Celebrating Cornell faculty

Over 100 alumni shared stories of faculty who shaped their Cornell experiences—or their careers. Read a few of our favorite submissions.

James Blankenship

Submitted by Kasey Joy Christopher ’08

When I think of the education I received at Cornell, the first person that always comes to mind is Jim Blankenship. His autotutorial biochemistry course is the hardest and best class I’ve ever taken. It taught me more about how to learn than any other course before or since. The level of structure and support provided, even though it was an autotutorial class, speaks to Jim’s brilliant instructional design, and the accompanying computer graphics class he taught made me think about biology in a completely different way.

I had the privilege of serving as a TA for Jim’s course for several semesters, which is where I first discovered a spark of joy in educating others. I have now been a teaching professor of biology for a decade, serving at both Georgetown and Duquesne Universities, and I still think about how Jim exemplified the ability to teach with both kindness and rigor. I aspire to make the same deep human connections, and inspire the same passion for learning, that he did with us as students. I am not certain if I’d be where I am as an educator today without Jim as a model for how to make an impact at a university as a non-tenure-line teaching professor, a position I also proudly hold. And finally, on a personal note, I’m thankful that he lets his TAs choose their shifts, since it allowed me to sign up for the same times as a fellow TA that I was hoping to get to know better—and to whom I’ve now been married for nearly 13 years and share two children with. I can only hope Jim knows what a deep and lasting impact he has had on me and thousands of Cornellians over the years!

Stephen Bloom, PhD

It is so hard to choose! So many professors helped me along the way. However, Dr. Stephen Bloom (Professor Emeritus of Microbiology and Immunology) probably had the most long-lasting impact. He agreed to take me on as a research assistant during my senior year and encouraged me to apply to graduate school when he saw how much I enjoyed my hours in the lab. I had never even considered that path. I loved it, and have just recently retired from an incredibly fulfilling 30-year career as a biology professor. Thanks, Steve!

—Tammy Tobin ’85

James J. Eyster

Professor James Eyster in the Hotel School introduced me to the world of hospitality consulting and providing me with the skills to excel in it. I had no clue such a type of hospitality career existed (I assumed I was destined for hotel operations). It was an awakening that set the course for my entire career, starting from my summer internship in between my two MPS years until today. Prof. Eyster inspired me and showed me the way. I will be forever grateful for having him as a teacher and mentor.

—Robert Van Rensselaer Hecker MPS ’87

Sheila Danko

Professor Sheila Danko was one faculty member who made a difference for me during my time at Cornell. Professor Danko had a way of teaching that made the material come to life. Although she was teaching us about design in different areas of the world, I felt able to take the lessons and concepts to many other parts of life.

—Rachel Suchoff ’01

Walter LaFeber

Submitted by Alexandra S. Korros ’66

Walter LaFeber was my favorite faculty member out of the many wonderful teachers at Cornell. Walt was always there for me.

I wanted to become the kind of professor to whom students could turn for good advice while also maintaining a high level of expectations. Walter LaFeber provided me with the example of the kind of professor I wanted to be—someone who expected the best from my students, but helped them along the way to achieve their best. Throughout my own teaching career, I tried to model those same qualities for my students. One of the reasons I so loved my years at Cornell was because I had the chance to study with and get to know and love Walter LaFeber. I am sure that my stories mirror those of many other Cornellians and know that I join them in my affection and admiration for this remarkable teacher and exceptional human being. I will forever be grateful to him and miss him deeply. He exemplified my ideal faculty member.

John Parker Hertel

After a disastrous midterm in chemistry in my freshman year, an admission officer at the Agricultural School (Professor J. P. Hertel) saw me on the campus and walked over to me and asked, “How are you doing?” He obviously knew of my results, so we spoke about it. He rearranged my schedule, advised me, and I graduated timely. Had he not intervened, my life’s vector would have been changed. I now have practiced law 56 years, and spent a third of my practice with charities (serving on over 40 charitable boards). I now chair a charitable medical group that serves the homeless and we see 53,000 plus patient visits a year. Think how many of the underserved were helped by that one kind gesture of a person who cared about Cornell and its students.

—John Cobey ’66

Stephen Ceci

Submitted by James Patrick Dunlea ’16

Stephen Ceci When I was an undergraduate student, I worked in the Children’s Witness and Cognition Lab, run by Dr. Steve Ceci. The lab focused on children’s memory and behavior within legal settings, such as the courtroom. Dr. Ceci was a fierce advocate for developing my critical thinking skills and for me to learn fundamentals of research.

