According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy is expected to add 1.9 million jobs in leisure and hospitality during the decade ending in 2031. 

A newly created master’s degree in hospitality being offered at Fordham this fall will give students a key into the fields of hotel operations, development, and management.

“We all experienced the pandemic when you essentially couldn’t travel, and it really is true that if you tell people they can’t do something, that’s the thing they’re going to want to do the most,” said Joshua Harris, Ph.D., director of the Fordham Real Estate Institute, who oversees the program.

“So we see a lot of demand for hotels and travel demand. There’s a lot of growth.”

Harris said the degree, as well as advanced certificates in Hospitality Investment and Development and Hotel Management, will appeal to people who are interested in managing hospitality properties, as well as those who want to invest in them.

Managing and Investing in Hospitality Properties

Offered through the School of Professional and Continuing Studies they are an obvious expansion for the Real Estate Institute, Harris said.

“Hospitality is one of those areas that is very adjacent to what we are doing, as it is essentially an asset class within the real estate world. It’s a very specialized business type of real estate, but it’s always been a natural extension,” he said.

The course selection reflects that connection. Whereas core courses include Travel and Tourism Studies; Marketing, Branding, and Public Relations; and Food Service Management, electives include courses such as Real Estate Valuation and Investment Analysis; Event Management; and Adaptive Reuse and Sustainability. Courses will be offered in person and online.

The certificates are geared toward someone who wants to focus more specifically on either the operations of a hotel or investing in hospitality-related businesses. In addition to coursework, students will have access to mentorship opportunities in the industry.

Not Just Hotels

Harris said he’s bullish on the field because the principles of hospitality can be applied beyond just hotels. Multi-family apartment complexes, co-working spaces, and even higher education institutions are approaching customers in the same way that hotels have long done.

“Hospitality approaches are embedded into more business and operations than ever. It’s going to be one of the biggest themes in a lot of businesses and how they actually manage this new world between online and impersonal services while also still keeping consumers and people happy,” he said.

To learn more, visit the Hospitality Institute webpage.

Now a civilian, he looks for meaningful patterns in the operations of businesses large and small as a credit analyst for Santander Bank.

Tortora started at Santander as a summer intern when he was an economics student at Fordham’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies. He began his academic journey after success in the armed forces—his service was capped with the conferral of a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal under Combat Conditions in 2019. Today he credits Fordham—and the military community he found there—with setting him on the path to a new kind of success.

When you left the Marines, how did you decide to come to Fordham?

I wanted to go to a good four-year institution and use my non-traditional path as a way to set myself apart. The folks at PCS understood that. I was calling NYU, George Washington University, and a few other D.C. schools and really wasn’t getting a lot of help. Fordham has the name, and it’s in New York, which is not too far from where I grew up in Nutley, New Jersey. One day, I got a call at 5:30 in the morning, California time: it was PCS.

How challenging was it to transition from Marine to student?

The most difficult part is losing that sense of community and purpose when you’re just getting out. It’s hard sitting in the classroom at 25 with much younger students when you have a completely different worldview and experience. Then you pair that with the fact that I haven’t done typical school work since high school.

Having the veterans community at Fordham was really beneficial because you relate to people who’ve been through similar things.

How did your internship in the summer of 2021 with Santander Bank come about?

It all starts with the community that Matt Butler and the Student Veterans of America at Fordham have built. It’s about helping build each other up professionally and academically. So, doing resume workshops right away, doing seminars here and there for interview prep or networking events. I found that there’s a veteran network in finance in New York City. Someone pointed me to an internship, and that was that.

Did you encounter any surprises along the way?

This is going to sound weird, but I’m surprised at how proud I am that I went to Fordham. I went in with the expectations to just finish my degree and start my career, but my experiences there have led me to be extremely proud to have gone to the school.

I know a lot of veterans who are just like, “I show up to class and go home and do my own thing.’ I have friends who were at my wedding whom I met at Fordham.

In 2011, he signed up for a course in Fordham’s College at 60, where he read Ulysses, James Joyce’s epic novel about a day in the life of Leopold Bloom.

“It’s not something I’d sit at home and read by myself, but Brother Ed Kent, who taught it, made it so fascinating,” said Kiehn, a clinical microbiology professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Fordham’s College at 60, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, offers a wide array of classes for lifelong learners like Kiehn. The program’s name refers to both its location on 60th Street and its student body, most of whom are older adults looking to pursue their interests and passions. This fall’s offerings included courses on topics ranging from the psychology of psychopathology and Dante’s Inferno to social security and the Supreme Court.

For Kiehn, the Ulysses class was an opportunity to leave behind pathogenic microorganisms for a study of Joyce’s epic, and he subsequently attended a “Blooms Day” celebration on June 16 at Symphony Space, where Joyce fans gathered to listen to a reading of excerpts of all 18 chapters of the novel.

