Sarah Baldwin
MPS Class of 2027, Global Development
- Pronouns: She/her
- Grand challenge: Improving project design and management through greater communication with, inclusion of, and consideration for local communities.
- Connect: LinkedIn
- Email: Smb557 [at] cornell.edu
Sarah Baldwin, the only San Diegan who can't surf, graduated with bachelor degrees in political science and economics from UC Davis in 2022. She was a Peace Corps Panama volunteer from 2023 to 2025 serving in sustainable agriculture and economic development. Her day-to-day consisted of meeting with farmers who wanted to switch to organic materials, but who often couldn’t jeopardize their livelihoods to do so. Even using only a fraction of their farm to test organic fertilizers and pesticides could risk their tenuous position above the poverty line. Finances constantly stood in the way of progress.
This experience inspired Baldwin to pursue a masters in Global Development at Cornell. She is now eager to learn the skills needed to be a part of a team with the backing and support to make good on the dreams of those seeking to change their lives for the better.