Rebecca Macies ’14 graduated from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 2014 with a degree in Natural Resources. Since graduating, this young alumna has gone on to become Senior Process Associate at Burford Capital. Deeply involved in the New York City Cornell community, she serves as both chair for Cornell Women’s Advocacy Network (CWAN) and board member for NYC Cornellians.

Tell us about your journey to Cornell.

My first time visiting Cornell was in mid-February, and I went on a campus tour while it was snowing sideways. I knew that there was something special about Cornell when I still wanted to go back after that! As a prospective CALS student, the college’s dedication to using the sciences to address real-world challenges, and to engage with the world beyond campus, solidified Cornell as the place I wanted to be.

How did you get involved as a Cornell Women’s Advocacy Network (CWAN) and NYC Cornellians volunteer?

I got involved with CWAN through a call for volunteers from Alumni Affairs. CWAN’s mission to be a network across all colleges, class years, careers, and experiences really resonated with me. As a recent graduate, it was great to meet my peers as well as women who had more experience and whom I could turn to as mentors. I thought that if I was looking for that kind of community, other alumnae probably were, too. My involvement with NYC Cornellians came about through coordinating with all the NY Metro alumni-led organizations.

What makes you feel most connected to Cornell since graduation?

Volunteering! Through volunteering I get to meet so many other alumni and hear not only about their time at Cornell, but also about how Cornell is a part of their life today. Everyone has a different story about how Cornell has impacted them, and why they’ve stayed connected or reconnected with the Cornell community. It’s especially fun to hear stories from outside Ithaca, like Cornell Tech here in NYC, and to see the breadth of the Cornell community.

What has been your favorite volunteering moment?

My favorite volunteering moments are when we get to see the impact that our events have had. For example, after our “New Year, New Career” event a couple years ago, a young alumna who had recently switched jobs reached out and told me that going to that event was part of what gave her the confidence to start looking for her new role. Along with big moments like that, I get to see smaller moments, too, like people making plans to meet up again after one of our events.

Do you have a favorite class or extracurricular from your time at Cornell?

I was a member of the club sailing team and one of my favorite Cornell memories is spending afternoons on Cayuga Lake at practice with the team. I learned so much from my teammates both on and off the water, and I carried those lessons throughout my time as a student. It has been so exciting to watch the continued growth and success of the team as an alumna.

If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering or giving at Cornell, please fill out this short form and a member of the Northeast Corridor Team will reach out to you.