Skip to main content

Working at Cornell

Connect

Group of employee volunteers at Dragon Day

Check out opportunities to connect with Cornell colleagues!

Big Red Reads Book Club

A virtual book club for Cornell University alumni, faculty, and staff. We’ll read fiction and nonfiction books chosen to promote discussion, lifelong learning, personal growth, and community building. Participation is free—just get a copy of the book to enjoy.

Colleague Network Groups

CNGs are university-sponsored employee networking groups for traditionally underrepresented minorities and allies of those groups. Connect with Cornell colleagues across the university in groups supporting men of color, women of color, LGBTQ+, disabilities, veterans, and young professionals.

Cornell Appreciation Portal

A great way to connect with colleagues is to say “Thank you!” Send a message of appreciation to someone via the Cornell Appreciation Portal today.

Cornell Campus Club

Social organization for Ithaca women featuring diverse activity groups, events, lectures, and service options. (Cornell affiliation is not required to join and the organization is not officially supported by the university.)

Cornell Coworker Coffee

Cornell Coworker Coffee is a fun new way to connect with other employees. Get introduced to a random Cornell employee every month for a brief virtual chat!

Cornell Green Ambassadors

Leadership program designed to empower, equip, and engage staff and faculty as peer educators to facilitate a culture of environmental, economic and social sustainability within their own workgroups.

Cornell Intramural Sports

The mission of Intramural Sports is to establish casual fun, safe, and positive activities for all individuals. Contests, meets, leagues, and tournaments will be offered in various formats.

Cornell Outdoor Club

The Cornell Outing Club (COC) is a community of outdoor lovers who strive to provide opportunities for all members of the Cornell and Ithaca community to enjoy and benefit from the outdoors. From adventures in the Adirondacks and Catskills to on-campus fun paddling on Beebe Lake, our trips are open to anyone interested - all types and for all skill levels!

Cornell Recreation Connection

Encouraging camaraderie among staff, faculty, and retirees by providing social experiences and outlets through recreational events.

Cornell Retiree Engagement

Retirees and their spouses/partners are encouraged to participate in various engagement opportunities (in-person and virtual) and social events on and off campus. 

Email Listservs

Human resources administers electronic mailing lists (e-lists) on a variety of topics, including parenting (including the school closing list), adult caregiving, support groups, workshops, and news and updates.

Employee Assembly

The Employee Assembly at Cornell is committed to ensuring staff member viewpoints are a shared priority in university decision making, and promoting a sense of belonging in the life of the university. There are many ways to get involved - connect with your representative, attend an EA meeting, apply to a committee, and more.

Neurodiversity @ Cornell

This university-wide initiative offers information and support to all members of the Cornell community. Employees can self-enroll in a CANVAS course and attend bimonthly meetings to share experiences, tips and support with their peers. For more information, email neurodiversity@cornell.edu.

Social Media

Follow the University’s official social sites to stay up to date with all the latest news and conversations. A few are listed below; be sure to take a moment to search for individual colleges and units -- there are hundreds of Cornell-related social media opportunities, including sports teams, clubs, associations, professors, publications, leaders, and more.

Sustainability Governance Committee

Networking group of staff, faculty, and students interested in sustainability engagement and outreach to further Cornell’s campus sustainability goals.

Workday Career Hub

Take advantage of features in Workday to help you network with colleagues across the university.

Video Transcript

1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,800
[Michelle] I do a lot of things to care for 
myself but I think the first thing  

2
00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:08,376
that comes to mind for me as being the 
most important is the friendships that I have.

3
00:00:11,155 --> 00:00:16,080
Connectedness is so very important. We are 
seeing in national data that people are reporting  

4
00:00:16,080 --> 00:00:21,400
a greater sense of loneliness. And in Human 
Resources and the Department of Inclusion and  

5
00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:26,000
Belonging we've been having a lot of conversation 
about how we can enhance connectedness for our  

6
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:31,400
faculty and staff. 
[Avery] I'm also a Presidential Adviser in Diversity and Equity, uh... where working with two  

7
00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:36,720
of my other colleagues we think a lot about 
how do we... how do we ensure that everyone who  

8
00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:42,480
is here at Cornell feel... feels like they belong. So, Belonging at Cornell initiative. [Kathryn] I think one  

9
00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:49,080
of the most important things for our students to 
realize is that, with... among the community that they  

10
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:55,000
have here at Cornell University is an incredible 
network that can stay with them for life. And so  

11
00:00:55,000 --> 00:01:02,000
to really enjoy and embrace and develop those 
personal relationships while they are here  

12
00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:07,440
on this campus. Certainly with their faculty and 
with staff but but absolutely with their fellow  

13
00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,960
students.  [Michelle] Being a Higher Ed institution we have 
a lot of people who are here for a short period  

14
00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:18,520
of time. And that can be really difficult if they 
don't have um... family and friends nearby. And so we  

15
00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:23,640
want to provide them with opportunities to build 
those connections and to really feel a part of our  

16
00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:30,080
community. [Cortney] Even though Cornell can feel like a big 
place, if you can make one connection with someone  

17
00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:35,040
um... that connection could be your path to finding 
the answer that you need to get the support you  

18
00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:41,320
need. [Ten] Meeting people across departments, and meeting 
people across colleges, and just setting up casual  

19
00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:47,320
meetings. Go out and say hi to somebody. Touch grass. 
Get a coffee. [Aaron] I've been able to do that through a  

20
00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:52,880
few different opportunities here on campus as 
well. There's a kind of an informal basketball  

21
00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:58,800
group they... they play basketball on a couple days 
a week. Um... I've connected with them some. There's  

22
00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:04,440
many people who are interested just... just kind 
of... reach out. And even if you can't find anyone  

23
00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:09,978
there... there's entire departments that are looking 
to connect people to do those things together.

24
00:02:09,978 --> 00:02:16,440
[Cortney] And I found that when I was new to campus or coming 
here um... even just a quick Google search of all  

25
00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:23,320
the options and opportunities that were here 
and available to staff or students. And of course, I  

26
00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:28,600
will always plug that the LGBT Resource Center is 
here to support the health and wellbeing of all  

27
00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:35,000
students, especially LGBTQ+ students. We offer 
programs that support community building, building  

28
00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:40,920
your social network, connecting with others. 
[Ten] And so find the people that you do fit with, that you  

29
00:02:40,920 --> 00:02:47,000
vibe with. [Cortney] We can find a way to find a space for 
everyone to feel welcome and affirmed. [Ten] I think that  

30
00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:54,040
a lot of people um... can be intimidated by the size 
and the uh... separation of the Cornell community.

31
00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:59,200
And it can be easy to think I'm alone and this 
doesn't work for me but it really, really can.  

32
00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:04,210
And there are resources to help you get to a 
place where you do fit in and you do work perfectly.