Welcome to Cornell, Class of 2029

Dear Class of 2029,

You’ve arrived — on campus, at Cornell, and at a turning point.

In the coming weeks, you’ll find your way around the Hill. You’ll wander between lectures, debate ideas deep into the night and stumble onto friendships that just might last a lifetime. But as you begin this journey, we want to ask something of you, something bigger than just studying hard or getting good grades.

We’re asking you to help rebuild something Cornell was always meant to be: a true beacon of open inquiry, of courageous conversation and of fearless thinking.

Because here’s the truth: recent years have tested that ideal. Too often, the campus has leaned toward intellectual conformity over curiosity, silence over spirited debate and comfort over the challenge that leads to growth. But that doesn’t have to be your Cornell. You have the chance to shape something better.

You could be the class that changes everything.

You’re Not Just Students, You’re Stewards of an Idea

When Ezra Cornell declared, “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study,” he didn’t mean just any subject. He meant any perspective. Any belief. Any background. The vision was radical: a university committed not to a single ideology, but to the open contest of ideas.

That vision now rests in your hands.

Whether you're studying biology or government, engineering or English, your job isn’t just to absorb knowledge — it’s to question it. To test it. To argue with it, refine it and sometimes even reject it. That’s not disrespect. That’s the beating heart of a real education.

This Is Your Moment

Yes, you’ll hear voices that challenge your deepest values. Good. That means you’re listening.Yes, you’ll feel uncomfortable at times. Also good. That means you’re growing.

What matters is how you respond. Not by shutting people down, but by stepping up. Engage. Argue. Ask better questions. Defend your beliefs — but stay open to changing your mind.

As Charlie Kirk warned not long before tragedy struck, “When people stop having dialogue, that’s when bad things happen.” We owe it to each other to ensure that Cornell never becomes that kind of place. Real courage isn’t about shouting the loudest. It’s about listening deeply, thinking clearly and speaking honestly — even when you’re in the minority.

Imagine a campus where no viewpoint is off-limits, but every idea is tested. Where students don’t retreat from disagreement, but lean into it with respect and curiosity. Where diversity of thought is seen not as a threat, but as the engine of progress.

That’s the Cornell we believe in. And it starts with you.

You Don’t Need to Wait Four Years

You don’t need to wait four years to find your voice. Use it now. Ask hard questions in class. Invite speakers others avoid. Start a club, write an op-ed, defend someone’s right to say something even when you disagree with it.

In other words: be intellectually brave. Because the world needs more of that — and Cornell does too.

We Believe in You

You are not just inheriting a legacy. You are writing a new one.

And if you rise to this moment — if you commit to the hard, beautiful work of honest, respectful dialogue — you’ll not only grow as individuals. You’ll help restore Cornell to what it was always meant to be: a model for what higher education can be.

So welcome, Class of 2029. Welcome to a place that can be as bold, as free and as intellectually alive as you make it.

We’re rooting for you.

Onward,

The Cornell Free Speech Alliance

The Cornell Free Speech Alliance is a coalition of alumni, faculty, and friends of Cornell dedicated to protecting free expression, fostering open debate, and challenging groupthink on campus. Learn more and subscribe at cornellfreespeech.com or contact us at hello@cornellfreespeechalliance.com.