Your May 2026 reads
Books featured by the alumni website Cornellians for May 2026 include, y Cornell College of Arts and Sciences alumni and faculty, a ‘poetic memoir,’ a study of the Gospel of John, and the final mystery from a genre luminary.
Admitted Class of 2030 seeks real-world impact
Cornell admits the Class of 2030 emphasizing real-world impact, enrolling 5,776 students from 102 countries. At Cornell University, the diverse cohort reflects the land-grant mission and applied learning goals across multiple colleges.
Historic and swift: Mullally’s rise to Archbishop of Canterbury
Sarah Mullally’s historic installation as the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury highlights rapid institutional change within Anglicanism. Cornell University sociologist Landon Schnabel emphasizes how incremental reforms built support for her swift rise.
End-times rhetoric in US military ‘didn’t infiltrate, was invited in’
Use of Christian apocalyptic language by commanders reflects a climate shaped from the top down, says one Cornell expert. Another adds: the belief that Christians should actively bring about the end times rests on a misreading of the Book of Revelation.
Making an impression: A new approach to classical concepts of the image
For the ancient Greeks, an image could be understood as a seal pressed on a material to leave a mark, as opposed to an inferior imitation (mimēsis), scholar Verity Platt argues in a new book.
Daniel Gold, professor of Asian studies emeritus, dies at 78
Daniel Gold, a professor of Asian studies emeritus in the College of Arts and Sciences, died on Feb. 16 in Ithaca. He was 78.
John: The life and times of the ‘maverick’ Gospel
The fourth Gospel of the New Testament holds many of the Bible’s most well-known passages, but also some of its controversies.
Indonesian women created a political voice through gendered care work
In "Domestic Nationalism," Chiara Formichi argues that during the 1920s to 1950s, Indonesian women’s domestic activities contributed to nation-building as a political project.
#RaptureTok and the history of end-times beliefs: Cornell religion expert
Apocalyptic predictions are "far from new, but social media has whipped up a frenzy," says Cornell religion expert Kim Haines-Eitzen.
New book introduces Maimonides, ‘one of civilization’s greatest minds’
Maimonides, one of the most significant intellectual figures of the medieval period,worked as a physician, thought like a scientist, and served as a leader of the Jewish community in Cairo.
New Faculty: Thomas "Tal" A. Lewis
Thomas (Tal) A. Lewis, Religious Studies and German Studies.
2025 Nexus Scholars talk about academic growth, transformation
Ten students who participated in this summer's Nexus Scholars Program share their stories..
Thomas A. Lewis named Graduate School dean, vice provost
A professor of religious studies at Brown, Lewis will also hold a faculty appointment as a professor of religious studies and German studies in the College of Arts and Sciences.
From posters to precedent, humanities scholars showcase their research
Projects spanned topics from Confederate cemeteries to Korean textiles.
'The world really is your oyster'
Grace Elmore is majoring in English & religious studies.
Ethnic cleansing explored in Annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration Lecture
Columbia University's Khatchig Mouradian will give a lecture, “Ethnic Cleansing in the Long 19th Century: The Native American, Circassian, and Armenian Cases,” on April 24.
A&S announces membership in MLA Strategic Partnership Network
“We felt this is an important resource that should be available to our humanists at all levels, whether they have the resources to pay for membership or not,” said Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences.
Modeling an ancient house and garden in 3D
Cornell researchers have received a $150,000 NEH Digital Humanities Advanced Grant to create a 3D virtual modeling project based on the Casa della Regina Carolina, a large Pompeian house.
From portfolios to pizza, fall A&S career events explore diverse fields
"Cornell alumni are generous with their time and efforts to assist students, to answer questions from students, or connect them to people and places."
New A&S dean relishes ‘life in a university’
Peter John Loewen says he's excited to support faculty in their research, meet students and showcase the value of a liberal arts education.
Peter Loewen named dean of Arts and Sciences
Coming from the University of Toronto, where he was the director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Loewen began his five-year appointment as the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Aug. 1.
National Humanities Center selects two A&S professors as 2024-25 Fellows
Kim Haines-Eitzen, the Paul and Berthe Hendrix Memorial Professor of Near Eastern studies, and Mostafa Minawi, associate professor of history and director of Critical Ottoman and Post-Ottoman Studies, will pursue research projects in residence in Durham, North Carolina.
'Learning Spanish has restructured how I see the world around me'
Kathryn Cuneo is a religious studies major.
Exploring the remains of ancient daily life
The collection “Households in Context: Dwelling in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt” shifts the archaeological perspective from public and elite spaces such as temples, tombs and palaces to everyday dwellings and interactions of families.
Summer Experience Grant applications now open
The grants provide funding for students in unpaid or low-paying summer experiences to offset the cost of taking on those positions.
Talk to consider roots of antisemitism, racism, Islamophobia
A Nov. 16 talk sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the College of Arts and Sciences will shed light on the history of hate movements in the U.S.
Role of women in early Christianity informs Catholic present
“As Roman Catholic Church leaders meet this month for the Synod on Synodality, some women—both nuns and laypeople—have been invited to join the workshop," says Kim Haines-Eitzen.
Conference highlights humanities projects on the theme of “Crossing”
The Society’s fall conference on Friday, Oct. 27, will feature talks by seven multidisciplinary fellows.
Lecture to explore Native American anti-nuclear activism
A new “Religions on the Move” lecture series kicks off Sept. 28 with "'Make the Sound the Creator Is Waiting for Us to Make': Native American Anti-Nuclear Activism."
Merrill Scholars honor mentors at 35th annual ceremony
Forty-three student scholars, including nine from Arts and Sciences, were honored at this year’s 35th Merrill Presidential Scholars ceremony on May 23.
Nexus Scholars Program expands research opportunities to 101 students
This summer, 101 students in the College of Arts and Sciences will take part in groundbreaking research on campus with 61 faculty as part of the Nexus Scholars Program.
'Cornell not only permits but rewards a wide curiosity'
Daniel Kim is a religious studies and chemistry major.
New College Scholars research climate, health care, legal interpretation
"A theme of the Harrison College Scholar Program is that our students are independent but not isolated."
The unexpected importance of the sea sponge in classical history
In the Society for the Humanities Invitational Lecture Feb. 15, art historian Verity Platt will present her research on the humble sea sponge.
Student’s playful paintings showcase the Hill as you’ve never seen it
From the clock tower to Risley and beyond, Grace Elmore ’25 finds inspiration in Cornell’s eclectic architectural styles.
Students can now choose new minor in data science
The minor is distinctive in including courses from many disciplines, from across Cornell’s schools and colleges.
Nexus Scholar applications open for summer 2023
The program matches undergraduate students with summer opportunities to work side by side with faculty from across the College.
Desert sounds offer lessons in solitude and community
In a new book, Kim Haines-Eitzen explores the rich range of desert sounds and what they can teach us about place, the past, solitude and community.
Sustainability and spirituality in the garden
A group of students, including some Nexus Scholars, is learning practical skills related to sustainability and connecting them to community behaviors.
'Confront the awkward, the grim, the daunting, head on...'
Benjamin Velani is a Religious Studies and Government major.
First cohort of A&S Nexus Scholars chosen for summer research positions
Fifty undergrads in the College of Arts & Sciences will take part in paid research projects in Ithaca this summer with faculty from throughout the College.
More than $12M donated to support students in 24 hours
On Cornell’s eighth Giving Day, held March 16, 15,905 alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends from more than 80 countries made gifts totaling a record-breaking $12,268,629.
Support Arts & Sciences on Giving Day March 16
Gifts allow the College to fulfill its mission: preparing students to do the greatest good in the world.