News

Byline: Nancy Doolittle

Staff awards

Pollack lauds staff expertise, service at 64th annual dinner

Cornell Chronicle

Following 10 years working in Cornell’s telecommunications department, Henry Crans has been the director of facilities in the College of Arts and Sciences for 40 years, overseeing the construction of buildings from conception to occupancy. He especially is proud of Klarman Hall, which he considers one of the most beautiful buildings on campus. Crans has also worked part time with Cornell Outdoor Education teaching rock climbing, wilderness camping and cross-country skiing.

Staff accomplishments

VP Opperman: Staff graduates met their challenges with ‘gusto’

Cornell Chronicle

Thirty-three university staff members were recognized for earning academic degrees at the 23rd annual Staff Graduate Reception, May 20 in the Hall of Fame Room in Friends Hall.Two Cornell staff members are receiving bachelor’s degrees from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Nineteen are receiving Cornell master’s degrees, two are receiving doctorates, and 10 are receiving degrees in higher education from other colleges and universities.

Africana studies

Riché Richardson: from surgery to recovery to hope

Cornell Chronicle

Over the course of two decades, Riché Richardson, associate professor of African-American literature in Cornell’s Africana Studies and Research Center, received her doctorate and two fellowships, taught at two universities, published numerous essays and a book – and survived three major surgeries.

Faculty excellence

2018 Affinito-Stewart research grants awarded; 2019 proposals sought

Cornell Chronicle

Nine Cornell faculty members have been awarded Affinito-Stewart research grants for the 2018-19 academic year.

History

Cornell honors veterans, celebrates Armistice centennial

Cornell Chronicle

A century ago, Cornell provided 4,598 commissioned officers to fight in World War I – more than any other institution, including West Point.

Faculty outreach

Warrior-scholars gain skills, confidence from Cornell experience

Cornell Chronicle

Some of the 14 participants in this year’s Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) at Cornell said their week of intensive study, July 21-29, taught them how to read critically, paying attention to the perspectives of the authors, their intended audiences and the historical contexts that informed their writings. Others noted the relevance of ancient works to present times.

Performing and Media Arts

Students recognized for addressing challenges where people live

Cornell Chronicle

The 2018 Community Engagement Showcase, April 16 in Klarman Hall, celebrated undergraduate and graduate students who collaborated with local and international communities.

Government

Two brothers find hope in prison, overcoming the odds

Darnell Epps ’21 is a government major at Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences and a research assistant for the Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide. His older brother, Darryl, was a member of the summer 2017 Justice in Education cohort at Columbia University and has counseled at-risk youth.

Linguistics

Soup & Hope speaker uses love of languages to push for social change

Cornell Chronicle

For José Armando Fernandez Guerrero ’18, two strong women – his grandmother, Apolonia, and his mother, Josefina – believed that his education would open opportunities. A third – a high school French teacher – showed him how to use his education, and the passion for languages and linguistics it inspired, to help him embrace and move beyond his past.

Staff News

Keeley Boerman receives top Employee Excellence Award

Cornell Chronicle

More than 200 awardees, nominees, nominators and senior staff members gathered at the Statler Ballroom for the fifth annual Employee Excellence Awards celebration March 13.“You are held in the highest regard by the student-athletes,” Vice President Ryan Lombardi told the audience, “for your willingness to listen when they are struggling with school work, family issues and missing home.”

Physics

Machining staff: ‘wizards who share their secrets’

Cornell Chronicle

Tucked away in the basement of Clark Hall are five staff members whose machining expertise is integral to the success of many of the designs, experiments and innovations of Cornell’s physics faculty, graduate students and postdocs, as well as to work done within other departments and units across campus.

Physics

Saluting our veterans: Meet Craig Wiggers

Cornell Chronicle

Craig Wiggers, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel with 25 years of service, is director of administration for the physics department and says he loves Cornell’s welcoming, supportive environment.

Warrior-Scholars Project

Warrior-scholars explore the relevance of 'Our Declaration'

Cornell Chronicle

Whether they served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard, the 15 veterans and reservists of the first 2017 Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) class agreed they gained a greater appreciation for democracy in the United States by seeing people from other countries aspire to a way of life many Americans take for granted.

First-generation students

Seven first-generation graduates join Teach For America

Cornell Chronicle

Ava Ramsundar ’17 will follow the passion that prompted her to minor in education and join Teach For America (TFA) after graduation. Ramsundar, who majored in psychology and hopes to become a psychiatrist, will teach in Paterson, New Jersey, this fall.Travis Ghirdharie ’17, who majored in government and anthropology, also has joined TFA and will teach social studies at the Math, Engineering and Science Academy in Brooklyn, New York.

Veterans academic 'boot camp'

Rawlings engages veterans through ancient texts on war

Cornell Chronicle

Imagine serving in the military, having life-changing experiences, then re-entering civilian life only to realize that to fulfill your dreams you need to go to college.

Diversity

Diversity initiatives recognized at OADI awards ceremony

Cornell Chronicle

When she was growing up in Harlem, Ginger So ’79 walked 10 blocks each way once a week to borrow books from the public library.In those books, she saw photographs of an America she did not know – an America of houses with white picket fences – and images of other countries. Her reading made her want to travel, so she followed the advice of her mother and studied hard, gained entrance to a good high school and later was admitted to Cornell.

Campus leadership

President Hunter Rawlings on priorities and 'pinch-hitting'

Cornell Chronicle

Interim President Hunter R. Rawlings III says he'll continue to work on the late President Elizabeth Garrett's priorities.

Board of Trustees

Chad Coates is 14th employee-elected trustee

Pawprint

Chad Coates, assistant dean of admissions and advising in the College of Arts and Sciences, was voted Cornell’s 14th employee-elected trustee in an election held April 11-13. More than 1,300 staff members participated in the election.Succeeding Alan Mittman, Coates will begin his four-year term July 1.

Soup & Hope

First Soup & Hope speaker raps with authenticity

Cornell Chronicle

“How many of you have cried today? How many of you cried yesterday? … How many of you haven’t cried in a year?”