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[Michelle] I do a lot of things to care for
myself but I think the first thing
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that comes to mind for me as being the
most important is the friendships that I have.
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Connectedness is so very important. We are
seeing in national data that people are reporting
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a greater sense of loneliness. And in Human
Resources and the Department of Inclusion and
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Belonging we've been having a lot of conversation
about how we can enhance connectedness for our
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faculty and staff.
[Avery] I'm also a Presidential Adviser in Diversity and Equity, uh... where working with two
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of my other colleagues we think a lot about
how do we... how do we ensure that everyone who
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is here at Cornell feel... feels like they belong. So, Belonging at Cornell initiative. [Kathryn] I think one
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of the most important things for our students to
realize is that, with... among the community that they
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have here at Cornell University is an incredible
network that can stay with them for life. And so
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to really enjoy and embrace and develop those
personal relationships while they are here
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on this campus. Certainly with their faculty and
with staff but but absolutely with their fellow
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students. [Michelle] Being a Higher Ed institution we have
a lot of people who are here for a short period
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of time. And that can be really difficult if they
don't have um... family and friends nearby. And so we
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want to provide them with opportunities to build
those connections and to really feel a part of our
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community. [Cortney] Even though Cornell can feel like a big
place, if you can make one connection with someone
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um... that connection could be your path to finding
the answer that you need to get the support you
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need. [Ten] Meeting people across departments, and meeting
people across colleges, and just setting up casual
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meetings. Go out and say hi to somebody. Touch grass.
Get a coffee. [Aaron] I've been able to do that through a
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few different opportunities here on campus as
well. There's a kind of an informal basketball
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group they... they play basketball on a couple days
a week. Um... I've connected with them some. There's
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many people who are interested just... just kind
of... reach out. And even if you can't find anyone
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there... there's entire departments that are looking
to connect people to do those things together.
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[Cortney] And I found that when I was new to campus or coming
here um... even just a quick Google search of all
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the options and opportunities that were here
and available to staff or students. And of course, I
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will always plug that the LGBT Resource Center is
here to support the health and wellbeing of all
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students, especially LGBTQ+ students. We offer
programs that support community building, building
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your social network, connecting with others.
[Ten] And so find the people that you do fit with, that you
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vibe with. [Cortney] We can find a way to find a space for
everyone to feel welcome and affirmed. [Ten] I think that
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a lot of people um... can be intimidated by the size
and the uh... separation of the Cornell community.
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And it can be easy to think I'm alone and this
doesn't work for me but it really, really can.
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And there are resources to help you get to a
place where you do fit in and you do work perfectly.
