Author Archives: Lily

About Lily

Born and raised in Miami, Florida Sophomore in CALS Trained dancer since I was 3 years old

What Do People Really Want

Posted on by

This week, the Rose Scholars had the pleasure of being visited by Jeff Prince, a professor of Business Economics and Public Policy from Indiana University. He spoke to us about the difficulties of really understanding what the consumer is looking for in products. Whether it be efficiency, portability, content, the only way to really figure out what the consumer wants is to collect data and from there make deductions. When you survey someone, usually people either don’t take it seriously or they are not honest in their responses. For this reason, “free” online websites collect viewership data in order to calculate what is the best way to keep the user engaged and target their needs through computer programming. It was interesting to learn about the issues consumers face with frequency versus bandwidth. Personally, both concepts were unfamiliar to me at the time, but basically, it involves the length of time it takes for a signal to reach a satellite, bounce off, arrive at its destination, and return a response. 

A topic that is of great concern involving the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) nowadays is the issue of net neutrality. This principle states that Internet service providers and governments regulating the Internet will treat all data the same not charging differently for any circumstances. However, if we were to eliminate this, dominant communication companies would monopolize the entire system of communications by being able to afford the fastest services to the most people. Prince spoke about the issues with this and how the new FCC has made strides in eliminating this policy. If such a policy were to be eliminated completely, then we would be forced to trust either three or four organization in informing us of the truth. Though technically people would still be able to express their opinions online, accessing this information could be costly and in some people’s opinions, impractical. 

Though it is still uncertain as to the future of online access, the fact of the matter is that people are always looking for two things, practicality, and efficiency. If you can say the message in thirty words instead of one hundred, people will choose to read the shorter article. If you can access information in two seconds instead of two minutes, people will choose that as well. Seeing as to how technology continues to innovate with each coming year, there is already talk about there being four main monopolies that govern all social media the public has access to. However, with this in mind, there are still rules in place to make sure they do not obtain too much power, which would be harmful to all everyone’s privacy and knowledge. It was really great having an experienced professor such as Prince come and speak with us, and I hope to apply to their business program in the future if possible.

Interview Insider

Posted on by

So last week I had the privilege to attend a rose seminar on what not to wear to certain events: interviews, parties, information session, and work. Much to my surprise, there is a far thinner line for men to differentiate between business casual and business formal. Basically, if a man is wearing a matching suit, shoes that match his belt, a button down and a tie, this is considered business formal. The second the suit coat comes off, it’s business casual. Personally, I think it is nice that men can be flexible in terms of what they chose to wear for business casual attire: a blazer, a sweater, a button-down shirt with a bow tie, it looks like fun. It was also interesting to learn that people perceive ties as a more professional look compared to bow ties or collared shirts. Ultimately, however, the way one dresses to an interview, in the event they are unsure of what to wear, should give off a professional vibe, and then change if need be to fit the work environment.

The rule stands that it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed. After seeing what was appropriate for a woman to wear, I felt much more comfortable about the decisions I have made in terms of clothes I’ve worn to interviews and information sessions. Basically, girls should wear heels and either a matching skirt suit, pantsuit, or a dress with a nice blazer to be considered business formal. Personally, this is great for me because I love wearing heels and dresses because it gives off a very feminine aura. At the same time, however, it is important to take into account the work environment one is in and in certain more serious settings, a pantsuit is better suited for women to be accepted in the work force.

We ended the seminar by practicing how to tie a tie with Ty, a GRF in Flora Rose, which was fun but definitely showed me that I need to work on it much more before I can consider myself a pro. This seminar really helped, especially since I am entering my senior year and will begin applying for full-time jobs. And I have a new addition to my bucket list, learn how to tie an Eldredge knot.

