Fordham Club Members

Isabella Iazzetta is the president of Fordham Club and is a senior from Bethel, Connecticut. She is majoring in Humanitarian Studies and Theology, with a minor in Peace and Justice Studies and a concentration in American Catholicism. At Fordham, she has been involved with Rose Hill Society, Campus Ministry, and has served as president of Jesuit Network since her sophomore year. She also does New Student Orientation, and ran the program as a Coordinator in 2020. Isabella is a research assistant for the Bronx African American History Project and specifically focuses on expanding the Eating the Bronx database and social media platforms. This past summer, Isabella interned at Coalicion Mexicana as a social media coordinator, seeking to increase engagement and outreach for the organization. She also volunteers at Part of the Solution, a Bronx-based institution that serves the local community. After graduation in May 2022, Isabella hopes to work for a humanitarian organization that focuses on immigration.

Zachary Abu-Orf is the Diversiphi Committee Chair and a senior from Pitman, New Jersey. Zach is pursuing a double major in Anthropology and African and African American Studies with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies on the pre-law track. When he isn’t studying the humanities, Zach serves as the President of the Ramblers, Fordham’s premier all-male acapella group, after being the Events Coordinator and Publicity Director the previous two years. He is also the Social Media Chair of the Middle Eastern Student Association for the third year in a row, where he celebrates his Palestinian heritage and pride with other Middle Eastern students. Additionally, Zach is the co-Social Media Director for Flipside, a club that provides opportunities for students to attend alcohol-alternative events and activities through raffle events. In the past, Zach served as a Faculty Advising Student Assistant (FASA) for two years, where he was able to mentor new students as they adjusted to life at Fordham. This year, Zach has had the opportunity to be one of the four New Student Orientation Coordinators, specifically the Orientation Coordinator for Marketing and Communications—a year-long internship where four students organize the entirety of Fordham’s New Student Orientation Program. After being an Orientation Leader and Captain the previous two years, he was overjoyed and well-prepared to supervise, welcome, and orient the largest incoming class in Fordham’s history. After graduating in May, Zach hopes to spend a year or two working abroad and gaining life experience before attending law school to become a criminal defense attorney. In his (rare) free time, Zach enjoys singing, advocating for social justice, and cooking.

Jeffany Acosta is a senior at Fordham College Rose Hill with a major in digital technology emerging media and a minor in marketing. She has been involved with the Commuter Students Services since her sophomore year and is currently serving as a marketing consultant. She serves as a mentor to incoming commuter students and develops a variety of on-campus programs and excursions to enhance the commuter experience at the university. During her time at Fordham she has been involved in Global Outreach: Ecuador, Fordham University Emerging Leaders as a recipient and program coordinator, and volunteered at the Office of Center for Community Engaged Learning as a college access ambassador. Last summer, Jeffany interned at The Estée Lauder Companies as an online and e-commerce intern where she partnered with an analytics team to analyze and interpret data for ELC owned brands. After completing her master’s degree, Jeffany hopes to pursue a career in data analytics within the beauty industry.

Mariana Beltran Hernandez is the Bronx Relations Committee Chair and a senior originally from Mexicali, Mexico majoring in International Political Economy and Humanitarian Studies and minoring in French. During her time at Fordham, she has been a Manresa Scholar in Loyola Hall and West Wing Scholar in O’Hare Hall. Mariana had the opportunity to study abroad in Granada, Spain as part of the Fordham in Granada Program in Spring 2019. At Fordham, she has served as an Urban Plunge Assistant, an Operations and Logistics Urban Plunge Captain, an Engaged Learning Fellow with the Center for Community Engaged Learning, and a leader with the Pedro Arrupe Volunteers. Mariana has interned with Let’s Get Ready, the International Rescue Committee, the Interfaith Center, and the Office of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She currently holds the roles of Staff Development Coordinator with Fordham Commuter Student Services, Pro Bono Intern with the Center for Reproductive Rights, and Transition Coach with Let’s Get Ready. After graduation, Mariana hopes to work in the field of women's rights advocacy.

