February 22, 2024
By Imani Finkley
In honor of Black History Month, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science collaborated with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the Cornell Black Graduate Professional Student Association (BGPSA) to host A Night of Illumination and Celebration of Black Excellence on Feb. 10 in the Statler ballroom.
With a panel of notable Black professionals, good food, and heartfelt discussion, the event was a night where undergraduate, graduate, and professional students could celebrate and honor the achievements of their peers and those who came before them.
“Since the beginning of Cornell’s history, there have been roughly 2,000 Black engineering graduates,” said Erhunmwunse Eghafona ‘24, president of the Cornell University chapter of the NSBE. “So look to your left and look to your right and know that you all have already achieved excellence.”
Seated at tables with Cornell Bowers CIS faculty, deans, and student leaders from NSBE and BGPSA, participants listened to a panel of individuals ranging from a current graduate student to alumni working in industry and academia. The panelists fielded a series of questions surrounding three themes: resistance, mental health, and achievement. Following each session, students would then discuss their thoughts on the theme and related experiences with those at their table. These conversations helped one biomedical engineering undergraduate see that “these topics are things [my] community and university take seriously and are willing to talk about” and made the night “really beautiful and informative.”
Throughout the night, students were reminded of their brilliance, given advice on engaging in mental and emotional wellness, and encouraged to reflect on their experiences as aspiring Black professionals. One panelist, Darian Nwankwo, a Ph.D. candidate in the field of computer science, wanted participants to not just take away words of wisdom from the event, but “if you see someone on campus, make sure to smile, nod, say ‘hi’, and continue to uplift one another and this community.”
If you are interested in learning more about this or other events, please email the Cornell Bowers CIS Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at dei-office@cis.cornell.edu.
Imani Finkley ‘24 is a communications assistant for the Cornell Bowers CIS Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.