Meet Suparna

As a resident advisor for Schuyler House, a research assistant in the Liberating Migrant Labor project, and a D&I assistant in Alpha Phi Omega, Suparna thrives on community building and social justice. The ILR School, with its focus on law and labor, was a perfect fit. Initially uncertain, Suparna discovered that ILR opened doors she hadn’t known existed. And the ILR High Road Fellowship in NYC allowed her to empower marginalized individuals while exploring the city.

What clubs/activities are you involved in?

I am a resident advisor for Schuyler House, research assistant for the Liberating Migrant Labor project under Professor Shannon Gleeson as part of the Worker Institute Fellowship, a D&I assistant in Alpha Phi Omega (Service Fraternity), treasurer of CHAARG (Changing Health, Attitudes, + Actions to Recreate Girls), a Big Red Ambassador, and I engage with the Office of Student Government Relations and Cornell Enactus.

Why is the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) a great fit for you?

ILR is a great fit for me because of my passion for social justice and law. I came to Cornell knowing that I wanted to go to law school, but I was never sure what field really interested me in particular. I was a bit nervous about matriculating into ILR and whether studying labor would limit my options or if I would even find interest in an area I was so unfamiliar with. However, after taking many semesters of classes, I can safely say that ILR has only opened up more possibilities that I previously didn't know existed.

What are your go-to campus resources? How did you discover them?

My go-to campus resources are the Learning Strategies Center, the Knight Institute for Writing, and the ILR Office of Career Services. I was referred to the Learning Strategies Center and Knight Institute for Writing from my RA when I was struggling with my workload during my first semester. The LSC has access to time management strategies and study buddies for each class you're in. The Knight Institute is helpful because you can schedule appointments to help with writing assignments throughout the semester. The ILR OCS has also been so helpful to me in helping me figure out the direction of my career, editing my resume, and looking for internship opportunities.

How did you find your friends and community at Cornell?

I found my friends and community at Cornell through such a wide variety of places! Some of the first friends I made here were through the transfer community, and they're people I'm still friends with today. Orientation Week offered a lot of opportunities to meet new people, like transfer mixers and paint night activities. I think joining supportive communities through clubs/organizations has also been a huge help in finding a community. Clubs I'm involved with have increased my sense of belonging — I feel like the more effort and dedication I put into them, the closer I feel to the people there.

Where is your go-to place to eat on campus, and what is your favorite thing to order?

My go-to place to eat on campus is probably Trillium! I love that it has so many options, so I can switch up what I get depending on what mood I'm in. I'm vegetarian, so I'm always a bit weary about having available food options that meet my dietary restrictions – however, I think Trillium (and all places on campus), have very customizable choices. I think the lines move pretty fast, and they have a lot of room for seating in there.