I thought this Rose Café teaching us about the history of Cornell and the history of West Campus—why it was built and the events surrounding its building—was really awesome. Hearing about Cornell’s commitment to social justice and to seeing the inherent dignity in all people and its mission to ensure that any person can pursue any student really makes me proud to be a Cornellian and reminds me of why I wanted to come to Cornell in the first place. With midterms just around the corner, getting that reminder about why I came here in the first place is certainty a morale booster. Additionally, while I am sure every student here is aware of Cornell’s mantra— “any person, any study”—I really appreciated how Professor Blalock contextualized that commitment, showing how truly progressive and insightful it was. I had never heard that the first African American who graduated from Cornell was born a slave, and after learning about this powerful example of what Cornell’s commitment to allow any person to pursue any study made possible, that mantra will certainty resonate more profoundly with me than it did before.
I also thought it was really cool that Professor Blalock gave us a behind the scenes look at all that is going on in Rose House and shared some stories about his time as House Professor at Rose. Some of the Rose Cafes I have loved the most have delved into the history that is alive on West Campus. Last year, for example, an archivist visited and taught us all about Flora Rose, her impact on the College of Human Ecology, and her legacy. I think learning about West Campus—its history and what is going on behind the scenes—really enriches the experience of living here.
Also, I really love the idea of having Rose Scholars events that offer an inside look at some of the “hidden” treasures at Cornell. There are so many diverse events, interesting projects, and fascinating spaces at Cornell that are under-the-radar, so to speak, or not readily apparent to us as we go about our daily travels on campus. I would definitely enjoy more events like these that would highlight the amazing things that are part of or occurring at Cornell.
I definently agree. Hearing about what it means to be a Cornellian is always an amazing experience. And the responsibility that comes with such privilege is more galvanizing than immobilizing. Any Person, Any Study should be utilized more, especially considering the current political climate.
Every university seeks to foster a sense of community, and often history is used as the means to achieve such an end. It’s interesting how effective this is and how by virtue of living in a certain place its history becomes much more fascinating. Cornell is certainly no exception and it’s always fun to learn more tidbits about its past such as you have discussed. I wonder what other things about Rose’s history are left to be discovered.