Jonna C.
I have been heavily involved in several business organizations on campus, including Dyson Ambassadors, the Dyson Undergraduate Council, and A Seat At The Table, which is Cornell’s premiere student business ethics organization. I have also served as a Resident Advisor at Barbara McClintock Hall, and have held course assistant positions for AEM 2100 (Introductory Statistics) and AEM 2700 (Management Communication)!
My academic passion lies in the intersection of business and healthcare. By combining my major in Applied Economics and Management with a minor in Health Policy, I have been able to pursue this passion through my coursework. Thanks to this diverse degree, I have been able to hone my marketing, strategy, and finance skills while also learning about current events in the healthcare industry that will impact my future career in helping rare disease patients!
Dyson's motto is “Our Business is a Better World”, which resonated with me greatly. In 2015, my family and I founded a nonprofit foundation called Fighting H.A.R.D. Foundation, which helps kids with rare diseases to not feel alone in their battles. Since then, we have raised over $600,000, which has gone directly to families in our community. I have always been passionate about giving back, and at its core, Dyson revolves around teaching business in a way that inspires us to accomplish that goal. Every day, I am influenced by those around me who are also working towards conducting business in a way that puts humanity over profit.
My favorite thing about Cornell is how every person you meet has a passion. I have met peers from all over the world with different life experiences, with each person having something unique that drives them. The professors here are compassionate and are truly invested in their students, helping them bring their passions to reality. Each student here has their own story, but come together to help each other. Everyone always says that college can be competitive, but I have seen collaboration change lives, which is incredibly special.
I had the amazing opportunity to participate in the Cornell Summer Program in Turin, which was focused around a public policy class. We spent three weeks in northern Italy, where we had the chance to meet Italian students and local communities, learn about their culture through guided tours and guest lectures, and visit famous landmarks including the Mole Antonelliana. A small group of students in the program also took the chance to travel over the weekends, allowing us to visit Milan, Lake Como, and Noli. This was my first time in Europe and an incredible experience that I will never forget!
As someone who has a chronic health condition, Cornell Health and the Office of Student Disability Services have been important resources to me. These two offices have allowed me to manage my health condition while at school and get the accommodations I need in order to be successful as a student! They have helped me find the best ways to discuss my accommodations with my professors, navigate transportation and housing concerns, and are great resources when I have questions.
I am also a big advocate for professor office hours! On such a large campus, it is always helpful to know professors on a more personal level.
My one piece of advice for those who are applying to college would be to soak it all in. Make sure to enjoy the experience. It can be stressful and overwhelming at times, but no matter what the outcome is, be sure to celebrate the wins and take the time to appreciate every step of the process! It goes by a lot faster than you think.
When applying to colleges, I wanted to go to a large university, but I also really wanted to be a part of a smaller, close-knit community. Dyson was exactly the type of program that I was looking for - a small program with around 200 students per class year, but also part of the larger Cornell population. The minute I received my acceptance letter, I knew that I had found my home for the next four years.
My favorite class so far has been PAM 3110 - Pharmaceutical Management and Policy. I took this class for my Health Policy minor, and it was the most interesting class that I've taken during my time here! As someone who plans to work in the healthcare environment, this class has taught me about FDA rules and regulations, as well as the process of a drug from development all the way to distribution. I loved that we had the opportunity to research a drug of our choosing and spend the entire semester applying what we learned to research. We also had guest speakers from different areas of the pharma and biotech industries, which allowed me to get a better understanding of what it might look like to work in the space!
My favorite place to study is the atrium area of Mann Library. This is a perfect spot because there are always people around if you want to study in a group or you like having a louder study environment. At the same time, you can pop some headphones in and get some work done by yourself. I love seeing my friends in Dyson and working together with them in this space!
My favorite spot on campus has to be Libe Slope. I know that this is a bit of a cliche answer, but nothing makes me happier than sitting on the slope and watching a sunset. The views are just absolutely incredible and it reminds me that there is a bigger world out there. If you look through my camera roll, about half of my pictures are slope sunsets! Outside of campus, I love going to the Ithaca Farmers Market. The local vendors always have beautiful creations and I enjoy sitting by Cayuga Lake.
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