Cornellians’ hopes for 2025
If you could wish for one thing in 2025, what would it be? That’s the question we posed to some of our most high-profile Cornellians as we prepare to enter the second quarter of this century.
As the answers rolled in, they began to cluster around hope for world unity, with a few interesting twists.
From an archbishop and a MacArthur Genius Grant fellow we heard wishes for tolerance and peace. From a doctor-astronaut and a professor-civil rights activist who took part in the Old Sem Takeover, we heard calls for closing the health gap between rich and poor and for equal opportunity. From a tech leader and Cornell’s own President Brand, we heard hope for uniting around climate change and for removing obstacles that prevent people from discovering how they can make the world a better place.
We present 11 responses, highlighted below with links to their full explanation.
What is your wish? Send it to us with the subject line One Wish.
Tech entrepreneur Harper Reed ’01
For some reason, many haven’t felt the need to address climate change meaningfully. But the future is coming faster than we realize, so we must act now. In 2025 I would love to see the world come together around climate change.
Tribal Hospital doctor Nakyda Dean ’08
My wish for 2025 is for a more empathetic society. As I navigate my world through the intersectionality of being a Black, middle-class, heterosexual, nondisabled woman, I can’t help but feel the palpable existence of racism, classism, homophobia, ableism, and misogyny.
Professor and retired astronaut Dr. David C. Hilmers ’72
While I am realistic enough to know that my wish for 2025 is unlikely to be realized within my lifetime, my dream is that this health gap between the world’s rich and poor will close.
My wish for 2025 is for leaders who are compassionate, caring, and fully engaged in serving others. The world needs such leaders throughout the globe, in every industry, in every enterprise.
My one wish for 2025 is that we collectively commit to removing all unnecessary obstacles that prevent more people from discovering where “their deep gladness and the world’s deepest needs meet.”
Costume designer Amanda Kai Newman ’11
The strongest wish I have is for peace, love, and unity. I know that is cheesy, generic, and similar to the “world peace” answer most pageant contestants give, but I do wish for all of us to get along.
Iowa State Senator Liz Bennett ’10
In 2025 I hope to see progress in every nation toward understanding, appreciating, and valuing the variety of ways in which human beings experience love and gender.
Civil rights activist Gabe Wallace ’70
I hope it will be a reality where we have moved closer to the ideal of equal opportunity, inclusiveness, and international cooperation.
While preparing for his death, Jesus prayed to his Father that “they [his disciples] may all be one.” That is my prayer as well, not only for the Church but also for our nation and the world.
Law School Dean Felecia Turner Epps ’80
I would wish for everyone to live by a teaching that is central to many religious traditions—to love your neighbor as you love yourself. That would mean we show kindness to everyone—no matter who they are or what they believe.
Ecumenical Franciscan Brother Gary Nabhan ’73
My deepest wish for the next year is not only a true cease-fire among the eight countries currently at war in the Middle East, but deep healing for the traumatically stressed children who have survived, and for the wounds in what many of us still call the Holy Lands.
