Featured Supplemental Essay Prompt For Cornell University Applicants:

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School. 650 Word Maximum.

Successful Supplemental Essay Example From Our Accepted Alumni Student:

My grandfather’s inspiration first sparked my passion for justice. Experiences peers and I have had with racism and inequities motivated me to further question systemic issues. I began to help those in need of justice and assistance in the U.S. and around the world, through co-founding a non-profit organization with five of my peers. Through Debate Teams and Model United Nations, I have been able to discuss viewpoints on pressing issues of today—especially inequities in both educational access and fair wages globally.

We created our NPO [NPO Name] to raise funds for those in need, both abroad and here in the United States. Over the six years we have been working, we have raised over $[Amount] for the [Location Name], an orphanage and elderly home in India, the [Program Name] Camp, [Food Access NPO], and [Location Name] Medical Center. I have been fortunate to raise funds through active correspondence with local businesses, community members, large-scale companies, and other community events.

When I visited Cornell University this summer, I immediately felt the vibrant energy of the campus. Exploring the Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) program and meeting current students was eye-opening and inspiring. I learned about the unparalleled program, which embraces an interdisciplinary yet specialized perspective. This flexible program gives students the opportunity to discover the meaning of ILR to each individual. 

The small, tight-knit community of ILR is another factor that captivated me. At a university as large as Cornell, a unified community would provide belonging. The common thread that has run through each of my endeavors to help others is a sense of community. I truly believe that everyone deserves to have a voice to represent what they want. When people in society lack a spokesperson, they are victims to a larger enemy: silence. This silence disallows discussion and conversation over ubiquitous issues, leading to the crumbling of our democracy. This is the reason I love the ILR community—it has a common desire to promote justice, equality, and, most of all, empathy.

I appreciate Cornell ILR’s Global Service Learning, with the opportunity to participate in service projects in India, Nicaragua, or Zambia. Through this, students are given a chance to learn, experience, and deal with real world problems. I would love to be a part of this opportunity, specifically with projects in rural India, a community I have worked with and am passionate about helping to improve. Programs like these truly create the next generation of social activists—a community I dream to be a part of.

One of my strongest beliefs is that everyone deserves fair wages, human rights, and the best education available. At a local budget conference this year, I had the opportunity to speak about the need for continued funding for [State] magnet schools that promote inclusivity and therefore educational access across diverse socioeconomic classes. Students from diverse magnet schools can go on to receive educational opportunities they otherwise would not have, which in turn allows for better closing of achievement and income gaps within the United States. Further, improving educational equity abroad can create better foundations and outcomes for those in developing nations.

I know that Cornell’s ILR program would allow me to delve into the ways in which we can work toward fair living wages and hope for all. My desires to see these reforms have led me to explore the ILR school, in hopes of learning about how to be a leader toward change.

I know that Cornell University ILR school has not only the physical resources to assist me, but also the sense of community, passion, and drive to change the world. My dream is to be a part of the ILR community, a place where people are the main focus as we work toward reformation. I want to continue making positive changes in the lives of those who are kept silent—those who need us.