museum, and Kingsbridge Historical society to help shed light on the history of the burial grounds.

Medved said this site offers visitors “the chance to encounter the people who walked through the trees or stood beside the lake centuries ago.” 

Prison Ship Martyrs Monument, Fort Greene Park

Just a few blocks from Flatbush Avenue and Fulton Street in Brooklyn, Fort Greene Park is a 30-acre public space, filled with history dating back to the Revolutionary War. In the center sits the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument, a war memorial dedicated to more than 11,500 American prisoners of war. Many of these prisoners, who died on British prison ships in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, were thrown into the bay or buried in shallow graves on the shoreline.

Their remains were left there until the 19th century, when they were collected after funding was secured for a public monument. They were briefly interred in a public tomb before being moved permanently to the newly constructed Fort Greene Park in 1873. The monument that stands today, with its massive doric column and granite stairway, was completed in 1908.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the monument, according to Medved, is the way it “convenes the living and dead in intimate proximity to the unawareness of most visitors.”

The 9/11 Memorial

Located where the Twin Towers once stood, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum honors the lives lost at the World Trade Center during the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. The site features two reflecting pools bordered by bronze parapets engraved with the names of 2,983 people—2,977 who were killed on 9/11, and six killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. 

The most striking part of the memorial, according to Medved, is the sound—the white noise generated by running water  creates a pocket of “overwhelming silence” in an area bustling with foot traffic. 

The contemplative nature of the space has led to myriad improvised displays, including “missing” posters, flowers, American flags, rosaries, and even unauthorized etchings of additional names on the monument’s surface. 

Medved says that these contributions from visitors are evidence of a vital, dynamic “public grieving process.” 

RELATED STORY: How a Passion for the Environment and Visual Arts Led to a Career in Landscape Architecture

Macht sat down with Fordham Magazine to discuss the bawdy production and his whirlwind experience as the show transformed from little-known downtown play to Broadway smash hit.

How did you get involved with the production?

I literally just auditioned. It wasn’t supposed to be this big show. It was supposed to be six weeks off-Broadway, so it was a pretty low-key audition. I was like, “Well, that went fine,” and I didn’t expect to hear about it ever again. Then I lucked out and I got it.

I had actually been in a TV show called At Home with Amy Sedaris, and Cole Escola was in the same episode, but we never met each other. I remember watching it andCole would pop up, and I’d be like, “That person’s funny. If only I could be that funny.” And I still feel that way, because they’re the funniest person that I’ve ever seen. So it is a full-circle thing to be working with them on this.

Can you describe your role in the show and how you approached it?

My character is Mary’s husband’s assistant. Cole plays Mary Todd Lincoln, so you can figure out who Mary’s husband is. I am the assistant, sort of his bag boy. 

How I approach the role is to take it as truly seriously as possible. So, the play is  pure farce. But to allow Cole and the others to be the funniest, I have to pretend I’m in an HBO miniseries about Lincoln, and not this übersilly play. That’s the approach—like, this guy’s life is on the line.

The subject matter is fairly edgy.

What’s actually so fun about the show is, while it is edgy—we’re making fun of the president, we’re making fun of these revered political figures from American history—the jokes are actually like Three Stooges jokes. So it’s both very subversive but also strangely comforting because it’s a style of comedy that is so ingrained in all of us just from watching any sitcom ever.

Your show has become a bit of a phenomenon. Have you had a favorite moment?

The one that’s the most amazing is, we had only been open off-Broadway for a week, and Steven Spielberg, Sally Field, and Tony Kushner all came as a little trio. That was truly surreal. Even Cole was starstruck, and we were all just like, “This is so amazing.” And I was just thinking to myself, imagining Sally Field, Tony Kushner, and Steven Spielberg—I guess they still have an active group text from filming the movie Lincoln—and they’re like, “Should we go see this silly show?” And they all said yes. That’s so cute to me. 

Any other favorite people you’ve met backstage?

