Commuter Week and Thanks-Give-Away are the two biggest events CSA, Commuting Students Association, puts on every year, and they are some of the most successful on campus. This year’s Thanks-Give-Away theme is a nod to the ancient Greeks, the brainchild of this week’s Campus Celebrity, Executive President Jess Giglio and her second in command, Alex Frank. All proceeds from prizes and donations at the door are made to POTS (Part of the Solution) soup kitchen. This year, Jess and her E-Board decided to set up a GoFundMe that will raise money before the actual event, and will score you raffle tickets for chances to win awesome prizes. Read more about this crafty girl here!
Where are you from? I’m from New City a town located in Rockland County, New York.
What year are you? I’m a senior!
What is your major? I’m a Visual Arts major with a concentration in Graphic Design and a minor in Marketing.
What activities are you involved in? I am the Executive President of the Commuter Students Association as well as the Vice President of Fashion for Philanthropy. This past summer I had the awesome opportunity to serve as a New Student Orientation captain and over the last couple of years at Fordham I’ve been involved with various clubs and organizations such as Insieme Italian Clutural Society and Campus Activities Board.
CSA’s annual Thanks- Give- Away is this week! Can you give us a little insight into what goes into planning such a large philanthropic event? A lot of time and dedication! Planning for Thanks-Give-Away starts in the summer when we pick our theme. From there, each committee starts their work on planning aspects of Thanks-Give-Away. After a ton of collaboration with our General Assembly, we design our shirt, pick our entertainment and come up with ideas for decorations and publicty. This year we’ve sent out hundreds of emails to business in the tri-state area for prize donations. We’ve also stepped up our fundraising efforts and created a Go Fund Me. Both our Executive Board and General Assembly have put in a lot of time to ensuring the sucess of the event.
How did you decide to come to Fordham? I knew I wanted to experience New York City, but I didn’t want to leave behind the idea of a campus environment. Fordham offers the best of both worlds. I love that at Fordham you have a ton of open space and beautiful scenery, but the city is a train ride away!
Do you have any tips for students who are trying to balance schoolwork, extracurriculars, and other obligations like internships? Invest in a planner! Everyone knows how much I adore my Erin Condren planner, it seriously helps be balance my life. I also use Google calendar to align all my meetings, assignments and other obligations.
What’s your favorite thing about New York? I love everything from the entertainment to the food, but what I like best is the shopping! There’s nothing like stumbling upon an awesome store in New York City.
Do you have a favorite NYC memory? Last year I went with Alexandra Frank (Vice President of CSA) to a gelato making class! We got to make four flavors of gelato and take it home, except for it was starting to melt so we sat in Grand Central eating the delicious ice cream before it turned into a puddle.
What’s on your NYC bucket list? I want to see Wicked on Broadway. I feel like I’m the only person left who hasn’t seen it. I know all the words to all the songs, but haven’t managed to see the musical.
What’s your favorite class you’ve taken at Fordham? I absolutely enjoyed my first sociology class at Fordham. During my Sophomore year I took “Gender, Race and Class” with Professor Kurti. I’m fortunate to have learned so much about sociological issues.
What’s your least favorite class you’ve taken at Fordham? My least favorite class at Fordham was my Philosophical Ethics class.
Where’s your favorite spot on campus? I may be a commuter, but I practically live in McGinley Center. I love spending time there.
If you could give one piece of advice to a Fordham collegiette, what would it be? Make your time last! Take advantage of as many opportunities at Fordham as you can. Join a bunch of clubs, go on retreats, participate in a GO! project. This is your time to enjoy all the opportunities here.
What’s your dream job? I would love to work in the beauty and fashion industry. I loved my internship with Revlon and know that I want to continue in that industry. I would love to be a famous YouTube vlogger.
What do you think the best part of a Jesuit education is? I love how open and loving the community at Fordham is. I believe that a lot of this has to do with being men and women for others. Students, staff and faculty here genuinely care about the Fordham community. I’m so proud to be a ram.
Who is your favorite professor at Fordham? I took to classes with Dr. Acosta in the History department. He’s an amazing professor and I learned a lot in his class.
Pick one!
Bronx Zoo or Botanical Gardens? Bronx Zoo
Arthur Ave/Fordham Road? Fordham Road. I love to shop and Fordham Road has amazing deals.
Cafeteria or Grille? Cafeteria
Conway or Dr. Jay’s? Conway
RamVan or Subway? Subway
Met or MoMA? MoMA
Hot Dog or Bagel? Bagel with vegetable cream cheese.
Broadway or Off-Broadway? Broadway
Radio City or Madison Square Garden? Radio City
Central Park or Brooklyn Bridge? Brooklyn Bridge