How Would You Like to Be The First

Posted on by

This past Thursday, the Rose Scholars attended a screening of the academy award winning movie Hidden Figures at Cornell Cinema. Personally, when I heard that there was an event to watch this movie and attend a discussion session afterward, I did not hesitate to sign myself up. For various reasons, I was not able to watch this movie in theaters and getting to watch it at school, even on the pseudo bench at the very back of the theater next to another person, made the entire experience worthwhile.

I understood the gist of the movie, about the influence of black women in NASA and its impact on the advancements in exploring space. However, what I had no clue about were the lengths to which these women went to get the recognition they deserved and lay the ground for future generations of minority women. The movie was set in a segregated atmosphere, where the separation between whites and colored people remained a very evident part of society. The acting was phenomenal, to say the least, with one of the main protagonists Katherine Johnson – played by Taraji P. Henson – bringing me to tears in by expressing just how hard it was to be a single mother of three children, be more intelligent than the men she worked with and still be ostracized for her gender and race, and have to struggle with the way the world viewed her. I have never felt more empowered as a Latina woman to hold my head up high, to all the trials and discrimination that will come my way, and simply face it head on to the best of my abilities.

At the end of the screening, there was a discussion about the movie and the influence that Cornell’s math and computer science departments have had on innovations with NASA. It was crazy to learn that without Cornell math department, chances are that the first mission launch to space would either not have been possible or not have occurred when it had. Additionally, the growth of women in the field of computer science has allowed for more opportunities for women in the STEM fields to find careers in mostly male occupied professions. I hope Hollywood continues making films such as this one in the future; one’s that are based on true stories meant to motivate and wake up the youth of today to take advantage of all the privileges we have.

 

 

The Real Story Behind Sports

Posted on by

Yesterday, Mr. Paul Wilcox spoke with the Rose Scholars about the importance of sports in Britain over the course of two centuries. He is the Honorary Secretary of the Achilles Club – a track and field club for Oxford and Cambridge athletes – and is therefore well educated in the origins of track and field and how it molded the best of people. It was interesting to hear the importance of being an athlete in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Students would be removed from class for over a week at times to train and compete for the soul purpose of representing their country and winning the gold. Even before the Olympic Games became a huge event, the British were hosting the Transatlantic Games to bring forth athletes during that time.

I loved how Mr. Wilcox showed so many historical black and white photos of track athletes, military men, and college students. It was incredible to see how clothing, athletic physique, and methods of training have evolved over the years. Today, there is no doubt that America has some of the best, highest quality machines to develop and athletes body into a future first place, gold medalist. But more than that, it was so touching to see how much athletes really treasured what they did, the training they endured, and the success they achieved in representing themselves and their country. Nowadays, it seems like athletes are much more interested in making lots of money, having tons of sponsors, and simply becoming a big name. There are definitely still some athletes that practice their sport for the love of the game, but with the rise in popularity and fame and fortune, it is hard for many to remember what they stand for.

I think that the amount of training necessary to be a successful track and field star is ridiculous; the stamina and drive necessary to run hundreds of meters or even short distance requires both mental and physical training that cannot be learned overnight. It was a pleasure having Mr. Wilcox, and I hope to meet more athletes from Cornell in the future.

Take Me To Carnival

Posted on by

Two weeks ago Andre Rozemberg Prixoto Simores, an agricultural economist from Brazil, spoke to the Rose Scholars about the beautiful country of Brazil. He focuses on the crops that are grown in the country and the fertility of the soil in order to benefit the fruits that are produced each season. During his lecture, he spoke about the various states within the country of Brazil, the one’s that are popular as well as the one’s that contain more naturistic landscapes that are less inhabited. As expected, Mr. Simores spoke about the love of soccer that is embedded in Brazil’s culture; I can not deny Brazil’s team being one of the best soccer team’s in the world every year. Personally, I try to not cheer for Brazil’s team during the World Cup, which happens every four years, simply because they always make it to the semi-finals. I like rooting for the underdogs.