I was so inspired by the applied questions the lab was answering that I began to think about other questions at the intersection of developmental psychology and law—particularly how children’s legal thinking emerges and changes over time. Ultimately, with the support of Dr. Ceci and other lab members—namely, Dr. Kayla Burd (now faculty at University of Wyoming)—I decided to apply to graduate school and dedicated 5 years to exploring these types of questions. If it wasn’t for Dr. Ceci, I wouldn’t have had the courage to explore and ask big, important questions. I am deeply thankful for this mentorship and support to this day.

Mary Ann Huntley

The faculty member who left a lasting impression on me is Mary Ann Huntley. She was my instructor for “Mathematics for Secondary Teachers,” a subject that was part of a Cornell outreach program designed for teachers in New York State. Her mentorship went beyond the curriculum. Her dedication to fostering excellence in both students and professionals is evident in all her initiatives.

—Lucille Arcedas MPS ’10

Karel Husa

Submitted by Patricia Hurley ’59

As a music major in the late '50s, I took all the academic courses: theory, counterpoint, history, etc. (the latter with Donald Grout). However, my most treasured memories are playing in the orchestra (trumpet) under the direction of Karel Husa. Initially hired in 1956 to teach theory, Husa eventually became the go-to composition teacher in the country.

His compositions won many prizes (Pulitzer, Grawemeyer) and are still a mainstay of wind ensembles and orchestras world wide. As conductor of the Cornell Orchestra (really a community orchestra) Husa inspired us with his erudition and clear direction, but especially by introducing us to composers such as Sibelius. I had the good fortune to study conducting with him, and we developed a lifelong friendship. I miss him to this day.

Isaac Kramnick

Professor Isaac Kramnick made a big impact on my Cornell time. He was a first-generation college student from Massachusetts, from a Jewish family and went to Harvard. I took two classes from him, all in political theory. I loved his passionate exposition of American Political Thought and his comment on the Cornell Daily Sun before each of his classes. I will also not forget this final exhortation to students at the end of his class to make good use of our college education. He is also very accessible and he places students and teaching before his other activities. As an undergraduate, I really felt that he cared about us. He also wrote my law school recommendation. Thank you, Professor Kramnick!

—Lei Liu ’13

Barbara Lang

Barbara Lang was an instructor for various classes during my tenure in the Hotel School, but she's become a dear friend. Over the years, we've communicated, collaborated, and visited with each other (she's come to visit me while I lived in NYC, Vermont, to our wedding in CT, and to our brewery in the Hudson Valley). She taught me not only how to be a creative professional, but a caring human. To this day, she still sends care packages to my kids (the most recent big bubble kits were a huge hit), and will show up to events at our brewery, cheering us on. She always shows up with curiosity, enthusiasm, and stories about the adventures in her life. I am so grateful for the impact she's had on my whole life—a guiding light who continues to teach me about the kind of human I want to be in this world.

—Taylor Cocalis ’05

Kraig Adler

During orientation week, my freshman year at Cornell (1991), I found myself in a pet shop in Ithaca asking if there were any local herpetological organizations that I could join. The clerk did not know of any but he did know the name of a professor at Cornell who had an interest in reptiles and amphibians: Kraig Adler. When I got back to my dorm, I found him in the staff directory and gave him a call. We set up a time to talk and I met him at his office. We spent two hours talking about herpetology, Cornell, antiquarian books, and the like. Wow! What a welcome. Though there are so many things that have happened between then and now, Kraig has remained a professional and personal mentor to me and we continue to work together on areas of mutual interest. I am so thankful for our relationship.

—Tristan Weinkle ’95, DVM ’99

Manoj Thomas

Submitted by Grace Schiodtz MBA ’15

Professor Manoj Thomas was leading our 2-year MBA Marketing Immersion, and right before the end-of-year break, he laid down the rules for returning to class: “We have a lot to cover. I expect everyone back on day one. Only acceptable excuses: a wedding or a funeral.” After class, my then-fiance Santiago and I nervously approached him and told him, “Well, we’re getting married, in January‚ in Chile.”

He paused, looked at us trying to see if we were joking, and with a smile said, “Well, that qualifies.”

When we returned after our honeymoon, not only had he excused our absence, he welcomed us back with a surprise "wedding" cake, beautifully decorated and ready to share with our classmates. It was an unexpected and heartfelt gesture that made us feel seen. It was wonderful to see that kindness from someone who was such a fantastic professor. In the whirlwind of business school, he reminded us to pause and honor the personal milestones too.

John F. Hoddinott

That’s such a great memory—classic Prof. Hoddinott move! Playing “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith on the last date to drop a course is equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. Says a lot about his style—blending dry humor with a touch of empathy. What a guy indeed!

—Shivanshu Sharma MPS ’22

Bill Keeton

Submitted by Michael Parkinson ’75

I was inspired by Prof. Bill Keeton while enrolled in his large freshman biology class, which of course used his textbook. Over the next four years, he became my valued advisor as I wrestled with too many interests: science, arts, literature and law. Late in junior year, it became clear to me that I was interested in both medicine and law (particularly after taking a course in the Law School). I took both the MCAT and LSAT.

