Two students working on a autonomous plane
Duffield Hall at sunset.
Woman taking a photo of a mumified bird
Students walking along Ho Plaza
Two students walking on Engineering Quad towards Duffield

Meet Patrick

Major: computer science
Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria

Why did you choose Cornell and/or Cornell Engineering?
I chose to come to Cornell because of its values. Cornell’s focus on interdisciplinary research and collaboration, along with its diverse student body and faculty, offers unique opportunities in such niche areas that I thought would broaden my perspective. Almost one year in, I still can’t believe the number of clubs that I have been able to come in contact with, and the amazing group of people in such diverse fields that I eat, work, and play with every day. In truth, Cornell really is a place for everyone.

What is your favorite thing about Cornell and/or Cornell Engineering?
My favorite thing about Cornell is the people. My life at Cornell almost feels like a video game. A game in which all the characters are spawned with a different set of attributes, passions, and goals. It feels almost impossible to see two people with the same values in all three of these fields, and that’s what makes my experience at Cornell so much more exciting.

How did you get involved outside the classroom?
I’m involved in a number of professional clubs on campus such as the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Underrepresented Minorities in Computing (URMC), Scholars Working Ambitiously to Graduate (SWAG), social clubs such as Black Students United (BSU) and Nigerian Student’s Association (NSA), and other clubs such as Cornell Adaptive Play Design Initiative (APDI) which helps to bridge the gap between the Ithaca Special Needs Community and Cornell University by rewiring battery-operated toys to make them more accessible to people with physical disabilities. In addition to this, I am also a Simmons Scholar in Cornell Engineering.