Brazil is a country filled with so much beauty and history that tourists can really gain many life lessons and experiences by visiting. A part of Brazil that has always touched my heart are the favelas that continue to be a large part of Brazil’s impoverished society. As Mr. Simores explained, though Brazil is rich in agriculture and tourism, an important part of the country is the corrupt government that rules as well as the huge gap between the very rich and the extremely poor. The favelas are made up of houses built practically on top of each other, with children wearing barely any clothes and the families have very limited access to water. Additionally, the Amazon Rainforest, that remains home to many indigenous tribes, contains poverty as well, though tourism in these areas keeps these families alive.

I personally would love to visit Brazil some day. As a child of two Peruvian parents, Bazil is a neighboring country that contains such rich flora and fauna with historical landmarks that it has always been a dream for my family to travel there. More importantly, as a lover of dance, attending Carnival to enjoy the people, the food, and all the festivities is something I plan on crossing off my bucket list some day. It was wonderful having Mr. Simones and his wife here to speak with us. It is also inspiring to know that he is staying at Cornell, gaining knowledge to bring back to his home country so as to make it a better place.

Well, They Look Like Sitting Ducks

Posted on by

Last week, Rose House Graduate Resident Fellow Esmeralda took a group of six curious students to the Cornell Cinema to watch one of the classic Marx Brothers films called Duck Soup. As we got to know a little bit about one another before the movie, it was clear that we were all there because this event fit well with our schedule and we were all interested in seeing what was so famous about the Marx Brothers. Personally, the name was one that I would easily admit to having heard before, but before that day, I would not have been able to comment on it at all.

The movie began with a scene in which the country of Freedonia was deciding on whether or not to make Firefly, Marx brother Groucho, leader of the country in order to receive aid from Mrs. Teasdale, a very wealthy woman who’s finances are essential to the government. As the movie goes on, it shows the adventures that the Marx brothers go on, each playing a separate role, until in the end Freedonia is saved, for the most part. Without a doubt, this movie was a classic comedy production, there was a point that I found myself laughing uncontrollably due to the sarcasm and constant quarreling amongst the actors. My favorite brother was Pinky, famously known as Harpo, for he played a completely silent character but found himself in the oddest of scenarios. I certainly enjoyed a large amount of light-hearted laughs and found the sexual innuendos and stereotypes to be quite amusing and appropriate to the time the movie was produced.

As to why the movie was called Duck Soup, I thought it was because for a large part of the movie, and in particular, in the final battle scene,  the four brothers seemed helpless and immediately the phrase ‘We are sitting ducks’ came to mind. No matter what they did, it seemed that bad luck always came their way, [spoiler alert] and only a miracle led to the end of the war and the victory of Freedonia. I think that this old-time film is one that many people may enjoy and certainly all can learn from. It says a lot about the time in which it was created, with black and white pictures, no actors of color, the degradation in a woman’s purpose and abilities, and what was funny back in the day.

I am really glad that I attended this event, for I was given the opportunity to meet more of my fellow Rose Scholars and also enjoy one of my favorite pastimes, movie-watching. I am interested in watching the other two Marx Brothers films; I think there is only three total. All in all, this movie experience was one of a kind, my first black and white film ever watched, and it reminded me that there are various ways to learn about the history of our country

Shameless plug: Cornell Cinema screens old and newly released movies on a regular basis. All students should check it out at some point during their Cornell experience.

Let Them Eat Fat

Posted on by

Last week, Dr. Jonathan Robins spoke to the Rose Scholars about the change in fat and oil productions occurring in the various prepackaged foods. He focuses a great deal on the many affects plant based oils have on the human body and the production that goes into each type. It was interesting to hear that many years ago, trans fats were considered to be an abomination in foods, so it was replaced with saturated fats. Now saturated fats are seen as the devil and have been replaced with trans fats. In reality, both of these altered forms of fats do more harm than good in the body in how they break down and are processed. It brings me comfort to know that in the near future, it will be illegal to have either trans or saturated fats in foods, especially since prepackaged foods are nearly unavoidable to have in one’s life.

