Meet Anna Cecilia

From the vibrant streets of Santa Ana, California, to Cornell’s bustling campus, Anna Cecilia dives headfirst into a whirlwind of activities. She forges friendships across disciplines—speech, music, activism—bridging gaps and celebrating shared interests. Academically, Professor García’s vivid lectures on migration, climate change, and discrimination transport Anna Cecilia beyond the classroom. Paired with her hometown’s spirit, she feels fueled in her fight for underrepresented voices as she pursues a career in international law.

What clubs/activities are you involved with on campus?

I am part of Mecha, Cornell Speech & Debate Society, The Advocacy Project at Cornell, Mariachi Regional de Cornell University, and a Brooks School student ambassador.

What is your favorite thing about Cornell?

I can truly say that I have never been bored at Cornell. There is always an event going on that is on my calendar or a plan to be made with friends. As someone who enjoys staying busy, Cornell really does a great job at meeting you where you're at with your social battery. I was able to really interact with different people in majors outside of my own through the clubs that I joined throughout the year. I was able to delve into all of my areas of interests and hobbies because of the variety in social/professional groups from joining a student-led non-profit to playing guitar and singing for Cornell's first Mariachi band. On the weekends, I had the opportunity to travel through clubs like Cornell's Speech & Debate Society which allowed for me to explore outside of Ithaca while competing with the team. There is community at Cornell in whatever interest you have going into college, which is incredibly comforting.

Why is the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy a great fit for you?

Brooks has been the ideal college environment for my career goals and personality. The easy access to our staff has made it incredibly easy to seek guidance, support, and genuine advice. I feel connected to my school because of our small class size. Going into college, I feared that a school like Cornell may be too big to navigate on my own but being a part of Brooks is a uniquely unifying experience. Most of my close friends are also in my major, making it really easy to work together and bond over struggles and successes. I think that for anyone who is looking to make meaningful connections in college with peers and staff, Brooks is the perfect fit.

How did you find your friends and community at Cornell?

In the beginning of the year, I met many friends through my major. Throughout the year as I joined clubs, I made friends with people outside of my area of study and bonded through shared interests like speech, music, and activism. I knew that there were areas of my life that I needed to participate in no matter where I went to college. The first priority for me was finding a group that had to do with my cultural background. Through Mecha, a Mexican-American political union, I found peers who were interested in advocacy and were also looking to unify the Latine community on campus. My interest in music led me to Mariachi on campus where I found friends that really grounded me and brought me back to a fun environment when school became overwhelming.

What inspires you?

Moving from my hometown was really bittersweet for me. Santa Ana, California, is an incredibly culture- and community-rich place that I did not think I would find anywhere else. The city is predominantly low-income and Hispanic so when I moved to Cornell, I felt a culture shock. I found myself using the values and quirks of my hometown to create home at college. I cook Mexican food for my friends, voice my opinions with passion, and remain unapologetically myself, which are all values that I learned from my hometown. As I navigate through my classes and take space in academic environments, Santa Ana inspires me to continue to fight for underrepresented groups.