Meet Me on the Ag Quad

Congratulations to the Class of 2027 and our newly admitted transfer students at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences! I’m delighted to welcome you to our community of top-notch scholars.

At CALS, you will be encouraged to explore the boundaries of knowledge and take your studies beyond the classroom. I am so inspired by the game-changing research and discovery happening in our college and I know you will be, too.

Now more than ever, CALS is committed to tackling the complex challenges of our time through purpose-driven science. No place connects the life, agricultural, environmental and social sciences better than CALS — and no place is better positioned to advance scientific breakthroughs that change lives for the better, both in the State of New York and around the world.

I invite you to explore all we have to offer as part of a comprehensive Ivy League university. Whatever your passion, you can explore it here.

Congratulations on your admission to Cornell CALS!  We are incredibly excited to welcome you to campus this fall!  You will begin a journey of exploration, reflection, learning, challenges, and fun that will allow you to evolve into an even MORE interesting person (you're already amazing)!  You will be spending time with new friends, classmates, and peers and those will be memories you will cherish forever.  Cornell is a large campus so it's important to find connections and resources to make this place feel a little smaller.  Keep in mind your interests will probably evolve and change because you are going to find things you never heard of before from our unique classes to extracurricular clubs to PE course offerings (how about Ultimate Bass Fishing or Backcountry Cooking?). 

My experience with Cornell began many years ago as a 4-Her visiting the campus in 8th grade.  I was mesmerized by the beautiful campus and hoped someday I might attend Cornell.  My college experience began at SUNY Cobleskill which resulted in becoming a transfer student to Cornell.  After graduating from Cornell, I spent seven years working for Cornell Cooperative Extension and eventually began a job back at Cornell in CALS Admissions.  I've been working in CALS ever since in both Admissions and Student Services and I love my job. I'm also now a Cornell parent! 

My Cornell experiences as a student, an employee supporting students and now as a parent of a student have taught me the secret to success at Cornell:  ask for help when needed!  You have learned a lot in high school and now you are coming to college to learn MORE!  I promise you don't know everything (yet) so asking questions is how you expand your knowledge in classrooms and while navigating Cornell.  Please make asking questions a priority - it's critical and there are so many people willing to help you on this journey through Cornell CALS!  Best wishes and I can't wait to meet you on the Ag Quad AND answer your questions over the next four years!

Spring is my favorite time of the year at Cornell. The weather is beautiful, there are traditions that make the campus come alive, and there is a lot to celebrate - but as an Admissions professional for over ten years, the reason I love spring is simple -- it is finally time to meet all of YOU! For the last several months, my team and I have seen you come to life from thousands of applications as part of the incoming class. Spring is when applicants officially become admitted first-year and transfer students - the next generation of CALS undergraduates and change-makers. 

The CALS Admission team and the rest of our campus community cannot wait to connect with you. We encourage you to engage in the variety of virtual opportunities that have been created to help you build relationships with the very people that will make up your community when you arrive on campus. Other newly admitted students, faculty, staff, and current students are all waiting to meet you! We also know that each of you has your own inquiries and unique set of circumstances. Be sure to reach out to us through email (cals_admissions [at] cornell.edu) or virtual platforms like CUontheHill. We are committed to working with you and your family to answer all of the questions you may have in preparing to join the Big Red family.

Congratulations and I wish you all the very best!

My name is Jess Hawkey (she/her/hers), and I am the Assistant Director of Academic Exchange and International Engagement. I advise our CALS students on international experiential learning opportunities such as semester and summer study abroad and summer international internship opportunities. I administer the CALS Exchange programs which are built by CALS for CALS students with CALS major curriculum and research interests in mind. I also administer the CALS Global Fellows Program, a donor funded program that offers funding to offset major expenses for summer international internships. My educational background in Anthropology, Library Science, and Museum Studies along with my work history (archaeologist, touring bands merchandise manager) instilled an appreciation for travel in regard to personal, professional, and academic growth. My transition into higher education was not something I thought I would be doing but I’m glad I stumbled into it. The dedication of the faculty/staff and the drive of the students to succeed is inspiring.

