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Many students are nervous about coming to a new place.
This is understandable after having been in school with the same people — perhaps since you were a child. Life at Cornell CALS is more than just your academics (but we've got those too, take a look at some of our favorites highlighted below).
Finding your new home for the next four years is also about building your Cornell CALS community. How will you find your people? How will you find your place? Ah, the twin cravings of life: The comforts of home and the stimulation of new experiences. We strive to help you strike the right balance. We've got a lot to offer you at Cornell CALS.
CALS academics & learning opportunities
What makes the Cornell CALS experience different from any other college experience? Our location in Ithaca, NY, our public service mission, and our remarkably collaborative academic environment. A singular sense of purpose. A unique sense of community.
Introductory Oceanography (EAS 1540)
Learn about how the ocean works and current environmental threats facing the ocean.
Just Food (DSOC 1300)
An interdisciplinary approach to exploring modern food systems, from soil to table.
Intergroup Dialogue Project (EDUC 2610)
Building community across difference through critical dialogue.
The Science and Technology of Foods (FDSC 1101)
Learn the basic principles of food production and create a new flavor of Cornell Dairy ice cream!
Domestic Animal Biology (BIAP1100)
Work directly with animals at Ezra’s Farm while learning about anatomy and physiology of livestock, companion animals and poultry.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in STEM: The Science Behind Bias (ENTOM 4040)
Examining the breadth and depth of bias and exclusion in STEM.
Human Diversity Curriculum Requirement
Classes that explore the challenges of building a diverse society, and examine the various processes that marginalize people.
Peer Mentorship
Promoting the power of peer support and connection in the transition to Cornell CALS.
Gardens Ambassadors
Be on the front lines of creating education and outreach-focused programs with the Cornell Botanic Gardens.
Mobile Communication Lab
Changing social sciences research at Cornell and beyond. The mobile lab lets any person participate in any study.
Insectapalooza
The fun and educational "Insect Fair" featuring the Bizarre, Bad, and Beneficial of the insect world.
Cornell AgriTech Summer Research Scholars
Exciting summer lab and field-based research projects that seek to solve problems facing the agricultural community.
Find Your People
As you become more acquainted with all there is to experience here at Cornell CALS, you can take advantage of the many extracurricular opportunities we have to offer. Getting involved is one great way to build community.
Whether it’s trying out something totally new — like joining a breakdance group, continuing your passion for squirrel watching, becoming a fan of the Big Red and signing up for your Big Red Sports Pass, or stopping by a coffee hour in your residence hall for discussion and debate — the options are here. Below, our CALS Ambassadors share where they’ve found some of their closest friends.
Taylor Lee '25
Hometown: Westchester, NY
Major: Communication
Minor: Business, Information Science
I found my closest friends at Cornell through church. Emmaus Road Church is the English Ministry of the Korean Church at Cornell, and I’ve made many wonderful memories with my friends, from Friday Fellowships to retreats to playing volleyball together!
Alison Norton ’26
Hometown: San Marino, California
Major: Biological Sciences
I met some of my best friends at Cornell at a club meeting for Fantastic Fungi Fanatics. It was the first club meeting I attended after essentially only leaving my dorm to go to classes and get food!
Isaac Chang '25
Hometown: Saratoga, CA
Major: Nutritional Sciences
Minor: Business Minor for Life Sciences
The program house I currently reside in, Ecology House, has been a great source of friends for me that share interests in exploring the nature around Ithaca!
Anna Labiner ‘25
Hometown: Sarasota, FL
Major: Entomology
Minors: Infectious Disease
I found most of my close friends during orientation week, and I'm super excited to be living with them in a house next year! I also met some of my close friends through my classes — being premed, I took many intro classes with the same cohort of students, and I've gotten to know many of them very well. More recently, I met some new friends on birthright, and I meet up with them every day for breakfast.
Daeden Gordon-Somers-Archer ‘24
Hometown: Queens, NY
Major: Animal Science
By simply wearing a smile around my dorm (shoutout Donlon)! I love talking to new people, so I quickly found a group of really interesting individuals to hang out with, rely on, and be inspired by.
Katrien "Kat" de Waard '24
Hometown: Naperville, IL
Majors: Communication and Plant Sciences
I met most of my closest friends at second locations. Most students are friendly in my classes, clubs, and dorms, but some of my best friends I made by running into them twice. We were in 2+ classes together, a club and a class, or on my floor and in a club. Being involved and remembering faces has connected me with so many amazing people on campus.
Bella Capuano '25
Hometown: Cheshire, CT
Major: Biology & Society
Some of my closest friends have been from the Cornell Women's Club Soccer team. Tryouts occurred before classes even started so it was able to be apart of a community of women across different colleges and ages which was a perfect welcome to the university!
Lauren Cody '23
Hometown: Rochester, NY
Major: Biological Sciences
Minor: Environment and Sustainability
I met almost all of my closest friends at the Class of 2023 first year photo on the Slope!
Find Your Place
Finding your place and getting to know the ins and outs of Cornell CALS may take some time. Here are some of our favorite places on campus to get you started – take a look at what's to come. (Please note that photos shown here were taken pre-COVID-19 pandemic).
(from left to right) Blake Wadsworth '23, Emily Starceski '23, Caroline Lafferty '23, and Cassandra Wilbur '23, play with cows at the Cornell University Dairy Research Center.
The view of the 2nd annual CALS Day from Roberts Hall.
