The 2022 crowdfunding burst is back—bigger and better than ever. Cornell crowdfunding, now in its tenth year, connects student teams to the greater Cornell community, to build support for projects and big ideas they are most passionate about.
A total of 27 groups are taking part in this year’s burst, which runs from November 1 through December 6, 2022. Over 300 peer fundraisers will be rallying support for their projects.
Several newcomers are launching their first-ever campaigns this year. These include (among others):
“Imagine starting every morning with a trek to central campus. Now imagine that same walk without bridges connecting North and South Campus to Central. Your daily commute would either double or become incredibly dangerous. This is the reality for many members of rural communities worldwide. Our team strives to impact communities in need by bridging gaps in education, healthcare, and safety through physical bridges. Each bridge our team builds makes a tangible difference in a community and increases equity across the world.” —Engineers in Action team
Several groups are returning from successful campaigns in prior years, including College of Engineering project teams Cornell Seismic Design, Engineers In Action, and CUAir, among others. From designing more resilient buildings, to building bridges that connect rural communities to critical resources like hospitals, to building and launching an autonomous aircraft—each of these student groups is counting on the collective energy of the Cornell community to bring their projects across the finish line.
“I love crowdfunding,” says Jon Gregory, associate director of donor participation and college and unit partnerships for Cornell Alumni Affairs and Development. “Seeing participation go up from 17 groups in 2021 to 27 groups in 2022—a 58% increase in one year—shows me that our November crowdfunding burst has become a cornerstone of the student experience. These students invest so much time and energy in these projects, and they are so grateful for every dollar they raise!”
Browse our three crowdfunding project galleries and find your favorites.
“This year, we’d like to take our members to Washington, D.C., to visit the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the U.S. Capitol, and the African American History Museum. Washington, D.C., being the center of the public sector, will offer our members a diverse and wider possibility of legal professions to pursue.” —Black Ivy Pre-Law Society
The Asian American Studies Program Oral History Project hopes to gather, preserve, and share the stories of Asian/Asian American students, faculty, and staff to better understand the history and impact of Asian/Asian Americans at Cornell.
“Women around the world are sentenced to death for killing their abusers—after lifetimes of gender-based violence. We are training capital defense lawyers, conducting research to enlighten policy makers and courts, and working directly with women to tell their stories. CCDPW is the only organization defending these women.” —The Alice Project: Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide team
“Each year, we continue to innovate and improve—rethinking and redesigning even the smallest components. Our unmatched work ethic and team culture create a passion for our car, and we think that passion really makes the difference.” —Baja Racing team
“Cornell Fashion Collective has given me a space to learn and grow in a way I could have never imagined—managing over 150 members, 200 models, and nearly 3,000 show attendees! The experiences I’ve had throughout my involvement with CFC will last a lifetime, and I cannot wait to see the culmination of all our hard work this March!” —Devin Schneider ’23, CFC president
The AguaClara team designs gravity-powered, electricity-free water treatment plants for communities in the Global South. All plants are owned and operated by their respective communities, where they provide safe drinking water for residents.
The Cornell University Autonomous Underwater Vehicle team is pushing the boundaries of autonomous underwater vehicle technology. In late July 2023, they will head to AUVSI’s international RoboSub Competition, drop their vessels Aurora and Leviathan into the testing pool, press the green button, and cheer them on as they navigate a complicated underwater obstacle course.
The Akwekon Full Circle Healing & Honoring Garden will give indigenous students an opportunity to develop, nurture, and maintain a medicinal plants garden. At the garden, students and visitors will learn about the Full Circle approach to life, community, indigenous values, and indigenous people’s relationship to the environment.
Hyperloop is an Elon Musk-proposed mode of passenger and freight transportation—a frictionless, vacuum-sealed tube system through which a pod travels at speeds exceeding 600 mph. “Hyperloop is a game changer and a glimpse into the future of efficient transportation. The opportunity to compete at leading conferences will provide our team with invaluable experience and will further our contributions to the exciting research being done.” —Cameron Robinson ’24, Cornell Hyperloop team manager
Several universities from across the globe will be competing against the Cornell Mars Rover team at the University Rover Challenge in summer 2023. The winner will receive the honor of presenting their rover at the International Mars Society’s Conference.
