Shirley mentioned that when she went to college, she was able to go very young and work her way through with inexpensive fees. I was very impressed by how it made her more confident about going to grad school, because she didn’t have to worry so much about success: if she didn’t make it in academia, she knew how to find other work. This is something that I worry about quite a bit. At the moment I want to go to grad school, but looking around at what my peers are doing and what other grad students seem to have accomplished I’m very worried that I won’t make it in that world. The prospect of spending so much time only to fall short is very scary to me. Maybe I should try to follow Shirley’s path to some extent and start working a part-time job that’s completely unrelated to my academic interests, just so that I get that experience and lose some of my fear of failure.

Teaching manifests itself in many different ways. Whether formally or informally, we always need someone to learn from. This theme was especially evident during the Fellow Interview with Professor Schwarz and Professor Samuels. Both professors talked fondly about their teaching experiences, not only from the perspective of conveying knowledge, but from the sense of creating a community. We talked at length about the uniqueness of the Cornell community, and this is definitely true. It is so special to be able to learn in an environment of such smart, talented, diverse minds. Beyond the traditional knowledge sharing that happens during teaching, they emphasized the fact that even in a zoom classroom, teaching and learning can be rewarding. After all, it is about the connections that you make with other students and the teacher in understanding the information. Professor Schwarz’s mention of how he used to take walks with his graduate students really embodies this philosophy. I appreciate Professor Schwarz and Professor Samuels taking the time to teach us about their views and perspectives.

Podcast 2.10 opened my eyes to the struggles and challenges teachers face to make their classroom learning as productive as possible given the changing times. It was interesting to see how Professors are making zoom as close as possible to learning in person. Learning that Professor Schwarz tries to utilize APP (attendance preparation participation) in his classes made me reflect on my own zoom experiences where putting students in breakout rooms has helped us in developing socially as well as allowed learning from different perspectives! Apart from the Covid-19 changes there were also the impeachment trials and capital hill riot events. Prof Shirley Samuels described the videos of the riots as teaching students how to use the American flag as a weapon which is not a good symbol for education. This reminded me of one of my liberal arts classes last fall where before diving into the topic we would discuss current events that relate to our subject and what is right or wrong about them. Had our professor not done that we as students could easily have misunderstood the meaning behind current political events.

After listening to the interview for Professor Schwarz and Professor Samuels, I was blown away that such teachers even existed, especially Professor Schwarz. Based on everything they were saying, I could tell they were extremely passionate about teaching and were proud of it. This is completely different from most of my other teachers who treated teaching as through it was a chore, and I was instantly envious of the students who learned under them. However, there was one particular statement that Professor Schwarz made about teaching during a pandemic that struck me deep. He claimed that teaching on Zoom was still just teaching, so blaming the online classroom setting for a teacher’s inability to teach was not a good excuse. Ever since the pandemic started, I became less motivated to learn because I was convinced everything was only going downhill, at least until I heard this. I realized that there was still hope, and that there might still be teachers like Professor Schwarz out there who do not try to blame everything on the pandemic. In fact, I just started taking CS 3110 taught by Michael Clarkson, and I think he fits this exact role. Thanks to this interview, I now look forward even more to taking classes in the future taught by people similar to Professor Schwarz and Professor Clarkson, even if the pandemic never goes away.

The Fellow Interview with Professors Daniel Shwarz and Shirley Samuels was very heartwarming and inspiring. As a student who plans on going to graduate school, this interview made me more excited for it. Professor Shwarz talked about how he enjoyed the independence of it and Professor Samuels mentioned the advice she got about going to graduate school, “you will always have someone to talk to”. These two things both made graduate school an even more appealing idea than it already was to me. In the interview they also spoke of why they chose to stay at Cornell despite other offers they had been given. Professor Shwarz spoke about how much he loves the diversity in the student population here and I could not agree more. Lastly, the Professors’ thoughts on classes during the pandemic were also very heartwarming. Even though it has been a difficult year, it was nice to hear that both of the Professors still enjoyed teaching their classes and were putting their best effort into doing so. It is passionate people like them who have made this difficult situation a lot more bearable.

