The Office of Parent and Family Programs is your one-stop spot to find what you need to support your student as a Cornell family member. Go Big Red!
Follow along with us here for important dates, resources, and stories to connect you to campus. The Cornell Office of Parent and Family Programs is your one-stop spot to find what you need to support your student as a family member. Cornell encourages social media users to interact with the university and one another freely but is not responsible for comments or wall posts made by visitors to or f
05/29/2026
🎥The recording is now live for this week's Cornell Family Conversation, "Welcome and What to Expect This Summer". This week, we discussed:
•New Student To-Do List
•Orientation Logistics
•Summer Communications
To view all recorded webinars, follow the link below:
https://scl.cornell.edu/families/familyorientation/newsletters
05/29/2026
🐻🎈Where did the time go? We can’t believe it’s already been a week since we said goodbye to our grads and we miss you already!
📸 Here’s one last photo dump from the Commencement week that was.
Congrats again to the Class of 2026, the Hill won’t be the same without you, but we hope you’ll come visit us again soon! ❤️
05/29/2026
🗣️Each week, we’re sharing words of wisdom from the people who know campus best. This week's advice is brought to you from the Office of Financial Aid. Stay tuned for more advice from the experts throughout the summer!
05/27/2026
🤝Join us this Thursday at 12:00 PM EST for a Cornell Family Conversation!
Hear from the Tatkon Center for New Students team as they share what you and your student can expect this summer as they prepare to attend Cornell. From important deadlines to orientation and beyond, this session will help you feel ready for the journey ahead.
Click the link below to register. we hope to see you there!
https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_outlUYmFRya-Xv6as3iD5A
05/26/2026
Before wrapping up their time on the Hill, graduating seniors from all of Cornell’s 10 undergraduate colleges honored their high school and Cornell faculty mentors at the 38th Annual Merrill Presidential Scholars luncheon at Willard Straight Hall.
Cornell’s top scholars acknowledged their mentors in front of an audience that included President Michael I. Kotlikoff, academic deans, and Merrill family representative Doug Merrill ’89, M.Eng. ’90, MBA ’91, son of program founder Phillip Merrill ‘55.
“As someone who wants to be a public servant and be an advocate, not only did you help me find my voice, but you helped me find it in a way that would bring positive change to the world,” said Aguilera-Garza, a government and American studies double major with a minor in law and society, expressing gratitude for the lifelong lessons she learned from Paul Gaba, her high school debate coach – “not only a teacher and a mentor, but a friend that I will carry with me forever.”
Congratulations to the Class of 2026 - and thank you to all those who helped them along their journey!
05/26/2026
👋 Cornell families! Check your inbox for our Becoming Big Red: Family Orientation Newsletter focused on What to Expect this Summer. Please email us [email protected] if you have any questions or are not receiving your email.
05/23/2026
🎓🐻 Congrats, Cornellians - you did it, and the smiles say it all!
So proud of all you’ve accomplished during your time far above above Cayuga’s waters. Today’s showers couldn’t dampen your Big Red Spirit and we know you’ll spread that positivity far beyond the Hill. We can’t wait to see what you all do next!
✨Forever forward. Forever Cornell ♥️
05/22/2026
There’s a whole lot going on at Cornell. This past month we have celebrated graduates, awardees, culture, and community. Through the eyes of Cornell, here are some of our favorite moments. Cheers 🥂to the end of another successful semester. We are excited to see what’s next!
Congratulate your friends in the comments below!🎉
Heading into commencement weekend, Meteorologist Shawn Wallace ’27 is bringing the excitement with a special forecast just for our Cornell graduates! While celebrations are in full swing, be sure to plan ahead—expect a cool, rainy backdrop as you honor this incredible milestone. No matter the weather, it’s a weekend to remember. Congratulations, Class of 2026!🎓
For weather information and updates check out the May Commencement weekend webpage. Link in Bio.
Special Thanks to
🏡 🔦 Senior Spotlight: Jonna Crocker ’26
“Don’t be afraid to take chances. You never know where you will find your own community, purpose, or home.”
When Jonna first passed through the breezeway between Mann Library and the Plant Sciences Building and onto the Ag Quad on a visit with her mom, she was filled with feelings of uncertainty.
Living with a rare disease, Jonna knew leaving home and her support network in New Jersey would be challenging. But it was also exciting, so she took a chance.
From the moment she arrived at Barbara McClintock Hall, it felt like home, “not just for my freshman year but for all four years of my college experience.”
Thanks to the community around her and the support from campus-wide resources like Cornell Health, Jonna made the most of her time on the Hill. And as a resident assistant and Dyson Undergraduate Council, she sought out ways to help all Cornellians find the same sense of belonging.
“Don’t be afraid to lean on the people around you. During your time on campus, you will meet so many others who are here to support you and lift you up throughout your journey.
The memories made here will last a lifetime, so Go Big Red!” 🐻 ❤️
🎭 Senior Spotlight: Oswaldo Grajeda ’26
“You’re living your life, others have lived theirs, break those traditions if needed to, in order to find your true self.”
When Oswaldo sat down to write his senior letter to his younger self, he remembered seeing a poster for Melodramatics’ production of the musical, Avenue Q. It was in that moment that he realized he still had his spark for theater and “instead of letting that part of my identity die, I was going to strengthen it.”
Over the course of his Cornell journey, Oswaldo changed majors and even added new ones – four to be exact: government, history, American studies and performing and media arts (with a minor in law and society to round things out).
But while his academic and professional pursuits have kept him busy on the Hill, it’s been the community he’s built that has allowed him to discover and embrace his identity. Whether it’s hanging out with his Posse at Jameson Hall’s third floor lounge, listening to an album with Cornell’s Taylor Swift Club or taking advantage of an opportunity to see the world, Oswaldo has learned to “appreciate and celebrate the improvements you’ll make within yourself.”
And while he has challenged himself to get out of his comfort zone, he’s never forgotten the “friendships that make you feel seen” and learned “more about my passions by never breaking character.”
So, to that young Oswaldo – and anyone else watching: “thank you for never giving up on yourself, no matter what the world throws at you.”
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