Kelly Su '24
College/School: College of Arts & Sciences
Major(s): Biology and Society
Minor(s): Asian American Studies; Global Health
Campus Involvement: As a freshman, I joined the First-Generation Student Union (FGSU), looking for a safe space for students from underrepresented backgrounds like myself. I devoted myself to advocacy and passion for helping fellow FGLI students, and I became president of FGSU. We sought to provide social, academic and professional guidance, creating a podcast to share resources and organizing an annual mentorship program that pairs underclassmen with upperclassmen. To provide professional development opportunities, we hosted a professional speaker series with our first-gen alumni network and held a five-part series on networking and consulting. In addition, we collaborated with the Basic Needs Coalition to provide access to essential needs, Women in Computing at Cornell on intersectional identities in the workplace, school and beyond and FLIP National, a nonprofit organization to promote equal opportunity for FGLI students in higher education. To unite the community further, we also led social events such as apple and pumpkin picking, crafts, and community dinners. To celebrate the accomplishments of seniors who are the first in their family to graduate college, I also led the planning and execution of the first-generation graduation ceremony.
Besides FGSU, I have also served as president of Asian Pacific Americans for Action and Project Hope, Vice President of Finance for Global Dental Medical Brigades, and a peer mentor for Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives (OADI). I have worked at the Asian American Studies Program and Asian and Asian American Center. I am also a OADI Pre-Professional Program scholar and a member of Alpha Iota Gamma Pre-health Fraternity, Weill-Ithaca Network and the Prison Reform Education Program.
What photos did you choose to share and why are they meaningful?
The first photo (above) is of Asian Pacific Americans for Action campaigning for affirmative action in fall 2022. The second photo (below) is of Asian Pacific Americans for Action winning the “Outstanding Contribution to the APIDA Community” award two years in a row in spring 2024 at the APIDA Gala hosted by the Asian & Asian American Center.
I chose these photos because they demonstrate the growth of my club, Asian Pacific Americans for Action (APAA). During the rise of anti-Asian hate and violence during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Atlanta spa shootings, I noticed a gap in Cornell’s Asian American organizations, which focused more on social and cultural aspects of our identity, and a significant need for a safe space to discuss complex and meaningful sociopolitical topics relevant to the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community.
In the fall of my junior year, I re-established APAA, a club that seeks to politically empower and advocate for the needs of APIDA students and further Asian/American activism on campus. APAA has organized two fundraisers and built coalitions with other groups of color and social justice groups to build solidarity and community. We have educated students with teach-ins on the history of Asian American activism, labor, colonization, imperialism, civic engagement, political participation and affirmative action. In March 2024, I also organized a group of 15 Cornell students to attend the annual East Coast Asian American Student Union Conference at Yale University, participating in workshops and engaging with students from 50+ other universities.
I am thankful to have been a part of APAA, for it has given me lifelong friendships and taught me a lot about my own culture and heritage, advocacy, mutual liberation and servant leadership. I can’t wait to see where the club will go in the future!
How have you grown during your time at Cornell?
Since these photos were taken, I have grown immensely during my time at Cornell. Studying biology and society, Asian American studies, anthropology and global health has greatly informed my scholarship, thinking and personal development. They helped me become more well-read, gain a better understanding of my identity and comprehend where I stand in the world. In addition, ethnic studies classes helped me understand intersectional identities and the larger structural forces that shaped my and others’ experiences in America. The College of Arts and Sciences gave me the freedom of exploring my educational interests and I enjoyed its interdisciplinary approach to learning. I also took three semesters of Mandarin Chinese, which developed my native fluency.
What's a core memory you'll always have from your time at Cornell?
A core memory I’ll always have was when my host family organized a traditional Danish birthday for me. My host mom and sister baked traditional Danish layer cake and birthday buns and decorated the house with Danish flags. I lived in a homestay in a suburban area, which allowed me to fully immerse myself into the Danish lifestyle. I invited my friends over for a hyggeligt time! I later visited Legoland and the Hans Christian Andersen museum with my host family.
What's the one thing you'll take away from your experience?
As a first-generation and low-income student, study abroad has been an extremely formative, eye-opening and integral part of my Cornell experience. I had the privilege of participating in the Global Health Summer program in Moshi, Tanzania, the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) program in Copenhagen, Denmark for a semester, and the Heat Waves and Global Health spring break program in London, United Kingdom.
In Copenhagen, DIS’s unique classes and approach to experiential and hands-on learning allowed me to partake in weekly field studies, learn how to do surgical knots, different types of sutures, how to identify organs and basic pathology on CT scans and ultrasounds, talk to healthcare practitioners about their specialties and learn about different healthcare systems. I joined the students of color affinity group and student media team as a photographer. I loved being able to capture personal memories with my friends and host family.
In London, I learned about how climate change, particularly heat waves, has greatly affected people of color in working class neighborhoods. We also learned about how race has shaped environmental injustice, access to green spaces, social housing, and urban living. In Moshi, I challenged myself to navigate through unfamiliar culture norms and hypervigilance as an Asian woman. I reflected on my worldview and preconceived notions of Tanzania. I’m proud to say that I was the best Swahili speaker in my cohort and I loved interacting with locals, especially bargaining!
My experiences have profoundly broadened my worldview and instilled a critical approach to global health. Seeking to understand how others experience their lives facilitated a deep understanding of cultural differences, allowing me to connect with individuals of entirely different backgrounds with empathy, compassion and an open-minded attitude. These experiences strengthened my cross-cultural, interpersonal and communication skills. The most meaningful part was building relationships and learning about each other’s cultures. I recognized that our similarities unite us much more than our differences set us apart.
What advice would you have for new Cornellians?
Being surrounded by intelligent and ambitious students in a competitive environment, it may feel overwhelming to stay on top of things. I would recommend reaching out to get help from upperclassmen, TAs, professors, advisors and friends. There are many helpful resources available on campus, such as the Tatkon Center, Knight Writing Center, and Learning Strategies Center. Utilizing office hours and supplemental courses have really helped me. I would also recommend finding friends from classes and joining a pre-professional organization.
Another piece of advice I would give is to take things at your own pace and avoid comparing yourself to others. Treat life as a marathon, not a race. Additionally, as an upperclassman who has really enjoyed and felt fulfilled from involvement in the community, I encourage you to get involved in the Cornell and greater Ithaca community and take advantage of opportunities such as studying abroad. I loved hearing from amazing students and faculty, especially the Asian American Studies Programs’ Becoming and Wednesday faculty lunch series. I’ve also enjoyed attending teach-ins and drawn inspiration from other speaker events like Kimberlé Crenshaw and Helen Zia! I would also encourage you to keep an open mind and join clubs that are fun (such as Beekeeping Club!) and clubs that challenge you to try new things and push you out of your comfort zone.