Arianna Chen, originally from Wayne, NJ, is a senior in Fordham College at Rose Hill majoring in English and Political Science with minors in Classical Civilizations and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Along with her current role as the Executive Vice President of the United Student Government (USG), Arianna also serves as an avid member of the pre-law track at Fordham: she has expanded access to equitable legal resources and mentorship at the undergraduate level as the Vice President of the Pre-Law Society as well as the Co-Managing Editor for the Fordham Undergraduate Law Review (FULR). She also has dedicated much of her college career to various DEI and community engagement initiatives within her roles as a research assistant in the FCRH Undergraduate Research Program, Urban Plunge Assistant, FCRH Representative in DEI Council, and current position at a literacy non-profit in Harlem called Behind the Book to incorporate culturally salient literature in Title I school curricula.

Josephine Cohen is a senior at Fordham College Rose Hill majoring in Environmental Studies and Humanitarian Studies, with a minor in Political Science. Josephine is originally from Baltimore, MD. On campus, she is Vice President of the Humanitarian Student Union and liaison for the Eco-Reps program on USG’s Sustainability Committee. She is also a member of the Social Innovation Collaboratory’s Climate Impact Initiative and Students for Environmental Awareness and Justice and has previously been an ambassador for the Center for Community Engaged Learning’s College Access program. In August 2020, she received the AmeriCorps Segal Education Grant for her work interning with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control. In the Spring of 2021, she was inducted into the Alpha Sigma Nu Honors Society. Josephine has held internships with the nonprofits Project Petals and Mzuzah Charitable, where she currently works as a Policy Analyst Intern. After completing her bachelor’s degree at Fordham, Josephine plans to earn a master’s degree in environmental policy and pursue a career in environmental conservation and land management.

Danielle D’Alonzo is a Fordham College Rose Hill senior from Long Island, New York. She will graduate in the spring of 2022 with a major in English and minors in philosophy and medieval studies. She has also begun working towards her master’s degree in education, which she will complete in 2023. During her time at Fordham, Danielle helped launch a one-on-one mentorship program with Jonas Bronck Academy, the middle school across the street from Fordham. As part of Fordham Club, she hopes to continue building connections with the Bronx community. A member of the Honors Program, Danielle is currently writing her Honors senior thesis on Jane Austen and culturally responsive pedagogy. After completing her Master’s degree, Danielle hopes to pursue a career in education, starting out as a high school English teacher.

Max Durante is graduating with a major in Digital Technology and Emerging Media. He is originally from Lincoln, Massachusetts. Much of Max’s time on campus has been dedicated to his role as editor-in-chief of Fordham’s fashion and lifestyle publication, Mode Magazine. He oversees production and manages a 200-person team of writers, editors, photographers, models, and designers. Max also runs a sole proprietorship doing by-contract photography, video, and web design. He is also a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the Communications Honors Society. After graduating, Max hopes to pursue a career in creative production.

Jade Dyer-Kennedy is a senior from Long Island, New York in the Honors Program. She’s majoring in Spanish and minoring in Journalism. She is a captain of the Division I Track and Field team, Diversity and Inclusion Officer on Fordham’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Communications Captain for Urban Plunge and Fueling Coordinator for the much-loved Ram Van. Additionally, she has worked with her fellow student-athletes to create Fordham Connect, a mental-health focused initiative for Fordham student-athletes, which she hopes will continue to fight the stigma surrounding mental health. In the wee bit of free time she does have, she dedicates her time to the Make A Play Fellowship and as an Assistant Track Coach for the Fordham Preparatory School. She plans to hone these varied passions into a focused career in criminal defense law, where she hopes to continue breaking stigmas and promoting social justice.

