Guided by a vision for impactful collaboration, Lauren Chuhta ‘26 is delving into nonprofit work to explore how organizations can better serve communities.
As an Obama-Chesky Voyager, her journey in global development and communication is just beginning.
This is her Cornell story.
Cheers to our seniors and everything ahead ❤️🎓 #cornell2026
✨Senior Spotlight: Timothy Kipruto✨
Major: Global Development and Information Science
❓Did you have a favorite engaged learning experience?
💬 I was an intern with the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Buffalo and I got a chance to work with young kids who were involved in social justice at their schools and work with them throughout the summer to develop their projects!
❓What was your favorite GDEV course?
💬GDEV 4505: Computing and Global Development
❓What advice would you give to other students in Global Development?
💬 Take chances. If you try, you MIGHT fail. If you don’t, you DEFINITELY will.
Cheers to our seniors and everything ahead ❤️🎓 #cornell2026
✨ Senior Spotlight: Eva Lifsec ✨
Major: Global Development
❓What is your favorite memory in GDEV?
💬Favorite memory in GDEV was meeting Peri Dunn in the GDEV Hub our first day. Best friends ever since.
❓Who was your most influential professor in the program and why?
💬Lynn Morris has truly been the best coordinator ever. She is so incredibly helpful and reliable. Sarah Giroux showed me what an engaging and enthusiastic professor really looks like and I cannot thank her enough for that.
❓What advice would you give to other students in Global Development?
💬 Take full advantage of the awesome research that is being done in the major! Reach out to professors whenever.
Cheers to our seniors and everything ahead ❤️🎓 #cornell2026
✨ Senior Spotlight: AJ Villaruel ✨
Majors: Global Development and Biological Engineering
❓Who was your most influential professor in the program and why?
💬Heidi Mouillesseaux-Kunzman — such a wonderful advisor and helped ground my GDEV experience.
❓What advice would you give to other students in Global Development?
💬 The best learning in GDEV happens in the field, so put serious thought about where you want to spend you required summer engaged learning experience internship and try to go on at least one faculty-led-field trip before you graduate.
Cheers to our seniors and everything ahead ❤️🎓 #cornell2026
✨ Senior Spotlight: Mia Adriko ✨
Major: Global Development
❓What was your favorite Global Development Course?
💬Just Food! We explored every part of campus and got to know Frank (and his love of grass).
❓What was your favorite memory at Cornell?
💬Hiking the Cascadilla Gorge
❓What advice would you give to other students in Global Development?
💬 Show up! Go to class. Honor invites from your friends. Attend guest lectures. Just show up!
Cheers to our seniors and everything ahead ❤️🎓 #cornell2026
✨ Senior Spotlight: Blakely Duskin ✨
Major: Global Development
❓Did you have a favorite engaged learning experience?
💬I was an intern at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, researching for the Lead of Climate and Nature Finance. During that time, I helped advanced blueprints for the Coalition for Private Investment in Conservation, contributed to a national research collaborative with EDF, built a professional education program with Field to Market, and got the opportunity to attend the UBS Nature Finance Conference in London and NYC Climate Week!
❓What advice would you give to other students in Global Development?
💬 There are tons of ways for GDEV students to get involved on campus - so many exciting clubs, research projects, and programs with great professors. Take advantage of these opportunities and make the most of your time here!
Cheers to our seniors and everything ahead ❤️🎓 #cornell2026
✨ Senior Spotlight: Philip Goo ✨
Major: Global Development
❓Who was your most influential professor in the program and why?
💬 Professor Sarah Giroux has been so crucial to my college career since day 1. From the first cornerstone orientation course to helping me find professional opportunities as an upperclassmen, she always supported both my personal and career growth and was absolutely foundational to shaping me into who I am today.
❓What advice would you give to other students in Global Development?
💬 Take your time! There’s a lot of cool opportunities to pursue at Cornell and in Global Development, so use the 3-4 years you have in college to try everything you’re interested in.
A wonderful evening at the 2nd annual GDEV Gala! ✨ It was a joy to come together as a community to recognize our students, faculty, staff, and friends, and to celebrate another incredible year. Thank you to the GDEV Student Advisory Board for making the night so special!
Kate Stephens ‘26, an undergraduate in Global Development, represented Cornell’s land-grant mission as a CARET delegate in Washington, D.C. this spring! She joined national conversations on agricultural research, education and policy— highlighting the importance of ensuring farmers and rural communities have a voice in shaping the future. Kudos to Kate for advocating alongside leaders from across the country!
Over spring break, Dr. John Sipple, Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Global Development, facilitated a GDEV faculty-led study trip to Ireland! ☘️ Students explored the legacy of the “Celtic Tiger” — a period of rapid economic growth that reshaped the country from a largely rural nation to a global technology hub. Through visits to Dublin, Galway, Inis Meain, Maynooth, and Slate, students explored how infrastructure investment, migration, and policy decisions influenced development, as well as the uneven recovery following the 2008 financial crisis. Experiences like these bring global development concepts to life beyond the classroom!
🌎🌍🌏 The GDEV Student Advisory Board is hosting its second annual department-wide gala! In this exclusive GDEV event, we will celebrate the achievements and community of the department at large. Join undergraduates, MPS students, PhD candidates, Humphrey Fellows, and department faculty and staff for social hour, dinner, and a short, informal celebratory ceremony. Cultural or soiree attire is recommended, there will be lots of time for photos with friends!🤩
When: Tuesday, April 21st, from 4:30-7pm
Where: Warren 401
Taste of Thai Food will be served!🍛
RSVP Link closes April 16th: https://forms.gle/et1HiJbMo2jC3T5E9
Add to the GDEV 25-26 Photo Album here: /f/463ee4bf7a574bfd97aeb59d262c6f1d
The photos that students share will be turned into a slideshow during the gala to celebrate fun moments or achievements from GDEV members throughout the year! 💃🕺📸
We can’t wait to see you there as we celebrate our departments achievements this year! 🎉
Seongmin Shin first got interested in carbon markets when he worked as a reforestation officer with the government in his home country of South Korea. He planted trees in 10 countries around the world before coming to @cornellglobaldevelopment as a PhD student in 2023 in search of deeper answers about how to reduce net carbon emissions.
Shin received an Einaudi Center travel grant to continue his fieldwork abroad in Kenya. He interviewed stakeholders across several steps of the carbon market process – smallholder farmers, NGOs, research organizations and factories – to find out who is gaining from the carbon markets.
“Meeting people is the greatest part of doing international fieldwork,” said Shin. “I got new insight and perspective from local people, and I had the opportunity to represent their voices.” One local coordinator is included as a coauthor on an upcoming paper Shin is writing.
“I really appreciated the support of the Einaudi Center that allowed me to stay in Kenya for two months. Without Einaudi, I couldn’t have stayed as long as I needed to.”
