I thought Dr. Blalock’s presentation on the history of West Campus and Cornell more broadly was awesome. I love learning about Cornell’s history because whenever I do, it reminds me to appreciate the opportunity to be here. Whenever I learn about any aspect of Cornell’s history, I often find myself surprised at the extent to which I did not know what I did not know. I, of course, knew that Ezra Cornell wanted to found an institution where any person could pursue any study, but I did not realize that a goal of this vision was to provide a place that students who wanted a college education but wanted to study a practical discipline, such as agriculture, could attend. Learning that in comparison to other prominent educational institutions at the time, where affluent white men were theorizing about subjects like theology, Ezra Cornell’s commitment to enabling students to achieve excellence in a practical pursuit through higher education was unique and progressive gave me a fuller appreciation of the extent to which Cornell believed in the power of education.

Also underscoring this belief is the fact that Ezra Cornell had only a third grade education, which I had never heard before. I think it is awesome and inspiring that after achieving the level of success that he did without an education, Cornell still recognized the importance of education and dedicated himself and his fortune to ensuring that all people could access higher education. I think that this history has the potential to inspire those who remember it to ensure that they strive to make the most of the infinite educational opportunities that exist at Cornell and that they use their education to give back to the world around them, as Ezra did. I think that living on West Campus, with a rich and interesting history of its own, offers an ideal opportunity to enjoy many, many experiences that enhance, broaden, and diversify our Cornell Education.