As a college student, I must admit that my intake of packaged foods has increased a fair amount. Though I am blessed enough to live on West Campus and attend Cornell University which offers the number one dining hall food experience in the country, I still indulge and need a quick protein bar, bag of popcorn, or ice cream every now and again. It would be a perfect world if eating healthy food was both readily accessible and economically friendly, but the truth is that neither are true. In order to eat a fresh salad, one must be willing to walk to a cafe and pay ten dollars, which on a part-time job’s salary can be seen as too expensive in comparison to a two dollar protein bar. Also, it is faster to consume a bag of chips versus sitting down and eating a good plate of chicken, grains, and vegetables.

As a dancer, I understand the importance of having a good balance of protein and nutrients in daily meals, but it is so easy to get carried away with how how congested a schedule can become. By finding better fat and oil replacements and enforcing their use when making prepackaged foods, society will benefit greatly from the healthy options that are available to them. Also, I really appreciated Dr. Robins’s comment that fats are good for you. It is very easy to think that by eliminating fats from one’s diet completely they will feel and look healthier. Quite the opposite, without at least 30% of fats in one’s daily food intake, one can feel week, delirious, and be in a bad mood. I learned a lot by having Dr. Robin’s come and speak with us on Wednesday and more importantly it allowed me to look at my diet in a whole new way.

A Visit To The Past

Posted on by

A week ago the Rose Scholars were visited by acclaimed author Jane Ziegelman who spoke to us about the time of the Great Depression and the importance of house wives during that troublesome situation. It was interesting how she began her talk by referring to the iconic photos of endless breadlines that would form for people to get food nationwide. Zielgelman explained that bread lines had been an iconic image in many European countries that were struggling with poverty as well. Also, it was shocking to note that many members of the middle class and upper middle class were opposed to receiving aid, especially in the form of rations or food stamps, because they felt embarrassed by it. Doctors, businessmen, and engineers were admirable professions of individuals that were suddenly out of a job because of the market crash and it lead to many family dynamic changes, from being well off to having just enough to survive. It caused me to wonder if the American mentality to always want more and be independent got in the way of people helping one another because they were too proud to receive help themselves. It is a very American mentality to be successful and take the credit all for oneself, which could have been why, even though half the country was struggling at the time, people were still embarrassed to ask for help in obtaining the simplest rations of food.

The Great Depression also brought about a new age of understanding what foods provided the most nutrients and could be preserved the longest. House wives were able to learn about various nutrition facts pertaining to healthy foods versus high caloric foods and learn the best ways to feed their families. I find it fascinating that usually, for there to be change in a community or nation, something has to occur that is typically harmful or inconvenient for everyone. Having an unemployment rate as high as 25% at one point, there was definitely reason for  people to seek out help from each other and the government to get through the state the country was in. Children were malnourished and adults could not find work to support their families. With this event however, proper eating habits, receiving the right amount of protein, and reaching out for help no matter what socioeconomic level someone is as all benefits that came about due to the Great Depression.

I was wonderful to have Ziegelman speak with us, especially seeing that she has really devoted much of her writing to capturing that time period in American history. I hope to read her novel one day to get a better look at what it was like for the people of the United States to overcome such adversities together. In a way, as distraught as our nation was at the time, it was a time period when everyone came together to help each other out, because there was nothing more that could be done but unite to overcome the harsh times.

An Honorable Human Being

Posted on by

Last week the Rose Scholars were visited by the Honorable Scott Miller, the presiding judge in the City of Ithaca. As soon as he began telling us a bit about his background, it was clear that this would be an entertaining and enjoyable discussion. He gave off a very confident yet inviting energy as he talked to us about his experiences as a criminal defense attorney for fifteen years and as a judge for five years.

