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 are a high priority for the university. The Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs proactively supports 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
Immigration Guidance and Advocacy
The recent election signals a likely change in U.S. immigration and border policies that could impact our international students, staff, and faculty. We do not yet know what policy decisions will be made, so we have developed the following guidance based on the best available evidence to help our community prepare.
Read the guidance on the International Services website. That office will keep the guidance up to date and should be consulted for immigration advice and support in the coming weeks.
Cornell has a long history of collaboration abroad and a distinguished community of international students, staff, and faculty. We urge people to stay informed and be prepared.
Wendy Wolford, Vice Provost for International Affairs
Support for Times of Crisis
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
Cornell Stands Against Hatred and Bias
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.
“Our campuses are home to tens of thousands of people with diverse lived experiences, strong convictions, and differing viewpoints. This diversity is a source of our strength but also brings with it a shared responsibility to listen to and learn from one another.”
Excerpted from Interim President Michael Kotlikoff's August 2024 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.
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.
Happenings
International students studying at Cornell will find many opportunities to interact with both international and domestic students inside and outside the classroom.
2024 International Fair
The 2024 International Fair, held on August 28 on the Uris Terrace, showcased Cornell's global opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Hundreds of students visited the fair to learn about international majors and minors, language study, study abroad, funding opportunities, global internships, Cornell Global Hubs, and more.
Select Recent Events
- (Dec. 2024) Read Interim President Michael Kotlikoff's December 2024 Recognition Ceremony address in Chinese, Hindi, Korean, and Spanish.
- (Nov. 2024) The Global Cornell Experience Showcase spotlighted career-shaping lessons learned by undergraduates participating in Global Internships and the Laidlaw Scholars Program.
- (Oct. 2024) Naomi Klein, author and activist, spoke at the Einaudi Center's 2024 Bartels lecture on threats to democracy.
- (May 2024) Explorations of Global Free Speech: Student Showcase, the inaugural cohort of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies' undergraduate global scholars, showcased their capstone projects.
- (Apr. 2024) Getting to Climate Justice: A Global Approach, was this year’s Lund debate, hosted by the Einaudi Center, explored how citizens and policymakers worldwide can act to increase justice in our shared climate crisis.
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 and partnerships on campus, in our region, and worldwide. Global Summer Internships are offered for summer and winter sessions.
- 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.
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.
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.
Prepare Orientation
Prepare is the preorientation program for incoming international undergraduates, where first-year and transfer students meet new people and get a head start on life on campus.
Wellness
Cornell Health offers resources 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.
Moments of Delight
Wherever we are, there are moments of delight and caring that bring a smile to your face and bind us together.
Celebration of Gratitude Dinner
Over 1,600 people came together on Thanksgiving Day for the 37th annual Celebration of Gratitude to share a meal at Morrison Dining. Hosted by Cornell Dining and the Office of Global Learning, the celebration welcomes Cornell's international community, all Cornellians, and friends in the local community.
Telling Your Stories
Race and Racism Across Borders
Prose, poems, and visual art by Cornell students and alumni who gained new knowledge about racial dynamics by crossing a literal or figurative border.
In the News
- (Dec. 2024) Cornell's Language Resource Center catches up with Şebnem Özkan, director of Global Hubs, to learn what's new in Cornell's collaborative, interdisciplinary initiative with partners worldwide.
- (Oct. 2024) Mursal Rahim MPA '25, an Afghan scholar studying human rights and social justice, says her Cornell education is a dream come true. Read her story.
- (Sept. 2024) The Migrations Initiative funded an outdoor photo exhibit that illustrates migrant workers’ stories.
- (April 2024) Elja Sharifi’s Voice for the Powerless, Afghan visual artist and scholar Sharifa “Elja” Sharifi fled Afghanistan in September 2021, a month after the Taliban seized control. She found a new beginning at Cornell's Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art.
- (Mar. 2024) Students Discuss Navigating Identities Abroad, Four undergraduate student panelists spoke about their perspectives on gender, sexuality, race, and identities that impacted them while abroad at a global freedom of expression event.
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 with opportunities to connect with those who share similar backgrounds and with those who don't.
Ethical International Engagement
Cornell is committed to global engagement and supports open, international collaboration.
- In 2019, Cornell announced a set of guidelines for ethical international engagement to help maintain relationships and collaborations overseas.
- Guidelines on Ethical International Engagement (2019)
- Update on International Research and Engagement: Guidance for the Cornell Community (2020)
Speaking to Each Other
Educating the Educators
- Teaching International Students: Tips for Instruction provides information to support the unique needs of students in other time zones and more.
- English Language Support Office offers effective ways to mentor multilingual and international graduate and professional student writing.
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.