New alumni director not new to Cornell

Zoe Russell is the new director of alumni engagement, but she’s not new to Cornell alumni. 

Russell has worked in the assistant and associate positions in that office since 2018. She’s helped with Homecoming, numerous alumni events, and is well acquainted with the Alumni Board and many class agents.

Fun fact: During the pandemic she came up with the popular trivia night that engaged alumni from the 1960s to 2020.

“Something I try to do is introduce new forms of events that can engage alumni. It brought people together when we were needing to do virtual events,” Russell says.

Russell is from Ames, Iowa. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa and a master’s degree in communication studies from Ball State University. Prior to Cornell she taught communication studies courses and was the co-director of the University of Northern Iowa speech team.

“One thing I enjoy about Cornellians is that they represent a variety of interests, careers, and backgrounds, just like we see in students today,” she says. “I enjoy getting to know alumni across generations and hear about what Cornell was like when they were here.”

Look for Zoe at your next alumni gathering.