Andrea Estrella, originally from Paramus, New Jersey, is a senior at FCRH studying International Political Economy with a Spanish minor. During her time at Fordham, she has participated in the Matteo Ricci Seminar and completed select coursework through the Curran Center for American Catholic Studies. She has been involved in undergraduate research since her sophomore year, when the tenth edition of Fordham Undergraduate Research Journal published her research on female representation in 19th-century Italian literature. Now serving as the News Editor for FURJ, this will be her third year working on the journal’s staff. She has also been heavily involved with Fordham’s Social Innovation Collaboratory since her freshman year, where she worked with both the Design for Social Impact and Climate Impact Initiative teams before serving as the Project Manager for The Innovator, FSIC’s solutions-journalism publication. She is also a member of both Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Iota Rho honors societies. This year, she is excited to be volunteering as a tutor with the South Bronx United. She is looking forward to working with Fordham Club to create positive change surrounding important issues on and beyond Fordham’s campus

Audrey Felton, the Student Leadership and Services Committee Chair, is from Cincinnati, Ohio and is pursuing a double major in English and Anthropology, a minor in Classical Civilization, an honors concentration in American Catholic Studies, and a pre-law concentration. As the Vice President of Operations in United Student Government, she oversees all club development on campus and works to improve student involvement on campus. Last semester, Audrey created the COVID-19 Student Support Network to provide support and resources to quarantined students. She has served as a Faculty Advisor Student Assistant (FASA) and HEOP Tutor for three years and is a member of the Student Life Council, Student Advisory Council, and the Women’s Club Lacrosse team. Audrey is the president of Sigma Tau Delta and is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Sigma Nu. She has interned as a judicial fellow at the New York State Supreme Court where she conducted case law research and worked closely with the court attorney and law students to provide recommendations to the judge. After spending a year teaching or working abroad, Audrey plans to go to law school to study family and criminal law.

George Fitzgerald is from Boston, Massachusetts and is studying Philosophy and Economics, with a minor in Arabic at Fordham College Rose Hill. He serves as President of St. Jude’s Up ‘til Dawn, where he oversees both virtual and in person fundraising events, and the overall future of the club. George plays on Fordham’s rugby club, as well as serving as Vice President of the club, in charge of all recruiting. George tutors at P.S. 85, an elementary school close to Fordham’s campus and hopes to continue teaching abroad after graduation. George plans to attend graduate school in international development.

Samantha Flor, originally from East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, is a Senior at Fordham College Rose Hill majoring in Psychology while minoring in Communications. Since her Sophomore year, she has been involved in many peer mentorship roles as a new student orientation leader, a resident assistant, a First-Year-Formation mentor for incoming freshmen and even as a mentor for refugees through an internship at the International Rescue Committee. She is a member of the Psi Chi honors society. As a member of Fordham Club, she aims to increase access between mental health services and students, to make it more accessible and welcoming to every student. After graduation, she hopes to continue serving in a role to help maximize every student’s full potential.

Camila Gómez is a senior from Queens, New York, double majoring in Political Science and Theology, with minors in American Studies and Bioethics. She currently serves as the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for the United Student Government. She is also involved on campus as a Resident Assistant for Belmont Community Housing and a Maintenance Coordinator at Ram Van. In her current work role, she serves as a college counselor at the High School of Fashion Industries, specifically working with First Generation college applicants. In the past Camila has worked as a Constituent Services Liaison for Ritchie Torres, and as a Bronx Borough Organizer for the Dianne Morales for Mayor Campaign. After graduating from Fordham College in May of 2022, she hopes to continue working in higher education and creating lasting change for students like herself.

Maggie Grossman is a senior from Chicago, Illinois. She is on the Pre-Health track, majoring in General Science with a minor in Spanish. As she is a 4-year member of the Fordham’s Division-1 women’s soccer team, much of her time has been spent in the gym and on the soccer field. On top of her commitment to soccer, Maggie started a student-athlete-led initiative called Fordham Connect that aims to erase the stigma around vulnerability in sport. She was also a Campus Captain for The Hidden Opponent, which has a similar mission, and was named to the Peace Action Fund of New York Student-Athlete Honor Roll for work in advocacy and activism. Maggie also works as a Spanish tutor at Fordham, a middle school tutor at South Bronx United, and has worked in Fordham’s Sports Medicine department. Her summer jobs have included youth soccer and swim coaching.  After graduation, she aims to become a non-surgical sports medicine physician.