Congratulations CALS Class of 2027 and newly admitted transfer students! My name is Callan Robinson and I’m the CALS Transfer Student Success Navigator. My role is to help transfer students navigate the application process, transfer credit evaluation, and finding community at Cornell. As someone who engages with students at all stages of their academic journey, here is my biggest piece of advice as you approach your first year at Cornell CALS.

                                                                                      Find an Anchor.

In your first few weeks, you meet so many people who work at Cornell, and I guarantee every single one of them will say something to the effect of, “I’m here if you need anything”. But I can speak from experience… Students rarely reach out to us. We don’t take it personally, and we know you’re busy! However, sometimes we only see students when they are at a breaking point, or a situation that we could have helped if we had known sooner.

I challenge you to find an anchor for your first semester. Whether it’s a CALS advisor, major advisor, counselor, faculty member, or staff member, find someone you can check in with a few times in a semester. What about the advisor who first helped you pick your classes? Maybe a professor you connect with, or the major advisor who welcomed you at orientation. What about the staff member you met at that welcome event that also grew up in your hometown? It doesn’t need to be formal! Stop by and say hello and tell them about your latest project. Tell them about research you’re thinking about, or a minor you’re thinking of adding. The first time you pre-enroll, register for classes, or need to drop a course, double check with them before you click “submit”. Having an anchor in CALS will help you stay connected. You never know if there’s a class you hadn’t heard of, resources or organizations you didn’t know about, or an easier way to do things. Cornell is brand new to you, and it helps to find an expert! It never hurts to double check, and an anchor can catch anything you might have missed, or open your mind to even better opportunities.

I didn’t mention anything about meeting other students, because you already know about that part. You can find tons of articles on how to meet other students, how to get involved on campus, and how to make friends. I could tell you to go to events, invite someone to the dining hall, make a study group. All of those are great plans! However, some of your best resources for adjusting to Cornell are the folks that do this for a living. Find one. Pick a favorite. There’s a lot of us, and we do this because we’ve been through it, and we’ll get you through it too. That is, until you sail off on your own!

My name is Kelsey, and I am a Communication major. In addition to my communication studies, I am minoring in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. CALS has provided me with incredible opportunities to combine my interests in communication and agriculture. I am positive you will have opportunities to do the same with your interests!

From classes and research to student organizations and global experiences, CALS has it all. I have taken a wide variety of classes, from communication and plant science classes to global development and food science classes. Beyond the classroom, some of my most rewarding experiences at Cornell are from clubs and organizations I am involved with on campus. I am currently studying abroad at University College Dublin in Ireland, which is one of many CALS Exchange programs, and I have enjoyed every moment. Studying abroad has helped me gain valuable international perspectives on the agriculture industry. My favorite class that I am taking here in Dublin is Sheep Production! CALS has amazing opportunities, and I am excited to see what our new first-year and transfer students accomplish at Cornell and beyond.

So, get excited for your time at Cornell and take advantage of all CALS offers – including delicious Cornell Dairy ice cream. I can’t wait to see you around the Ag Quad!

Welcome Class of 2027 and our newly admitted transfer students! The Environment & Sustainability (E&S) major is a community of passionate students, from a wide variety of academic perspectives and cultural backgrounds, and visionary faculty from over twenty departments. We are united by the common purpose to sustainably resolve environmental problems. Get ready to INNOVATE, ADAPT, COMMUNICATE and BE CURIOUS!

In the E&S Core Curriculum, you are able to study ecology, environmental economics, social sciences, humanities and even calculate your personal water and carbon footprints. Outside the classroom, E&S majors engage in experiential learning such as study abroad, service learning, research project teams, independent research, and domestic and international internships to compliment classroom learning.

If you visit campus, be sure to stop by 117 Kennedy Hall to say hello. Your program staff, Matt, Colleen, Suzanne and Keeley are ready and waiting to meet you. We can’t wait to see who you become!

Once again, our congratulations on your acceptance to Cornell. Know that once a Cornellian, always a Cornellian! Let’s Go Red, or as we say in the sustainability world, Let’s Go Green! #ThinkBigLiveGreen

WELCOME CALS STUDENTS! The Office of Undergraduate Biology (OUB) is home to the Biological Sciences major at Cornell. Our team of Advisors in the OUB are deeply committed to being accessible and providing a high level of support and guidance to all students interested in or currently affiliated with the biological sciences major and students who are not in the major but are interested in incorporating the study of biology into their undergraduate experience.

