Students Explore ClubFest

By JONATHAN MONG Sun Staff Writer

Students browsed Cornell’s offering of student organizations and explored their future possibilities last Sunday at ClubFest in Barton Hall.

Now in its 19th year, ClubFest featured over 400 student clubs, Cornell-affiliated programs and pre-professional organizations. Clubs handed out quarter-cards and other advertising materials, chatted with prospective new members and distributed candy to passersby.

The event repeated last year’s scheduling, breaking the expo into two sessions. Preprofessional clubs and fraternities, media and publication organizations, sustainability clubs and University-sponsored programs such as Cornell in Washington, headlined the first session. The second half included entities such as performing arts groups, club sports, food organizations, identity-based affinity groups and community services.

Students found the experience fruitful and valuable through finding new communities, while faculty and staff stressed the importance of finding community.

“Cornell is a big school, and it’s hard to find people even within your own major, and sometimes [finding people in your major] doesn’t even matter in terms of interests outside academics,” said Michelle Sánchez-Patino ’25. “I feel like ClubFest is a good way to see what’s out here at Cornell because sometimes the school can be so big that you don’t even know what’s happening.”

Not only did ClubFest give students ways to find, rekindle or continue pursuing their passions, but it also provided a way for them to find groups where they can make memories. Ricky Boche, assistant director of campus activities, stressed ClubFest’s importance for finding communities where students can fit in.

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Pollack began by reiterating an announcement she made at last week’s Employee Assembly meeting — that the University will provide in-year bonuses to all full and part-time staff members with salaries up to $100,000. The bonuses, issued in response to higher living expenses due to inflation, will be distributed on a sliding scale based on income. Crowd members were excited to hear of this program, applauding exuberantly.

After her announcement, Pollack covered Cornell’s achievements in the last year. She noted Cornell’s development at the college level, celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and the two-year anniversary of the Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science.

In addition to Cornell’s on-campus growth, Pollack also recognized the University’s expansion in New York City, citing Cornell Tech, the Cardiovascular AI Institute and the Multicollege Department of Design Tech as Cornell’s budding programs in the city.

Polish Ambassador Speaks to Cornellians

By ISABELA WILSON Sun Contributor

On Feb. 1, Cornell’s Society of Polish Students welcomed Marek Magierowski, Polish ambassador to the United States, to give a virtual lecture on Polish-Ukrainian relations amidst the Russo-Ukrainian War.

After leaving journalism in October 2015, Magierowski embarked on an extensive career in international politics by obtaining a position within the Polish government. Magierowski then served as undersecretary of state at Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ambassador to Israel until 2021, when Magierowski became Polish Ambassador to the United States.

Julia Pienkowska ’23, organizer of the event and member of the Society of Polish Students, stated that she found the lecture informative.

“He took a pragmatic approach, elaborating on Putin's wartime failures but recognizing that Russia is a powerful country that is not easy to beat,” Pienkowska said.

Magierowski began his lecture by describing the legacy shared by Poland and Ukraine. Both countries served as a former constituent to the defunct Eastern Bloc, as Ukraine is a former Soviet republic and Poland was a Soviet satellite. According to Magierowski, this shared history brought the countries into an amicable alliance against Russia.

When discussing Russia, Magierowski drew comparisons between the Cold War-era SovietAmerican relations and the modern day.

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Info Session: Graduate Fulbright Opportunities

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9 a.m., Virtual Event

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11 a.m. - Noon, 279 Myron Taylor Hall

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The Cornell Chimes Info Session

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Sample Weekly Workout: Rock Climbing

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