Kapil Longani ’97: shaping NYC’s COVID-19 response

Since 2018, Kapil Longani ’97 has served as chief counsel to New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio. Since the start of the pandemic, Longani has helped shape the city’s plans for reopening schools, creating outdoor dining protocols, and thinking through legal issues around COVID testing and vaccine distribution. “Every significant or sensitive legal issue … Read more

Cornellian’s website streamlines the vaccine appointment process

Olivia Adams ’14, MEng ’15 saw a problem: people in Massachusetts were having a difficult time signing up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments. So, she built a solution. Adams created the website macovidvaccines.com to make it easier for MA residents to find and book appointments. The website compiles appointment availability from vaccination sites across the state, … Read more

Seven continents, one Cornell connection

Kamillah Knight ’13, MPA ’15, MBA ’22 and Stephan Spilkowitz ’10 didn’t know each other as students at Cornell, but Cornellians have a way of finding one another, no matter where they go in the world. Their mutual Cornell networks and friends brought them together in 2013, out and about in New York City, and … Read more

Meet the candidates for the 2021 Alumni Trustee Election

Voting is open February 1-28 for Cornell alumni to elect two new members to the Cornell University Board of Trustees. Four candidates are endorsed by the Committee on Alumni Trustee Nominations: John Balen ’82, MBA ’86; Liv Gussing Burgess ’91; A’ndrea Van Schoick ’96; and Kim Wagner ’85. We asked the candidates to share more … Read more

Cornell Club of Ithaca addresses local food insecurity

For years, volunteers with the Cornell Club of Ithaca have been supporting the local community. From hosting club events at area restaurants to support small business owners, to donating 400 pairs of socks to a homeless shelter last January, members do their part to give back to the Ithaca community. Typically, club members participate in … Read more

Cornellian addresses underrepresentation in computer science

Jehron Petty ’20 doesn’t shy away from a problem. After realizing during his time at Cornell that there was underrepresentation of Black and Latinx students in engineering and computer science, he set out not only to change that at his alma mater, but at universities around the country. “It motivated me to look at the … Read more

Alumni involvement in startup incubators sparks growth

When Frank DeCosta, Ph.D. ’85, thinks back to when he was a student, he reflects on how ignorant he was about intellectual property law. Now a lawyer with more than 20 years of experience in intellectual property, DeCosta volunteers at Cornell’s Praxis Center for Venture Development to make sure faculty and student entrepreneurs are more … Read more

StayHomecoming 2020 brings Big Red spirit online

Thousands of alumni, parents, students, and friends from around the globe participated in StayHomecoming 2020, the first time that a Cornell Homecoming was held entirely online. The Trustee Council Annual Meeting (TCAM) was also held online during StayHomecoming week, October 6–10, with many events open to all alumni. Alumni and students alike said that, while … Read more

Black alumni partner with student groups to support racial equity

Cornell alumni have always made it their mission to support the next generation of Cornell students. This is especially true in 2020, and helping current students is a key priority for the Cornell Black Alumni Association (CBAA). CBAA members provide support for Black alumni and students through scholarships, networking opportunities, social programming and other resources. … Read more