In addition to the OUB staff, within our team there is also a great network of Student Advisors. This select group of junior and senior Biological Sciences majors are trained to connect with their fellow students to discuss classes and opportunities, help with planning balanced schedules, as well as identify academic and social supports.

If Biological Sciences is your major, please keep an eye out this summer for Monday morning weekly emails from the Office of Undergraduate Biology (OUB). We will introduce you to your Student Advisors, share links for a few Zoom Summer Socials, and walk you through the phases of transitioning to Cornell academics and campus life, including pre-enroll and selecting your first semester classes. Congratulations on your acceptance to Cornell, we can’t wait to meet you!

Congratulations & welcome Class of 2027 and our newly admitted transfer students! The Communication program at Cornell CALS is consistently recognized as one of the top five communication programs in the country. Our faculty and students are dedicated to understanding the role and enhancing the effectiveness of communication processes, systems and infrastructure in society.

As a Communication major, you will gain core contemporary knowledge, theory and practice both in and outside of the classroom. Core coursework such as Visual Communication, Oral Communication, and Writing About Communication will provide you with the framework to pursue a variety of paths in a rapidly changing communication landscape. Beyond academics, you will have the chance to hone your skills through experiential learning opportunities, including industry seminars in NYC & California, research in the Social Media lab, and Communication alumni events.

Our newly renovated Communication hub on the 4th Floor of Mann Library offers collaborative working and lounge spaces. It’s known as Mann’s best kept secret and is a favorite spot for students and faculty alike.

Our sincere congratulations once again on your acceptance to Cornell CALS and we look forward to welcoming you into our COMMunity!

As a member of the Cornell CALS Admissions team, I feel so fortunate to be able to help new students find their fit within this community that has been home to me for the past 20 years.

In this time, I have witnessed the University evolve significantly. New state of the art buildings have changed the campus landscape, new programs in emerging fields have been established and our cutting edge research is always addressing needs of the present. At the same time, Cornell remains alive with history and tradition. Cornell CALS is ever-changing, yet also timeless.

In my college experience, I was seeking balance: Challenge and support; excitement and comfort; rigor and fun. I found it all here – which enabled me to grow and thrive. Here, I met my lifelong people – friends with whom I spent long hours studying in the library with, as well as having spontaneous midnight dance parties with. Friends who I have traveled around the world with, as well spent entire weekends on the couch indulging in movie marathons with. Friends that always make me feel like myself, through each life change and milestone.

While campus is vast, there are particular spaces I have connected with that feel like mine, in some way. As a student and now still, I love that at any given time I can look out across the Ag Quad and wave to friendly faces, yet I am also constantly meeting new and inspiring Cornellians.

Since I entered directly into my major (Communication), yet CALS has a flexible curriculum and distribution requirements that encourage exploration, my course schedule was always balanced. In any given semester, I had at least one class that stretched me out of my comfort zone and at least one where I could hit my stride early on, and truly embrace the material. I would describe the content of my education as big-picture and grounded in theory, but also impact-oriented and highly applicable. One of my favorite classes that I think about a lot is called Risk Communication. This course examines how to share messages about the likelihood of threats to health and safety based on complex and incomplete information. At the time, being in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks drove our discussions and projects; I’m sure that urgent issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change are amongst the topics of today.

In my first job after graduation at a technology public relations firm, I remember right away being such a valued member of my team, since I came ready to think about big picture strategy and impact, in addition to being able to write a strong press release and effectively pitch the media. As a student at Cornell CALS, I made great strides in how I approach my work – including when to dig in and put my all into a project, and when to simply make progress. I gained confidence in myself, but also learned how much better things can be when I collaborate, and ask for help. I figured out when to be disciplined in studying, as well as when to focus on having fun.

For these reasons and more, my Cornell CALS undergraduate years were life changing.

And now, all of this time later, the memories are still fresh, the relationships are still strong, my education is still relevant, the experiences I had are still meaningful, and I am forever grateful.

Class of 2027 and newly admitted transfer students -- Congratulations, welcome and cheers to the adventures ahead!