Alysha Jhaveri (she/her) is a senior from Trumbull, Connecticut, majoring in Anthropology and Psychology and minoring in Bioethics. Alysha is currently the President of the Psychology Club, formerly serving as the Communications Director, a writer for Her Campus, an online magazine, a member of SPIRE, a women’s empowerment club on campus. She is a member of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. She works as a Research Assistant at the Burke Health & Wellness Lab, studying eating- and weight-related health disparities in children and adolescents. During her time at Fordham University, Alysha also participated in Global Outreach (GO!) - Romania and volunteered with Peer Health Exchange as a Health Educator, Senior Health Educator, and a member of the Leadership Council, empowering local Bronx highschoolers with a comprehensive health education. In the past, she interned at the GlamourGals Foundation as a Marketing and Program Development Intern and worked as a Tutor at Brainey Alley. Upon graduating, Alysha hopes to attend graduate school to earn her doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

Olivia Johnson is a senior in Fordham College Rose Hill from Chicago, Illinois. They are graduating this spring with a double major in International Political Economy and Environmental Studies. During their time at Fordham, they have been involved with Generation Citizen, Social Innovation Collaboratory, Outdoors Club, Peer Health Exchange, and the Fordham Business Development Collaboratory. Olivia was also inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu honor society this past spring. Outside of Fordham, they are an active member of New York’s rock climbing community, and spend the majority of their time working as a coach and instructor. After graduating, Olivia plans on pursuing a graduate degree in architecture and urban design and eventually attending law school down the road.

Michael L’Abbate is a Fordham College Rose Hill (FCRH) senior double majoring in Psychology and Film & TV, with a film concentration in the latter. He is originally from Pleasantville in Westchester County, New York. On campus, he serves as the President of the Running Club; a Faculty Advisor Student Assistant (FASA); a photographer, videographer, and video editor for WFUV radio station; a research assistant in Dr. Elissa Aminoff’s Cognitive Neuroscience Vision and Memory Lab; and a member of the Manresa Scholars Program in his first year. He has been heavily involved in undergraduate research, assisting others with their projects while also independently conducting his own research. Last summer, he interned with a Fordham alumna, editing videos for her business’s social media platforms while gaining experience in professional consulting on psychological and mental health topics, for both individuals and organizations. For the fall semester, he is participating in the Ignatian Leadership Certificate Program, which aims to develop hard and soft skills while examining how Ignatian values such as cura personalis could be useful for people in positions of authority. He is also a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the international honor society for Jesuit colleges and universities, and Psi Chi, the international honor society for psychology students. He enjoys playing video games, creating his own short films, and reading novels in his spare time. After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school for psychology with the goal of becoming a workplace psychologist and a professional corporate and life coach.

Max Luf is a senior at Fordham College Rose Hill from Saint Louis, Missouri majoring in Integrative Neuroscience with a concentration in Cell and Molecular Neuroscience. On campus, Max serves as President of PRIDE Alliance, Fordham College Rose Hill’s gender and sexuality student group, and as President of the Integrative Neuroscience Student Association. Max has the honor of serving Fordham College Rose Hill as the Captain of Fordham University Emergency Medical Services, where he is an EMT, crew chief, and also oversees and teaches other EMTs and EMT students. This past summer, he also served as a captain for the Urban Plunge pre-orientation program at Rose Hill. He has been involved in research at Fordham in the Biological Sciences department for over two and a half years working on studying the means by mutations to a specific tRNA maturation gene of interest leads to a variety of neurological disorders using the common fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model. Last year, Max was inducted into the Sigma Xi honor society for his success in research. After graduation, Max plans to apply to medical school and hopes to continue working with and for others in a medical and scientific context.