“It was just fantastic. We went through the whole thing, and it ended at two o’clock in the morning,” he said.

Like Kiehn, Carolyn Titone, FCLC ’79, returned to Fordham for a College at 60 course in 2021 after successful careers in acting and advertising. She and her husband currently co-own Orchard Hill Cider Mill in Middletown.

Her first course was called Reality Has Always Had Too Many Heads: An Introduction to Literary Theory. Reading the course description, she was intrigued by concepts such as trauma theory, queer theory, and post-colonial criticism.

“I thought, ‘I don’t know what half of this stuff is,” she said.

“Instead of taking something in my wheelhouse, I decided to explore things I had never studied.”

This semester, she’s enrolled in two courses: China, Russia, Ukraine, and the World; and Slavery, the Half Has Never Been Told.

“As you get older, it’s really important to challenge yourself. I could take theater courses and have a great time, but to develop a point of view about race theory or something like that, that’s making your brain work,” she said.

Celebrating 50 Years

Founded in 1973 by former Cambridge University Press editor Robert Adamson, Ph.D., College at 60 was originally geared toward non-traditional students of any age looking to earn an undergraduate degree. It was part of Fordham’s College at Lincoln Center before being moved in 1998 to the College of Liberal Studies (now the School of Professional and Continuing Studies).

The credit-bearing course degree pathway was phased out between 1996 and 1999, and the current model, a non-credit program, replaced it.

George Shea, Ph.D., a dean emeritus of Fordham College at Lincoln Center, taught a class in the program’s first year and came out of retirement in 2011 to teach again. He said the fact that Americans are living longer makes it more necessary than ever.

“We’re getting close to the point where people don’t really start to work until their late 20s, and they often retire in their 50s, and they’re living a long time,” he said. It’s important that Fordham help “keep those people’s minds working.”

Staying Vibrant

Cira Vernazza, a former director of College at 60 who was involved with the program for 39 years, promptly signed up for classes herself upon retirement. She credited Adamson with teaching her how to look at older adults differently.

“He showed me how vibrant retirement can be. In 1981, the image that most people had was you either sat in a rocking chair, played golf, took care of the grandchildren, or visited family,” she said.

Nicole Bryan, an associate dean for academic programs at Fordham’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies, who took over the program in 2021, noted that the pandemic took a toll on enrollment, but the curriculum that Vernazza and the late Laura Greeney, who was an assistant director nurtured, set the stage for a rebound.

“Cira and I share a belief that aging is a beautiful experience that should be both celebrated and respected, and that is the culture we want to keep alive in College at 60,” she said.

Anthony Davidson, Ph.D., dean of the School of Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS), called the program an integral part of the college.

“PCS is all about providing lifelong learning to anyone and everyone who pursues it,” he said.

“The energy and enthusiasm of these students for courses ranging from Shakespeare to sustainable business practices to the arts is a joy to behold.”

Jesuit Educated: Caring for the Whole Person

For Fordham College at Rose Hill friends Dylan Hakim and Laura Rose Kelly, Fordham was a transformative experience.

“We have lived so many lives and undergone so much change over the past four years,” said Kelly, a digital technologies and emerging media major and Italian minor from Western Springs, Illinois. “I feel very grateful to be here and to have a normal graduation after so much change and so many moments when we were unsure.”

Hakim, who earned a degree in mathematics with a double minor in philosophy and computer science, said that he feels like he’s become a more well-rounded person.

“People told me when I was going to college, I was gonna learn how to be a person. And I did not believe it because I thought I was already one,” he said.

But Hakim said that the Fordham ideals of cura personalis, or care of the whole person, and eloquentia perfecta, or clear expression for the common good, helped him on his way to becoming “complete.”

Hakim will be teaching math in the Bronx through the NYC Teaching Fellows program, and Kelly will be a marketing coordinator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Enhancing Asian American Culture

Finding a community at Fordham was essential to Fordham College at Rose Hill graduates Maleiya Lorenzo and Arthur Ze An Liu. The two met through their work with multiple Asian clubs and organizations on campus; Lorenzo was vice president of FUPAC (Fordham University Philippine-American Club) and Liu led the Asian Cultural Exchange Club.

“I think for me, the sense of community, and being connected to my culture has been a really big part of college for me,” said Lorenzo, who majored in communications with a concentration in film and TV and a minor in biology. “My favorite club event ever is called Simbang Gabi, which is a Christmas event.”

Liu, who is from Hong Kong, said that he found a second home in New York.

“The culture shock was the toughest part, and that’s a legit phenomenon that people experience,” said Liu, who double majored in economics and political science and double minored in accounting and philosophy. “But what I love about New York City, in particular, is the diversity. And I think that you always find someone of your national origin, if you look hard enough.”

Both said that they appreciated the support of their families along the way.