Melissa McCarthy came and was so unbelievably effusive in her praise. She did a classic Melissa McCarthy thing and she literally knelt down before Cole and bowed to them. It was just so funny and you could just tell how much [McCarthy] was touched by it.

Earlier this year, Frank DiLella talked about the multigenerational Fordham posse that exists on Broadway. What has your experience been like as one of the newest members?

I do feel the Fordham presence on Broadway, and the New York theater scene at large. I’m in a fantasy football league with [2017 Fordham grad] Celina Lam, [an associate company manager with Wagner Johnson Productions, co-led by 2002 Fordham grad John Johnson] and I walk by her show The Roommate every night to go home, so I see her all the time. It’s amazing how much stuff Fordham people are producing and acting in and writing. Most of my collaborator friends who I do workshops and things with are still people I met at Fordham. It makes me very proud.

You’ve gone on to grad school, worked in film and TV. Do you feel like your Fordham experience laid a path for the things you’ve done since?

I learned how to act at Fordham. I always had a natural liking of acting, but I had no idea really what I was doing until I came to Fordham. What Fordham was so good at is there’s opportunities to act in front of people constantly. If you don’t get cast on the main stage, you do the studio shows, or you are in class. You just get the reps in. Like an athlete, you just get better by doing it. That’s what allows you to jump in quickly when you get an audition, or when you get a part. That’s the gift of going to a theater school like Fordham.

Interview conducted, edited, and condensed by Franco Giacomarra, FCLC ’19.

The warm, sun-soaked day began early for attendees who took part in the 13th Annual 5K Ram Run, a three-lap race around campus. By 11 a.m., grads and families began to pack the tents on Edwards Parade for pregame food and drinks. Face painters and caricature artists worked the kid-friendly family tent, and as game time approached, the Fordham cheerleaders and pep band helped lead fans to Moglia Stadium. On the field, despite a strong effort, the football Rams lost to Stony Brook 27-21, breaking a two-year streak of dramatic, come-from-behind victories at Homecoming. 

This year featured a strong turnout from Lincoln Center students, including many who helped kick off the weekend at the President’s Ball on Friday evening.  The annual formal dance, held under the Homecoming tent, drew more than 1,500 students. Meanwhile, nearly 500 recent grads gathered for dinner, dancing, and cocktails on the annual young alumni yacht cruise around lower Manhattan.

Save the date: Homecoming 2025 will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18, when the Rams take on the Dartmouth College Big Green at Rose Hill.

Pascrell enjoyed a long life in public service that included a postcollege stint in the military, more than a decade as a high school history teacher, and six years as mayor of Paterson, New Jersey. He was nearing the end of his 14th term in the House of Representatives.

“As our United States Representative, Bill fought to his last breath to return to the job he cherished and to the people he loved,” his family wrote in a statement announcing his death. “Bill lived his entire life in Paterson and had an unwavering love for the city he grew up in and served.”

‘An Opportunity to Help My Community’

A grandson of Italian immigrants, Pascrell was born in Paterson on January 25, 1937. He graduated from St. John the Baptist High School, where he was elected student council president, and enrolled at Fordham in the mid-1950s. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1959 and a master’s in philosophy in 1961.

Pascrell talked openly about his Fordham education and how he aimed to put it to use in the service of others.

“My degree from Fordham gave me an opportunity to help my community and make it better, and that is the way I looked at it,” Pascrell said in a 2023 interview with The Fordham Ram.

For him, plain speaking wasn’t just a way to communicate—it was essential to getting things done. And it was tied to his Fordham education and Catholic faith.

“Those values include saying it like it is,” he told The Ram. “Don’t camouflage what you’re trying to get across. Say it; don’t be afraid. We say at Mass many times—in fact, we sing it, ‘Be Not Afraid.’ You go to Fordham, you’re not afraid. It seems that everyone at Fordham knows how to speak their mind.”

A Fordham Sports Superfan

Pascrell was also a passionate supporter of Fordham athletics, his son Glenn Pascrell, FCRH ’90, said in a eulogy during a funeral Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson on August 28.