Prof. Keeton was always supportive and helpful. His counsel to pursue medical education "first," as science and quantitative aptitude were likely to wane before legal logic capability, was sound. My career in the military and in civilian preventive medicine and public health combined science and policy—and reflected Prof. Keeton's support and advice. It gives me great pride to see his name on the Keeton House now on West Campus. He was a true student-centric, world class researcher and teacher who made this Cornellian's experience impactful!

Catherine Drew Harvell

I literally owe my career to Professor Drew Harvell (Biological Sciences). As an undergraduate in my second year at Cornell I was a bit adrift, but an opportunity to work in Prof. Harvell's lab opened the door to opportunities that I never expected. She allowed me to be a part of her research team and introduced me to the excitement of science and field work in marine biology. Now I am a Marine Biology Professor at Northeastern University, and am attempting to pass along the wisdom and excitement that I got from Drew to my own students. Thanks, Drew.

—Brian Helmuth ’89

William Trochim

One of the benefits of Cornell is the type of people it attracts. They tend to be very smart, good, capable people from different fields of study. That is the power of the College of Human Ecology: students and faculty who have a passion for their respective fields and the ability to bring their research to fruition. I transferred to Human Ecology under the tutelage of Professor William (Bill) Trochim to study research methodology and psychometrics. Bill took me under his wing. He was most generous with his time and giving of his research and the research he thought I would like. Bill Trochim was a phenomenal and quintessential advisor—a champion of applied social science research methodology—and he still remains my hero.

—Joseph C. Cappelleri PhD ’91

David BenDaniel

When I was a junior, I took a course at the Johnson School taught by a well known Professor (David BenDaniel). Meeting Professor BenDaniel changed my life forever. He became a sounding board for me as I graduated and started my first company. He made several intros that were impactful for me. He also kept in touch with me throughout the next two decades, until his passing. He was instrumental in helping me chart my path to become a growth investor. I loved him dearly and miss him very much.

—Ashish Vaidya ’99, MBA ’07

David Easley

Submitted by Gulcin Gumus MA ’01, PhD ’02

In my very first semester at Cornell as a PhD student in economics, I had the pleasure and privilege of taking an advanced microeconomics course with Professor David Easley. In one of his lectures, a brilliant classmate of mine asked a question. Professor Easley thought about it for a little and responded that it was a very good question and that he did not know the answer. He said he'd have to think some more and get back later.

Professor Easley is one of the most prominent scholars in his field and yet he was so humble in his response admitting that he did not have a quick answer. Until then, I had never heard a professor admit that they did not know. In that moment, Professor Easley showed us what scientific curiosity is all about. He embodies the true meaning of a researcher, which is something I admire and I strive for. I might have forgotten the specific question along with much of that advanced microeconomics course, but I will not forget that particular memory. I know I am not the only one, as Professor Easley has made a significant difference for many of us over the years and we are all grateful.

Gillian Pederson-Krag MFA ’63

Professor Gillian Pederson-Krag, was the most important teacher in my life, and I was blessed with extraordinary teachers from first grade through law school. Gillian was a newly-minted professor who taught Drawing and Painting for non-fine art students, in the spring semester of 1967. She brought a struggling student to competency and gave me tools that have lasted a lifetime. I am damn-well unteachable, yet she managed to reach me with grace and good humor. I have painted regularly since law school and have had several shows in the Syracuse area. Gillian and I reconnected about a decade ago when she moved back to Ithaca. I have had the joy of painting with her. She certainly changed my life for the better.

—Christian Day ’67

Tom Overton

Submitted by Henry O’Connor ’88

Tom Overton The Cornell professor who most made a difference for me is one I met 35 years after I graduated. In 2021, my wife and I bought and moved to our farm on Maryland's Eastern Shore, fulfilling one of our lifelong dreams. We knew we wanted animals and settled on sheep, but there was just one problem... We didn't know what we were doing.

That started to change when a Cornell staff member who knew of our plans suggested we speak with Professor Tom Overton, chair of the CALS Animal Sciences Department, and kindly made introductions. Tom and his team were ready with helpful advice every step of the way, as we grew our flock from seventeen to the current 120 sheep and lambs. Since then, Professor Tom and his wife Katrina have been featured guests on our farm for Cornell events we've hosted with the Cornell Club of Maryland. We now have a small but thriving lamb business, and it absolutely wouldn't have happened without Professor Tom and his department's mentorship and guidance.

Cornell truly is a lifelong gift. I graduated in 1988, and the Big Red is still enriching our lives in 2025. I am SO GLAD my family and I have stayed connected to Cornell long after graduation.