I help students feel comfortable

Julissa Rivera ’24
Admission Visit Team Specialist
Major: Spanish
Minor: Applied Statistics
Home: Houston, Texas

Working with admissions during my time at Cornell has been one of my most rewarding experiences in college. I started as a tour guide in the fall of my first year and joined the visit team the following year. I’m now in my fourth year with the admission office.

I schedule on-campus visits for prospective students, ensuring they are connected with the right people to get the most out of every second they spend here. This can include sending emails to faculty and staff, corresponding with families about schedules, escorting, greeting guests, and talking about my student experience. 

The visit team is in the Welcome Center of the Thomas Commons and we are the first line of communication to most campus visitors. I talk to those who wander in and want to try out our purple gumball machine and to alumni who are visiting the campus (in some cases for the first time in decades). I get to hear all their stories; it’s funny to think the Cornell experience transcends space and time. We can joke about the block plan, or who painted The Rock at midnight.

My favorite part is making an impact on campus and in prospective students’ decisions. My job is to help students feel comfortable and informed about Cornell and all the good we do here. It feels great to know I’m helping guide someone in their first “adult” decision.

Over the years I have grown very close to my supervisors, Megan Dietsch and Teresa Stenstrup. If I ever need help I know I can go to them, whether I’m trying to figure out a difficult social situation or get a stain out of a shirt. I never realized working here would foster such wonderful relationships.

See six other work-study student essays, covering jobs from writing tutor to social media student manager.