Alice shows great focus while honing her harp playing skills at an event. Courtesy of Alice Smyth
By Michael Cavanaugh
Every campus has that one student who everyone knows; the one that seems to be involved in every aspect of campus life. For those at Rose Hill, this student is Alice Smyth, GSB ’15.
A Yonkers, New York native and graduate of The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, NY, Smyth, a Business Administration major, spends much of her free time in the Office of Student Leadership and Community Development (O.S.L.C.D). She works there as an Orientation Coordinator for the New Student Orientation (NSO). Smyth, a commuter, also serves as a Commuter Assistant (CA), helping to build community among other students and working to further integrate first-year commuters, in particular, into campus life.
When she is not toiling away in O.S.L.C.D, Smyth also is an accomplished harpist. When she was seven years old, Smyth was accepted into The Gaelic Singers & Harpists of New York, an Irish singing group, under the direction of Eily O’Grady Patterson, a concert pianist and harpist.
“After acceptance into the group, I was just a little singer looking up to these ‘big kids,’” said Smyth. “When the singing rehearsals were over, the harpists would rehearse and I would watch them practice as I waited to get picked up.”
One day, while she was away with the group in Connecticut, Alice sat down at the lobby piano and began to play the songs that she was learning. Patterson approached Alice’s parents after hearing her play and asked them if they would like her to learn the harp. Alice then began taking lessons from Patterson, and now plays for her parish and for events, both on and off campus —because, as her business cards read, “Angels aren’t the only ones who play the harp.”
Alice has certainly taken advantage of the many opportunities that being a student at Fordham offers. In the fall 2013 semester, she took part in the popular Fordham study abroad program in London. Later that spring, Alice spent some time in Tokyo, Japan, for one of her classes and will be traveling to India for another class this semester.
“It’s very interesting when you look at all the things that you are a part of or have been a part of throughout your Fordham career; what you joined or participated in, what you are still doing now and how you have evolved as a person and as a leader,” said Alice. “I have never actually thought of me ‘deciding’ to become so involved at Fordham or so involved with anything, I just think it’s natural and normal for me.”
Naturally, Alice found a home at Fordham due to the multitude of activities and opportunities offered. Alice cites the great network of people and many connections as some favorite things about Fordham.
“I like how there are a majority of good, passionate and dedicated people that I have come into contact with at Fordham, and I hope I continue to meet these people,” said Alice. “I definitely hope that another favorite thing about Fordham will be the strong networking and connections I can gain both right now and in the future. Fordham is a great place to be and it all just depends on how you take it—have a positive attitude and if you don’t like something, change it!”
Michael Cavanaugh is the Assistant News Editor at The Fordham Ram.
