Prof. Vance Christian ’61, MS ’65, teaches the famed Intro to Wines course. (Rare and Manuscript Collections) Alumni From Composition to Concrete: Your Most Life-Changing Classes Stories You May Like By the Deep Blue Sea, an Idyllic Spot for Teaching and Research ‘Expect the Unexpected,’ Fauci Tells Weill Cornell Medicine Students Working to Reunite Families Fractured by Opioids Your alma mater asked you to share the courses that had the biggest impact on you—and you aced the assignment By Cornellians staff “What one class at Cornell forever changed your life?” Your alma mater asked that question on LinkedIn a while back. The responses ran the gamut of subjects—from psychology to art history, poetry to nuclear science (and even pistolry!). “It is so fascinating that so many of the mentions are about life skills, critical thinking, or wine tasting,” engineering alum Kabeh Vaziri, PhD ’05, observed. “These are skills that do not have a usefulness half-life, even in the age of AI.” With a new academic year getting underway, Cornellians is showcasing a sampling of those reflections—along with images of Big Red classrooms from the University’s early days to the present. ryan young / cornell universityHunter Phillips, MA ’25, teaches English in fall 2024. We hope these varied reminisces will spark memories of your own studies. But we must admit to being particularly touched by a comment from another engineering grad, Dexter Wang ’69, MEng ’70. “I really feel,” he said, “that the sum of all my classes built my whole self and professional character.” What class did you find most life-changing? Let us know in the comments below! (Responses have been edited and condensed.) “Human Bonding; this class started my journey to self-discovery, the most important lesson in life.” — Li Tao ’02 “ChemE 219, an introduction to chemical engineering, was life-changing for me. The course description appeared to be innocuous, but I found it to be more challenging than physical or organic chemistry.” — Allan Dean ’92 Wine tasting! I learned about German Rieslings and they are still my favorite. Lori Rothman ’78 “Design of Concrete Structures and Concrete Materials and Construction, taught by Kenneth Hover, PhD ’84, a pioneer in concrete design and construction. Not only did they teach you chemistry, mechanics, design principles, and constructability considerations, they prepared you for a career in construction and structural engineering. The final was the ultimate test of knowledge, stamina, and versatility. In the middle of the exam, a TA would come into the room—frequently and sporadically—to give you mini quizzes. You also received random phone calls from the big man himself, in which he would ask you an urgent question related to concrete. The skills gained were directly applicable to the real world, where construction projects inherently involve unanticipated changes that need to be resolved expediently and efficiently.” — Andrew Greubel ’19 Rare and Manuscript CollectionsStudents in the 1940s use adding machines—along with pencils and paper—in a statistics class. “A class on poetry from the Spanish Renaissance, which made me see modern poetry differently.” — Roberta Quance, PhD ’82 “Biology 281: Genetics, with the fly lab in the basement of Plant Science. Real, hands-on genetic mapping of fly genes taught us some serious science.” — Jeremy Ward ’94, PhD ’00 Adult Education. This not only introduced me to theories but to education in the prison system. It gave me a new perspective on incarceration and the role education plays. Katie Bower ’19 “The graduate reactor design course taught by Peter Harriott ’48, BChemE ’49—the hardest college course I’ve ever taken. He drove home that engineering isn’t perfect. Our exam questions were based on how many factors we considered in our design, like friction, site elevation, temperature variation, and heat losses. I remember one homework where he said, ‘Here’s a published, peer-reviewed article on reactor design. Find the mistake.’” — Wade Amos, MEng ’95 Lindsay France / Cornell UniversityProf. Abby Drake with students in a 2019 intro evolutionary biology and diversity course. “Principles of Macroeconomics. It was so damn easy, yet no one else seemed to think so. Given my path-of-least-resistance approach, I became an econ major. Doing what came easy led to a PhD and the life of an academic.” — Raul Barreto ’89 Introductory genetics! The five-credit course was very tough but inspired my passion for genetics to this day. Esther Verheyen ’88 “So many profoundly great literature classes, including American novels, Russian literature, and a course featuring Black women writers like Maya Angelou and Zora Neale Hurston. I will never forget the impact of ‘I know why the caged bird sings.’ Grateful for these well-taught and well-curated classes elevating human experiences through the beauty of language.” — Courtenay Singer ’91 sreang hok / cornell universityKevin Seaman teaches jiu-jitsu in Bartels Hall in 2023. “Economics of Agricultural Geography with Daniel Sisler, PhD ’62—the best, most engaging teacher I’ve ever been around. I reference things I learned in that class to this day. His ability to turn raw subject matter into relatable stories and anecdotes made it one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. I’ll be forever indebted to Cornell for giving me exposure to such an amazing instructor.” — Scott Diehl ’84 Psych 101, where I learned all about the power nap! Millay Kogan ’06 “The intro class on human behavior and education taught by Urie Bronfenbrenner ’38. I was a biology major, but that class was so popular, everyone at Cornell wanted to take it. Talk about a dynamic teacher!” — Ricardo Gonzalez-Rothi ’73 Rare and Manuscript Collections Rare and Manuscript Collections Home economics students in a lab; and “Cornell Chicken” creator Bob Baker ’43 leads a food science class. “Plant Genetics and Breeding taught by Martha Mutschler-Chu. It was the first class I took where we were encouraged to work together and learn from each other. I became a TA the following year. It made me fall in love with the discipline and influenced my graduate education and career.” — Maria Gallo ’84 Dendrochronology! Ended up working in the lab for the rest of my time at Cornell. Also absolutely loved all classes with Chris Monroe learning about ancient Egypt, nautical archaeology, etc. Kayla Marie Altland ’10 “Intro to Pistol. Taught at the firing range in the basement of Barton Hall by the Marine Corps sergeant who was stationed at Cornell for ROTC. I wasn’t in ROTC, but decided to take the class because I thought it would be fun. Talk about a sobering experience. I learned some deeply moving things from that sergeant that have stuck with me for the rest of my life.” — Michael Reed ’94 Sreang Hok / Cornell UniversityCorey Ryan Earle ’07 leads AMST 2001: The First American University in 2023. “American history, taught by Clinton Rossiter ’39, gave me a framework to question and explore original sources and question carefully accepted interpretations.” — Marc Gabel ’58 Women at Work taught by Jennie Towle Farley ’54, PhD ’70, in ILR. Empowering! Patty Garr ’79 “Freshman Composition with Sally Robinson, MFA ’75, who went on to success as a TV writer. She encouraged me to write and introduced me to great writers with similar experiences to my own.” — Jonathan Cohen ’78, MFA ’80 Rare and Manuscript CollectionsFirst-years circa 1967. “Taking three classes—Evidence, Trial Practice, and Trial Techniques—with Irving Younger paved the way for me to pursue a 40-year career as a litigator.” — Stephen Kesselman ’78, JD ’81 Racism in American Society. Transformative. Bradley Jaehn ’97 Stories You May Like By the Deep Blue Sea, an Idyllic Spot for Teaching and Research ‘Expect the Unexpected,’ Fauci Tells Weill Cornell Medicine Students “John Hubbard’s Multivariate Calculus class. I’ve used that course ever since. In fact, I’m teaching a similar course for STEM majors and future engineers myself!” — A. Jorge Garcia ’83 Joe Wilensky / Cornell UniversityPhysics of Sailing students prepare a boat for launch with the help of a staff member in 2024. “The Vertebrates class. Led me into medical research and the eventual discovery of the properties of GLP-1 while working at Harvard.” — George Holz ’75 Organic chem. Failed it, had to retake it over the summer, and ended up becoming a writer. Miriam Ordoñez Clifford ’01 “Government, taught by Walter Berns; he gave insights into the danger of factions and how our founders worked to insulate our government from them.” — Alan Cody ’69 Rare and Manuscript CollectionsProf. Alison Lurie in the classroom in 1977. “U.S. History After 1945 with Richard Polenberg. Started my lifelong love of history. In retirement, I continue to audit history classes at Rutgers.” — Daniel Zaccardo ’81 Architecture 101. Still have my textbook; I put a note next to every place I’ve visited. Really sparked my love of travel. Nikki VanEngel Willner ’99 “Racism in American Society, taught jointly by Donald Barr, professor of policy analysis and management, and James Turner, founder of the Africana Studies and Research Center. One white, one Black, both civil rights activists in the ’60s. First time I was taught about the true history of our country. What wonderful, unique perspectives. In the very last class, they advised us that since we are no longer ignorant, we have a responsibility to speak up. ‘Don’t sell out! Do the right thing!’ May they rest in peace. They inspired so many young people.” — Rose Cacioppo ’89, BS ’90 rare and manuscript collectionsA veterinary medicine lab in 1981. “Labor law—knew I wanted to be a lawyer. Statistics was among the most useful.” — Jennifer Lauro ’84 Books, Prints, and the Graphic Image with Peter Kahn. Launched me into a 40-year career in printing, publishing, and graphic design. Victor Curran ’71, BA ’73 “Intro to Art History, taught by Judith Bernstock ’67. I developed a great appreciation for modern art.” — Kenneth Plattner ’96 Jason Koski / Cornell UniversityAl fresco learning on the first day of the fall 2024 semester. “Rosemary Avery’s Family Resource Management and Consumer Economics. This course defined the ‘Human Ecology’ approach for me: analyzing how individuals and systems optimize limited resources. She ingrained an interdisciplinary learning approach that I carry with me into every consulting engagement. Forever grateful!” — Adrian Simmons ’90, MBA ’97 While I still consider myself an introvert by nature, Comm 201 brought me out of my shell to where I’m very comfortable now speaking in public. Michael Rapolas Jr. ’94, BS ’95 “History of the Supreme Court with government professor Jeremy Rabkin ’74 was my absolute favorite! Just so fascinating. He made the class a lot of fun.” — Philip Ballard ’00 jason koski / Cornell UniversityAn art class in spring 2026. “The international agriculture course that included a trip to Mexico. Our professor, the legendary Robert McDowell, left a deep impression on me.” — Mickey McDermott, MS ’82 Calculus 101. After I conquered that, I knew I could conquer anything. Ronald Johnson ’77 “Diseases of Trees and Shrubs. Wayne Sinclair, PhD ’62, helped me develop a treatment for sudden oak death.” — Ralph Zingaro ’77 “Statics. After that, I was pretty sure I’d be a structural engineer.” — Nicholas Coyle ’17 Sreang Hok / Cornell UniversityFocusing on fungi in the popular Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds. “All of the education minor courses! I still use those lessons every day of my life.” — Veronika Drozdova ’20 Creative writing with Dan McCall taught me the magic of words. Charles Schlumberger ’76 “Freshman seminar in Russian literature. My very first grade at Cornell was a C-minus. I thought I was a hotshot, and it brought me back to reality in both school and life.” — Adriane Simmons ’85 Rare and Manuscript CollectionsProf. Carl Sagan explains the mysteries of the cosmos in the 1970s. “After my second year in architecture school, I went on a summer studio with Prof. John Shaw and architecture historian Chris Otto. We traveled all over central Europe looking at the work of 18th-century Baroque architect Balthasar Neumann. I literally soaked in the architecture with my heart and soul. At the end of each day, my fingers were smothered with pencil graphite from the hours of sketching. The summer ended with four weeks on a boat sailing the Adriatic coast of Yugoslavia. When I returned to Ithaca, it was as if I had acquired superpowers. I could finally ‘see’ architecture and ‘speak’ architecture—life changing. That summer and that incredible architecture school fed my 35 years of practice around the globe as well as teaching my own students.” — Peter Choi ’90 Top: Prof. Vance Christian ’61, MS ’65, teaches the famed Intro to Wines course. (Rare and Manuscript Collections) Published August 24, 2026 What class did you find most life-changing? Comments John A. Egan, Class of 1975 1 Sep, 2026 Introduction to Soil Mechanics (CEE 301 in 1973) with Professor Dwight Sangrey. It pointed me in a direction that would evolve into my lifelong career. Reply Kurt Shadle, Class of 1978 13 Sep, 2026 Walter LaFeber’s American history class. He was brilliant. The classes were held on Tues, Thurs and Sat in an attempt to keep class size manageable. That man was a god! Reply b blake, Class of 1971 13 Sep, 2026 Yes, Prof. LaFeber was inspirational — and kind. A rare teacher and human being. —B Blake ‘71 A&S Reply Rita Teutonico, Class of 1980 2 Sep, 2026 I had the good fortune to have so