The Campaign To Do the Greatest Good at Human Ecology

As the pace and scope of change in our world continues to accelerate, Human Ecology’s mission to improve human health and well-being has never been more valued – or more important. For Human Ecology, doing the greatest good means understanding and impacting the influences that shape our development and everyday lives. This is the moment to invest boldly in the strategic and scholarly capabilities that will propel our work forward.

The scholarship that I have been given is like a tree that has been planted by others whose shade they will likely never sit in.

Human Ecology Undergraduate
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
instructor with a human model showing students internal organs

Undergraduate Scholarships

Financial aid for Human Ecology undergraduates helps Cornell sustain its need-blind promise and removes financial barriers for the most deserving students. The legacy and impact of a scholarship gift is profound and spans generations, opening doors for highly qualified students who, absent this funding, would not be able to enroll.

young man in a blue blazer smiling

PH.D. Student Fellowships

As a top-tier research institution, our ability to recruit and support the most promising doctoral candidates hinges on the funding we offer. This naming-level investment offers an opportunity to directly support a student and strengthen activities at the heart of our academic mission, ensuring that we produce the most promising scholars and teachers.

student in a lab coat working in a lab

Career and Experiential Learning Opportunities

Sustained support for research, internships, and other experiences outside the classroom will provide more opportunities for students to apply their learning, investigate career options, and develop professional networks. Student stipends for summer research and real-world learning experiences are currently limited. Donors to these programs strengthen a critical learning outcome of our academic program while supporting our students’ individual aspirations.

I believe our major function as teachers is to train our students how to think critically and, at the same time, teach them to create novel ways to look at long standing problems.

Professor David Levitsky
Professor standing and laughing with two seated undergraduate students

Professorships

Offering endowed positions to outstanding faculty helps the College recruit and retain top scholars whose work informs the future of human health and well-being and shapes the education and career trajectory of our students. 

Professor pointing out some building plans to a student

Teaching and Learning Innovation

Investing in new collaborative courses that address social justice, sustainability, health equity, and technology enhance the College’s commitment to pursuing the highest educational standards.

overhead view of a light-filled workspace with moveable tables and walls

Enhancing Our Learning Environment

The vitality of our academic programs depends on the quality of the physical spaces where research, teaching, and learning occur. Investments in our infrastructure enrich the student experience and allow us to further develop distinctive programs that improve human health and well-being.

Students learn the most about the world - and will eventually contribute more to it - by thoughtfully interacting with more of it.

Anthony Burrow
FERRIS FAMILY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF LIFE COURSE STUDIES AND DIRECTOR OF THE BRONFENBRENNER CENTER FOR TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
Woman standing at a podium speaking

New Research Centers and Initiatives

Foundational investments in Translational Research, Integrative Developmental Science, and Precision Nutrition and Health, ensure that Human Ecology remains at the forefront of the most pressing issues impacting human health and well-being. 

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Engaged Faculty Fellowships at BCTR

Human Ecology faculty are set apart by their steadfast focus on research for the public good. Naming-level support for faculty fellowships provide the resources faculty need to take their research into communities through their partnership with the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research. These two-year fellowships increase the impact of research, bringing the resources of Cornell to bear on problems facing human communities and society at large.

NYC street scene

Human Ecology in New York City

For our vision to succeed, the College must cultivate a connected and unified presence in NYC, defined by a network of people and programs delivering our mission as the publicly engaged college of the future. Current use funding will allow us to secure space and resources for faculty and students to bridge connections between Ithaca and NYC.

 

For questions about how you can make the most of your philanthropy at Human Ecology, please contact Chris Jacobsen, Assistant Dean of Alumni Affairs and Development, at 607-255-1850 or cdj58@cornell.edu.

 

I'm grateful for the alumni and friends who will invest in the people, programs and places that enable our College to do the greatest good.

Rachel Dunifon
Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean
polyform sculpture made of glass and metal