What inspires you?

I come from a place where higher education is mythological: it's this nebulous ideal you aspire to, but isn't quite tangible or fully understood. I always knew I'd go to college---since preschool, adults would always say that college was the goal. But beyond that, little was ever mentioned. I knew master's and doctoral degrees existed, but I never really knew what it meant to aspire to pursue a PhD, for example. That's why at Cornell I've made it a point to seek out the wisdom of professors and students alike on what life beyond undergrad looks like — to ask "I got here, now what?" I've asked so many professors to meet and discuss what their academic and career journeys looked like because I wanted role models. People to look up to and say "I want to be like you" in the policy world.

So when I think of what inspires me, I think of the professors who've shared their stories with me. I think of the professors who came from backgrounds like me — lower income and underrepresented — who persevered and persisted until they became leading experts in their respective policy domains. When I look ahead, I see myself in the image of my faculty role models who've shown me what the "now what" of life can be. And that's ultimately a testament to the power of role models in shaping the bounds of what we see possible for ourselves.

What is your favorite class so far and why?

So far, Multiple Regression Analysis — the policy school's econometrics course — has been my favorite class for its versatility. Empirical methods are at the heart of policy, so learning the theory driving social science methods has opened the door to excel in so many other aspects of my education. From understanding the theory driving research in the social sciences to practicing hard skills like STATA and data analysis, Multiple Regression Analysis has opened the door for research opportunities, higher level policy electives, and an incredible array of internship and job opportunities outside of school.

What makes the Cornell experience unique?

Cornell offers the quintessential college experience: a world-class education in a semi-remote, academic community away from the distractions of daily life. Campus is secluded enough to foster a tight-knit community atop the hills of Ithaca, while still being situated near hubs of progress. Just a few hours away from NYC and a skip away from urban centers like Syracuse and Rochester, Ithaca gives you the space to enjoy remoteness while still allowing you to engage with the world around you.

While that itself makes Cornell unique, what I value most is that Cornell's location makes campus a pressure cooker for progress, innovation, and dialogue. Everyone around you lives on or very near campus; the rate of interaction with your classmates outside of the school day is high because everybody is centralized in the small town of Ithaca. The beauty here is that campus life is made richer by the high rates of interaction proximity creates. Social dialogues and learning extends beyond the classroom while the human connections made outside class time follow us back into our lecture halls and study spaces. The academic and social reinforce each other at Cornell because the physical space of campus facilitates cohesion and togetherness.

What are your plans after graduation?

As of now, I plan on pursuing a PhD in Public Policy following my undergraduate studies. Cornell has fostered in me a foundational love of discovery — a drive to not only seek knowledge but create it. A doctorate will allow me to enter legislative environments and advance evidence-based decision-making strategies. Be it at a think tank, a legislative office, an executive agency, or some other policy space, I want to bring together diverse methodological and disciplinary approaches to solve the issues facing our society today.

Tell us about your favorite place to study.

I'm a policy major: there is not a single engineering bone in my body. But when I need to lock in, there is no better place to be than any building on the Engineering quad. That's because engineering students take locking in to an entirely different level. Weekday or weekend, day or night, you can always count on seeing groups of engineering students tackling a difficult problem set or project in Duffield or Upson. Being around them motivates me to hamper down and get focused in a monkey-see-monkey-do sort of way.

Tell us about your favorite spot on campus or in Ithaca.

My go-to reflection spot has to be the benches across the bridge overlooking Beebe Lake, behind Fuertes Observatory. Day or night, the stillness of the water amid the lively hum of the birds, trees, and wildlife around you is the perfect blend of peace and comfort. It's still enough to ground you — to remind you to exist in the present — while surrounding you with enough energy and movement by the natural environment around you to remind you that, no matter what, you're never alone in this world. Through the thick and thin of college living, it's nice to have a place where you can recharge and reconnect with yourself and the natural world around you.