many iconic professors during my time at Cornell! From Carl Sagan’s inspiring Astronomy course (billions and billions) to Jim Maas’ theatrical Psychology 101 in Bailey Hall to Biology 101 from the master who literally ‘wrote the book’ Professor Keeton! But the most memorable moment in class had to be Professor Roald Hoffmann going up in a puff of smoke at the final lecture of Chemistry 101! Never forgot that moment and the power of the wonder of science. Reply Kristin Vyhnal, Class of 2002 2 Sep, 2026 Dos Worlds, Two Mundos freshman writing seminar 1998, taught by a graduate student. I was always math/science, and this course on linguistics and hispanic bilingualism ignited my love and understanding of the precision and limitations of language–which I now use every day in writing scientific reports and communicating with bosses, employees, and students. Reply Herbert VanKruiningen, Class of 1954 3 Sep, 2026 English 102. The professor chose to read my paper as an example of what not to do. I was embarrassed. But he met me after class, apologized and taught me how to write., of course not in one sitting. Others helped afterward. And now I’m a great writer of medical research. Reply Dian Nafis, Class of 1977 8 Sep, 2026 Like many Cornell students I grew up on Long Island. During my senior year at Cornell I took a class on the History of the American West and was inspired to see all those places in person! My younger brother and I took a 9000 mile road trip that summer to the Rockies, California, and the Pacific Northwest. I ended up going to grad school at Washington State University and teaching at U of Hawaii. For the past 30+ years I have been an Oregonian! Reply Howard Homonoff, Class of 1981 10 Sep, 2026 History of American Foreign Policy taught by Professor Walter LaFeber, the finest teacher in my Cornell years. I never read a newspaper without applying the knowledge and thought process I gained in that class. Reply Edward Thompson, Jr., Class of 1971 13 Sep, 2026 I will never forget LaFeber’s final lecture in the spring of 1970 on the Vietnam War, which was then tearing the country apart. He concluded by noting how events had rendered JFK’s admonition — Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. — a bitter irony. Reply Theresa Loh-Mei Yin Michna, Class of 1964 10 Sep, 2026 I was inspired forever by Prof. Knight Biggerstaff’s course in Modern Chinese History. Biggerstaff’s textbook, personal knowledge of China, and riveting way of telling stories will always inspire me. In addition, my family had migrated from Shanghai in the 1930’s and had a significant impact in establishing the publishing industry in China in the early 20th century. Thank you, Cornell, and thanks for our gifted Professors! Reply Leonard N Bebchick, Class of 1955 13 Sep, 2026 Collaborative journey with Norman Malcolm — “help me think this through” — in Philosophy of Psychology where he taught the most important life take away — in confronting any assertion, always ask two questions — “what do you mean?” and “how do you know?” Doing so provided me with both great personal and professional success. Reply Ellen P Elliott, Class of 1965 13 Sep, 2026 Sociology of the family. Validated my wish to have both a career and a marriage at a time when that was not the norm for women. Reply Andrea Stern, Class of 1973 13 Sep, 2026 I can’t believe no one mentioned a class on Feminism in 1970. This completely changed my views of women and plans for my life. I always refer to that class as a pivotal moment in my life Reply Kate Davis, Class of 1980 13 Sep, 2026 “Farm and Food Policy,” taught by Kenneth Robinson. Although my career ultimately went in an entirely different direction, this course changed the way I understand the world. I think about it every time I see prices and availability change at the grocery store; every time I hear debates about farm subsidies, agricultural trade, and global imbalances; and every time I learn about new production methods and their potential long-term effects on markets and the environment. This course showed me that food is never just food; it’s economics, politics, technology, and stewardship. I still draw on those lessons decades later, and I’m grateful that I had the chance to learn from such a talented teacher. Reply Amy Jacoby Budish, Class of 1974 13 Sep, 2026 Most transformative course was Biology for non- science majors taught by Professor Blackler(?)in the Ag School .I was a second year transfer student into Human Ecology and had to quickly fulfill