Published: August 28, 2008

It is no secret that we begin this academic year in tumultuous times. Our nation is entrenched in a war with no clear resolution, oil is sending the prices of everything sky-high, our economy is tumbling and our money is rapidly losing value. However, Fordham College at Lincoln Center seems to be doing just fine. The college is preparing for the largest freshmen class in the history of the school, according to Ashley Tedesco’s cover story. Despite a struggling national economy, FCLC has continued to flourish. Kathryn Feeney’s piece cites several possible reasons for the success of the college, but it seems that the main reason is a passion for the school. Many students chose to attend Fordham despite the struggling economy because it was simply the strongest option academically.

It is not surprising that these students chose Fordham above all other schools. The University was recently named “America’s Hottest Catholic School” in a Newsweek ranking, and jumped to 61st place in the U.S. News and World Report ranks. Two aspects of the academic reputation of the school are the strength of the faculty and student body. Many faculty are respected working professionals in the areas they teach. Many students also get real-world experience in the subjects they study as undergraduates, as a result of internships and part-time jobs. At FCLC, students have a healthy sense of ambition that drives them to take on as much as they can. This allows students to draw on a variety of experiences when completing projects for both work and school. These experiences all contribute to the intellectual development of Fordham students, and allow us all to enter both the classroom and the workforce with a host of innovative ideas.

Our nation has weathered innumerable challenges over the past several years, and there is no doubt we will be faced with many more. As the world rapidly changes, it will take a generation of creative minds to help push society forward. At FCLC, we are fortunate to be part of a community of achievers: students and faculty who are always striving to do more and do it better. When many students graduate from FCLC, they do not have to dream about working at a magazine, editing a film or performing on Broadway – for many, those dreams have already been realized. The skills and ambitions these students have developed at FCLC may carry them to the top of even a shrinking job market.

Students spend their years at FCLC developing, exercising and strengthening their creativity. FCLC professors work hard to challenge students, encouraging them to develop beliefs and opinions, then streamline them into formulas that may be useful in the real world. Many of these are formulas that have the potential to change the world.

Our country is at a crossroads. We are in the heat of a difficult presidential race in which both candidates acknowledge the need for change. A majority of the American population does not approve of the direction the country is going in. In trying times, there is one thing that will never be lost. A developed intellect can endure all changes, good and bad, that occur over the years. Education and the development of ideas have brought this country forward in the past, and desite all challenges, will do so again.