Testimonials from Former Participants

“I came to the IDP program with the expectation that I would get more knowledge and skills – things –  to use as an advisor, tools that would help me to connect with my students.  And I did get these things.  More than that, I got more of an awakening.  I’ve learned that I often have no understanding of the life and circumstances of some of my students…and that’s ok.  What’s not ok, is for me to leave things that way.  Cornell can be a transformative place and time in students’ lives, and I can have a role in transformation.  I can be there as they consider the new idea, the other person, the possible outcomes. I don’t need to have the answer.  The listening, questions, challenges I pose to them can allow them the space to make a decision that is right for them.”

“This course challenged me to continue to think about the ways I could stir change from within my advising role and how those avenues of change may shift on various levels. As an advisor, this course reaffirmed for me in the fundamental conviction I have held as a teacher and a learner. Learning new tools, such as strategic questions, has allowed and will allow me to work with students in ways that embody curiosity and clarity.”  

“This course has strengthened my resolve to be a student advocate, to be more comfortable in my own skin and show my vulnerabilities to students and other colleagues in a more authentic way. I am more present to students in meetings and more aware of how social identities, especially my own, shape our interactions. I have been humbled in the best of ways by the work we are doing and the gift of privilege to participate in the course, on our campus with such an interesting and thoughtful group of advisors and instructors. The occurrence of the COVID-19 crisis part way through our course has been a powerful experience of putting IDP tools into practice to support students. I don’t think I would have handled the weeks of uncertainty and loss as well if not for the IDP training. I may not have recognized as well the disparities in students’ abilities to learn from home environments or to cope with the crisis.”

“While much of my focus has been critically focused on myself I’ve also gained a wider perspective to critically analyze some of the policies, procedures, and practices of my unit. I can now more clearly identify practices that are not necessarily equitable and feel much more confident bringing them up for discussion with my supervisor or team when appropriate.”