You may recognize her fierce, curly hair, but Kiki Jimenez is more than a spunky, sporty girl. She’s super involved on-campus and juggles all her extracurriculars with a rigorous courseload. Plus, she’s a pop culture junkie with a great sense of humor and fashion taste. Kiki is the type of girl who can do whatever she wants to, and luckily for us, that means making Fordham and the Bronx a better place.
Where are you from? I was born in Quito, Ecuador and lived there until age 9. In August of 2000, my family moved to Hershey, PA, where we’ve been ever since. So I guess you could say I’m from the middle of the world and/or the sweetest place on Earth.
What year are you? Junior.
What is your major? Double Sociology and Psychology major, International Humanitarian Affairs minor.
What activities are you involved in? I’m one of two CAB General Board Coordinators, I play soccer on the Women’s Club Soccer team as well as intramurals, am an active member of Peer Educators and work as a mentor for Club Amigas/Mentoring Latinas.
Favorite movie: I’m never good at picking just one, and they always vary from time to time, so I guess I’ll pick three that stand out right now: Inception, La Vita E Bella and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Favorite band/musician: Even harder than picking a movie… For rainy days, Jack Johnson and Adele; for feel happy get-up-and-dance, Matt and Kim; for driving on the country roads, Keith Urban and Taylor Swift; for subway rides, Girl Talk, the Hood Internet and Jay-Z; for when the Ecuadorian side takes over, Shakira, Carlos Baute and Carlos Vives; for easy-living, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin; sprinkled in between are the Shins, the Strokes, Mumford and Sons, the Dodos, Matchbox Twenty, John Mayer, the Weepies, Iron & Wine, Yelle and many, many others.
Favorite book: The Picture of Dorian Grey, The Chocolate War and What Happened to Lani Garver.
Favorite TV show: Shameless.
How did you decide to come to Fordham? I dreamt about coming to school in NYC all throughout high school. Thus, when I received a letter from Fordham inviting me to become part of this community, it was next to impossible to pass up this opportunity!
Why did you decide to become involved with Mentoring Latinas/Club Amigas? My good friend told me about the program and coincidentally I had been looking for an opportunity to give back to the Bronx community. Mentoring Latinas/Club Amigas seemed like a perfect fit, where I could use my experience as an immigrant as well as my Spanish to try to make a difference in someone’s life.
What’s your favorite part about playing for the club soccer team? I love that I can make new friends while doing something I love, and simultaneously stay in shape (or should I say try to get in shape?).
What’s your favorite thing about NY? At risk of sounding cliché, diversity! For example, I love that I can take the D and listen to conversations in Spanish; get off at Columbus and be immersed in a fast-paced urban jungle surrounded by all kinds of people; walk through Central Park and watch break dancers; stop by 52 and 6th and get some Halal food; and make my way down to Union Square and find a unique display of local art.
Do you have any tips for students who are trying to balance schoolwork, extracurriculars, and other obligations like internships? Try to prioritize! It’s easy to waste time between classes and activities talking to friends or Facebooking, but use spare time wisely. Remember that those forty-five minutes can make the difference between a 1am and a 2am bedtime. Also keep in mind that no one comes to college to get a degree on sleep, so embrace those all-nighters!
What’s your least favorite thing about NY? That I can’t drive here (blessing and a curse, really…). As much as I love public transportation, sometimes I just miss joyriding with the windows down and the radio up.
Do you have a favorite Fordham memory? It’s difficult to pinpoint just one event because my whole experience here has been so phenomenal! My first Spring Weekend, when MGMT performed, was pretty memorable. Martyr’s Lawn exuded happiness that day.
Do you have a favorite NYC memory? Again, difficult to pick just one. One memorable and unique experience occurred during September of my freshman year. As part of the group in charge of balloons and confetti for special events such as Broadway on Broadway and New Year’s, my roommate invited me along to throw confetti off the 82nd story of a building in Times Square; we bonded and it was a blast!
What’s your favorite class you’ve taken at Fordham? Toss up between Multicultural Psychology and Identities and Inequalities in America.
What’s your least favorite class you’ve taken at Fordham? Statistics for Psychology.
Where’s your favorite spot on campus? Keating steps – I actually don’t spend much time there, but every so often I’ll sit down with friends or by myself and just look out. It’s a great place to reflect on life or just to people watch.
If you could give one piece of advice to Fordham collegiettes™, what would it be? Remember you’re in the cultural capital of the world, and when the Fordham bubble feels too small, NYC is the best place to retreat!
What’s your dream job? I’m not quite sure – ideally I’ll be helping people. As of right now it’s looking like either clinical psychology work in an addiction or eating disorder clinic, and/or working for a not-for-profit organization using sociology as a basis.
What’s on your NYC bucket list? To spend at least one summer here, to visit 5Pointz, to have coffee at D’Espresso, and to partake in the Bubble Project, among many other things.
What do you think the best part of a Jesuit education is? The emphasis it places on becoming a well-rounded individual not only academically but also spiritually and socially, along with using one’s talents to aid those less fortunate.
Who is your favorite professor at Fordham? Dr. Elizabeth Johnson – she’s one of the most knowledgeable, interesting and kind people I’ve met.
What’s one thing everyone would be surprised to learn about you? I tap danced for eight years, and sometimes I miss it so much I sneak into the dance room in the basement of Keating and tap.
Pick one!
Bronx Zoo or Botanical Gardens? Botanical Gardens – shameful to admit, I have yet to visit the zoo.
Arthur Ave/Fordham Road? For delicious dinners, Arthur Ave; for a nice reality check from the Fordham bubble, Fordham Rd.
Cafeteria or Grille? For endless hours of conversation and banter, Cafeteria; for the actual food, Grille.
Conway or Dr. Jay’s? Dr. Jay’s Ladies!
RamVan or Subway? Subway – never boring, a refreshing change of scenery and quite the hotspot for sociological and psychological observations.
Duane Reade or WalGreen’s? WalGreen’s.
Met or MoMA? Both!
Hot Dog or Bagel? Hot Dog
Broadway or Off-Broadway? Broadway.
Radio City or Madison Square Garden? Radio City.
Central Park or Brooklyn Bridge? Brooklyn Bridge.