“Cornell Media Guild has taught me life and business skills that I can’t learn in the classroom, such as managing day-to-day business operations and collaborating with student leaders. Joining the News team was the best thing I ever did at Cornell—challenging me to write compelling news stories and face my fear of talking to a live audience.”
—Emily Choi ’23, CMG secretary
“When recruitment season came around, I was dumbfounded on what to do. Luckily, my friend referred me to Cornell Wardrobe. I was able to rent out a few suits that I could switch in and out of to match the hectic number of networking events I was attending. The Wardrobe helped me land my summer internship and continues to help me in fulfilling various professional needs on campus.” —Alexandra Bixler ’21, Cornell Wardrobe user
With more than 100 members, the Cornell Speech and Debate Society has policy and Spanish debate teams, as well as scores of new British parliamentary debaters and speech competitors.
Cornell Rocketry designs, assembles, and launches a high-powered rocket to compete in the annual Spaceport America Cup. At the 2022 competition, their rocket, Big Red 1, lifted off the pad and soared to a height of 10,367 feet.
“We are passionate about designing safer structures for regions impacted by seismic activity. At the competition, our tower is scored on its architecture, building costs, presentation quality, and most importantly: if the structure survives the quake!” —Cornell Seismic Design team
The oldest Engineering project team on campus, Cornell Racing FSAE designs, manufactures, and builds a Formula One-style racecar. The team is a nine-time world champion.
This project aims to significantly improve the Naval ROTC program’s facilities in Barton Hall—called the “Topside.” The renovation will include new lockers, flooring, furniture, and railings to mimic what would be on a ship.
Your support for the Touchdown Mobile Project will help Big Red Bears purchase a limited use vehicle (street-legal golf cart) to transport Touchdown the Bear mascot to the many events he appears at around campus.
The Cornell NSBE Chapter works to ensure the retention of Black engineers on campus. The group provides mentoring, tutoring, networking, scholarships, and leadership opportunities to its members in engineering, science, and tech fields.
“During the pandemic, our class endured the tragic passing of our friend and classmate, Dr. Lorna Breen ’92, MBA/MS ’21, who took her own life after suffering from COVID-19 and dealing with the emotionally taxing duty of saving the lives of others as a talented emergency department physician in New York City. To honor Lorna, to memorialize her life’s work, and to make an impact on the complex issue of mental health, we have created the Dr. Lorna Breen Healthcare Legacy Fund.” —MBA/MS Class of 2021
“We want to help alleviate food insecurity and increase farmers’ crop yields in the Sunuka, Tanzania community by implementing a distribution system to support current infrastructure and bring water to the rice and vegetable fields.” —Krisha Jivani ’24, Engineers Without Borders Tanzania subteam lead
“CUAir creates a space for members to comfortably make mistakes, ask questions, and learn from one another. Our experiences in CUAir have equipped us with industry-level knowledge and helped us progress towards careers that we are passionate about. The collaborative and welcoming atmosphere of the team has also made CUAir a family for many of us on campus.” —Madeline Yeh ’24, CUAir design and operations lead
“We need your help to bring Combat Robotics @ Cornell to their first championship competition on December 17, 2022. We want to bring the whole team to participate in this momentous achievement and make our championship dreams come true!” —Combat Robotics @ Cornell team
In summer 2022, the Engineers in Action team worked with two communities in the Kingdom of Eswatini to build a 100-meter footbridge which will help over 2,000 people, including 1,200 schoolchildren, cross the Mtilane River safely.
“Founded in 2003, Les Femmes de Substance is a student-run organization that provides professional development to women of color at Cornell University. In 2023, Les Femmes will celebrate 20 years of empowering women to pursue any and every aspiration by providing a foundation of sisterhood, educational experiences, and mentorship.” —Les Femmes De Substance team
