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Inclusion, Engagement, and Advocacy

Global Cornell envisions and works towards a just, sustainable, connected world where differences are valued, and exchange encouraged. Our international students and scholars make a tremendous contribution to Cornell, both inside and outside the classroom.

Leadership and attentiveness in global matters remain critical for the university. The Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs was action-oriented during the pandemic's unprecedented demands and continues proactively supporting our international students, faculty, and staff on campus and those in the Cornell community who are studying, conducting research, and performing activities abroad. What follows are some of the ways we support our international community.

Please reach out with questions, concerns, or just to say hello.

Wendy Wolford, Vice Provost for International Affairs
Brandon Lanners, Executive Director, Office of Global Learning


Support for Times of Crisis

Sunflower with blue and yellow ribbon tied around the stem.

Cornell is a global community. Natural disasters, political conflicts, and violence happening around the world can profoundly affect our campus community. We care deeply about your well-being. Cornell offers support services to help students, faculty, and staff cope with turbulent times. Learn more about available resources.

A Community of Belonging

Bronze floor plate of Cornell seal

Cornell has a set of core values that were created after extensive discussions with people from all parts of our community and that are rooted in our long history. Among those core values is our commitment to being a community of belonging.

“We strive to be a welcoming, caring, and equitable community where students, faculty, and staff with different backgrounds, abilities, and experiences can learn, innovate, and work in an environment of respect.”

Excerpted from President Pollack's September 2022 statement.


Belonging at Cornell provides diversity, equity, and inclusion resources, including anti-racism resources, resources to combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia, and other biases due to religion, to the university community.

Cornell Stands Against Hatred and Bias

University Statements

Discussing Difficult Topics

Community Agreements and Classroom Resources

Explore the resources Cornell has available for faculty that help foster an environment of community agreement across campus. The university has compiled guides to support effective tactics for talking respectfully across differences and advice on responding to incidents that affect the teaching and learning climate.

Student sitting on a railing looking into the sunset. The words Connecting Cornell With the World, Global Cornell Year in Review 2022-23 written on top.

Global Cornell has provided leadership, oversight, and programming throughout the past year to support our international community and partners worldwide.

See Our 2022–23 Year in Review

Happenings

International students studying at Cornell will find many opportunities to interact with both international and domestic students inside and outside the classroom.

Sun sets over a grassy Libe Slope

Speaker Series to Examine Antisemitism and Islamophobia 

Leading academics from around the country will join Cornell experts in a semester-long series, “Antisemitism and Islamophobia Examined,” cosponsored by the Einaudi Center and partners across campus.

Learn More


Select Recent Events

  • (Oct. 2023) The Bartels World Affairs Lecture, "Building Our World Better," featured award-winning fantasy author N.K. Jemisin who spoke on investigating our world and beliefs about it and using what we learn to imagine and construct a better future.

  • (April 2023) The Lund Critical Debate, “Democracy and Its Opposites: Challenges in a Global World,” addressed the increasing global influence of rising autocracies and the backsliding of democratic norms in many long-stable democracies.

  • (March 2023) Carlos Alvarado Quesada, former president of Costa Rica, spoke on how "love can change the world," during the Bartels World Affairs Lecture.

  • (Nov. 2022) President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson discussed his country's commitment to peace and diversity during a sold-out lecture hosted by the Einaudi Center.

See Upcoming Events

Immigration Advocacy and Statements

The Departments of State and Education put out a joint statement affirming their support of international students and collaboration.

“Many of our most pressing challenges are inherently global in scope and impact and can only be addressed by nations and individuals working together. From tackling pandemics and the climate crisis, to reducing economic disparities and building prosperity, to countering threats to democracy and maintaining peace – resolving these global challenges requires partnership and collaboration across borders. It is imperative that we continue to cooperate with our allies, invest in our relationships, and broaden our engagement worldwide.”

Read President Pollack’s statements on behalf of the international community.

Immigration Resources


Cornell values the contributions of international students, faculty, and staff and continually joins with other American universities to advocate for our international community.

  • (Sept. 2021) Cornell-supported lawsuits to counter H1-B immigration rulings set by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Labor to end existing H-1B lottery procedures and imposed new H-1B wage levels for international employees at the university have been vacated. Learn more about the victory.
  • (June 2021) Cornell joined 150 other higher education institutions on an amicus brief in support of OPT for international students. 
  • (May 2021) Vice Provost Wolford sent a letter to Secretary of State Blinken regarding recent visa denials for international students based on consular officials interpreting policies unevenly and unpredictably.

