“Professor Jeannine Hill Fletcher taught me that there are so many more dimensions to religion and theology than I originally thought, and that there is space for women in theology—an important message as a woman in theology myself,” she said.

She’s taken that lesson to heart: Ruiz, currently a student at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), hopes to one day work at a nongovernmental organization, or in government, focusing specifically on creating policies that improve the lives of women.

What do you think you got at Fordham that you couldn’t have gotten elsewhere?
Here’s a story that I like to tell: I arrived at Fordham a characteristically nervous freshman, daunted by a new city and the prospect of making social connections. On my way to audition for a club, I realized that I had no idea how to print the script I needed for my audition. Frantically, I approached an upperclassman to ask for help. Not only did he sit with me to figure out how to set up my printing account, he used his own credit to help me print my script. This unprecedented gesture exemplified the kindness and care that defines the Fordham community.

Academically, Fordham teaches its students to be deeply informed and concerned about injustices in the world, but also deeply moved to do something about them. Across disciplines, Fordham professors teach students not only about important issues in our communities but inspire their students to make a difference.

What Fordham course has had the greatest influence on you and your career path so far? How and why was it so influential?
Major Developments in American Culture, taught by Professor Diane Detournay. From academic discourse to everyday news, we often throw around terms like “systemic inequality,” “injustice,” and “oppression,” but we don’t spend enough time unpacking why these things happen or how they came to be in the first place.

Professor Detournay’s class allowed us to home in on the history of our country’s unfair systems and the ways in which they are perpetuated or upheld. Some topics we focused on were immigration, the prison-industrial complex, and the colonial history of Hawaii. I came away from her class with the confidence to articulate the history and mechanism of unjust systems, which was fundamental to my decision to study social policy for my master’s degree. I figured that the best way to combat systemic injustice is to change the systems that cause them in the first place.

Who is the Fordham professor or person you admire the most, and why?
This is a tough question because there are so many professors and people at Fordham I admire. If I had to choose, I admire Professor Jeannine Hill Fletcher. Among my non-religious peers, I’ve noticed that there is a general perception that religious people lack an awareness of societal discrimination. While it’s not her stated mission, I think Professor Hill Fletcher—who is Catholic—turns all of those stereotypes on their head. Not only is she a feminist theologian by training: she is very involved with advocacy work, as she is an prominent voice for faculty rights, and she is a dedicated ally to students of color and LGBTQ students. As someone who came to Fordham grappling with religion and trying to understand it better, it was really influential to meet Professor Hill Fletcher and see the kind of work she does.

Did you have any internships or any other experiences, such as clubs, that helped put you on your current path? What were they, and how did they prepare you for what you’re doing now?
I served on United Student Government (USG) for three years, culminating with a successful campaign for president. While USG is not an exact simulation of how state governments work, I felt that through my role, I was able to understand what it means to be a leader and how to deal with difficult issues because I entered my term right as COVID-19 hit and in the wake of the George Floyd protests. With the challenge of a pandemic and amid conversations about racial justice and everyday life, I found myself in a multitude of conversations about how to give students the best, safest, and most just experience possible. 

During these conversations, I learned to play to the strengths of different personalities and work styles as I led the Senate and executive board, and I learned how to negotiate with high-level University administrators. I feel that the communication and leadership skills I gained through my role as president will be crucial to my future career in policy work, either as a government policy adviser or at an NGO.

Finally, as president, I accomplished several landmark projects that were the first of their kind at Fordham. They included Fordham’s first anti-discrimination policy for student organizations, Fordham’s first ceremony of recognition for first-generation students, and statements of support for Black, Burmese, and Asian American communities. While they were not policies in a public or social policy sense, these long-term projects trained me to see large plans come to fruition and to uplift a diversity of voices in respectful ways.

What are you doing now? Can you paint us a picture of your current responsibilities? What do you hope to accomplish, personally or professionally?
I am currently at the London School of Economics, pursuing my MSc in international social and public policy. I am continuing my passion for leadership by serving as a Student Academic Representative for my programme at LSE. After graduation, I plan to either pursue a Ph.D. or begin my career in public policy.

What are you optimistic about?
While I miss Fordham dearly, knowing that it is inspiring generation after generation of changemakers makes me optimistic.

Interview conducted, edited, and condensed by Sierra McCleary-Harris.

Those qualities are the hallmarks of the members of Alpha Sigma Nu, the international honor society of Jesuit institutions of higher education.

On April 7, Fordham welcomed 143 new members to the society in its 34th annual induction ceremony, held on the Rose Hill campus. Among those being honored were 137 students from all of the university’s nine schools, and six faculty and administrators. Kirstin Tamucci, vice president of the Rose Hill campus chapter, said that “scholarship encompasses much more than the knowledge we gain in a traditional classroom environment.”

“We must learn to apply [classroom]knowledge and act upon it. In this sense, the pursuit of scholarship challenges us to develop a more informed and globally aware perspective,” she said.

Among those faculty and staff inducted as honorary members this year are (below from left to right) Dominic Balestra, PhD., professor of philosophy; Anne Fernald, PhD., professor of English; Carol Murabito, director, finance & treasurer, Budget Office; Sandra Vargas, senior executive secretary, Office of Student Leadership and Community Development; Msgr. Thomas J. Shelley, PhD., professor emeritus of theology; and Michael Trerotola, assistant university secretary and special assistant to the president.

Kate Gaertner, executive director of Alpha Sigma Nu, presented the award to senior Rachel Mae Aguilar, the 2014-15 president of the Fordham chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, and junior Jeremy Fague, the chapter’s incoming 2015-16 president.

Alpha Sigma Nu honors students who distinguish themselves in scholarship, service to others, and loyalty to the ideals of a Jesuit education. Fordham’s chapter has 129 members who were inducted on April 9, and thousands of Fordham alumni members as well.

Also inducted were more than 100 students from the University’s nine schools. (Photo: Michael Dames)

— Janet Sassi

Students from all 11 Fordham University colleges were welcomed into Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society for Jesuit universities, in a ceremony at the McGinley Center on Feb. 26. In addition to outstanding students from all of its campuses, five University faculty and administrators were accorded honorary membership in the society. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham, along with the respective college deans, presented the inductees with their certificates and keys.

Kate Gaertner, executive director of the society, was the evening’s guest speaker. “It’s very energizing to be part of a ceremony honoring students who have chosen to live academically and to serve others,” she said. “They’ve made Ignatian values their life choice.”

Rosemary DeJulio, Ph.D., advisor to the Fordham chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, recognized the incoming inductees for their “example of fine scholarship, loyalty and outstanding service.” The Fordham chapter of the society was founded in 1983, and this year marked the first time that students from each of the University’s colleges were inducted.

Vincent J. Duminuco, S.J., rector of Fordham’s Jesuit community, was inducted as an honorary member along with Georgina Calia Arendacs, Ph.D., director of equity and equal employment; Rosemary DeJulio, Ph.D., assistant to the president; Ron Jacobson, Ph.D., dean of summer session; and Anne Walsh, RSHM, assistant academic advisor for athletes. Father Duminuco said in his invocation that members of the society were answering the question that all Jesuit scholars face: “What have I done for Christ, and what am I doing for Christ?”

Alpha Sigma Nu was founded in 1915 at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisc. Membership is based on scholarship, loyalty and service, and commitment to intellectual, social, moral and religious ideals, and is open to students at 30 Jesuit universities in the U.S., two in Canada and one in South Korea.

By Brian Kluepfel