“I’m happy that we’re finally here, and I get to celebrate with my family. They’re coming from out of state,” said Lorenzo, who is from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Professional and Continuing Studies: Flexibility and Fun

When the COVID-19 pandemic sent students home to take classes remotely, Alicia Wilcox used that as an opportunity to switch schools for more flexibility.

“I always wanted to live in New York, and I started out at [Fordham College at] Lincoln Center, but then I switched to PCS because it was easier with my job,” said Wilcox, who was graduating from the School of Professional and Continuing Studies with a degree in psychology. “I do freelance writing, so I liked PCS because it had night classes.”

Although she took most of her classes at Lincoln Center, Wilcox said some of her favorite memories came from trips to Rose Hill.

“I always love coming to Rose Hill for the games and the events, like Homecoming—that was so fun,” she said.

Finding Friends and Community

Izzy Budetti, who majored in new media and digital design, at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, said she also changed colleges during the pandemic, transferring from Rose Hill to Lincoln Center, which she said helped her find her place.

“I met my best friends here,” she said, adding that they met over Instagram, went to each other’s birthdays, and then participated in the same clubs, such as Splinter Group, Lincoln Center’s musical theater group. That reinforced some of her friendships, including with Lucy Murray, who served as the co-president of the group for more than three semesters.

Drawn to New York City

Murray, who graduated from Fordham College at Lincoln Center as a double major in music and psychology, said that she will miss the activities she was involved in.

“I feel really lucky because all my people are staying in the city, and we all live pretty close together, so I’m excited to just continue living life,” she said. “But I am going to miss the clubs I was involved in a lot.”

She said she was drawn to Fordham because of its location in New York City.

“I grew up in Raleigh [North Carolina]. I lived in the same house my whole life … I knew I liked that city feel, but I wanted bigger, more to explore. I really decided New York was for me and then Fordham was just what I was drawn to,” Murray said.

Murray said that her favorite class was Race and Gender in Latin American Pop Music with Professor Angelina Tallaj-GarcÍa, assistant professor of music.

“She’s just so fabulous. I took that class over Zoom during Covid and it felt like an actual class [happening]in person,” she said. “Everybody was really talkative—we hung out in the chat, we all had a really nice community.””

Murray said she will be returning to New York City after traveling and visiting with family for a while, with a plan to work in music therapy.

Julia Rinaldi, who came to Fordham from Bergen County, New Jersey, also said she was drawn to Fordham for its location.

“I applied to Fordham Rose Hill,” she said. “And then I started touring the campuses and thought, ‘I didn’t even know Lincoln Center existed, and this is perfect for me.’ I wanted to be in Manhattan.”

Rinaldi, a psychology major, said she’s starting a doctoral program in clinical psychology at Felician College in New Jersey next.

A Supportive Business School Community

Shaquille Kampta said that the Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center community helped him get through the last four years, despite pandemic-related challenges.

“I’m happy that we were able to persevere, especially with Gabelli, that camaraderie, and that group sense was very strong with our class, and as a group we were able to push through even though the pandemic was holding us back,” said Kampta, who majored in global business with a concentration in business economics and finance.

Kampta said that he will be working in wealth management in M&T Bank but plans to eventually go to law school.

Catherine Sperl entered Fordham as a transfer student and also said she appreciated the community she found at the Gabelli School.

“For Gabelli students, we’re all driven by the need to succeed and by academic markers that are visible and tangible,” Sperl said. “I think there’s something intrinsic to Fordham students, the spirit of Fordham is very collaborative and community-based.”

Sperl was a global business with a concentration in marketing and consumer insights along with her friend Melanie Sztulman, who had the same major. Sztulman said some of her favorite memories came from the University’s orientation program.

“I had a wonderful orientation experience, and at Lincoln Center, I worked as an orientation coordinator last year,” Sztulman said. “So it was a full circle moment for me to start off having such a positive experience in orientation and meeting so many wonderful people, and then helping new students.”

Sztulman is going off to Boston College Law School in the fall, while Sperl will be working in corporate communications at BlackRock.

Additional reporting by Patrick Verel

“Rather than just reading and learning from theory, I want to practice it,” said Ahmed, 27, who will earn her master’s degree from the School of Professional and Continuing Studies this May. 

Enabling Telemedicine with Free Software for Developing Countries

Ahmed was born and raised in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan. In 2014, she moved to the United Kingdom. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nutrition and health from the University of Roehampton. Initially, she wanted to pursue her master’s degree in dietetics and become a dietician. But when her son was born, it became difficult for her to pursue her original goal.

Instead, she entered the inaugural cohort of Fordham’s master’s program in applied health informatics. The program, which welcomed its first class in 2022, teaches students how to create cost-effective information systems for hospitals and health care providers. 