certain graduation requirements, which included a Science class. Having no aptitude in this arena, I was terrified that I would fail and be forced into a premature exit from Cornell! The professor didn’t just lecture, he taught the joy of discovery. I might not remember the facts , but I have retained his teaching premise: curiosity-don’t be intimidated by the unknown, the world is ours to discover and science doesn’t belong solely to men in white lab coats! Reply Brinda Govindan, Class of 1989 13 Sep, 2026 Professor Blackler was a gem! Thanks for sharing the memory of him. I was a biology major and loved any class I took with him. Reply Dr. Charles L. Stuppard, Class of 1982 13 Sep, 2026 For me, it was ‘technology and society’ taught by professor Bart Conta. As a mechanical and aerospace engineering student, that course helped me understand and realize the long term effects of the things that we invent. The welfare of humanity and our planet is dependent on all of us to be responsible citizens, including scientists, engineers, government, corporations and society as a whole. The Book used for the course was “Small is Beautiful.” Reply Tod Eberle, Class of 1979 13 Sep, 2026 Thermodynamics in 1978 – ‘79. Bart taught the most challenging concepts in engineering with a stepladder! That and Organic chemistry. First principles made applicable to any field, in my case polymer science. Will never forget the sense of accomplishment and self-confidence gained that we could do this math and use it in a myriad of practical applications. I’m forever grateful. Reply Robert Herwick MD, Class of 1964 13 Sep, 2026 How could Prof. Healy’s Brit Lit 101 possibly not have made the list so far! I took his course Freshman year and was awakened to the world of poetry and literature. I was, at the time, a chemistry major and having been inspired by this course, changed my major to German Literature which was the best academic decision I ever made. You could hardly find a seat in his Saturday lecture on parents’ weekend as everybody would take their families to witness the show. Healy, by the way, use the mace to fend off the miscreats who tried to interrupt the graduation ceremony during the rebelleous late 60’s. Reply Christine I. Oaklander, Class of 1981 13 Sep, 2026 Insects and Man, Edgar Raffensperger. Fascinating stories about how bugs impacted humans, bubonic plague, silkworm, etc. He brought a giant hissing cockroach tied to his lapel to class one day. I wrote my paper on spiders in literature. Leonard Topoleski vegetable crops and identification. We met in the greenhouses out on Tower Road had a slide lecture then went into the greenhouses to inspect and taste the different vegetables. Exotic to me veggies like Jerusalem artichoke were served up. Both professors were charismatic warm and funny. Fred Somkin American History, assigned classics including The Jungle and Sister Carrie, which influenced my career in American art history. Reply Steve Sauter, Class of 1976 13 Sep, 2026 Richard Polenberg’s course on US History (and another professor’s course on World History) sparked a love of history, which while not part of my career, has led to an enriched life of reading and travel. And I now chair the board of our town’s historical society. Reply Richard Aubrecht, Class of 1964 13 Sep, 2026 In 1967 I did a minor in Computer Science as part of my PhD. This changed my life in many ways. At that time, punch cards were used to enter your program into a “mainframe” that executed your program and then printed out your results. Then, as computer technology progressed to desktops, laptops, and iPads, I was always the first person at work and at home to use the new technologies. In 2023, the first AI Agent using a Large Language Model (LLM) became available. I started with ChatGPT and have been using GEMINI since it became available in 2025 My background in Computer Science enabled me to lead the aplication of new computers capability at MOOG INC where I worked for 47 years Reply Marybeth Mackin, Class of 1975 13 Sep, 2026 Fine arts professor Zevi Blum changed my trajectory at Cornell and in life. I did not become a professional artist, but through Mr. Blum’s life drawing studios, I gained the confidence to fulfill other ambitions. I know I speak for many students who adored this gentle, talented teacher. Reply Richard Krochalis, Class of 1972 13 Sep, 2026 Professor Walter LaFeber’s two semester History of American Foreign Relations….his knowledge and insight about American leaders