“I stand on the shoulders of hundreds of people who saw something in me and who gave me an opportunity to be successful,” he said. “It was up to me to continue to push forward, but there were hundreds of people who actually pried the door open or at least gave me a glimpse of what success looked like.”

As a member of the President’s Council—a group of successful alumni who are committed to mentoring Fordham’s future leaders, funding key initiatives, and raising the University’s profile—and a loyal supporter of both Fordham athletics and the Fordham Founder’s Undergraduate Scholarship Fund, Caldwell said he is able to pay it forward to students who “need that one shot or opportunity. That’s all it took for me to get where I am today: just somebody opening the door and showing me what’s possible.”

Redefining Success

Caldwell and his siblings were raised by their mother, Dawn, in Baltimore. He didn’t have much ambition as a kid: His goals were to earn a high school diploma, secure a job in government, and have a baby—“that was what the legal route of success was,” he said. Though Caldwell is close to his mother and counts her as the most positive influence in his life, as a kid, the most financially successful people in his life were drug dealers.

“I vividly remember modeling myself behind my uncle, who was in that life and who sold drugs, and trying to be like him because he was the richest person I knew, thinking, ‘If I want to be rich … then I need to do what he does or act like him,’” he said.

Fortunately, Caldwell was a talented athlete who earned a basketball scholarship to attend St. Paul’s School for Boys, a college preparatory school outside of Baltimore. And when two of his brothers were murdered when he was in high school, prompting his mother to send him to live with one of his classmates, he got a glimpse at another kind of success: His classmates were thinking about colleges and careers, and they had both a “mom and a dad at home,” showing him “oh, this is what a family looks like.” Caldwell realized that not only did he now want the same things, but with a bit of focus and effort, he could persevere and earn them. When he earned a football scholarship to attend Fordham, he got his chance.

Leveraging an Injury for a Master’s Degree

At Fordham, Caldwell studied finance at the Gabelli School of Business. Though he had a new focus and determination, he said he couldn’t have succeeded without the support he received on campus: He, and countless other student-athletes, had a Catholic nun, Ann Walsh, R.H.S.M., behind them. As a sort of second mom, “she was the person that, if we were doing something we shouldn’t have been doing, would discipline us in her beautiful way. … You could tell it came with love,” he said.

She would “bring you to her office and walk you through an entire book; she’d read an entire book with you to make sure that you understood the coursework,” he said. “She went above and beyond what her job required to help us succeed. She will always be one of the catalysts of my success.”

During his first year on the football team, Caldwell was injured, giving him the option to come back for a fifth year to play. He agreed, but only if he could get into a master’s program. He did: He earned a B.S. in finance in 2010, an M.A. in humanities in 2011, and an M.B.A. in 2017.

Getting a Leg Up from the Fordham Network

Though he worked hard and made the most of the support and opportunities the University offered him, Caldwell is the first to point out that he owes many of his career breaks to the Fordham alumni network.

He learned about his first job after graduation, as an associate on the variable annuity sales desk at MetLife, from one of his teammates, whose father was an executive at the company. Since then, he’s worked at three other companies, and every job he’s gotten since he graduated has been through a Fordham alumnus.

Arguably the most important connection he forged at the University, though, was with Katheryn Pereyra-Caldwell, FCRH ’08, now his wife. Already parents to 2-year-old Chloe, the couple is expecting their second child, a boy, in November.

“I met my wife at Fordham,” he said. “The first three clients I brought on here at Goldman have been Fordham alumni. … Fordham has just been the anchor of my career, of my time and my life here in New York City, so I feel like it’s my duty to give back as much as I can.”

Holding Open the Door

Caldwell said he feels indebted to the University for “opening so many doors, creating so many opportunities when it comes to jobs, or advice, or mentors,” and that’s why he feels that it’s his duty to give back however he can—sharing his time, speaking at events, giving financially.