“He had a great sense of loyalty to institutions, and one of them was Fordham University,” he said. “I will always cherish going to Fordham games with my dad in the Bronx.”

A basketball and football season ticket holder for more than 30 years, Pascrell was a fixture in the stands at Rose Hill and frequently traveled to away games when his Capitol Hill schedule allowed. He didn’t play for the Rams, but he had been an all-state baseball player in high school and at one point tried out for the Philadelphia Phillies.

For many years, he served as a coach during the annual congressional baseball game. His uniform of choice at those events? The maroon and white of the Fordham Rams.

“Bill was an exceptionally devoted alumnus and the biggest Fordham basketball fan. Whenever we needed him, he was always there for us,” said Fordham President Tania Tetlow. “We will certainly miss Bill’s impact on Fordham and the communities he served. Our prayers are with [his wife] Elsie and the entire Pascrell family.”

A ‘Beloved Bridge Builder’ Who Fought ‘Relentlessly’ for His Constituents

After grad school at Fordham, Pascrell served in the Army and the Army Reserve for much of the 1960s. He received an honorable discharge in 1967 and spent 12 years as a public high school teacher and college professor in New Jersey before entering local politics in Paterson.

He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1988 and was twice elected mayor of Paterson, where he served from 1990 to 1996, when he ran for Congress.

In Congress, Pascrell served on the influential House Ways and Means Committee and focused on issues such as tax reform, environmental protection, and funding for public safety and education.

His signature achievements include helping to establish programs like the Fire Grants and Safety Act that directly fund first responders across the country. He also played a key role in establishing the Paterson Great Falls as a national historical park.

Frequently described in the media as “brash,” “blunt,” and “feisty,” Pascrell was a passionate advocate for issues that affected everyday community members in New Jersey’s diverse 9th congressional district.

“Yeah, I live in Paterson,” Pascrell was known to respond when others questioned his lifelong residency in his hometown, the country’s first planned industrial city. “You want to make something of it?”

Pascrell was also regarded as an affable presence noted for his ability to connect with people from all walks of life. In a statement, President Joe Biden praised Pascrell as a “beloved bridge builder” and a “champion for working-class people” who “fought relentlessly to ensure their voices and needs were at the center of policymaking.”

In his eulogy for his father, Glenn Pascrell quoted an oft-repeated line that underscores the philosophy by which his father lived.

“My dad held many public titles. When he spoke in front of a group, he always opened with the following line: ‘Titles come and go. In the end they don’t matter,’” he said. ‘What matters is how we treat each other.’”

Pascrell is survived by his wife, Elsie Marie (Botto) Pascrell; his three sons, William J. Pascrell III, and twins Glenn and David, both 1990 graduates of Fordham College at Rose Hill; two sisters; and six grandchildren.

We asked DiLella, a 2006 Fordham graduate who’s also an adjunct professor at the University, for his top summer Broadway picks. He threw in an off-Broadway recommendation and even gave us an insider’s peek at what’s coming this fall.

Merrily We Roll Along

Photo by Matthew Murphy

The critically acclaimed Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along—once an infamous flop—is now the winner of four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. Merrily centers around the turbulent journey of three friends: Franklin, Charley, and Mary—played by Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez. Groff and Radcliffe took home the Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical, respectively, for their performances.

Hell’s Kitchen

Photo by Chelcie Pary

The Alicia Keys musical Hell’s Kitchen is loosely based on her experience of growing up in Manhattan, and features her famous tunes like “Empire State of Mind” and “If I Ain’t Got You.” The show stars Broadway regulars Brandon Victor Dixon and Shoshana Bean, alongside newcomer Maleah Joi Moon. Moon is making her professional debut as the Keys-inspired character, Ali, and recently took home the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.

Oh, Mary!