Students working in eHub.
Students in Nutrition, Health & Society, NS 1150, taught by David Levitski.
Students completing field research for BIOEE 1610, Intro Biology: Ecology and the Environment at Beebe Lake.
Students studying in Mann Library.
Students at Dilmun Hill Student Farm.
Students sitting on the ag quad at the 2018 Fall Ice Cream Social during New Student Orientation.
Abby Davis '21 and graduate student Kaitlin Deutsch study bees in the Department of Entomology.
Students at COMMConnect, an annual career and professional development event open to all Communication majors and minors.
Students outside in the snow. Credit: Chris Kitchen (CALS)
Students at Trillium.
Your CALS Alumni Community
Once you're a Cornellian, you're always a Cornellian. By joining us at Cornell CALS, you'll be connected to more than 250,000 alumni all over the world who will serve as a valuable professional network and Big Red family. Check out where our alumni have landed and the amazing things they are doing in Cornellians, Cornell's online alumni magazine!
Eleni Kohilakis '20
Grad Year: 2020
CALS Major: Biological Sciences (Human Nutrition Concentration, Business Minor for the Life Sciences)
Current Location: Bronx, NY
What are you up to now? I'm currently in my second year as a Medical Student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Bryce Westbrook ’20
CALS Major: Animal Science
Current Location: Davis, CA
What are you up to now? I am currently a second year at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. At Davis, I have had the opportunity to be a part of many clubs that have allowed me to find my passion in veterinary medicine.
Morgan England ’21
Grad Year: 2021
CALS Major: Food Science
Current Location: Minneapolis, MN
What are you up to now? I currently work for SC Johnson (a family company! 😊) where I manage our eCommerce business on Target.com. I've also had the amazing opportunity to work with Target buyers on a few occasions to execute full-chain endcaps and displays in Target stores for the Windex, Scrubbing Bubbles, and Ziploc brands. It's been an incredible experience thus far and I couldn't have been more prepared heading into the 'real world' with my Cornell education.
Dylan Wietfeldt ’22
Grad Year: 2022
CALS Major: Food Science
Current Location: Los Angeles
What are you up to now? I am a Quality Assurance Manager at Anheuser-Busch and I'm doing some work with operations/packaging and brewing. I am also getting involved with the Cornell Club of LA!
Maya Barbieri '22
Grad Year: 2022 (Dec 2021)
CALS Major: Communication
Current Location: Travelling Europe! (currently Barcelona)
What are you up to now? After graduation, I took a gap year and spent some of that time working in the CALS Admissions Office! I'm currently travelling around Europe for the next 6 weeks, and will be starting at Georgetown Law in Washington D.C. this fall.
Emma Hoarty ’19
Grad Year: 2019
CALS Major: Environment & Sustainability
Current Location: San Francisco, CA
What are you up to now? I work for an electric vehicle (EV) charging station company where I manage public agency and utility partnerships to accelerate the buildout of EV infrastructure across the country.
Katie Thorsberg ’21
Grad Year: 2021
CALS Major: Biology and AEM
Current Location: Arlington, Virginia
What are you up to now? I’m a first-year business analyst at Capital One in the analyst development program. I love my job, and I work for the client development team for small business cards. It has been so much fun living outside of Washington D.C. and getting to explore! We’re still work from home, which allows me plenty of time to travel on the weekends and recently I’ve been to Dallas, New York, Chicago, and New Orleans.
Jack Timmons ’21
Grad Year: 2021
CALS Major: Animal Science
Current Location: Ithaca, NY
What are you up to now? I'm a first-year vet student at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine! Aside from being a student, I work at the wildlife hospital, I work on research with falcons in Alaska, and I volunteer with the Southside community clinic. Above all, I get to continue to enjoy life as an Ithacan!
Jada Kissi '21
Grad Year: 2021
CALS Major: Communication & Global Development
Current Location: Connecticut
What are you up to now? I am working for Deloitte Consulting as a strategy analyst. I work in their Life Sciences and Healthcare industry and in their DEI initiative work. I recently began the process of joining the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization because I enjoy mentoring and guiding. I can definitely credit my current activities to my time in CALS!
Halee Calabrese ’21
Grad Year: 2021
CALS Major: Biological Sciences with a concentration in Human Nutrition
Current Location: Ithaca, NY
What are you up to now? I am pursuing an MPH in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Cornell. I’m currently working on a report of lung cancer mortality in Tompkins, Schyuler and Cortland Counties.
Valerie Aubley '22
Grad Year: 2022
CALS Major: Environmental Engineering
Current Location: Singapore
What are you up to now? I’m working in a 2-year rotational program for Emerson Electric where one year is abroad and one year is domestic. I’m currently doing the abroad portion of the program and am living and working in Singapore! My job focuses on developing business in the hydrogen and carbon capture industries. It’s been incredible to get a global perspective and to work closely with colleagues across Asia Pacific. I’m thankful for all the communication and technical skills Cornell and CALS equipped me with!
Christian Kanlian ’20
Grad Year: 2020
CALS Major: Plant Sciences, Community Food Systems Minor
Current Location: Rochester, NY
What are you up to now? I am currently working for Agritecture Consulting, an urban and controlled environment consulting firm that works with entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and local governments to increase urban food production. My main project is helping create a comprehensive Urban Agriculture plan for the City of Dallas, TX, where I recently got to go visit for two weeks and meet with farmers, gardeners, and city officials.