Yesterday I attended the Fellow interview with Professors Shirley Samuels and Daniel Schwarz. Listening to them talk about their extensive careers and experiences in academia was really inspiring.  What stood out to me the most about their interview was how much they emphasized their love of teaching as what kept them in academia for so long.  Professor Schwarz talked about how he is passionate about teaching and learning from students and creating a learning community in his classes.  I found this really inspiring and good to hear, as it often feels like many professors at Cornell only care about research and do not put as much value in teaching.  They both talked about how they enjoy staying in touch with students over the years and talking to them about their experiences.  Another thing that really stood out to me was when Professor Schwarz talked about teaching on Zoom and emphasized that if a professor is a good teacher, they should find a way to make Zoom teaching a fulfilling learning experience for students.  I loved his assertion that too many people complain about teaching on Zoom and that if teachers can’t teach on Zoom, they were probably bad teachers before to begin with.  For me, I can definetly tell which professors go the extra mile to make their Zoom classes as engaging as possible, and I really appreciate that.  Overall, it was really inspiring and reassuring to hear from these accomplished professors about the importance of good teaching.

I very much enjoyed attending the Fellow Interview with Professors Daniel Schwarz and Shirley Samuels. One aspect of the interview that I found uniquely interesting was when Professor Daniel Schwarz, the “Tom Brady” of his department, explained why he chose to come to Cornell over other schools such as Harvard. He expressed his belief that at Cornell, we have a learning community superior to many other universities. Professor Schwarz also expressed pride in his ability to keep in touch and safely spend time with some of his favorite students, even during the pandemic.

Professor Schwarz’s thoughts on Cornell and his reasons for remaining a part of the community make me ponder about why I chose Cornell. I wish I had a valiant story where I had some contact at Cornell or magical experience that made me choose the school over the likes of other top universities such as Harvard or Princeton; however, that is unfortunately not the case. I chose Cornell because it was by far the most prestigious and rigorous school I received an acceptance letter from. However, while my decision was essentially made for me back in 2018, I am so glad that I ended up at such an incredible school, not just academically but socially and as an inclusive learning community as well. Therefore, it was fantastic to have the opportunity to witness an interview with a Rose Scholar Fellow that made the same decision I ultimately made and had as little buyers’ remorse as I did.

This week’s Rose Buzz was incredibly fascinating, as both Professor Samuels and Professor Schwarz have both led diverse and fascinating lives. As a STEM student, it was refreshing to hear from Cornell professors that were far removed from my particular majors, and to hear what sort of experiences and advice they had to share. I strongly resonated with Professor Schwarz’s lifelong love of learning and the many ways in which he has sought to satisfy that, and it has only further emboldened my interest in a career in academia and world travel. Overall, Professor Schwarz’s experiences and dedication to diversity throughout his career were incredibly inspiring. Similarly, Professor Samuels’ remarkable journey and varying titles throughout her life were just as impactful and inspiring. Hearing of her steely work ethic and dedication to success made me feel like there is no challenge or terrifying new experience that cannot be overcome, and I have certainly formed a deep respect for Professor Samuels.

But overall, I think the most important thing I took from this week’s Rose Buzz was a reminder of the incredibly rich stories and life experiences hidden behind every person I meet. It has been far too easy to forget that during these times of extreme separation, where people feel less real and far removed, but this event was an excellent reminder that I’m still surrounded by fascinating individuals.

The past two years have been the best years of my life. I was finally able to take classes that were relevant to all my interests and spend time with new people who I know will be lifelong friends. When the pandemic forced us to switch to online learning, I, like many of my peers, was worried that I would lose those connections. It didn’t feel much like college anymore. And with the added flexibility in my schedule, I made the decision to fill my free time (what little I still had) with more classes and work. Suddenly, I found myself reverting back to the sleep-eat-class-study-sleep cycle which every college student is familiar with. But is the isolation that accompanies such a busy schedule what college is supposed to be like, even during a pandemic?