Having a job as a criminal defense attorney is something that my family never wanted me to pursue. With a Latino background, criminal defense attorneys have always been referred to as incredulous people that are defending the bad guy, which makes it seem that it is morally wrong. However, I really appreciated hearing Judge Miller’s perspective on how he defended criminals, both guilty and non-guilty over a very long time. I think that the one thing every Rose Scholar appreciated last week was Judge Miller’s honesty. He explained how he was a poor attorney when he first began working out of a small office, and picking up cases as they came to him. He explained that at the end of the day he had a job to do, and that was to make sure that his client saw the same legal rights they were entitled to as the accuser. Granted, he admitted that defending someone guilty was difficult, as was seeing them walk free sometimes, but the cases that kept him up at night were the one’s where the person was convicted wrongly because of the jury’s decision.

I could only imagine having to defend someone that has all of the cards turned against them, as well as the disapproval of an entire community at times. Also, it comes as no surprise that Judge Miller mentioned that he has been bullied, threatened, and harmed simply because he is doing his job to the best of his abilities and to the regulations of the law. It was moving to hear him speak about how he has worked very hard during his long career to perform to the standards of the law and ensure that justice is served.

I hope to attend an open trial if it happens in the near future; I think it would be really interesting to see the Ithaca courthouse as a spectator. All in all, it was a wonderful experience having him speak with us, and it goes without saying that there is a strong reason why he was elected to be called the Honorable Judge Miller.

Understanding What a Correction Really Means

Posted on by

Last week the Rose Scholars had a discussion with Cynthia Hill, a visiting researcher interested mostly in biology teaching and learning at the undergraduate level. She talked to us about what corrections mean when we, the students, see them on our written works. Most of the time, students may not look forward to having “red ink smeared across their paper,” because it gives a sense of failure instead of doing a good job. However, corrections are what ultimately help a student become a better writer and should be seen as a helping tool instead of a nuisance.

Much of what a teacher or teacher’s assistant writes on a formal or informal essay is to assist the student in finding ways to better communicate their ideas. It’s very easy to type out an essay and think that it is perfect, even after a thorough revision, and miss grammar mistakes, odd sentence structures, and forget to connect the various ideas to the overall topic of the essay. It could be a great portrayal of one’s thoughts, but if the supporting paragraphs do not really connect, then there is no point. Outlining one’s ideas to try and organize them before writing can help one plan out what they are going to write, in what order, and see if the ideas flow and make sense. For some, it does not help because one usually goes back and revises one’s work later on, so simply writing an essay and then going back and revising it multiple times may be a better technique.

Ultimately, the hardest but most essential part of writing any piece of information, whether it be for a psychology, science, or english course, is to have one’s own voice when communicating. It helps grab the readers attention and makes the piece of literature more engaging to read instead of a bland straight forward report. Though there are times when one must simply report the facts, there is a way to insert emotion when conveying an informative topic. It was really helpful to sit down and chat with Mrs. Hill; she is passionate not only about biology but also about helping all students find ways to better their writing skills and enjoy talking about their subject matter. As a communication major, I understand the necessity to be a great writer and appreciated the thoughtfulness she presented during our discussion.

Not The Man I Voted For, But My President

Posted on by

Last week, Esmeralda, a Graduate Student heavily involved with the Rose community and Rose scholars program, took a group of Rose scholars to an event happening on campus. This event was called Understanding President Trump’s Executive Order and focused mainly on the three immigration policies that Trump has created and presented to Congress during his first 100 days as President of the United States. Now, I had no idea of how bad the situation with this so called “Travel Ban” had gotten, not because it has been accepted and enforced by Congress and the Senate, but because of the confusion in the information being presented about it. My understanding of the “Travel Ban”, or known in social media as the “Muslim Ban”, was that all immigrants would be targeted for not having papers, but technically they could not all be immediately deported because that is feasibly impossible. It took me to attend this panel and have three of Cornell’s renowned faculty to explain what is actually going on in our government and who is being affected currently.

