Meet Lauren

From a small town and nervous about attending an Ivy League university, Lauren made the leap after discovering Cornell’s Urban and Regional Studies program — a perfect match for her interest in urban real estate and related topics such as transportation and economic development. Now, as a proud member of the Big Red Marching Band, Big Red Pep Band, Cornell University Indoor Drumline, and the JAM Program House, her love of music has played an essential role in finding a home and community at Cornell.

What clubs/activities are you involved with on campus?

I am part of the Organization of Urban and Regional Studies; Architecture, Art, and Planning Ambassadors; Architecture, Art, and Planning Community Crew; Big Red Thon; Big Red Marching Band; Big Red Pep Band; Cornell University Indoor Drumline; and JAM Program House Resident.

What is your favorite thing about Cornell?

My favorite thing about Cornell is the community. I always felt like I had struggled to fit in when I was in high school. Now, I feel like I have found my place and I feel beyond blessed with the amazing connections I have made with peers and professors across the University.

Why is the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning a great fit for you?

The College of Art, Architecture, and Planning is a great fit for me because of the amazing professors and the unique opportunities that are available to get involved with other students. The low student-to-faculty ratio for my major encourages me to have more personal conversations with my professors and TAs. Getting involved in Ambassadors and Community Crew for my college lets me live out my dream of being a tour guide while building connections with other students and being a familiar face for students as they make their arrival at Cornell.

What is your academic passion?

My favorite part about majoring in Urban and Regional Studies is the endless possibilities for what to focus on in the major and what to pursue after completing the undergraduate degree. Personally, I have a passion for real estate and how it fits in with the urban environment. My major allows me to explore that through a wider lens while considering other factors such as transportation, policy, and economic development. There are also many options available for what to pursue after graduation such as a master's degree in regional planning, a master's degree in real estate, law school, etc.

What is one piece of advice or something you wish you knew when you were applying?

When I was applying to Cornell, I wish someone gave me the confidence that I could break out of the stereotypes put around me that I could not make it at an Ivy League school. Coming from a small town with low test scores, I almost did not apply and doubted my acceptance. I was very nervous to arrive here, but through dedication and opportunities to break out of my shell, I really cannot picture myself going anywhere else.

How did you find your friends and community at Cornell?

I found most of my friends in my major during orientation week. We left our final orientation to go explore campus and we have not left each other's sides since. I also have gained some friends through the Big Red Marching Band and Big Red Pep Band. It felt like home for me when I arrived at Fischell Band Center, as my favorite part of high school was participating in music ensembles.

When you were applying, why did you choose Cornell?

I chose Cornell because of the Urban and Regional Studies major. Nowhere else around me had the major and I did not even know it was a major until I toured here with my twin sister. When I sat in on the presentation in Milstein Auditorium, I walked out knowing that it was exactly the major I had been searching for.