“What we teach in the program is how to make effectively free software for health records. Without these electronic health records, it’s very difficult to do telemedicine, which can significantly help to deliver health care in developing countries,” said the program’s director, John Chelsom, Ph.D.

Helping an African Orphanage with Electronic Records

For Ahmed’s capstone project, Chelsom connected her with international relief organization Humanity First, which put her in touch with an African orphanage that wanted to convert its health records from paper into electronic files. 

“An electronic health record is an online record of a patient’s personal information and medical history data that can be updated over their lifetime. Whenever a child enters the orphanage or is adopted, they need to fill out forms and submit them to the government. The orphanage wanted to make those forms electronic so they’re more safe, secure, and easily shareable, and all the data is in one place,” Ahmed said. “To actually install the program on their computers, we [Chelsom and I] will need to visit the orphanage … and I’m planning to continue working with them after graduation.” 

Balancing School with Motherhood, Thanks to an Online Program

At Fordham, Ahmed developed her information and technology, artificial intelligence, and programming skills. Although she never had a permanent physical campus, she participated in two Fordham-hosted residential workshops at St. Edmund Hall, the oldest residence at the University of Oxford, where she met some of her American classmates in person for the first time, as well as other professionals from around the world. And thanks to her online coursework, she was able to care for her family while pursuing her education. 

“I did my household chores in the morning, put my baby to sleep in the afternoon, and attended lectures from 2 to 5 p.m. Sometimes my son woke up in the middle, but it was possible for me to continue my studies because I was at home, where it’s easier for me to manage him,” said Ahmed, who lives in London with her husband, their 2-year-old son, and her mother-in-law. “For people like me who have children or dependents to look after, studying or working online is a great opportunity.” 

This spring, she will travel to Fordham’s main campus for the first time with her family for Commencement. She plans to use her new degree in a field related to data management, where she hopes to make a difference. 

“I want to create something that will help people in the real world,” Ahmed said. 

As a direct response, Fordham’s Real Estate Institute and the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) will launch a series of virtual symposia to examine the foundation and future of residential, commercial, and industrial real estate activities in the aftermath of the conflict in Ukraine. The partnership seeks to build an intellectual foundation for a strong and innovative economy of Ukraine as well as develop the real estate services, public policy, and governance needed for a thriving and viable real estate ecosystem.

“Well-trained urban economists and real estate specialists are a fundamental requirement to build a socially inclusive and economically sustainable system of Ukrainian cities. We look forward to welcoming our colleagues from the Fordham University Real Estate Institute and The Counselors of Real Estate in launching new educational initiatives at KSE,” said Mihnea Constantinescu, Ph.D., head of research at the National Bank of Ukraine and visiting scholar and academic director of Kyiv School of Economics’ urban development program.

The first symposium will take place on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. Eastern European Standard Time (12 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time) on Zoom and will feature a presentation by The Counselors of Real Estate, an international consortium of credentialed real estate problem solvers that has advised towns and cities in the aftermath of destruction. 

“This reflects the commitment to cutting-edge thinking and applied knowledge characteristic of these three organizations: Fordham University Real Estate Institute, the Kyiv School of Economics, and The Counselors of Real Estate,” said Neil B. Madsen, CRE, who is a founding principal of Madsen Advisors, LLC; board member of The Counselors of Real Estate’s New York Metropolitan chapter; an adjunct professor at Fordham’s Real Estate Institute; and head of thought leadership on its REI Executive Advisory Council.

The partnership between REI and KSE seeks to build an intellectual foundation for a strong and innovative Ukrainian economy and to develop the real estate services, public policy, and governance needed for a thriving and viable real estate ecosystem. The series aims to work toward solutions to long-standing problems in post-Soviet Ukraine, such as haphazard regional development and unbalanced growth, which will only be exacerbated by the war.

“This collaboration between Fordham REI and the KSE comes at a critical juncture,” said Ryan O’Connor, REI Executive Advisory Council chair and CEO of Clinton Management. “Fordham REI students routinely study the risks inherent to developing the built world. However, black swan events throughout history, such as the war in Ukraine, present unforeseen threats and challenges to those tasked with rebuilding the built world through public policy and governance. This symposium offers a truly unique conversation and is yet another example of the cutting-edge education Fordham REI students can expect.”

“We are thrilled to support KSE in providing their students with knowledge of global best practices in commercial real estate,” said Dr. Anthony R. Davidson, dean of Fordham’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies. “There is great potential in this Fordham REI partnership, and doing our part to ensure Ukraine’s future workforce is prepared to build a robust, post-war real estate market is just the beginning.”

Media Contact: Whitney Bowers, Co-Communications Inc. [email protected] 

The Fordham Real Estate Institute (REI) will offer students and commercial real estate professionals an opportunity to hear first-hand lessons and advice from leaders in real estate in its new series, “Titan Talks.” 

