Fordham University students at both the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses stopped in time on Monday, April 8, to witness the solar eclipse that passed across North America. 

Edward’s Parade at Rose Hill was filled with hundreds of students and faculty watching the partial eclipse that passed over New York just after 3 p.m. Students at Lincoln Center sprawled out in the plaza to watch the event in Manhattan. 

Prior to the event, Fordham Public Safety gave out eclipse glasses to students to safely watch the phenomenon and emailed safety tips to students, including to use ISO-certified solar glasses, to not look directly at the sun during the event and to wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

“I was worried for my safety, I didn’t know what was safe to look at since there was a lot of discussion about using the glasses and if you didn’t it could ruin your eyesight,” said Hannah Crocker, FCRH ’26. 

Some professors opted to let classes out early or even cancel lessons in order to catch a glimpse of the event. 

“My professor let us out of class early so I watched the eclipse on Eddie’s with my friends,” said Bridget Godfrey, FCRH ’27. “I was in class when the eclipse was at its peak and you could hear people cheering.” 

The path of totality crossed Buffalo, N.Y., and surrounding New York cities such as Rochester and Syracuse, which are around five to seven hours north of Fordham’s campuses. Some schools across New York state canceled classes or dismissed early in order for students to witness the historic event in person. 

“I saw a lot of the Fordham student body on Eddies, it made me really proud to be a Fordham student and see how engaged everyone was,” said Jacob Wolfer, FCRH ’26.

The last eclipse visible in New York was Aug. 21, 2017. The next total solar eclipse in North America will be visible in Alaska in 2033, with a total solar eclipse not visible again from the contiguous U.S. until 2044 with totality occurring over North Dakota and Montana, according to CNN. The next total solar eclipse with a coast-to-coast path will occur in 2045.