Major: mechanical engineering
Hometown: Syracuse, NY

Why did you choose Cornell Engineering?
They have an amazing amount of resources and it was a chance to network.

What inspires you the most at Cornell Engineering?
Meeting my peer and upperclassmen. My TAs have been great and their passion bleeds over.

How do you get involved outside the classroom?
I attend community events and reach out to professors and TAs outside of classes.

What advice do you have for other first-generation college students as they begin their college journey?
I think the most important thing is to establish connections first- with peers, family, etc. Make sure you have someone you can talk to.

How did you learn about the resources available at Cornell? 
I learned about the resources available at Cornell through EOP HEOP, my professors, and my friends. EOP HEOP made me aware of the LSC (Learning Strategies Center) and ELI (Engineering Learning Initiatives) programs, and my physics professors announced before each class that there was free physics tutoring nearly every day at the LSC. When I reached out to my EOP HEOP advisor for additional academic help, she also referred me to more personal tutoring at LSC OADI tutoring. I heard of the MSC (Math Support Center) for math from my friends; that also has free tutoring almost every day.

Which resources have you found to be most helpful, and why?
I definitely think the free tutoring at the LSC and the MSC was the most beneficial because it was available almost anytime. Although sometimes you would have to wait for other students’ turns, usually there were multiple tutors so you could break off into a private one-on-one session with a tutor.