Fordham Conversations

A recent poll found blindness ranked 4th as the condition most feared by Americans, following Aids, Cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.  This condition can be especially difficult for New Yorkers who begin to lose their sight as they age.  Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon talks with Dr. Amy Horowitz from Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Services. She shares her research on depression and late life vision loss.

This week on Fordham Conversations, it's all about food and how it’s more than just a source of energy. Fordham Professor Jonathon Appels talks about the lack of discourse around food culture, and his own experience with food. Also, Emma Boast (program director at the Museum of Food and Drink) talks about a project aimed at opening a museum dedicated to food in New York City.

Fordham Conversations explores two pests that have shown up around New York. Research scientist and Fordham Alumni Dan Molloy discusses a pesky species of mussel that haunts some of New York’s waterways.  We also hear from Fordham University Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Jason Munshi-South.  He tells us about his research with rats.

This week On Deck, Tara Sledjeski and David Balick preview the NL West. After briefly touching on the Padres and Rockies, they dive into the top of the division. Are the Dodgers still the team to beat in the division? Or have the Giants and Diamondbacks closed the gap? 

New York Harbor has a long history that starts way back in the 1600s. It’s home to all kinds of species and wildlife, but throughout the 19th and 20th centuries the harbor was filled with trash and sewage sending the harbor on a downward trajectory. But now, it’s making a comeback and things are looking better. Today on the show we’re talking to John Waldman. He’s the author of Heartbeats in the Muck: The History, Sea Life, and Environment of New York Harbor which is now available from Fordham University Press. Also on the show, WFUV's Kris Venezia has a story about how New York's waterways can be used for transportation. 

This week Fordham Conversations features stories about membership. Whether you're a member of a social club, or a member of a community, there are pros and cons to membership. First, we talk to Alan Linn. He's the owner of the Norwood Club on W 14th St in Manhattan. Norwood is one of the most exclusive social clubs in NYC, designed as a place for creative minds to come together. Then, urban planner and Fordham professor Cecil Bakalor talks about how city projects might not be the best thing for members of the Bronx community.

Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon visits The Fordham Museum of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Art.  There she discusses the largest gift of art in the university's history with Fordham’s Curator of University Art, Jennifer Udell. 

Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon talks with Author and Fordham Alumn Robert Hinkley.  His book “Time to Change Corporations: Closing the Citizenship Gap.” details ways to make corporations more socially responsible.  Then WFUV’s Jake Neher talks to the Really Terrible Orchestra of Westchester, a not-for-profit ensemble of musical amateurs that are proud to be “musically disadvantaged.”

Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon discusses the often-uncomfortable yet important topic of palliative care with Dr. Phil Pizzo.  It’s a holistic approach to helping patients through serious illnesses or end of life decisions.  Dr Pizzo also tells us about a new program at Stanford University that helps people figure out their second act in life.

Dancer, choreographer, director and teacher Nat Horne talks about both his professional and personal experiences. On this week’s show we hear from Nat Horne, an original member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.  He shares his experiences growing up in the segregated south and his move to Broadway. As both a dancer and choreographer, Horne has a tremendous amount of respect in the industry. Today he opens up about not only his life on the stage, but also the events that lead him to get there. 

Qatar is considered one of the wealthiest countries in the world and traditionally one of the most conservative. Yet western culture is beginning to influence younger generations, especially when it comes to news.   Dr. Everette Dennis is helping train the next generation of journalist in the rapidly changing field of cross-platform media. He is Dean and CEO of Northwestern University in Qatar. Dr. Dennis is also former chair of the Communication and Media Management department at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business. On this week’s Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon and Dr. Dennis discuss what it’s like to teach journalism in a conservative country.  We also discuss an NU-Q study on entertainment consumption habits in the Middle East, including the popularity of Hollywood content and its perceived morality – or lack thereof.

Fordham Conversations host Robin Shannon looks into 20-somethings, there journey into adulthood and their relationship with the church.  Dr. Jeffrey Arnett, Author and Psychology professor at Clark University in Massachusetts, discuss “Emerging Adulthood.”  He coined the phrase to describe a new phase of late adolescence.  Then Fordham University's Christine Firer Hinze and Paul Schutz discuss twenty-somethings and the church.

It turns out Baby Boomers have different attitudes towards home ownership than Millennials (the generation born between 1980 and 2000), and they’re buying different types of houses. Fordham Conversations Host Chris Williams talks with Jessica Lautz, Director of member and consumer research at the National Association of Realtors, talks about a buyer and seller generational trends. Then, Fordham Professor Emily Rosenbaum explains why some people are waiting until they are older to own a home and how this compares to previous generations.

  Fordham Conversations' host Robin Shannon talks with humorist and author Dan Zevin, who has a new set of books called “The Little Miss and Mr. Me Me Me Parody Series."  They mimic the popular "Mr. Men" and "Little Miss" children's books.  We also hear from Fordham Alumni Tim Rozmus. He helped brainstorm the new series and also offers the millennial point of view on the book's characters. The series which includes “Little Miss Overshare,” “Mr. Selfie," "Little Miss Basic," and "Mr. Humblebrag” are published by Three Rivers Press.

Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon talks with Fordham Alumni Valerie Irick Rainford. Her latest book is "Until the Brighter Tomorrow: One Woman's Courageous Climb from the Projects to the Podium." In her auto-biography, Irick-Rainford takes us through her challenging young life, through two devastating deaths to her inspiring and impressive career firsts.

Science fiction is one of the more popular genres in literature, and arguably one with considerable cultural influence. But what goes into writing a great science fiction story? Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon sits down with Paul Levinson, professor of media and communication studies at Fordham University.   The award-winning science fiction author also shares his advice on writing. 

Elder abuse is a crime that can go unnoticed if unchecked. It affects one of the most vulnerable populations, by making seniors victims of financial, physical, and often sexual abuse. Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon puts a spotlight on elder abuse, and steps that can be taken to deter it. We first travel to a Citymeals-on-Wheels elder abuse awareness training. Volunteers are being trained to recognize signs of abuse, what questions to ask, and what to do if abuse is suspected. Dr. Patricia Brownell discusses the abuse older women suffer internationally. Dr. Tina Maschi, an associate professor at Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Service discusses similar abuse in prisons.  Maschi is also Executive Director of the "Be the Evidence Project."   

Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon sits down with Fordham University’s Patrick Verel to talk about his new book “Graffiti Murals: Exploring the Impacts of Street Art.”  In it, he takes us on a journey to discover how some graffiti murals are created and what role they play in cities like, New York, Trenton, and Jersey City.  We also explore the complex relationship between street artists, property owners and city politics.

The Eternal Space is a two-man play that tells the story of an unlikely friendship that develops during the demolition of the old New York Penn Station during the mid-1960s. Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon sits down with Playwright & Producer Justin Rivers and Producer Dennis McCarthy.

Someone once said that no man fights the same war as another. If that’s true, than the Veterans Writing Workshop is a way for those who have been through battle to express themselves and share their experiences. Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon talks with Veterans Writing Workshop Founder, David Surface. We also hear from Vietnam Veteran Rod Carlson and Korean War Veteran Vincent Speranza. Both share their war experiences in the anthology “Afterword’s: from War and Home."