Morgan Woods, Milwaukee, Wisc.

My Roots/About Me
I come from Milwaukee, Wisc., so the switch to a small town in Iowa was a bit of a shock, but I have grown to love the small town of Mount Vernon and its charming main street. At the end of that street is Cornell College, a place where I have found a second home. The challenging academic atmosphere and the amazing changes happening around me were a little too much to handle at first. Then I found the area of study that I want to pursue, education.  After I found this passion I blossomed and all of the work for my classes was worth it.  I then got involved in all sorts of activities such as basketball, Hall Council, Action and Phi Omega just to name a few. The amazing opportunities and close-knit community at Cornell have been instrumental to my success and have fostered my interests and turned curiosities into life-long passions.

Area of Study
Elementary Education

Cornell Activities
Phi Omega sorority, Unified Sports Day, Women’s Basketball, Hall Council, Action, Student Athletic Advisory Committee

Long Term Goals
To attend graduate school for education policy. The education that I have gotten at Cornell has given me a lasting appreciation for learning, an appreciation that I hope to bring to future generations.  Another goal is to open a community center in my hometown of Milwaukee. I remember the influence that my own community center had on me and I want to be able to return the favor.

Did you have any concerns about fitting in at Cornell?
The basketball team, my family, has been instrumental in making me feel comfortable on this campus and keeping me here. My coach and my teammates were such a support system in a community that was so different from what I was used too. Having that support system made me able to really appreciate all the different people and backgrounds that Cornell had to offer. Cornell really has a place for everyone—there are so many different colors, backgrounds, outlooks and interests that to be normal is the weird.  Cornell is a place where individuals can be just who they are and it really shows in how comfortable everyone is here.

Any advice for other students of color?
Stay open and be ready for all the new opportunities that Cornell has to offer.

Fun Fact
I have two middle names.