Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences

05/26/2026

Campus is way quieter this week and we're missing our students already! But we'll be celebrating the class of all summer with stories of their amazing journeys.

Arina Danilina '26, a psychology major and Robert S. Harrison College Scholar from St. Petersburg, Russia, said she chose Cornell because it met two criteria - it would embrace her curiosity and it offered vast opportunities to connect deeply with nature.

"Coming from Russia, I simply could not believe the breadth of what was possible: the ability to explore so many disciplines, to wander across fields, to follow your curiosity wherever it leads without being told it was impractical or incompatible. At that moment, it felt like a door opening to a kind of education I had only dreamed about."

Once here, she became captivated by neuroscience research and joined a lab, but also started a Russian conversation hour after the war with Ukraine began.

"My Russian conversation hours were never about just grammar or vocabulary; they were rather about holding space for each other during a time that felt scary and uncertain for many of us."

During a gap semester in the spring of 2025, she spent three months in Germany, volunteering with Ukrainian refugees and piecing together a new direction for her honors thesis.

"Witnessing the resilience of post-war communities completely reshaped how I viewed my academic purpose. Today, as a student of psychology and environmental design, my honors thesis looks very different from where it started. It now focuses on the architecture and environmental design of refugee accommodations and their impact on inhabitants’ mental well-being."

Read more about Arina's journey and the stories of 50 other member of the class of 2026.
https://as.cornell.edu/news/language-and-culture-can-serve-bridge-not-barrier
https://as.cornell.edu/extraordinary-journeys-2026

05/23/2026

05/23/2026

One degree closer to changing the world 🌎🎓
Here’s to the Cornell A&S graduates who will lead, create, discover and make an impact far beyond campus.

05/21/2026

As the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, and amid concern about democratic backsliding globally, the university has launched the Cornell Center on Democracy to mobilize leading scholars to strengthen democracy through rigorous research, democratic education and public engagement.

Rooted in Cornell’s land‑grant mission to serve the public good, the center aims to advance practical, objective and globally relevant ideas to improve democratic institutions and practices across the U.S. and abroad.

The leaders of the College of Arts and Sciences, Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and Cornell Law School founded the center based on a shared belief: that democracy requires constant renewal – fresh ideas, adaptive institutions and citizens equipped to participate thoughtfully and effectively. When democracies fail to evolve, trust erodes and polarization deepens and authoritarian appeals hold, said Rachel Beatty Riedl, the Peggy J. Koenig ’78 Director of the Cornell Center on Democracy.

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2026/05/new-cornell-center-democracy-will-support-democratic-principles-home-and-abroad

05/21/2026

Congratulations to government Professor Isabel Perera for winning the 2026 European Studies Book Award from the Council for European Studies (CES) for her book “The Welfare Workforce: Why Mental Health Care Varies Across Affluent Democracies."

https://as.cornell.edu/news/isabel-perera-wins-2026-european-studies-book-award

05/21/2026

As the Class of gets ready for this weekend's commencement, they're reflecting back on their time here:

"The memory I treasure most is not a single defined moment, but the accumulation of small, everyday experiences: late conversations after class, time spent with friends, and the feeling of being part of a community that was both intellectually challenging and personally supportive."

"Having the ability to switch gears between distinct subject areas has not only given me a diverse range of academic experiences, but also fundamentally shaped how I approach problems today, pushing me to approach questions from angles that might not seem obvious at first."

"The ability to try, fail, and try over and over again is something I learned while on this team and that will stay with me long after I graduate from Cornell."

Read more about some of their extraordinary journeys:
https://as.cornell.edu/extraordinary-journeys-2026

05/19/2026

We’re celebrating our seniors!

05/15/2026

🎓 We’re celebrating the A&S Class of 2026: their confidence, curiosity, and vision. ✨

From 🧪 chemistry to 🏛️ classics, ⚛️ physics to 🧠 psychology, our graduates have developed the skills to adapt, communicate, and think across disciplines in meaningful ways. 🌍📚

Now, they’re ready and willing to change the world. 💫

Read on to learn about the extraordinary journeys of this year’s graduating class.

https://as.cornell.edu/extraordinary-journeys-2026

05/15/2026

A deportation, a battle, a sexual assault, a crash: Because a traumatic event is unbearable in its horror and intensity, it often exists as memories that are not immediately recognizable as truth.

Cornell scholars have been on the forefront of defining Trauma as the delay between experiencing something horrific and processing it in the mind and body – with ramifications for individuals, communities and whole societies.

Faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences approach trauma from many different academic disciplines, including literature, history, archaeology and psychoanalysis, to connect past events with subsequent impacts in the mind, in art, and in the historical record. Their scholarship aims to bring about greater understanding, richer documentation, justice or even – where possible – closure.

A feature article details how A&S scholars are leading the way in responding effectively to trauma and creating bridges beyond.

https://as.cornell.edu/news/reclaiming-experience-approaches-trauma

05/14/2026

McGraw Hall is getting a remarkable new life. 🏛️✨

As Cornell’s third-oldest building undergoes a major renovation, crews have uncovered pieces of history hidden within its walls, from signatures carved into stone dating back to 1872 to cast-iron columns stamped with the names of the original foundry.

Materials from the building are being reused and studied by Cornell students and researchers, connecting the past with the future in creative ways. Original window frames, dormers, moldings, and architectural details are also being carefully restored and preserved.

Originally opened in 1872, McGraw Hall has housed everything from the university library and museum collections to Cornell’s first entomology department. Now, this iconic landmark is being transformed into a modern academic space while honoring its historic legacy.

As Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts & Sciences, shared, McGraw Hall stands as both “a symbol of the College’s dedication to the humanities and to the preservation of our history” and a reflection of Cornell’s commitment to modern learning and research spaces for future generations.

Construction continues through 2027, with reopening planned for 2028. ❤️🐻

https://as.cornell.edu/news/mcgraw-construction-melds-modern-historical

05/11/2026

Mayfest returns this May at Cornell University after a two-year hiatus, running May 15–19 and bringing together musicians for chamber music concerts spanning Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and contemporary works, including a U.S. premiere by Joseph Phibbs.

This year’s festival highlights both musical excellence and the deep lineage of mentorship that connects generations of performers and composers. It also welcomes back Daniel Anastasio ’11, a graduate of the College of Arts & Sciences with degrees in music and philosophy, joining the roster of returning artists and guest musicians.

Performances take place throughout the event (evenings at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday 2 p.m. matinee) and tickets are $25 for adults, $5 for students, and free for children under 18 with an accompanying adult.

https://as.cornell.edu/news/mayfest-cornells-international-chamber-music-festival-returns-may-15-19