“The virtual college fair will include the opportunity to connect with representatives from 50+ private colleges from across New York as well as workshops, offered in English and Spanish, on the college process and financial aid,” reads the online event posting. “Individual virtual appointments with financial aid experts will also be available in English and Spanish.”

Workshops include a Fordham-sponsored mentoring session for young men of color with University alumni and working professionals who are also men of color (and requires pre-registration) as well as sessions on how to pay and prep for college. 

This year’s fair was sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, and Fordham. In years past, the fair has been held on Fordham’s campus. 

Register for the fair here.

On Oct. 22, Fordham and the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU) hosted the 2017 College Access Fair for African-American/Black and Hispanic/Latino Students, the only one of its kind in the State of New York. The event was made possible thanks to a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Held at the Rose Hill campus, the event attracted 52 independent colleges and universities and an estimated 870 students from nearly 250 schools from the greater New York City region. An additional six organizations were represented, including The College Board, College Goal New York, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

Students and their families got a chance to talk with dozens of independent college and university admission and financial aid representatives, and to attend a series of workshops designed to aid in the admissions process. Among those workshops were How to Pay for College and Undocumented Students and the College Process.

“The event underscored for me the tenacity and support that some of these [students]need to make it through,” said Mary Beth Labate, president of CICU.

Fordham and CICU have worked together to sponsor the event since 2009 through various funding sources. Last year, Fordham received a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to support the annual event beginning with the 2016 fair and running through 2018. (Photo by Bruce Gilbert)

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“Fleet Week is such a unique event in our city,” said Matt Butler, director of the University’s Military and Veterans Affairs. “It’s also an opportunity for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to share what they do with New Yorkers. In return, New Yorkers take good care of them.”

On Sat. May 27, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Fordham and more than 20 higher education institutions from the five boroughs will come together to share information about their programs and degrees to service members, reservists, veterans, and their families.

“Educating veterans is not just beneficial to the veterans themselves, and to the society to which they are returning, but to the college and university campuses as well,” said Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham. “Veterans bring with them a maturity, and a diversity of thought, class, and culture that enriches the classroom experience and the campus community.”

Butler said Fordham is taking a leadership role because the Lincoln Center location is close to where the ships dock and is a central location for regional colleges and universities to come together. Transportation will be available to shuttle the servicemen between their ships on the Hudson River and the plaza in front of the Lowenstein building at Columbus Avenue and 60^th Street.

“New York is not thought of as a military town, but in fact it is. There are a lot of active duty reservists who will be invited to attend as well,” said Butler.

Student veterans will be on hand to talk about their experiences, as will public and private resource institutions, such as the NYC Department of Veterans Services, FourBlock, Edge4Vets, American Corporate Partners, and Veterans on Campus NYC.

Butler said that college is a perfect vehicle for transitioning from the military because it offers the opportunity to focus on securing a job that is as fulfilling as service to the country.  The Fleet Week College Fair will help members of the military to navigate those opportunities, he said.