The first event, which will take place on Feb. 13, will feature guest speaker Barbara Corcoran, television personality and founder of The Corcoran Group, a luxury real estate brokerage in New York City. All events will be hosted by real estate expert Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens and member of REI’s Executive Advisory Council (EAC) of industry and business leaders. There will be three events each semester at the McNally Amphitheater at the Lincoln Center campus at 5 p.m.

“I am honored to be the inaugural guest speaker at the Fordham Real Estate Institute’s Titan Talks with Bess [Freedman],” said Corcoran. “The industry continues to evolve rapidly, and it is more important than ever to spread information and knowledge to benefit the next generation of real estate professionals.” 

The hour-long programs will focus on examining the industry for its future professionals through the lens of role models like Corcoran, a real estate mogul, frequent columnist and TV commentator, and regular on ABC’s reality show Shark Tank. 

Free attendance is offered to Fordham students, with first priority given to those enrolled in REI programs. Additionally, limited seating is available for attendees from the larger real estate community at $30 per person. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session at the close of the program.

“I’m thrilled to have Barbara Corcoran kick off this series because she is such an industry trailblazer and will share her journey in her own words, including the failures as well as the successes,” said Freedman. “In life—if you can see it, you can be it. Everyone needs to see a path, and this is an opportunity for tomorrow’s real estate leaders to envision one.”

Ryan O’Connor, REI EAC chair and CEO of Clinton Management, agreed. 

“It’s really special to invite those just beginning in this field to authentic conversations with titans who will share real and relevant stories,” O’Connor said. “It’s likely our students would not otherwise get the chance to learn from their idols in such a tangible way. I’m really proud to be a part of offering this at Fordham.”

Seating is limited. For more information about the Feb. 13 event, click here.

For information about REI, the Executive Advisory Council, and Scholarship 250, click here.

Media Contact: Whitney Bowers, Co-Communications Inc. [email protected]

Those connections begin with Anthony Pastore, a Fordham faculty member who teaches construction project management courses in PCS’s Real Estate Institute (REI). Outside of the classroom, Pastore serves as a senior vice president at AECOM Tishman, a company that has managed construction for some of the world’s most iconic buildings, including One World Trade Center. 

While teaching at Fordham, he met several students who left a deep impression on him, including Arthur Arbaje, a student in the master’s program in construction management, and Timothy Fazzinga, a student in the advanced certificate in construction management program. After they completed their programs this year, Pastore hired them to work on design and construction for the $9.5 billion renovation of JFK Airport Terminal 1. 

The airport, which opened in 1948, currently has six terminals. Terminal 1 is the third oldest of the terminals. The revamped terminal, which is expected to be fully completed by 2030, will become the largest terminal at the international airport. It will expand its number of gates from 12 to 23, upgrade its technology and security, and add new amenities with a focus on sustainability.

A ‘Full Circle’ Moment Between a Professor and His Student 

The team working on the terminal includes several members of the Fordham community, said Pastore. This year, he hired Arbaje and Fazzinga to work on the project as an assistant project manager and a project engineer, respectively. Pastore said his team has also worked with other Fordham REI graduates and students on the renovation, including Gian Maxino, PCS ’18, an analyst in risk and operations construction management; Yoselyn Torres, PCS ’20, previously an assistant project manager; and Anthony Diodato, PCS ’23, a 2022 summer intern.

‘Fordham Opened the Doors’ 

Fazzinga said he chose to study at Fordham’s Real Estate Institute because of its affordable, flexible, and comprehensive programs. 

“My program helped me to understand how the industry and business is run,” said Fazzinga, who completed his advanced certificate in construction management this summer. “It pretty much covers every aspect: reading construction drawings and documents, project management, estimating and bidding, planning and scheduling, budgets and costs, and field operations.” 

Like Pastore, he had previously worked as a carpenter, as well as an assistant project manager for another construction company. In October, he was hired by Pastore to work as a subconsultant for the airport renovation, where he assists managers with building the terminal’s roadways. 

“There are a lot of great opportunities in New York,” said Fazzinga, 25, who lives in Somers, New York. “Fordham opened the doors to them.” 

Looking for People with ‘That Same Drive’

Pastore said that his students in the Fordham Real Estate Institute remind him of his younger self. He began working in construction as a carpenter who didn’t know much about the industry, so he decided to take a certificate course at New York University’s School of Professional Studies. There, he met an instructor who also served as an AECOM Tishman executive and told him about the company’s projects.

“I thought, ‘Wow, this is pretty cool. I want to work on projects like that.’ So I sent my resume to Tishman and ended up getting an interview,” Pastore recalled. “When they asked me, ‘Why Tishman?’ I told them about the course I took at NYU and how I was inspired by the executive who taught my class.” 

Pastore got the job. Now, more than a decade later, he can relate to his recent hires from Fordham.

