Fordham University—a Jesuit institution rooted in New York City with major campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan—heads into the heart of December with a news mix that feels quintessentially Fordham: research recognition, campus traditions that build community, and a busy athletics headline reel as the Rams’ fall sports rack up postseason honors. [1]
Below is a complete snapshot of the current Fordham-related news published and/or announced on Friday, December 12, 2025, across the university’s official channels and major sports wires.
Faculty and staff recognized for research, student support, and scholarship
Fordham’s official news stream on Friday highlighted a trio of faculty and staff accomplishments spanning cybersecurity, counseling leadership, and history scholarship. [2]
Cybersecurity and AI: a Fordham-led feature in IEEE Computer
Frank Hsu, Fordham’s Clavius Distinguished Professor of Science and director of the Laboratory for Informatics and Data Mining, co-edited a four-article feature in Computer (the IEEE Computer Society’s flagship publication). [3]
One of the featured articles—focused on robust intrusion detection using combinatorial fusion and generative AI—lists Fordham connections throughout its author team, including PhD student Evans Owusu as lead author, alongside Fordham assistant professor Mohamed Rahouti and alumna Mariyam Mapkar (MS ’24). [4]
Why it matters: as universities everywhere race to operationalize AI responsibly, Fordham’s mention in a mainstream IEEE venue signals that the school’s computer and information science work is showing up where industry and academia intersect.
Student mental health leadership: national role for Fordham counseling director
Jeff Ng, director of Fordham’s Counseling and Psychological Services, was elected to the board of directors of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD), chosen from a nationwide pool of nominees. [5]
Why it matters: at a time when campuses are still grappling with demand for student mental health services, board-level representation can shape best practices and policy discussions across the field.
“The Politics of Care”: Oxford panel featuring Fordham history professor
Fordham history professor Kirsten Swinth participated in a late-November Oxford University panel titled “The Politics of Care,” appearing on the program alongside Hillary Rodham Clinton. [6]
Fordham’s update frames the discussion as an effort to keep caregiving—across forms and communities—at the center of political debate. [7]
Inside Fordham: “Sacred Spirits” and a theology department tradition that keeps evolving
Not all meaningful campus news comes in the form of awards—and Fordham’s Dec. 12 coverage leaned into that idea with a feature on a long-running tradition inside the Theology Department: a themed-cocktail ritual that has become part hospitality, part storytelling, and part identity marker. [8]
According to Fordham’s report, theology professors Bob Davis and Kathryn Reklis build two themed drinks each yearfor the department’s holiday gathering—one brighter and one darker in tone, reflecting winter’s “light and dark” motifs. [9]
The tradition began in 2013, after a department retreat revealed their cocktail-making talents and then-chair J. Patrick Hornbeck II asked them to create specialty drinks to make the holiday gathering feel more inclusive and festive. [10]
This year’s anchor ingredient was mastiha, a piney Greek liqueur, which inspired:
- “Blessing of the Waters,” a rye-and-mastiha cocktail tied to Greek Epiphany traditions
- “Karaváki,” a gin-mastiha-lime drink nodding to a Greek custom of decorating small wooden boats [11]
In a line that captures why this story resonates beyond mixology, Davis describes these rituals as community glue—especially as departments diversify over time—saying even “silly” traditions can create shared history and identity. [12]
Campus faith and community: Our Lady of Guadalupe observance
Fordham’s Campus Ministry calendar also listed a Dec. 12 observance of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the University Church, including a bilingual Mass and a reception afterward. [13]
For readers outside the university, it’s a reminder of Fordham’s Jesuit identity showing up not just in mission statements, but in the rhythms of campus life in December.
Fordham Rams athletics: postseason soccer honors continue
Men’s soccer: Daniel D’Ippolito earns First Team All-Region; D’Ippolito and Daniel Lang land All-ECAC honors
Fordham Athletics reported that senior midfielder Daniel D’Ippolito was named 2025 United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region and also picked up Second Team All-ECAC recognition. [14]
The release notes D’Ippolito’s major Atlantic 10 hardware this season as well, including A-10 Offensive Player of the Year and A-10 Midfielder of the Year (for the second straight year), plus First Team All-Conference. [15]
Fordham also highlighted freshman defender Daniel Lang, who joined D’Ippolito on the All-ECAC Second Team and was previously named A-10 Rookie of the Year (and to the A-10 All-Rookie Team). [16]
The ECAC’s own announcement (timestamped Dec. 12) lists both Fordham players on its Division I Men’s Soccer All-ECAC Second Team, reinforcing the selection in the broader regional awards context. [17]
Women’s soccer: Liina Tervo named First Team All-ECAC
On the women’s side, Fordham Athletics announced that forward Liina Tervo earned 2025 Division I Women’s Soccer All-ECAC First Team honors, adding to a long postseason résumé that already includes First Team All-Atlantic 10 and multiple academic recognitions. [18]
Fordham’s release credits Tervo with a team-leading 10 goals and seven assists (27 points) and notes she ranked among A-10 leaders in assists, goals, points, and game-winners. [19]
The ECAC’s Dec. 12 announcement also lists Tervo on the All-ECAC First Team, placing her among the region’s top selections at forward. [20]
Men’s basketball: Manhattan visits Fordham as Rams prepare for Saturday matchup
Fordham also appeared in the national college basketball wire on Dec. 12, with an Associated Press preview of Manhattan at Fordham scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. EST in New York. [21]
Key points from the AP game brief:
- Fordham entered the matchup 7–4 and 5–2 at home. [22]
- Manhattan came in 4–6 and 0–5 on the road, aiming to snap a multi-game road slide. [23]
- Fordham’s top listed contributor: Rikus Schulte (11.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals per game). [24]
- The preview also spotlighted Dejour Reaves as a scoring engine over recent games. [25]
For Fordham fans, this is the kind of nonconference game that can feel deceptively important: a December home test that helps define momentum before the calendar flips deeper into league play.
What to watch next at Fordham University
If Dec. 12 is any indication, Fordham’s late-semester storyline is less about a single headline and more about breadth:
- Research visibility in venues that matter to working technologists and academics (IEEE’s Computer). [26]
- Student support leadership with national influence through AUCCCD. [27]
- Campus culture that turns small traditions into durable community rituals. [28]
- Athletics credibility built through conference awards and ECAC recognition across both men’s and women’s soccer. [29]
- Men’s basketball visibility in syndicated national previews ahead of weekend play. [30]
As Fordham closes out the semester and leans into the holiday season across its NYC campuses, the throughline is consistent: the university is showing up in public-facing ways that mix scholarship, student life, tradition, and competition—often all in the same day. [31]
References
1. www.fordham.edu, 2. now.fordham.edu, 3. now.fordham.edu, 4. now.fordham.edu, 5. now.fordham.edu, 6. now.fordham.edu, 7. now.fordham.edu, 8. now.fordham.edu, 9. now.fordham.edu, 10. now.fordham.edu, 11. now.fordham.edu, 12. now.fordham.edu, 13. www.fordham.edu, 14. fordhamsports.com, 15. fordhamsports.com, 16. fordhamsports.com, 17. ecacsports.com, 18. fordhamsports.com, 19. fordhamsports.com, 20. ecacsports.com, 21. apnews.com, 22. apnews.com, 23. apnews.com, 24. apnews.com, 25. apnews.com, 26. now.fordham.edu, 27. now.fordham.edu, 28. now.fordham.edu, 29. fordhamsports.com, 30. apnews.com, 31. www.fordham.edu