Photo by Emilio Madrid

Comic genius Cole Escola, widely known for playing characters in television shows like Search Party and Big Mouth, is now tackling Mary Todd Lincoln in the new play Oh, Mary! It’s opening on Broadway in July after a sold-out off-Broadway run. In the show, written by Escola and directed by Sam Pinkleton, Mary Todd Lincoln will do anything to fulfill her one big dream. The production features an ensemble cast, including Fordham Theatre grad Tony Macht, FCLC ’17.

Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Photo by Evan Zimmerman

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats is now playing off-Broadway at the Perelman Performing Arts Center like you’ve never seen it before. In this new, immersive restaging of the 1982 Broadway mega-musical, audiences are welcomed into the Jellicle Ball, which is inspired by the ballroom culture that burst onto the queer, gay, and trans scene in New York City more than five decades ago. Cats: The Jellicle Ball stars Tony Award-winner André De Shields as Old Deuteronomy; ballroom icon Chasity Moore, who goes by “Tempress,” as Grizabella; and Hamilton alum Sydney James Harcourt as Rum Tum Tugger.

A Look Ahead at Broadway’s Fall Lineup

Sunset Boulevard

Photo by Marc Brenner

Nicole Sherzinger’s acclaimed performance as film diva Norma Desmond is making its way across the pond from London’s West End. Sunset Boulevard arrives on Broadway this October in a stripped-down, minimalistic version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic. The show features direction by British sensation Jamie Lloyd, known for his radical reimaginings.

Gypsy

Photo by Allison Michael Orenstein

One of Broadway’s greatest works and greatest performers join forces this fall when Audra McDonald stars in Gypsy at the historic Majestic Theatre. Widely considered one of the best musicals of all time, Gypsy is the story of how far a determined stage mom will go to turn her daughter into a star. The show features a legendary creative team with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by the late Stephen Sondheim.

Reopening: The Broadway Revival debuted in early 2022 as part of PBS’ Great Performances series, with DiLella as host and executive producer.

It was another high point in his nearly two-decade career as an entertainment journalist, one that began with an internship at Spectrum News NY1 when he was a Fordham student. Today, he’s best known as the host of On Stage, NY1’s acclaimed weekly theater show. His numerous celebrity interviews and in-depth reporting have endeared him to artists and fans alike, and earned him 11 New York Emmy Awards.

Since 2013, he’s also been sharing his knowledge and experience with students. He teaches a course, Theater Journalism, at the University’s Lincoln Center campus, and has been mentoring a new generation of Fordham-educated Broadway professionals.

He sat down with Fordham Magazine just before the Tony Awards to reflect on his career path and share one of his most memorable celebrity stories.

You are a huge cheerleader for all things Fordham. What initially drew you here?
Fordham was my first choice. I grew up in Philadelphia, and both my parents went to Saint Joseph’s University, which is the Jesuit university there. So we were very familiar with Jesuit, liberal arts education—the idea of coming to college and exploring, and truly having this university journey of figuring out what you want to be and what you want to do.

And at Fordham, you marry that with the greatest city in the world, New York City, which has always felt like my home away from home—and has now been my home for 20-plus years. It doesn’t get better than Fordham.

You achieved great success by blending your passion for theater with a new one that you found here. What kind of mentorship did you receive?
I came into Fordham thinking that I was going to pursue acting, but I took an intro to communications course, and my professor, Lewis Freeman, polled the class: “How many of you have thought about being a reporter?” I remember raising my hand. I grew up loving shows like Dateline NBC and 20/20.

He said, “If you are lucky enough, get yourself an internship at Spectrum News New York 1—you can explore and learn what it takes to be in the business and they have an amazing internship program.” That summer, I applied. I was also up for a role in a professional production of Hair in Brooklyn. And I kind of told myself, “Whatever is meant to be is meant to be.” I got NY1 and never looked back.

Photo courtesy of Frank DiLella

You came here with dreams of breaking into the theater world, and now you’re such an integral part of it. What is it like to be part of the Fordham community on Broadway?
We’re called the “Fordham Posse.” When it’s revealed to someone that you went to Fordham, it’s like, “Oh, we’re part of the same family.”

