May 16, 2022
By Sophia Song
What is it like to meet with Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science leadership outside of the office and leisurely chat with them like a friend? The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within Cornell Bowers CIS has offered students just the right opportunity to find out the answer to that question for themselves.
Dinner with the Deans+, held on Thursday, April 14, 2022, provided undergraduate, professional and doctoral students a chance to connect and have honest discussions with Cornell Bowers CIS leadership including deans, chairs and directors.
That Thursday night, students met with nine leaders from all three departments (Computer Science, Information Science, and Statistics and Data Science) within Cornell Bowers CIS as well as the Office of DEI to learn about the academic and professional journeys of leadership. The two-way conversation enabled students to offer leadership insights into what the experience is really like for students in the middle of their own academic journeys. About halfway through the evening, Cornell Bowers CIS leadership rotated to a different table to meet with a new group of students.
“This was an unforgettable evening filled with meaningful conversations. It is amazing how I can get so much beneficial information in just two hours,” exclaimed Ashuri, a Cornell Bowers CIS student.
Dinner with the Deans+ was not only an upbeat evening of enjoying food, but also a moment for sharing personal inspiration and future ambitions.
“I didn’t think much about how to complete my degree before coming to this dinner,” claimed Kevin, a sophomore student majoring in information science. “But the conversation with Professor Tardos gave me a clear roadmap of what classes to take to graduate. She even inspired me to set a post-graduation goal to pursue an advanced degree in my field of study,” added Kevin.
“The first ‘Dinner with the Deans’ event was on Zoom, and even that was great,” noted David Bindel, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Professor of Computer Science, “But this iteration was way better! It is always nice to be able to share a meal. But being able to see students and talk face-to-face with such a broadly interesting and interested group of students is a real treat for me as a faculty member, and I know the other faculty feel the same way.”
If you are interested in learning more about Dinner with the Deans+ or any upcoming Office of DEI events, please email Cornell Bowers CIS Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at dei-office@cis.cornell.edu.