Mark Lugas is from Weymouth, Massachusetts, and he is a senior at Fordham College at Rose Hill. He is double majoring in Political Science and History, with plans to pursue a master’s degree in History after graduating early in December. During his time at Fordham, Mark has involved himself in campus life in many ways. He is a columnist for the Fordham Political Review, a member of the Jewish Students Organization, and part of the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society, the National Political Science Honor Society. He is also an Undergraduate Fellow at the Center for Jewish Studies here at Fordham. He can speak French, and he also knows conversational German, Arabic, and Hebrew. Mark has interned in both the Massachusetts State House and the New York State Assembly, and he has, for the last year, been working with a political consulting firm called the Friedlander Group in order to pass the “Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act” through Congress. This experience has seen him speak and work with U.S. Representatives, Senators, and their respective staffs to pass this bill, and he is personally responsible for the signing on of numerous Representatives and Senators. Aside from this, he has also worked with Historic Hudson Valley to transcribe dozens of 200 year-old letters from the prominent Hoffman family of New York, as well as worked in a hospital over the summer during the Covid-19 pandemic. He hopes to pursue a potential career in lobbying or public relations, and one of his life goals is to create a family museum detailing his family’s history.

Layne Meyer is a senior from Long Island, New York, studying history and international studies. His involvement on campus over the past four years includes service as a volunteer on the GO! NYC team, as a Training Director for the Model United Nations Club, and as part of the Center for Community Engaged Learning’s Engaged Leader Fellowship program. After graduation, he plans to travel to Kenya to work with a youth education and development NGO in pursuit of a career in international development. As a member of the Fordham Club, Layne hopes to advocate for peer-to-peer mentorship and other career preparedness initiatives for liberal arts students to advance their professional development.

Katherine Morris is double majoring in Digital Technologies and Emerging Media and Mathematics/Economics. She is from Stirling, New Jersey. On campus, Katherine is involved in The Fordham Ram newspaper, first as the Digital Editor and now on the e-board as the Digital Director. She is also the Video Campaign Manager for the Fordham Business Development Collaboratory, which aims to help small businesses in the Bronx. Her internships have included Fordham IT, Merrill Lynch, and Solebury Trout. She is also a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society and Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society. In her free time, Katherine enjoys playing tennis, learning guitar, and cooking. After graduation, she hopes to combine her varied interests to pursue a career in the communications or news media industry.

Sierra Morrone is a senior from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, double majoring in Political Science and International Studies with a minor in Arabic, on the Pre-Law track. During her time at Fordham, Sierra was part of the Manresa Scholars Program, has been a Resident Assistant for three years, was the Executive Treasurer of Fordham Model United Nations, Coordinated the Fordham University Emerging Leaders program, taught a civics class to high schoolers as part of Generation Citizen, and is a member of Pi Sigma Alpha. Beyond Fordham, Sierra has held multiple internships within the fields of local, city, and state government. She has interned for the New York State Human Rights Division, Bronx Community Board 6, a City Council Campaign, New York City Department of Planning, and is currently working at a non-profit law firm in Manhattan. In her spare time, she loves to cook, tend to her houseplants, travel, and stay active by going biking with her friends. Sierra hopes to use her experience to serve marginalized communities in a career dedicated to public-service and law.

Abby Murphy is from Littleton, Massachusetts which is about a half hour east of Boston. At Fordham I am majoring in English and minoring in Spanish, and I have been a part of the creative writing concentration since junior year. I have always been interested in reading and writing, which is why I chose to study English and creative writing, and last year I started an online short story magazine at Fordham called The Post Script. Every semester, we accept submissions from Fordham students and put their work together into a compact volume, which we share on our website, instagram, and email out to the English and creative writing departments at Fordham. I have also always been interested in Spanish, and was supposed to study abroad in Spain, but unfortunately my plans got derailed during covid. To keep up my Spanish during my time at Fordham I volunteer as a TA in an English-as-a-second language course offered at Fordham and also helped translate documents for the Coalicion Mexicana legal clinic in the Bronx. At Fordham I am also a member of the Gloria Dei choir and I work as an English tutor for the Higher Education Opportunity Program at Fordham. After graduation, I am hoping to travel to Spain and work as an ESL teacher abroad or get a job as a magazine or newspaper editor in New York.