I think of John Johnson, who is a celebrated theater producer who graduated in 2002, the year I started, but would always come back—again, this family mentality. He’s someone I definitely looked up to. Van Hughes, who has gone on to be in various Broadway shows, was part of my crew. Taylor Schilling from Orange is the New Black. Kelley Curran was my close friend. Paul Wontorek too—he’s the editor-in-chief for Broadway.com, and we are very much working colleagues. There is definitely a lot of Fordham love to go around.

You’ve interviewed just about every famous actor that has come through Broadway over your time at NY1. Do you have a favorite story?
I got to know Elaine Stritch very well. She had a residency at the Café Carlyle for years, and like clockwork, every spring I would sit down with her. Towards the end of her life, I got a call saying, “Elaine would like to speak to you to do a story.” I went to her residence, and she couldn’t sit up, so she said to me, “Frank, get in bed with me. Just talk to me about my life.”

Now, this is a woman who was very close to Judy Garland. She went on a date with JFK. She was close friends with Ethel Merman. To me, she is what we think of when we think of legends of Broadway, absolute legends of entertainment. I mean, the stories that she had, I’ll never forget that. We had so much fun. We had so many laughs.

There’s a clip of Hugh Jackman ending an interview with you saying, “Thanks Frank, you’re the best.” How does it feel to be such a trusted figure among these incredible artists?
Having access and trust with these artists—for them to open up to me and feel comfortable opening up for me—that is a true gift. And that’s one of my favorite things about this job. I’m so grateful to get to be with these people to tell the stories.

Interview conducted, edited, and condensed by Franco Giacomarra, FCLC ’19.

Related Story: What to See on Broadway This Summer
Frank DiLella shares his recommendations—from the latest Tony winners to the next big hits.

“It’s a really great opportunity that I never even thought was possible,” she said.

Rochetti unveiled her piece alongside seven other student musicians at the Fordham Composers Concert, held on May 1 at Fordham Lincoln Center’s 12th-Floor Lounge. The annual event is the culmination of a semester’s work, where students develop their new pieces with top professionals who rehearse, provide advice, and ultimately perform the compositions for a live audience.  

Working at a Professional Level 

The Fordham Composers Workshop is a one-of-a-kind combination of theory and practice designed to give undergraduate students the experience of creating an original concert work at the professional level. Each student is assigned a different ensemble of three instruments to write for, culminating in a five-minute piece played on some combination of flute, clarinet, oboe, violin, or cello. 

The students then workshop the piece through multiple drafts which are read and played throughout the semester by members of the Exponential Ensemble —a chamber music collective made up of some of the most in-demand musicians in the New York City region.

“We’re working with professional musicians,” said Daniel Ott, D.M.A., associate professor of music theory and composition and chair of the art history and music department, who teaches the class. “It’s a really rare opportunity to get that hands-on experience when you’re a student.”

The format of the class is both lecture and workshop, as Ott spends half of the class time outlining classical composition principles and techniques. The other half allows students to engage directly with the instrumentalists, who offer insights and critiques on everything from the sonic impact of a key change to the proper way to notate specialty sounds like a flute growl.

“It’s not like any other regular class,” said Elena Smith, a senior music major at Fordham College at Rose Hill. “The structure of it is really different. It’s more interactive.”

Opening New Possibilities

The first Composers Workshop class was held in 2013. Since then, the small performances in the 50-seat Veronica Lally Kehoe Studio Theatre have grown to become an integral and vital part of artistic life on campus. In 2018, the final concert had its largest attendance to date when the student composers’ pieces were inspired by artworks from Fordham visual arts students. In 2020, during the pandemic, student works were still performed by the musicians despite their having to do so online —a monumental task that involved separate recordings of each part for every piece.

The class continues to be a highlight for students who relish the opportunity to combine academic rigor with personal expression.

“You just have complete creative freedom to create whatever you want with your music,” said Henry Domenici, a senior music major. “I really have enjoyed the opportunity to get to do that for a class.” 

