Sixteen one-credit seminars, along with two zero-credit seminars, are being offered to students for the spring semester.
The symposiums range from topics such as pre-health, pre-law, business, nutrition, liberal arts, sustainability, environmental justice and research, as well as symposiums targeted towards first-generation students, members of the Manresa program and commuter students.
The pre-health symposium is mandatory for pre-med students. “We had a Zoom meeting where a previous Fordham student who failed chemistry and did poorly in some STEM classes still got into medical school, so it was really inspiring,” said Brandon Cordy, FCRH ’27.
The diversity in the program’s offerings appeals to students in a variety of fields.
“What I really like about Fordham is the liberal arts education which allows students like me to explore all sorts of different career pathways and what fits them and their interests,” said Pierce Liestenfeltz, FCRH ’27. He is taking the pre-law symposium.
“As a pre-law student I thought the symposium would give me a head start on internships, thinking about law school in the future, preparing for the LSAT and the overall law school application process,” said Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27.
The programs, covering a variety of career paths and discussion topics, also feature guest speakers currently working in the field.
“I’m most excited for all of the different guest speakers,” said Ruzicka. “Each week there’s going to be a new guest speaker. I’m also excited to learn more about Fordham’s 3+3 program.”
Some of the seminars were also held in the fall semester. “The pre-health symposium was very insightful on different types of careers in the healthcare field,” said Lauren Rocco, FCRH ’27. “It was interesting to learn about the multitude of different options there are and to hear from people in such fields. For example, an anesthesiologist hosted one of the sessions and talked about his life at work and what his job can look like. It was inspiring to hear about other people’s journeys to medicine.”
The pre-health and pre-law symposiums were the first one-credit programs offered, to give students a direct look into the lives of professionals currently working in the field. “In response to student demand for more opportunities for involvement in undergraduate research, we first created the ‘Foundations in Research Engagement’ seminar in 2019,” said Dr. Patricio Meneses, associate dean for student support and academic initiatives.
“We are seeking to absolutely consider additional ideas as well as rotating offerings in the spring or fall,” Meneses said. He points students to contacting Natasha Tretter with any requests for symposiums at [email protected].
The one-credit symposiums are as follows: Pre-Health, Pre-Law, First Year Research Experience, Manresa CEL Ignatian, Big Data, West Wing ILC, Nutrition Essentials, Commuter Leadership, Foundation in Research Engagement, First Generation, Liberal Arts, Career Exploration, Sustainability and Environmental Justice, Discerning your future: an Ignatian guide and a Matteo Ricci Seminar.
Additionally, the two one-credit symposiums, one for first-year students and another with pre-health peer mentors, are offered for students. In the 2023-24 academic year, the symposiums reached a total registration of 480 students, with enrollments being 186 for the fall semester and 294 for the spring.
“I signed up for the pre-health symposium because of the opportunities it provides to learn about different fields in medicine,” said Jada Feldman, FCRH ’27.
In addition to the seminars, there are also numerous events held throughout the semester by the Career Center, allowing students to hear from numerous professionals across different fields of work to better gauge what careers they would like to pursue in the future. The spring career fair will be held on Feb. 7. The Career Center will also hold an event on Jan. 31 in preparation for the career fair, where students can receive information and guidance on researching participating organizations and networking.