Kiara Norris is a senior from Memphis, TN, with a major in Political Science and a minor in Mandarin Chinese on the Pre-Law track. Kiara is a second-year RA and a captain of the DI Swimming and Diving Team. She has been a tutor for three years in both the HEOP and the Office of Academic Advising for Student-Athletes. She is also a volunteer for the Liberty Partnerships Program, a team manager for the Fordham Business Development Collaboratory, a team leader for Fordham Connect, a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, a facilitator for Fordham Dialogues, and on the Community Engagement committee of the social justice task force known as the Fordham Athletics Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Awareness Committee (IDEA). This past summer, Kiara worked with The Bronx Defenders as a Legal Advocate Intern. After graduation, Kiara plans to either teach English abroad or work for a year before pursuing a career in combating racial injustice within the US legal system.

Lauren Pecora is a Fordham College Rose Hill senior from Greenwich, Connecticut with a double major in International Studies and Theology, a minor in Economics, and a concentration in American Catholic Studies. She joined the Pedro Arrupe Volunteer (PAV) Council her sophomore year, leading volunteer events at Fordham and throughout the Bronx and NYC area. Lauren volunteered with the Mexican Coalition this past spring, teaching citizenship classes and translating legal documents, and continues to help organize and moderate PAV’s Common Grounds Conversation Series. Over the summer, she was a virtual intern, writing translations and supporting fundraising efforts for a nonprofit based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This year, Lauren is the Social Justice Intern for Campus Ministry. She is a member of the Sigma Iota Rho and Theta Alpha Kappa honors societies. Lauren is currently preparing to lead a Global Outreach project to the U.S.-Mexico border to work with the Kino Border Initiative. She hopes to continue promoting engagement between Fordham students and their Belmont neighbors during her time with the Fordham Club.

Virginia Pohl is a senior from Salt Lake City, Utah. She is majoring in Integrative Neuroscience with a concentration in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience and minoring in Economics. During her time at Fordham, Virginia has been involved in Fordham’s chapter of A Moment of Magic, a national foundation that provides creative programming to children with medical vulnerabilities, since her freshman year. She volunteers as a character (Belle), and this year she is serving as the Vice President and Magic Experience Coordinator of the club. Virginia has also been a member of the Women’s Rugby Team since her freshman year. This year, she has the privilege of serving as the Vice President of the team. Additionally, Virginia is involved in Fordham’s Emergency Medical Service (FUEMS) as an EMT and a Driver. She is also an Officer for FUEMS this year, serving as the Head of Day Staff, Covid Vaccinations, and Covid Testing. She was also a Health Educator in local Bronx classrooms with Pre-Health Exchange for three years, as well as a Tutor for Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) students for two years. Off campus, Virginia does research on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) at the Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center at Mount Sinai Hospital. This year, she is pursuing an independent project with the Center investigating anxiety and depression among older adults who have suffered a TBI. She also works as a Medical Scribe in the Emergency Room at St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers. Additionally, she has volunteered for the Trevor Project, the nation’s only suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ+ youth, for one year. After graduation, Virginia plans to apply to medical school and hopes to pursue a career that further involves her intersecting interests in mental health, health education, and working with kids.

Thomas Reuter is studying Political Science and Faith, Racial Justice, and the Law at Fordham University in New York City. He currently serves as the President of Fordham’s United Student Government. He is also a Co-Managing Editor of the Fordham Undergraduate Law Review. In the past, Thomas has worked for the Biden presidential campaign, Fordham Law’s Center on National Security and Stein Center on Legal Ethics, New York State Supreme Court Justice Gerald Lebovits, AEI’s Summer Honors Program, and the Hudson Institute’s Political Studies Program. In addition to Fordham Club, Thomas is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu and Pi Sigma Alpha. With an interest in constitutional law, he aspires to attend law school and pursue a career in public sector litigation. Originally from Seattle, WA, Thomas enjoys the tranquility of nature and is an avid Seattle Seahawks fan.