I suppose I already knew the answer to this question, but I needed to hear it before I truly believed myself. Listening to the differences between the most transformative undergraduate experiences of and the current teaching experiences of Dr. Daniel Schwarz and Dr. Shirley Samuels forced my approach to college back into perspective. Although Dr. Schwarz and Dr. Samuels answered travel and gaining work experience, respectively, to the first question, they both tied their time as an undergraduate back to independence and exploring what the world has to offer. As someone who has barely traveled in my life, learning about different cultures and geographical regions seems somewhat surreal. I fully intend to take Dr. Schwarz’s words to heart in order to learn and live through travel before I graduate in another few years.

Dr. Schwarz mentioned one more thing which I found particularly interesting. I have heard from many professors and adults in my life that students are not taking college as seriously anymore. It seems to be a general consensus that students go to college to party and take advantage of freedom, rather than to take part in the lost art of academia. However, Dr. Schwarz conveyed a compromise to the two extreme college experiences that I believe is incredibly important, especially now. I entirely agree that college should be a place of learning, but I think it is also important to recognize that students learn not only from professors and textbooks but also from each other. Students have different ideas and approaches and part of learning is interacting with peers and sharing ideas, and therefore meeting new people should be an encouraged part of college. I feel like this is compromised during virtual learning, but by taking an active part in finding people to study with and work with, I know I will my time at Cornell will not be wasted.

Professor Schwartz inspired much of my after thought of this interview. He left me with many moments to think about: from the public library to traveling to graduate school and tenures. He really shows that life is a journey and on this journey you are constantly learning and experiencing new things. You have to learn how to adapt and overcome, more doing less talking. I really resonated with this mindset because it carries over to everything one does. Experience and opportunity will open the doors to the world and life you will live.

His commentary on adapting to present day learning styles on zoom and the possibility of needing to continue with this medium as a way for teaching. But we must learn to use our “constraints” instead of talk about how difficult they are. YOU make the change and you learn to problem solve when these things happen. I truly believe this is the best way, it ensures that you are making the most out of life and what has been given.

I am very appreciative to have this be in the first week of classes and be in the same virtual space with amazing thinkers and professors.

To start off, I was astonished by what both professors stated when they talked about what they did before and during their time at Cornell. Professor Samuels stated that she used to work twenty hours a week while she was a full-time student in college and graduated at the age of 19. I thought about when I used to work while I was a high school student, and can only imagine how much work Professor Samuels needed to do to earn her diploma. In addition, Professor Schwarz stated that he thought about either becoming a lawyer or a professor because he knew that he was capable of doing both. He later stated that he became a professor because he tried out teaching while being in graduate school and he found out that he enjoyed it. Similarly, as a sophomore student, I am thinking about either continuing my education by going to graduate school or going into the finance industry after I earn my Bachelor’s degree. I plan on making this decision once I learn more and talk to my academic advisor about my plans. This interview gave me the opportunity to learn more about two great Cornell professors, I look forward to joining more Fellow Interviews in the future.

At this week’s Rose Buzz, it was so inspiring to see Professor Samuels and Schwarz talk about their journey to becoming a professor and finding passion in their fields. Professor Samuels discussed how she attended UC Berkeley at a young age and she remained confident through her academic career because of her ability to work at the same time as attending school. She said that because she knew she could work, she was confident that even if graduate school failed, she would be able to push through life. I resonated with this because I’ve also had to work from a young age and my work experiences have showed me that I can be hardworking and efficient while managing school. I too plan to attend graduate school so it was inspiring to hear a story that felt familiar and to see how successful she has become since.

I really connected with Professor Schwartz when he mentioned traveling as a way to learn. He spoke about experiencing other cultures, talking with many individuals, and seeing what the world really looks like in other places, and he mentioned how this sparked an intellectual curiosity that sticks with him to this day. I also love to travel and experience new places, and I find it incredible to understand what the landscape looks and feels like in other areas of the world and to understand the ways of life of all people. Professor Samuels also touched on traveling and how it helped her to grow up as a person. I think traveling is an amazing opportunity to do all of these things! In addition, I was inspired by Professor Schwartz’s experiences in graduate school. His words about exploring and thinking about what he wanted, and also discovering his love of teaching, made me excited about the possibility to discover these same things if I decide to attend graduate school.