Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives (OADI) at Cornell University

06/09/2023

We are so excited to welcome alumni back to campus this weekend for Reunions! If you will be in town, please stop in for the OADI reception on Friday, June 9 from 4-6pm. We are in the CCC building on the Ag Quad, second floor. We would love to see you, hear what you have been up to and share what we have been up.

10/14/2020

We are celebrating the success of the inaugural Cornell Defender Program. Our OADI teammates, Dr. Kristin Dade and Gabbie Smith, collaborated with partners at the Cornell Law School, Cornell Career Services, the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services and the Office of Assigned Counsel for Tompkins County to launch the pilot cohort this summer.

"The students’ support was a product of the Cornell Defender Program, a 10-week pilot program that paired eight undergraduates and six Cornell Law School students with local trial attorneys to bolster their capacity to represent indigent clients in criminal and family courts.

The unique partnership with local and state officials – potentially a model for others around the state – also sought to strengthen the pipeline of students pursuing law degrees and careers, particularly among underrepresented first-generation students and students of color."

The Cornell Defender Program virtually teamed undergraduates and law students with trial attorneys to support indigent defense in Tompkins County and a more diverse pipeline of students interested in law careers.

06/02/2020

What an interesting mix.
Anger, Pain, Sadness, Confusion…

It’s likely you are experiencing all of these in waves as we continue to navigate the ravages of COVID-19 and systemic racism. For some, these infections have hit close to home and unfortunately represent a lifelong narrative of having some obstacle to overcome. For others, the last few months have presented an opportunity to pull the veil from their eyes to the destructive power of both on marginalized peoples. Whether you represent the former or the latter, OADI is here to support you.

We’re here to support any student who has found their voice amongst a sea of fear and hateful rhetoric.

We’re here to support any student who chooses to speak with a pen, or a poem, or a picture because their situation dictates that it’s more important to remain at home to care for the ill family member than join their peers in protest outside.

We’re here to support any student who hasn’t quite found the words or the sentiment to express what’s inside but know they want to be on the right side of WHAT’S RIGHT in our country.

What an interesting mix.
Togetherness, Enlightenment, Resolve…….Purpose.

We echo President Pollack’s statement and want you to know that OADI is here to support our students and the JOURNEY.

Dr. Wayne Hilson, Executive Director
William “Woodg” Horning, Sr. Associate Director
Dr. Kristin Dade, Sr. Associate Director

Cornell University contains seven undergraduate colleges plus the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Law School, the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and Doha, Qatar, and the 93 fields of study in the Graduate School.

05/08/2019

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/05/know-your-purpose-speakers-urge-oadi-awards-dinner

Thank you to all of our OADI students, staff partners, faculty partners and community members for celebrating at this year's OADI Honors ceremony. We appreciate you! Please take a look at this article featured in the Cornell Chronicle about our event.

The Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives’ annual Honors Award Ceremony May 3 celebrated students, faculty, staff and alumni who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, high academic achievement and strong community engagement.

04/01/2019

Nominations for OADI Honors Awards are Open!

Recognize an outstanding student, staff, faculty and alumni achievements and contributions to our community and acknowledge their exceptional work and commitment to Cornell's core values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

03/28/2019

We are so looking forward to our 2019 OADI Honors Awards Celebration on Friday, May 3rd at the Statler Ballroom. We hope to see you there!

Please RSVP by April 12th if you plan to attend: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b3qm1vfzcspTueh

03/14/2019

It is Cornell Giving Day! The Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives (OADI) is committed to supporting and helping to make a difference in the lives of students. Please consider helping to support students to grow in their academic and professional career paths. There are many opportunities for the students to engage in meaning full connections through OADI. Your support makes a difference!

I’m ready to support Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives on March 14, 2019 during Cornell Giving Day 2019. Learn more about Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives .

02/18/2019

When you see this crew around campus, ask them about the 1vyG conference with first-generation college students from over 50 universities across the country from this past weekend.

If you are a first-gen student, first-gen graduate or an ally, please stay tuned for more information about ways to get involved!

12/10/2018

, and students recently traveled to Albany to advocate for opportunity programs and to