Alumni Stories

Kenneth Kirschner ’75 will receive the ILR School’s 2026 Groat Award and Stephen H. Goodman ’65 will receive the 2026 Alpern Award on March 26 at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.

This fall, Catherwood Library has hosted its 25th annual Cookie Day, a tradition beloved by ILRies.

Richard “Dick” Fincher ’73, who has been instrumental in creating and teaching the Vietnam Engaged Learning Program and the Hopi & Navajo Engaged Learning Program, has announced his intention to slow down and gradually retire from teaching, but the legacy he has created will continue.

McKenna “MJ” Raade ’25 "wanted to sample everything" before settling on a career path. She had that opportunity at the ILR School before entering the UCLA School of Law this fall.

After more than two decades advocating on the front lines of national public policy related to poverty and hunger, Robert Fersh ’72 founded Convergence Center for Policy Resolution. Now, Fersh shares his experience in the book “From Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems.”

The William J. Sonnenstuhl ILR WIDE Research Fellows Fund has been established by Dustin Liu ’19 to honor Sonnenstuhl, a beloved professor who inspires students to influence the culture of organizations in which they are involved.

A chain of events that began for Melanie Stewart ’10 in her sophomore year in the ILR School led first to an internship and later to a legal career on the business side of labor and employment law that emphasizes prevention and partnership.

After spending several years working for companies such as American Express, McKinsey & Company and Dropbox, Jennifer Choi '08 has found her "dream job" with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks.

Alumna Tricia Turley Brandenburg ’99 created her own learning and career opportunities through sports and now advocates for college student-athletes.

Linda Gadsby ’88 takes on new professional responsibilities with the same vigor she brings to helping young people explore career paths that align with their values.

A series of experiences during his ILR years helped Groat Award recipient Scott Buchheit build a deeper appreciation for different perspectives.

After three decades as a human resources professional, Angela Cheng-Cimini ‘92 has decided to “rewire,” stepping away from her latest role as the senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Harvard Business Publishing.

When Christopher Fateh ’13 first entered ILR, he didn’t want to limit his future by choosing a career path. The school gave him a well-rounded education and an appealing philosophy—that he could make a difference in the lives of regular people.

Scott Buchheit, M.S. ’77, will receive the ILR School’s 2025 Groat Award and Linda Gadsby ’88 will receive the 2025 Alpern Award on April 24 at The Pierre Hotel in New York City.

Edwin “Ed” Baum ’81 and his wife, Holly Wallace, are supporting the New York City High Road initiative by funding stipends, subsidizing housing and providing robust program support.

Nia Evans ’00 says, “ILR has shown up in everything” she has done as the executive director of the Boston Ujima Project, a democratically governed investment fund.

In Ives, students are taught to approach compensation from the human side, as well as the quantitative side, which spurs a national firm to recruit at ILR.

Students Today Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) is a new initiative from the ILR Alumni Affairs and Development Office that aims to engage current students in learning about the important role philanthropy plays at the school.

As the 2024 Alice B. Grant Labor Leader in Residence, ILRie Randi Weingarten spent time at ILR teaching, speaking and meeting with students, professors and university staff.

The 2024 Alpern Award recipient says ILR’s interdisciplinary nature taught her to “approach problem-solving with creativity.”

Mark Eskenazi’s road to the White House began at ILR.

Ken Sunshine ’70 has “offered the world to me” as a mentor and advisor, says entrepreneur Drew Speckman ’20.

The 2024 Groat awardee helps bring opera to the people, and internship, scholarship and professional opportunities to ILRies.

JC Tretter ’13 talks in an interview about broken bones, ruffling feathers, a bum knee, almost quitting football, constant eating, the fun of pro football, what’s next (not lawyering, fyi) and Cornell places he loves.

An ILR student helped establish the United Auto Workers Local 2300, which now represents Cornell building maintenance and service workers.

ILR School alumna Ellen Stutzman ’04 served as chief negotiator for the Writers Guild of America West as it won a new contract that provides pay increases, television series staffing protections, protections against Artificial Intelligence and other improvements for more than 11,000 workers.

AI can help solve workplace challenges, but people remain the decision makers on big issues, Nickle LaMoreaux ‘01 told ILR Dean Alex Colvin, Ph.D. ’99, in their Sept. 7 webinar.