and how they shaped our country’s history was fascinating. He often received standing ovations after particularly inspiring lectures especially on Saturday morning 11:15 classes where students brought their dates with them and went directly to the football game. Reply Marc Milgrom, Class of 1994 13 Sep, 2026 CS 214 (I think?) – A Taste of C and Unix, a half-semester course which ended up a backbone of much of my professional career in tech and finance despite my being a ChemE major. ChemE 390 – UO Lab, which made me a much better technical communicator, another pillar of my career progression. However the course which has had the biggest total impact on my life is Wine Tasting, which remains a passion over 30 years later. Reply Jon Vinograd, Class of 1968 13 Sep, 2026 Professor Allan Bloom, any course I could find. There was a time in the 1960’s that the Cornell Sun would announce on the first page lower right corner “Bloom’s Last Lecture,” of the semester. Bloom would bring Socrates/ Aristotle to the present century. In a University where knowledge of anything and everything was on display everyday, and everywhere, that Last Lecture was SRO- Standing Room Only. The thirst/quest for understanding was on display. Ah, and what he taught- that there was a “good,” and that not all things were of equal weight, that a “good life,” like perfect health was worth pursuing and more… Reply Jon Anderson, Class of 1971 13 Sep, 2026 Walter Lafeber’s course on US foreign policy. His lecture was in Bailey Hall. I think I took the course in 1970. Reply Brian Fristensky, Class of 1980 13 Sep, 2026 CS100 with David Gries. I was Bio/Genetics major taking my first computer course at the dawn of the Recombinant DNA era. This led to my first lab job, in Dr. John Lis’s lab: writing some of the earliest programs for DNA/protein sequence analysis. Today, Bioinformatics is essential in every area of biology. Cornell was and is an opportunity to be a part of great things. Reply Brinda Govindan, Class of 1989 13 Sep, 2026 Bio 281–Genetics and Fly Lab inspired my love for genetics which continued through graduate school and decades of teaching biology to undergraduates. Comm Arts 201–which gave me a solid foundation in public speaking Psych 101 with Jim Maas–still have the binder of articles we read for that class! As a biochem/cell bio major, this class was a window into a whole different world. Reply Whit Watson, Class of 1993 13 Sep, 2026 I took a Narrative Writing class with Dan McCall when I was a sophomore. On the first day, he asked everyone to submit a piece of fiction for the following week. When we came back to the next class, he spent a good bit of time talking about how disappointed he was with the submissions. And then he said, “but is Whit Watson here?” I raised my hand, sheepishly. Professor McCall then read my entire submission out loud to the class as an example of good writing. He would later suggest that I get an agent to pursue a writing career. I pursued a career in broadcasting instead, but I was in touch with him for many years after that class. By far, the most influential teacher I ever had at Cornell. Reply Eliot, Class of 1973 13 Sep, 2026 I have 5. The Supreme Court taught by David Danelski started me on a path to law school; followed by my field work in the Human Affairs Program, making me realize I needed to understand law; and taking Nature, Functions and Limits of Law, an undergrad class taught by Prof Summers of the Law School second semester senior year affirmed my decision to go to law school. Failing Biochem gave me the important push from bio major to government major. Physics for Poets gave me the background I needed to have probing conversations with and learn from engineers during my 47-year career as a telecommunications attorney. Although I did not take any economics at Cornell, when I was in law school, the economics I learned from taking antitrust law gave me the background I needed as a telecommunications attorney to have intelligent conversations with and learn from economists. Reply Chad Schmidt, Class of 1998 14 Sep, 2026 Computer Science (CS) 100 when they used to teach Pascal. I got a mercy C- grade and probably deserved lower but learned a lot. Then after I graduated, I ended up needing to know how to program and that knowledge was invaluable. I used that job to springboard the rest of my career. Lesson: Grades don’t reflect learning Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. 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