This past May, Caldwell attended a graduation reception at the Rose Hill campus for first-generation college students, getting to know the small group of attendees and encouraging them to stay in touch.

Through such events and serving on the President’s Council, Caldwell said he believes he’s in the best position to help pry open doors for Fordham students from backgrounds similar to his own, students who just need a chance to thrive. He also hopes that, with that support, those students feel empowered to take risks.

“I wish I would’ve taken more chances [growing up],” he said. “As a Black man in America, I felt like I didn’t have that many chances, so when I get this one opportunity, I got to take it and I got to make the most of it. Now how I look at life is it’s okay to fail. It’s okay to fall short or to start over. It’s not about how many times you get knocked down; what’s more important is how many times you get back up.”

Fordham Five (Plus One)

What are you most passionate about?
I’m most passionate about the next generation. Some would argue that I’m a success story, but what they fail to realize is that I could not get to where I am in life without the help of others. Because of this, I feel like it’s my duty to give back to the next generation. This is why I go out of my way to help as many people as I can.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?  
Don’t be afraid to take risk. Success in my mind is about how many times you get back up after being knocked down.

What’s your favorite place in New York City? In the world?
This is a tough question. When I was younger, I would have said the end zone after scoring a touchdown on the football field at Fordham, but now I would say the whale room at the American Museum of Natural History, [where I go]with my 2-year-old daughter, Chloe.

My favorite place in the world is back home in Baltimore with my mom and siblings, enjoying a bushel of Maryland blue crabs.

Name a book that has had a lasting influence on you.
The Daily Stoic, a book written by Ryan Holiday that provides 366 meditations on peace, wisdom, and perseverance. Each day, you’re supposed to read an excerpt from the book, which gives you a full day of insight and reflection.

Who is the Fordham grad or professor you admire most?  
The Fordham grad that I admire the most is my wife: one of the hardest workers I know. She has overcome a tremendous amount of adversity and is now a well-respected attorney.

What are you optimistic about?  
Although the political and social landscape has been rocky, I am encouraged when I see diversity in leadership at big institutions like Fordham University. I haven’t had a chance to meet Tania Tetlow yet, but I’m excited to see the first woman and first lay president to lead Fordham University since it was founded.

Organized by Marisa Villani, senior assistant dean for undergraduate studies at the Gabelli School of Business; Tracyann F. Williams, Ph.D., assistant dean for student support and success at Fordham College at Lincoln Center; and Christie-Belle Garcia, Ph.D., assistant dean for student support and success at Fordham College at Rose Hill, the event included more than a dozen graduating seniors from Fordham’s new First Gen Network.

Seniors Leslie Ann Abreu and Qi Di Zhang kicked off the ceremony with a heartfelt thank-you to attendees—“the people who have formed networks of support for first-generation graduating students”—before introducing keynote speaker Adrienne Boykin, a 2009 Gabelli graduate and a member of Fordham’s Multicultural Organization Supporting Alumni Initiatives and Community (MOSAIC) affinity chapter.

“This is truly a moment to celebrate for both you and your families because we know, as first-generation college students, we are not only celebrating for ourselves, but we’re also celebrating on behalf of our families and our communities,” Boykin said.

Words of Wisdom from a Fordham Grad

After studying accounting at Fordham, Boykin earned an M.B.A. from Mount Saint Mary College. In 2014, she “came full circle” when she joined America Needs You, a nonprofit offering mentoring and career development support to first-generation college students. She’s currently the organization’s chief financial officer.

Boykin encouraged graduating seniors to celebrate their achievement and take a minute to reflect on their college journey, especially times when they may have felt impostor syndrome.

“With the support of your family, your friends, and the Fordham community, you remembered that you actually earned your spot at Fordham, that you belong, and that you are paving the way for not only yourself but for future generations to go to college and to graduate,” she said. “The perseverance and strength that you have [shown] all of these years led you to today.”

