While modeling and being on the pre-health track might sound like total opposites, Courtney Fudge, FCRH ’25, is able to make it work and find common ground with her passions. Fudge, who is originally from Miami, has walked at New York Fashion Week for the past two years, and is a biology major on the pre-health track, specifically for veterinarian medicine. 

When choosing what college to go to, Fudge said she realized Fordham gave her the best of both worlds — she would be able to pursue medicine while also being at the center of the modeling world.

Fudge explained she has always had an affinity for animals and knew she wanted to work with them. “I just really am attracted to helping animals. I foster kittens every summer at home. So I bottle feed them and I take care of them and it just really, like, reminds me of why I love being here on this earth and why I love being human,” Fudge said. 

Fudge got into modeling when she was around 11 years old. “And then modeling is just ever since I’ve been young, like maybe 11 years old,” said Fudge. “People were commenting on my height a lot… People would make fun of me for it like ‘oh you’re so tall, like taller than most girls are.’ And the boys would say things and then one day this lady in a grocery store told me, like, you know, you can put that height to use. I was playing volleyball, but she was like, you should get into modeling like you have the look.”

After that, Fudge found a photographer and got digitals for her portfolio and has been in the business ever since. Currently, Fudge is a freelance model and is not signed to an agency. She explained she got connected with other freelance models through Instagram — where they send casting opportunities in New York City. Last year, as a sophomore, Fudge was sent a casting for Runway 7, which she explained was a newer agency  and good beginner experience. 

“I went to the casting, and I booked three designers. And then that was my first time when I walked in New York Fashion Week,” Fudge said. 

While it was a great experience, Fudge did add that she experienced some conflict with her modeling work and school work this year. She had a designer who wanted her to be in a show when she had a biology lab.

“School is very important to me. So, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to walk for him. And that’s like the moment where I realized okay, like, this may be a problem… that’s where I was like okay, now I know I have to plan out my schedule better with school and modeling,” Fudge said. 

Fudge added that while modeling and pre-veterinarian work are different, she feels the same passion for both.

“I feel when I’m in a bio lab or, like, learning about the different things of animals… I feel inside my heart that passion  — I feel the same thing when I’m walking down the runway, like it just makes me feel alive. So I feel that’s the two links. I love them both, and I feel like either one I’d be happy pursuing as a career forever,” Fudge said. 

For now, Fudge plans to take a gap year after college to work as a veterinarian technician to get clinical hours and experience. At the same time, she would continue to pursue modeling while she has more time outside of college to go to castings and possibly be signed to an agency. If modeling takes off, Fudge plans to pursue it for a few years and then go to veterinarian school afterward.

She isn’t set on what animals she wants to work on, but she would love to work with farm animals, such as cows and horses. “I love the idea of having my own farm one day and that’s probably what I’m going to do,” Fudge said  — which is another reason why she came to New York since upstate has more farm animals than Miami. 

In addition to her main passions, Fudge also loves dancing. She went to a magnet high school for a dance program, and she is currently a part of Fordham’s Dance Co-Op. She also enjoys playing volleyball and being outdoors.