But off the court, Tsimbila’s story is anything but typical.

Here are five things to know about this star Fordham Ram.

1. He’s Representing Cameroon in Olympic Qualifiers.

After graduating, Tsimbila will suit up for his country and head to training camp for the Cameroon National Basketball team this July in Latvia. Cameroon is one of six teams competing in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament ahead of the Paris games this summer.

“I’ve always dreamed about wearing my Cameroon jersey,” he said.

2. He Speaks Five Languages.

Tsimbila grew up in Cameroon speaking French, Arabic, Lingala, and Banham—but mastering English is among his proudest accomplishments.

“I learned basic English with my friends in the locker room, but in the locker room, we don’t always use proper formal language,” said Tsimbila, who attended high school in Maryland.

When a recruiter said his English wasn’t strong enough to succeed in college, Tsimbila worried—after several attempts—that he might never pass his proficiency exams.

Then he called his mom.

“She told me, ‘Son, if you believe in something, you have to go after it and do whatever it takes,’” Tsimbila said.

By summer’s end, Tsimbila not only passed his exam—he nearly doubled his score.

3. He Wants to Be an FBI or CIA Agent.

Tsimbila is graduating from the School of Professional and Continuing Studies with an individualized major in arts and computers. After graduation, he’ll pursue a master’s degree in cybersecurity at Fordham while continuing to play for the Rams. He plans to apply to work for the FBI or CIA.

4. His Bond with Coach Keith Urgo Goes Beyond Fordham.

Tsimbila forged a special connection with Fordham Head Basketball Coach Keith Urgo—before either became a Ram.

When COVID-19 and visa complications made it impossible to return home for Tsimbila—then playing for Penn State with Urgo as assistant coach—Urgo promised his star recruit he would personally make the trip to Cameroon to reassure Tsimbila’s family that their son’s future was in good hands.

“Abdou is everything a coach could ever want in a player,” Urgo said.

When Urgo came to Fordham, one of his first moves was to recruit Tsimbila from the transfer portal. Again, it was Tsimbila’s mother who swayed his decision.

“She said, ‘That man came all the way to Cameroon to tell me that he cares about you not just as a player, but as a human being,’” Tsimbila recalled. “‘I think you should follow that man—he wants the best for you.’”

5. Fordham Is ‘the Best Decision’ He’s Ever Made.

According to Tsimbila, his decision to transfer to Fordham has paid off beyond the court.

Last summer, Fordham Basketball provided financial and logistical support for Tsimbila to travel home for the first time in six years.

“There’s no other school in America that would have done something like that for me,” he said.

During his senior season, he learned that his family was affected by devastating landslides in Cameroon.

“I received a lot of support from people at Fordham that I never would have imagined,” he said.

Despite those family challenges, Tsimbila had one of his strongest seasons.

“I won’t be sad when I leave Fordham because I know I can come back here anytime,” he said. “Fordham for me means home.”

Remember, on the evening of May 18, New York’s Empire State Building will be illuminated in Fordham maroon for our graduates.

Aggressive Pigeon Behavior: Bridget Crosby, Taylor Goche, Cream Sananikone, and Van Tran

Going to school in New York City made these four biological science majors “fascinated by pigeons.” “I’ve noticed particularly how close pigeons get to us, how they’re foraging for food, how they’re really never alone,” Crosby said. “I’m just fascinated by pigeons, especially in Manhattan, in comparison to more suburban areas. We wanted to see whether there was a correlation between the aggressive behavior and the location that they live in.” Working with the Ecology Lab at Fordham, the team spent hours in four parks analyzing pigeon behaviors. They found pigeons were more aggressive in the urban parks—Bryant Park and Washington Square Park, compared to the more suburban parks—Van Cortlandt Park and Crotona Park, concluding that pigeons in more urban areas are more accustomed to traffic and people, prompting them to act more boldly.

