WHO SHE IS
Associate Director for Campus Visitation, Office of Undergraduate Admission
TIME AT FORDHAM
Six years
WHAT SHE DOES
Jeanne is responsible for planning and executing all on-campus events for prospective students. In addition, she is responsible for recruiting in Connecticut and Minnesota, attending college fairs, meeting with high school counselors to identify potential applicants and reviewing applications.
BACKGROUND
She earned her degree in English from Fordham College at Rose Hill. Shortly thereafter, she began to work in the Office of Admission as a counselor. She went on to earn a master’s degree in Human Resources from the Graduate School of Education. She is the daughter of Ellen Holzmann (TMC ’74), who teaches special education in the Bronx, and George Holzmann, a retired New York City firefighter.
WHY FORDHAM
“That is a two-part answer for me. When I came to Fordham as a freshman in 2001, I chose it because of its Jesuit values—the real sense of community that I felt and the opportunity to grow. Ten years later, those are the same reasons I am still here. Fordham is a great place to come to work every morning. We are a school that values tradition—we are not going to deviate from what we have been since 1841—but we are also very forward thinking.”
ON THE ROAD
“In my recruiting duties, I’ve also been to Seattle, Portland, New Orleans, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Pittsburgh and Miami—places I never would have had the opportunity to visit otherwise.”
MOST-ASKED QUESTION
“Right now, families want to know that Fordham is an investment worth making for their child; that not only will it have a positive outcome for their child in the long run, but that this will be a home away from home. Because I had that experience, it is very easy for me to talk to parents of prospective students about Fordham and the Bronx as a place that I call home. When they ask me how much I liked it, I say, ‘Well, I am still here.’”
THROUGH THE PROCESS
“A few years ago, I met a young man and his girlfriend at a local college fair. He wasn’t interested in Fordham, but we struck up a conversation. Fifteen minutes later, I had him sold on at least applying. I saw him again in the spring, and he said it wasn’t the right time, but he agreed to keep in touch. Sure enough, two years later he shows up in the lobby and he has been admitted to Fordham and is coming. I see him on campus and he tells me he’s doing really well here. I feel like I really made a difference for him.”
—Janet Sassi