“I remember my background, working through the trades, being a superintendent, and going to school in the evening, and I respect anyone who does the same. I’m always keeping an eye out for talent and people who have that same drive and interest in the construction industry,” Pastore said. “Now I’ve come full circle. It’s been great to provide that same opportunity that someone else had given me years ago.” 

Gillan Larkin said Gillan lived a “full life” and was beloved by many.

“It may sound like I’m painting a beautiful picture of someone who is gone, or that it’s just his daughter saying it, but everyone who knew him says that he was one in a billion,” said Gillan Larkin.

Born a mere stone’s throw from what would become Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus, Gillan was as much of a Fordham Ram as one could meet. He met his beloved wife Paula on campus after she was admitted into the first class of Thomas More College. She was a junior and he was a senior. He graduated in 1967, she graduated in 1968, and they were married in 1969. He would go on to get his Ph.D. at Fordham in 1974 from the Graduate School of Education.

Gillan Larkin described her father as a “positive, upbeat, kind, interested, generous, selfless, and patient person.” Indeed, online and on social media, similar tributes have been pouring in from alumni who were touched by a dean that many have described as a consummate gentleman.

Juan D. Y. Gutierrez, PCS ’15, recalled bringing his son to a New York Giants game with tickets donated by Gillan to a FordhamVets raffle. Once at the stadium, Gillan was there to greet them and watch the game together.

“It was the first-ever football game my son and I watched in person. Thank you, Mr. Gillan,” Gutierrez wrote on the University’s Facebook wall.

Throughout his time at Fordham, Gillan had a knack for taking on growth opportunities. He served at PCS when the school was still referred to as the School of General Studies and Continuing Education. He lobbied to change the name to Ignatius College, to honor St. Ignatius, a non-traditional student. There, he inspired non-raditional students to continue with their studies like the school’s namesake.

“I was just thinking of him about a month ago and how much he helped me during my time at Fordham,” Lennette Octaviani, PCS ’07, wrote on Facebook. “He was my dean when I was in what used to be Ignatius College. He was truly a great man and I couldn’t thank him enough for all his help. I was able to graduate because of him.”

Gillan’s efforts in Westchester helped further the mission and visibility of the University’s Westchester campus north of the city, said Grant Grastorf, Ed.D., the academic operations administrator there.

“As an alumnus and former dean, he strongly believed in a liberal arts education,” said Grastorf. “Many former students frequently stopped by to visit him and he was often writing recommendations to graduate school and jobs.  He encouraged me to get my doctorate as well.  He wanted everyone to succeed.”

His daughter recalled that Gillan was constantly going to a variety of business association breakfasts throughout the county.

“He waved the Fordham flag in Westchester with business people and let them know that Fordham was a presence,” she said. “He was not a morning person, and the business people always have 8 a.m. breakfasts, but he’d go to all kinds of things like that.”

Peter Vaughan, Ph.D., the former dean of Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Services, is a Westchester resident who co-founded the FordhamVets Initiative with Gillan.

Today, the initiative has evolved into the Office of Military and Veterans’ Services and has two full-time employees. Matthew Butler, PCS ‘16, directs the office. Butler noted that Fordham was one of the early adopters of the Yellow Ribbon Program (an education benefit offered specifically to eligible veterans and dependents under the Post-9/11 GI Bill) before the red tape between higher education and the Veterans Administration had yet to be untangled.

“The VA is one of the largest bureaucracies there is, so somebody needed to take a leadership position, to put their arms around the complexity of making sure that the benefits were working for the veterans and for Fordham, so that they could concentrate on their studies and not worry about if the paperwork was done properly,” Butler said of Gillan’s role in navigating the complex process. Since the Yellow Ribbon program was adopted in 2009, more than 1,000 veterans have graduated from the University, Butler said.

Gillan also helped the University understand what would be needed to support veterans to make the transition to higher education and integrate on campus.

“The program opened the door to folks like myself to go back to school, who would’ve never been able to afford to come to Fordham or New York City,” said Butler. “But Mike was also aware that we needed to make sure that the veterans felt like complete members of the community. You know, that’s something. That’s a legacy that I continue to build on to make sure that our veterans have all the rights and privileges as full members of the community.”

Vaughan recalled that he and Gillan came up with the idea for the initiative after Gillan had been talking to officials in the state capital about veterans’ education and Vaughan had just returned from a conference held by the VA in Washington, D.C., on the same subject.

“It was almost simultaneously that we said we have to talk about this, and we did, and then we met with someone he knew from the Department of Veterans Affairs with the state, and then we met of course with the then-provost [Stephen Freeman, Ph.D.], then Father McShane, who said, ‘Go ahead.’ And then, as they say, the rest was history.”