Mental Health in Literature: Marianna Apazidis

A senior from Massachusetts who is double-majoring in psychology and English, Apazidis united her academic interests through research that examined the portrayal of mental health in literature, particularly in Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. The novel centers on a protagonist often considered to be schizophrenic in literary interpretations. Apazidis received a summer research grant that allowed her to visit the Jean Rhys archives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There, she conducted empirical research, first-hand interviews, and archival research to investigate why the novel’s protagonist is often diagnosed this way and whether this is an accurate portrayal of psychosis. “I started with psychology because I’ve always been interested in how people work and what makes them who they are,” she said. “I quickly found that English is a very similar parallel discipline. I think literature is one of the most important ways to study human nature.”

Detecting the Presence of Metals in Water: Eva Riveros

Riveros was drawn to chemistry as a tangible way to find environmental solutions. Her research project involved the development of a Thiazole probe—a solution that uses proton transfer and fluorescence to detect the presence of metals in water samples. Riveros hopes to eventually create strips using the solution that can be used more easily and efficiently. “One of the main applications we’re thinking of is drinking water, so safety,” said the junior from New Jersey. Riveros developed her love of research after completing the ASPIRES program, which gives incoming students practical exposure to labs and hands-on experimentation.

Religion as Rebellion: Christopher Supplee

Supplee’s interest in how shared narratives shape cultural experiences led him to research the role of Haitian Vodou in confronting the shared traumatic experience of slavery. Supplee applied the three-part trauma recovery theory from Dr. Judith Herman, a leading expert on trauma, as a basis to examine the migration of Vodou from Haiti to the United States. “I look at how the enslaved population used [the practice of]voodoo as a means of maintaining their humanity under the dehumanizing conditions of slavery and rebuilding the community bonds that were separated through the TransAtlantic slave process,” said Supplee, an English and theology major from Philadelphia, “but also making new ones as a result of the diverse peoples that were coming from or transported from the African continent,” he said.

Additional reporting by Kelly Prinz.

Five new state-of-the-art music rooms will be available to students next year, along with a completely renovated and expanded visual arts wing. Construction will begin this summer and the new spaces will be unveiled in the fall.

Modern, Spacious Facilities for Visual Arts

The visual arts space will see a complete overhaul of its existing classrooms and studios located on the first floor of the Lowenstein Center at 60th Street and Columbus Avenue. The improvements will include updated furniture, more open layouts, and new state-of-the-art lighting fixtures. There will also be a brand new seminar room and a large increase in storage space to support more ambitious and varied exhibitions. The space will be anchored by the Lipani Gallery, which features solo and group exhibitions of student work as well as work by professional artists, architects, and designers.

Improvements like these will vastly enhance the opportunities available to all students and allow the gallery to operate at a professional level, according to Stephan Apicella-Hitchcock, associate clinical professor of photography and head of the visual arts program.

“Creativity is one of the major aspects that people of the future need in order to discern opportunities, where others do not see anything,” he said about the benefits of access to the arts. “When you put artists, actors, and musicians all in proximity to one another with an espresso machine, something’s bound to happen.”

The Father Grimes Music Center

The music department will also be joining the updated wing, with a suite of five brand new rooms that will make up the Father Grimes S.J. Music Center—named in honor of Robert Grimes, S.J., the dean emeritus of Fordham College at Lincoln Center.

“It enriches the life of the community so much,” Grimes, a former professor of ethnomusicology, said by phone about the increased footprint of music on campus. The project was funded in part by private donors and alumni, who were eager to honor Grimes’ contributions to music at Fordham.

The plan features two private practice rooms, two ensemble rooms for bands and small groups, and one large rehearsal room that will house Fordham’s performance ensembles as well as specialty courses like the Fordham Composers Workshop.

These enhanced facilities will also be outfitted with recording capabilities and technological updates like the Wenger VAE Rehearsal System—a playback process that allows students to change the sound of the room to mimic different environments such as a cathedral, auditorium, or recital hall.

