A group of students walk along the bridge over Beebe Lake

Promising Futures

Recruiting Future Indigenous Leaders to Cornell University

Promising Futures is an outreach and recruitment program first hosted by the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program (AIISP) in March 2014. The program provides an immersive on-campus experience for prospective North American Indigenous undergraduate students who are considering applying to Cornell University.

We invite prospective students, high school teachers, counselors, and parents to campus to learn about Cornell and AIISP. As part of the Promising Futures experience, you will go on campus tours, listen to tailored presentations, and participate in workshops about everything from admissions to financial aid to fun things to know about Cornell. You will also find yourself networking with AIISP/Cornell faculty and staff, and learn directly from current students' experiences.

For more information contact wl685 [at] cornell.edu (Wayva Waterman Lyons).

Promising futures students take a photo with the cow display in Stocking Hall.
Explore Cornell's Campus

Join AIISP for a tour of a Cornell's main campus with unique guidance from current Cornell students and AIISP staff. See campus from Indigenous students' perspectives and imagine yourself learning on Cornell's beautiful campus, located in the traditional Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' (Cayuga Nation) homeland. As part of the campus tour, as seen on the image, Promising Futures participants get a tour of the Cornell Dairy and try ice cream made there.

Students sit around a table with AIIS faculty.
Network with AIIS Faculty

You will receive personalized mentorship from AIIS/Cornell faculty tailored to your field of interest. AIIS faculty come from various departments across all seven of Cornell's colleges. Find the faculty who share your academic interests and discover those you may not have known about all before applying to Cornell!

Students listen to a presentation
Workshop your College Application

You will receive professional advice on the ins and outs of the application process from Cornell admissions officers and AIISP staff, as well as financial aid officers. Get your application questions answered and see what a successful application looks like. This will give you the edge when applying to Cornell or any other college.