Global Cornell Statements

Funding Opportunities

Grants, Internships, Fellowships, and Research Support

Global Cornell is committed to supporting faculty through grants that foster global learning and collaboration. For students, funding can provide engagement opportunities with cultures worldwide, mastering languages, and travel for research projects.

  • The Cornell China Center annually invites proposals from Cornell faculty for multiple types of research grants. Learn more about their funded research.
  • The Einaudi Center supports faculty, postdoc, and student research through numerous funding opportunities through partnerships on campus, in our region, and worldwide. Global Summer Internships are offered for summer and winter sessions. 
  • A new Global Grand Challenge call for proposals will be announced in October. Learn more about Migrations grants that funded research and engagement on racism, dispossession, and migration.
  • The International Research Intern Program offers qualifying international student research opportunities on campus, for up to 12 months, under the direction of a Cornell faculty member.
  • International Cornell Curriculum grants offer opportunities to create, develop, or improve curricula that provide students with international experiences.
  • Global Hubs offers faculty joint seed grants with Hubs partners to explore potential research collaborations with colleagues at Hubs partner universities.

Connect with Funding Opportunities

Guidance for Students and Faculty

The Office of Global Learning (OGL) advises international students and scholars on U.S. immigration, tax, and labor regulations, and travel documents.

Getting Started


Police officer in riot gear

Protests and Your Rights

Do you feel passionate about a cause and want to get involved? Read our Protests and Your Rights page. You’ll find guidance on your rights and risks as an international visitor.

Three smiling students walking down a tree-lined path.

Prepare

Prepare is the pre-orientation program for incoming international undergraduates, where first-year and transfer students meet new people and learn about Cornell and Ithaca.

Read about the 2023 Prepare event


Wellness

Cornell Health offers resources especially for international students to learn about health care in the United States and services and support at Cornell Health.


Additional Resources

  • Maintaining Your Status: Whether you are taking a leave of absence or extending your time at Cornell, we have advisors to help you navigate your time as a Cornell student or faculty member.
  • Travel: Do you have questions about travel documents, visas, or entry questions? We're here to help you whether you are coming or going.
  • Employment and Taxes: Did you work on campus? Will you have to file income tax forms? U.S. tax law is complex, and you can come to us with questions.

Student Resources Faculty Resources

Moments of Delight

Wherever we are, there are moments of delight and caring that bring a smile to your face and bind us together.

International Graduation Reception

We celebrated #Cornell2023 at this year's International Graduation Reception! Global Citizen Award winners Teni Akeju and Megan Cabaero spoke to fellow international students about learning from each other and the global community they will join as young alumni.

Telling Your Stories

Abstract image of layers of blue mountains

Race and Racism Across Borders

Prose, poems, and visual art submitted by Cornell students and alumni who gained new knowledge about racial dynamics by crossing a literal or figurative border.


In the News

  • (Sept. 2023) Politics, Art, and Freedom of Expression, featuring threatened artists from Nicaragua and Afghanistan, kicked off Global Cornell’s contribution to this year’s campuswide theme, "The Indispensable Condition: Freedom of Expression at Cornell."

  • (Aug. 2023) A cohort of 25 Mandela Washington Fellows spent the summer on campus developing their leadership and expertise, in a program they said will have enduring impact on their lives and work.

  • (Aug. 2023) With the support of Cornell Global Hubs joint seed grants, researchers are building international connections and advancing their research. 

  • (May 2023) More than 8,000 candidates for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees were conferred in May. Read President Pollack's speech translated into Chinese, Hindi, Korean, and Spanish.

  • (March 2023) A group of Global Cornell faculty wrote a guest feature in the Cornell Daily Sun supporting Global Hubs and academic freedom.

Read More News

Getting to Know You

Student organizations on Cornell's Ithaca campus total more than 1,000, and about 150 of these have an international orientation. These groups provide students opportunities to connect with those who share similar backgrounds and with those who don't.

Students gathered for game night
New transfer and international students gather for games and socializing in Klarman Hall during First Night, in early 2020.

Find Student Organizations

Ethical International Engagement

Cornell is committed to global engagement and supports open, international collaboration.

A Cornell student sitting on the floor with a circle of people in traditional Indian attire.

Speaking to Each Other

Four students with laptops looking at a central monitor

Educating the Educators

English-Language Proficiency

English for International Students and Scholars is a 1-credit summer and winter class offered by the School of Continuing Education.

Learning Languages

At Cornell, 58 modern and ancient languages are available for study.