Raymond Rigat, originally from Clinton, Connecticut, is a senior at Fordham College at Rose Hill majoring in Integrative Neuroscience with a concentration in Cell and Molecular Neuroscience. Additionally, Ray is obtaining an honors concentration in American Catholic Studies through The Francis and Ann Curran Center, serves as the current Managing Editor of the Fordham Undergraduate Research Journal (FURJ), and is conducting research in sex-specific neuroendocrinology on campus. Ray has also been acting as a Faculty Advisor Student Assistant since his sophomore year, and loves hiking, photography, and reading. Throughout his time at Fordham, Ray has been selected as a Matteo Ricci Scholar, served as the previous News Editor and a former Copy Staffer at FURJ, acted as a STEM representative on the Academic Integrity Committee, and has been inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu, the international honor society of Jesuit colleges and universities. Upon graduating, Ray hopes to attend medical school, specializing in either neurology or immunology.

Grace Robinson is a senior from Chicago, Illinois pursuing a major in Communications and Culture with a concentration in Media Studies and a minor in Psychology. With a passion for sustainable and ethical business, Grace has led as President of Students for Fair Trade since her junior year. She additionally serves as Co-Director for the Web Development team at the Fordham Business Development Collaboratory, helping small businesses in the Bronx create an online presence with student involvement. With a love for writing and art, Grace has written for the culture section of the Fordham Ram since her sophomore year, as well as for the digital platform Mood of Living, interviewing and writing about leaders of sustainable non-profits. Grace has interned with Jonah Bokaer Arts Foundation to assist the Artist-in-Residence program and most recently completed an internship with the press department at American Ballet Theatre. She hopes to work within dance administration upon graduation.

Joelle Saunders is a senior from Greenville, South Carolina. She is pursuing a major in International Studies with minors in French and Digital Technology and Emerging Media. As a member of the Fordham community, Joelle has been a member of Fordham Experimental Theater on the Allergy-Friendly Stand Up Team, including holding the positions of Publicity Representative and, most recently, President; she has been a member of the Fordham chapter of Catholic Relief Services, serving as Social Media Chair since her freshman year; she has been a Peer Reviewer for the Fordham Undergraduate Research Journal; she has also started as a Ram Van driver this year. Last semester, Joelle completed a remote internship with Women of Paris, a walking tour company located in Paris, France, and this summer, she completed an internship working with One Fair Wage and RAISE High Road Restaurants, two organizations dedicated to raising the federal minimum wage and supporting the restaurant industry. She is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu and Phi Beta Kappa. In her free time, she likes to write poetry, play the guitar, cook, and follow politics. Joelle is currently working on her International Studies Thesis project on information and communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure and digital development. After graduation, Joelle plans to take a gap year before going to graduate school abroad to continue studying digital technology and media in global contexts.

Grace Schmidt is a senior from St. Louis, Missouri. She is double majoring in Economics and French Studies and is a current graduate student in Fordham’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, pursuing an accelerated Master of Arts in Economics. Grace has been a member of Fordham’s Undergraduate Mock Trial Team for four years and has been serving as team captain and lead counsel for her small team since her junior year. Starting in her senior year, Grace was elected President of the team. In addition to participating in Mock Trial, Grace is a third-year research assistant for the Bronx African American History Project, where she works closely with Dr. Mark Naison and the Department of African and African American Studies. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Grace was an original member of the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project, interviewing and collecting stories about the Bronx’s resilience in the face of the pandemic. Grace’s research for the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project was featured in The Museum of the City of New York’s “New York Responds” exhibit. Grace is also a member of Fordham’s USG: Sustainability Committee, and Fordham’s Orientation Team. After completing her Master of Arts in Economics, Grace hopes to go to law school eventually hoping to work in economic policy focused on health care and education reform.  

