Welcome to the fall semester


Welcome to the Fall 2015 semester at Cornell University. Whether you are just returning to campus, have been here throughout the summer, or are new to Cornell and Ithaca, I hope that you will take advantage of all our academic community offers — from challenging classes, seminars and research projects to opportunities for local and global engagement on issues that affect well-being; from social events in the residence halls or hosted by student organizations to spontaneous discussions of current events in the cafes and libraries; and from the spectacular natural beauty of our surroundings to the excitement of experiential learning in a lab, a studio, an incubator or our Johnson Museum.

In today's Cornell Daily Sun, you'll find a column that gives my first impressions of Cornell and some of the topics I hope that we, as a campus, can examine together this fall, especially as they relate to the student experience.

Throughout the year, you can learn more about Cornell by following me on Instagram (@CornellPresident). You'll also be able to keep up with happenings on campus and the remarkable people who help to make this such an interesting and dynamic community through a wide range of other social media including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, as well as through the Cornell Chronicle.

As the semester gets underway, I look forward to meeting many more Cornell students, along with faculty, staff, alumni, and parents; to seeking your opinions and ideas; and to working with you on a shared quest to make Cornell an even more distinguished and distinctive university with a deep commitment to the life of the mind that is expressed through discovery, creativity, intellectual and societal engagement, and impact that spans the globe.

Best wishes for a memorable and productive semester.

Elizabeth Garrett
President