Vaughan said over time the two formed a bond over their shared interest in adult learning. He added that Gillan’s efforts helped Fordham build ongoing opportunities for returning students, but he also focused on making sure students got work when they got their degrees. He said the many breakfasts he attended opened opportunities in Westchester business for Fordham graduates. And he made sure that their experience wasn’t merely transactional.

“Separate from an education, because he knew we had a great education, he really wanted our older and nontraditional students to participate in the University in a meaningful way so that their education wasn’t just something that they came and did, but that they really felt that they were a part of Fordham, came back to Fordham, and really let them know that Fordham cared about them. I think Mike carried that forward in ways that were immeasurable.”’

Gillan is survived by his wife Paula, children Kristina Bach and Michelle Larkin, both of Yonkers, as well as grandchildren Reece, Emily, and James. He spent his last few years, as in years past, enjoying the Jersey Shore and cheering on the New York Giants, said Gillan Larkin.

Gillan’s wake was held on May 31 at Westchester Funeral Home in Eastchester, New York, and his funeral Mass was held on June 1 at Annunciation Church in Crestwood, New York.

“These big days are really a celebration of those days that didn’t seem to matter at all … That day you were at work and thought, ‘Oh, man—I’m not going to that class tonight,’ but you went anyway. Or that day you stayed up till three o’clock to finish that paper or take-home exam. That day you sat down at your computer and finally submitted an application to college and did something to change your life,” he said, to cheers and applause from the audience. “That day did change your life.” 

The 2022 PCS diploma ceremony celebrated more than 150 graduates, many of whom overcame different obstacles to get to that stage in the Fordham Prep theater at Rose Hill. Among them was John Lenehan, an 88-year-old veteran who completed his bachelor’s degree at Fordham. Lenehan started at Fordham in the 1950s but left for a good job offer. In a story for ABC News, he said, “It’s never too late to finish the job that you started, whether it’s your personal life, your business life, your professional life.” He walked across the stage to thunderous applause.

About 30% of this year’s graduating class at PCS are active or former members of the U.S. military. PCS has more members of the armed forces than any other school at Fordham, said Bach. (This year’s ceremony date also coincided with Armed Forces Day, an American holiday that celebrates past and present members of the military.) 

Juggling School, A Newborn, and Full-Time Job

Also among this year’s graduates is Ayana Jones, a Brooklyn native who earned her bachelor’s degree in social work while nursing a newborn and holding a full-time job at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as a unit assistant. She recalled one of her most difficult semesters.

“I had the baby on one hip, I was home on my one day off from work, seeing my kids on Zoom [during my internship at a public school in Manhattan], running out to do laundry in between seeing the kids, feeding the baby, feeding my older child, and making sure she was doing remote schooling,” said Jones. “There were moments where I really didn’t think this [degree]was going to happen for me.”

Over the past seven years, she completed a bachelor’s degree in social work—the “perfect” field for her, she said. “It really spoke to me. It allows me to advocate for people from a human justice perspective,” said Jones, who plans to someday return to Fordham for her master’s degree in social work. 

Jones credited her family, friends, and PCS staff with helping her complete her college education. 

“There were nights I cried. My family had to hold me. My child had to hold me. My coworkers had to hold me,” she said, sheepishly laughing. “But here I am, and I couldn’t be happier.”  

Her partner of 14 years, Chris Quinones, added that he is proud of Jones. 

“There were a few bumps in the road, but she persevered,” said Quinones, who cared for their family so that she could study and work. “I knew she was going to make it.”

An Architect Who Found A Silver Lining in the Pandemic 

After a decade of working as an architect, Gabe Seidel was laid off. His clients could no longer pay their bills because of the pandemic. But when he lost his job, he said he found a silver lining. 

“It seemed like a good choice to go to school if the pandemic was going to disrupt things for 18 months to two years. It was also a way to transition into what I really wanted to do—real estate development,” said Seidel, an Ohio native who earned his master’s degree in real estate this spring. “I have an internship that I’ll start next Monday with an affordable housing developer here in the city.”

A First-Generation College Student and U.S. Navy Veteran

For Kishell Davis, a first-generation college student from Jamaica, getting a degree is more than an individual accomplishment. 

“Getting this degree is not just for me—it’s also for my family,” said Davis, who earned her bachelor’s degree in international political economy last February. 

One of her favorite memories at Fordham is spending a month in South Africa with her peers, where she said she gained a new perspective on the international economy and saw the potential impact of her degree. “My studies will allow me to make a difference in the world and help reform policies that target people who are disadvantaged,” she said.

“I’ve always dedicated my life to serving people. In high school, I was an EMT. In the military, I served my country,” said Davis, who was an active-duty member of the U.S. Marine Corps from 2016 to 2018. “Through what I’ve learned here at Fordham, I will be able to continue helping people.” 

‘Seeing the Value Inside Us as Adult Learners’

Lori A. Gaskill, PCS ’22, who graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in social work, delivered the student keynote speech. 