Katie Schulte is a senior from Cincinnati, Ohio, majoring in Political Science and minoring in French. During her time at Fordham, she has been a Manresa Scholar and served as a Faculty Assistant Student Advisor (FASA) for the same program since her sophomore year. She is a member of the Political Science Honors Society, Pi Sigma Alpha. She is also a member of Fordham’s Social Innovation Collaboratory for three years and is currently the Creative Director for their publication, The Innovator. She has done extensive research about environmental justice and her work was published in the former publication as well as The Fordham Undergraduate Law Review (FULR), where she is also a Senior Editor. During her junior year, Katie worked for a city council campaign in the Bronx as an intern and then as a Communications Fellow. She focused on compiling resources during the COVID-19 crisis for those in District 15. This included creating a job and internship database to meet unemployment needs. While completing her junior year remotely, she also served her own community in Cincinnati by partnering with local hospitals to donate masks she made with her sister during the shortage. In Fordham Club, Katie hopes to continue to work for the Fordham and greater Bronx community. After graduation Katie plans on going to law school and studying the intersection between the environmental crisis and public health.

Richard Shrestha is a senior at Fordham College studying Economics with minors in Business Administration and Classical Civilizations from Milford, Connecticut. On-campus, he leads as a 3rd Year Resident Assistant currently residing within Walsh Hall with experiences as a Manresa Scholar and then as a Resident Assistant in Loyola Hall for two years. Besides his work in residence halls, Richard is the president of Lincoln Center’s Consulting Club with an interest in expanding professional development opportunities at Rose Hill. In the summer of 2020, he created a free-of-charge consulting organization named the Fordham Business Development Collaboratory (FBDC) as an initiative to aid small businesses and nonprofit organizations recovering from coronavirus-related repercussions. This past summer, Richard interned at PNC Financial Services remotely as a Treasury Product Management Intern working in the Accounts Receivables group. In the future, Richard hopes to work in strategic or consulting-focused roles with free time on the side to pursue his passions for social innovation and community development.

Grace Twehous is the secretary of Fordham Club and is from Jefferson City, Missouri. She is pursuing a major in Political Science, a minor in History, and an honors concentration in American Catholic Studies. Grace is a council member for Campus Ministry’s service organization, Pedro Arrupe Volunteers, where she helps organize and lead short-term service projects with our Bronx and NYC neighbors. She is also a member of various organizations on campus, including the Fordham Undergraduate Research Journal (FURJ) Copy Staff, Jesuit Network, Respect for Life Club, Fordham’s Thomistic Institute Chapter, Orientation Team, Alpha Sigma Nu, and Pi Sigma Alpha. Grace has had several internships relevant to her Political Science major, including working for a U.S. Senator, a non-profit grassroots advocacy organization, a gubernatorial campaign, and a fellowship with a D.C.-based think tank. Most recently, Grace served as Administrative Coordinator for Missouri’s non-profit Bicentennial Inauguration committee, where she helped plan events to celebrate Missouri’s 200 year anniversary of statehood. Currently, she is a College Associate for FOX Digital where she works on the strategy and operations team. Grace hopes to pursue a career in public policy or advocacy upon graduation.

Alexis Weintraub, originally from Miami, Florida, is graduating with a B.S. in Computer Science. She is the co-president of Girls Who Code at Fordham, a legacy she is proud to leave behind her. Alexis is a student in the Honors Program at Rose Hill, where her study of the humanities balanced out her STEM coursework. She has been a Resident Assistant for three years, two of which have been in Queen’s Court, a community she holds close to her heart. During her time at Fordham, Alexis has also been involved in the University Choir, WFUV News, and the Residence Hall Association. After graduation, she’ll be getting her Master’s in Computer Science through Fordham’s Accelerated Master’s program. She is passionate about creating space for women in tech, and she hopes to lead by example and be a trailblazer when she joins the workforce.