Boykin imparted three tidbits of wisdom: “Impostor syndrome will continue to present itself in your life; however, you can and will get through it. Mentorship matters. And keep an open mind during life’s journey.”

Following Boykin’s address, each student’s name was called, and they received a commemorative pin. The ceremony also included a champagne toast.

A Supportive Alumni Community

A handful of alumni were also in attendance. As first-generation grads themselves, they offered advice and shared tips they’ve picked up in the years since they graduated from Fordham.

Marcella T. Barry, FCRH ’92, GSE ’96, vice chair of the President’s Council— a group of successful professionals and philanthropists committed to mentoring Fordham’s future leaders—encouraged students to stay connected to Fordham after graduating, and to “wave their first-gen flag” whenever possible.

“You do belong here because you worked really hard,” said Barry, the chief people officer at Jitjatjo, a staffing marketplace and workforce management platform. “Embrace it, and don’t hide it. Talk about it. It defines who you are, and in life, it’s those stories that are really important to tell.”

Jason Caldwell, GABELLI ’10, ’17, GSAS ’11, a vice president at Goldman Sachs and another President’s Council member, had an informal chat with the soon-to-be graduates during the reception. He gave them his contact info—and urged them to use it.

“Because Fordham has been so generous to me, I feel like it’s my duty to do the same,” he said, sharing that every position he’s held since graduating has been due to his Fordham connections.

“If someone ever tells you that they’re willing to help you and to give them a call or reach out, take them up on it,” Caldwell said. “That’s the only way that you can get ahead and move forward more easily.”

A Family Role Model and Future Educator

Abreu, a psychology major whose family migrated to the Bronx from the Dominican Republic when she was 13, said she takes pride in being the first college graduate in her family, and in serving as a role model for her little sister and her whole family.

She’s enrolled in the Accelerated Master’s in Teaching Program at Fordham’s Graduate School of Education. After earning her bachelor’s degree this month, she’ll continue working toward a master’s degree specializing in bilingual childhood education.

More than providing her with an education, Fordham has helped Abreu come out of her shell. “When I first came over here, I thought I’d be able to manage without socializing,” she said. “I used to be very introverted, very closed off. It’s been a transitional four years. I was not expecting that I’d be able to really step out of my comfort zone and express all my ideas and perspectives.”

Keeping Your Options Open

Chantz Kouveras said that although his parents made clear their desire for him to attend college, he wasn’t always sold, instead contemplating some career paths that didn’t require a college degree. But ultimately, he was swayed.

“I wasn’t necessarily seeing the opportunities that college would open up,” said Kouveras, who will earn a bachelor’s degree in political science and classical civilization, and will serve in the National Guard after graduation. “Looking back, I’m grateful because when you’re 18, you have no clue how many doors you’re going to be closing to yourself if you don’t take certain opportunities.”

One of the most surprising things about college, Kouveras said, was how much he had to figure out for himself, such as housing registration; luckily his friends and the Fordham community helped him navigate it all.

“There’s a lot that’s just kind of left to you,” he said. “To me, that’s just the college experience: figuring what you have to figure out on your own and building a network to help you out with that stuff.”

Preparing for a Career, Not Just a Job

Qi Di Zhang, a Long Island native who studied business administration with concentrations in marketing and consulting and a minor in economics, credits Fordham with teaching her balance.

“Being first-gen, I had to figure out how to balance schoolwork, getting a job, socializing, and having time to take care of myself,” she said.

Growing up, Zhang said that attending college was considered “a no-brainer” in her home. Her parents “came to America with the notion that you’re here to have better opportunities, and the first step of that is to get a better education.”

“My mom didn’t finish middle school, and my dad didn’t finish high school. My parents have jobs,” she said, “but they want me to have a career.”

Founded by students last fall, the First Gen Network connects and supports students who are the first in their families to pursue college degrees. Allies of first-generation graduates are welcome.