“I want to thank PCS in particular for seeing the value inside us as adult learners. Thank you for welcoming us—not in spite of our baggage, jobs, kids, parents, community commitments, and bills, lots of bills—but because of those things,” she said.

The life experiences of PCS’s students brings color and life to Fordham’s campus and beyond, said Gaskill. 

“At Fordham, what we have learned is that how we walk in the world matters. What we say and do and how we treat people … How we listen, the words we choose, and the efforts we each take to be a good person—it matters. I know I’m a better person for having completed this education,” she said, taking a moment to thank her loved ones, including her four children and her husband, who served 25 years in the U.S. Navy and made it possible for her to complete her Fordham education with his veteran benefits. “Looking around the room, I can see that we, the graduates of 2022, will make the world a better place.” 

—Reporting by Patrick Verel

“I learned discipline, and I’ve been able to mature a lot more and make better decisions in my life,” said Garcia, who has served as an active-duty Marine for about a decade. “The military shaped me into a better man.”

Garcia now aspires to become a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps. When he retires from the Marines, he said, he plans on returning to civilian life—with the help of his new Fordham degree. This August, he will graduate from the School of Professional and Continuing Studies with his bachelor’s degree in information technology and systems.  

A NYC Native Who Grew Up in the Dominican Republic

Garcia was born and raised in Brooklyn. As a child, he always saluted police officers in the street. He considered them heroes and dreamed of becoming a police officer or a member of the U.S. military, he said. But when his father was unexpectedly deported to the Dominican Republic, 10-year-old Garcia put his dreams aside. 

“I left behind good friends, and life in the DR was not what I was expecting, especially coming from New York,” said Garcia, who lived in the DR until finishing high school. “It was challenging, but it prepared me for life ahead and made me a tougher person overall.”

After high school graduation, he returned to New York City to attend the Globe Institute of Technology and play collegiate-level baseball. But he said it wasn’t easy to balance sports, school, and a full-time job. He dropped out of school before graduating and joined the Marine Corps in 2012.

Garcia also worked as a Marine recruiter in Brooklyn. One of his favorite memories as a recruiter was participating with his fellow Marines in the Tunnel to Towers Race in New York City, an annual run that honors the final route of a fallen firefighter on 9/11.

“It not only represents the Marine Corps, but also New York and the United States,” Garcia said. “Being together and having all the civilians cheering us on was very powerful. I still have my running badge number with me.”

An Officer in Training and Aspiring Cybersecurity Specialist

For many years, Garcia has served as an enlisted Marine, with the goal of becoming an officer. But in order to become an officer, he needed to earn a college degree. In 2019, he was selected to join the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP), which allows select active-duty Marines to serve in the military while attending a four-year college full time. 

“This program allows me to pursue my education, to better myself, and ultimately, to become an officer and serve in the fleet Marine force, where I can better serve my military branch and become a leader among the enlisted ranks,” he said. 

In 2020, Garcia enrolled at Fordham and its Navy ROTC program. Over the past two years, he said he has learned to think outside of the box and gained valuable networking experiences. His uncle who works in IT inspired him to study information technology and systems. Now he hopes to also earn a master’s degree in cybersecurity and specialize in that field in the Marines. 

Upon graduation, Garcia will become an officer in the Marine Corps. He said he hopes to spend at least another decade in the Marines and then retire from the military. What awaits him is life as a civilian—and the ability to give back to his community full time. 

“I struggled as a kid, seeing my dad get deported. So when I think about my kids and others who may be struggling and unable to see a way out, I want to give them hope,” said Garcia, now a 32-year-old father who lives on Long Island with his wife and their three children. “I reach out to young individuals I recruited and see how they’re doing; I try to show them different programs they can participate in or push them to further their education.” 

‘What It Means to Succeed’: A Mentor for Young Marines 

Kevin Dewaine Leonard, a retired master sergeant who was stationed with Garcia in New York from 2015 to 2019, described Garcia as a family-oriented man. (Their families are close, and their children have trick-or-treated together during Halloween.) That same dedication toward his family has extended to his brothers and sisters in the Marines, said Leonard. 

Garcia took young Marines under his wing, especially teenagers who were living away from home for the first time, said Leonard. There were other higher-ups around, but it was Garcia who took the initiative to organize physical training sessions for the young Marines, work out with them, and get them in shape. 

“We never had a situation where a Marine failed a PT test or didn’t meet their development milestones because Garcia constantly had his hands on the pulse with those guys. And his training was effective. When the unit got called up to deploy in 2018, we didn’t have any Marines who weren’t in shape or ready for the task at hand. Sergeant Garcia made sure that those Marines were ready,” Leonard said. 

“Garcia was willing to work and to show those Marines exactly what they needed to be successful and to advance within the Marine Corps,” Leonard said. “He showed the Marine Corps what it means to succeed.”