Applications to live in Fordham University’s Integrated Learning Communities (ILC) closed on Monday, Feb. 12. These communities offer a unique opportunity for students to live and learn together, fostering collaboration and academic engagement within a supportive residential environment. An ILC is an intentionally developed living-learning environment that provides a great framework for creating more meaningful relationships with students’ fellow residents, extending the academic environment into the residence halls and further developing the students’ own identity, as expressed by Steven Najdzionek, assistant dean of the Gabelli School of Business.
According to Fordham’s website, there are three first-year programs: Loyola Residential College and the Manresa Program, Queen’s Court Residential College and the Science Integrated Learning Community (SILC).
Stella Franizia, FCRH ’27, lives in the Queen’s Court ILC and said, “We’re all really close — there are only 140 of us, and I feel like I know everyone… [It’s a] smaller community — there is always someone to check on you.” There are also weekly resident assistant programs and special events like field trips or free tickets to the theater.
“Partying is not as normalized as in [Alumni Court] South or Loschert [Hall],” said Franizia. This fosters a sense of community due to the “common interests and even ethics with the people in the building.”
There are also ILCs in upperclassmen dorms, such as the Global Business ILC located on the third floor of O’Hare Hall, the SILC ILC on the fourth floor and the Wellness ILC on the fifth floor which are designed for sophomore students. “The [Global Business] ILC typically meets [weekly] on Wednesdays from 5:20-7 p.m. At the core of this ILC is an Alumni Leadership Series that brings successful alumni to the ILC to present to our students in a comfortable and informal setting in the ILC classroom on the third floor of O’Hare Hall,” said Najdzionek.
The Global Business ILC offers a variety of events, from Q&A’s with rising seniors currently participating in internships and keynote speakers who’ve worked in the financial industry to baseball games and visits to the New York Stock Exchange. Andres Bustos, GSB ’26, a member of the Global Business ILC, said, “[I] would definitely recommend students to take this opportunity because it helps participants navigate the internship process with ease.” Students in Fordham College Rose Hill are also welcome to join the Global Business ILC.
There are a variety of ILCs available to students based on their interests and needs. They provide resources such as one-on-one tutoring, ILC-specific programs, events and/or retreats.
Students who applied to live in an ILC for the 2024-25 school year will hear back by Feb. 16.