Right now, the travel ban that everyone is so worried about is not even being enforced and has been been passed by Congress or the Supreme Court. The other two bans pose a much greater concern because they have the potential to be long lasting if accepted. One relates to border security, the other talks about building a wall along the Texas and Mexico border. The one relating to border security states that  everyone who have committed any kind of crime in the US is a target for law enforcement. There were raids that occurred last weekend around the country picking people up and detaining them based on this order. A little over a week ago, a student in Washington that was studying under DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – was picked up and detained.

What is scary it the amount of hatred and fear that has grown from these new orders. Basically, for citizens who generalize people of the same appearance and do not educate themselves on the facts of different cultures, any human that appears to be middle eastern and brown is considered Muslim and thus a terrorist. The amount of damage done to mosques, workplaces, and private properties belonging to these so called “Muslim” people has increased tenfold since the beginning of Trump’s presidential election. It is scary to think that anyone could get harmed simply because of the way they look, and rounded up and detained if they have even the smallest misconduct on their personal record.

It makes me proud to say that I attend a school where the needs of all students are being met to the best of the faculties abilities. In order to keep up with information being presented on these matters, the Global Cornell website has a website has detailed articles that explain what is happening in the government every day. Cornell’s law school offers initial consultations for free for students concerned about their ability to continue studying at this institution. Cornell and 15 other institutions filed a statement saying the travel ban is unconstitutional based on the fifth fifteenth and fourteenth amendment. This is a school that takes any student in any study, and it plans to stand by their motto no matter what might happen.

I hope that the amount of separation that is occurring in the United States, and in some cases around the world, lessens over time. Although I can admit that Trump was not my candidate of choice for President, he is my President and there is a level of respect that is associated with such a title. I feel as though many of these policies seem ridiculous and far fetched, but most importantly Congress and the Senate and the Supreme Court all feel the same way for the most part. There needs to be some faith placed in the system, a political system that this country was founded upon so long ago, for everyone to find some hope moving forward. Donald Trump is the President of the United States, and we must stand united in taking care of each other and being the nation that everyone has always admired and looked up to.

Origins of Cornell

Posted on by

Last week, the Rose Scholars had the pleasure of having Eileen Keating, the University Records Manager and the archivist for the College of Human Ecology, came and gave us history about Flora Rose and Martha Van Rensselaer. I was familiar with the name Flora Rose given that I have been a Rose scholar for two years now, but I never knew about who she was as a women nor her contributions to Cornell. I also had no idea that there were Cornell archives that could be accessed by students to further find out about the history of Cornell. From the very beginning, I realized that this would be an interesting talk. Van Rensselaer led the creation of the College of Home Economics and helped women in need of financial aid pay for admission with the help of fellow contributors. Both Rose and Van Rensselaer also had close ties with Eleanor Roosevelt, which helped them in expand the popularity and exposure of this college’s existence. Establishing this college during a time when women were recently being admitted in universities is something that women of today will forever be grateful for.  

Home Economics is something that most students today would not consider majoring in, giving its implication that it focuses on needs of the house.  I, however, believe that a course about this topic would greatly benefit all students in learning about proper health and hygienic care. Many students do not know how to wash their own dishes, use a vacuum cleaner, or do laundry until the are forced into it in college and usually do not understand the process until a few articles of clothing get ruined. If one does not know how to take care of themselves, then how could they possibly expect to care for others in the future. This talk was very inspiring in how essential both Rose and Van Rensselaer felt it was for women to be given an opportunity to further their education and learn at the same level as men.

This talk was very inspirational and makes me feel even more proud to be attending a school that stays so true to its motto, Any Student, Any Study. I hope that in the future there will be more talks about educating students on the history of Cornell, for understanding the humble beginnings that establishments come from helps students appreciate the institution they are lucky to be a part of.