“I’m excited that the school is making an investment in the arts on this campus, and that it is translating directly into something our students can take advantage of,” said Daniel Ott, D.M.A., associate professor of music theory and composition and chair of the art history and music department. “I want the students to feel recognized in that way, and I think this does that.”

For the Whole Community

The project is being spearheaded by Laura Auricchio, Ph.D., dean of Fordham College at Lincoln Center.

When Auricchio began planning for this project by sending out a student survey soliciting a wishlist for new music spaces, she expected a few dozen responses at most.

Instead, hundreds of students answered—and the majority were not music majors.

“Students are interested in music and art, whether as a vocation or not,” Auricchio said. “I truly believe that music and art does have an impact on their well-being. Creative expression is really necessary, and contributes to the mental health of our students.”

Photos by Cason Doyle. Videos by Franco Giacomarra and Kelly Prinz

Exactly how much work goes into a theater production? To find out, we went behind the scenes with the cast and crew of Fordham Theatre’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, last fall’s mainstage show, just before opening night.

138 Hours of Rehearsal

After auditions were held and parts cast, Fordham student actors began conducting research and learning lines before starting a month of rehearsals. Working alongside acclaimed director Ryan Quinn and a team of student stage managers, the 13 actors spent about 5 hours a night for 5 nights a week crafting the show. Then they moved on to 28 hours of technical rehearsals and 10 hours of dress rehearsals before the show opened.

“Our director Ryan Quinn was really amazing and receptive to ideas. … Not everything made it! But we all had a chance to contribute something,” said Tyler Bey, a senior at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, who played Bottom in the production. “Just that opportunity for possibility, where the director and the actors come from a place of willingness and openness to just play, is really freeing and makes the whole thing much more fun.”

11 Days to Build

All technical elements—lights, sound, video, scenery, and costumes—were carefully designed and built as efficiently as possible during this short but crucial window of time. Students worked under the mentorship of faculty and industry professionals, such as Brittany Vasta, the show’s set designer, to create high-quality designs.

“Working with Brittany was a huge leap in what I have done in the past,” said Sam Deetjen, a junior at Fordham College at Lincoln Center and the show’s assistant set designer. “I haven’t really worked with any professionals in the set design world.”

190 Lighting Units and 11 Loudspeakers

These critical technical elements work in tandem to help create the audiovisual world of the production and support the scenery, costumes, and performers. Each of these units is individually hung, focused, and circuited to create specific moments throughout the show—and they must be checked and adjusted accordingly for each performance.

16 Green Carpets

To create a seamless stage floor, these carpets were sourced, measured, and connected together manually by student workers. The design concept for the show—set in both a nursing home and a magical forest—utilized these green carpets to tie the two worlds together.

“That moment when the curtains open and you reveal the whole upper area of the set, there was a little bit of an ‘ooh’ from the audience,” said Tim Zay, Fordham Theatre technical director. “It was nice because it really did open up this big vast expanse. It’s always good to see the design work get appreciated.”

500 Fairy Lights

Student workers and designers embedded these tiny lights throughout the set and costumes to create the magic of the fairy characters and the world they inhabit.

The production featured 35 different costumes, powered by 7 personal battery packs.

249 Cues

Individual cues from departments including lights, sound, scenery, and costume are built and tested throughout technical rehearsals under the leadership of Production Stage Manager Skyler Purvis, a senior at Fordham College at Lincoln Center.

The production featured 80 sound cues, 34 video cues, and 135 lighting cues, each one triggered by a specific operator on Purvis’s “go.”

7 Performances

Fordham Mainstage productions run for 7 public performances over the course of 10 days, not including the several full show runs, dress rehearsals, and brush-ups throughout the week. This professional-level workload is a challenging but invaluable experience for student technicians and actors.

“I’ll have to see if the vocal training kicks in when we have the 2 p.m. and the 8 p.m. show,” said Bey with a laugh. “I’ve never really done that, but my friends and I said, ‘If we want to do this, we better be ready for eight shows a week.’”