College campuses have always been fascinating to me. Whenever I am in a city, I try to take time to walk through a college campus and experience the feeling that only a college environment can offer.

In the summer of 1988, I enrolled in a summer college program for high school students at Cornell University. High school students about to begin their senior year were able to take classes in their major of interest. As my family stopped behind dorm 1926 on West Campus by Noyes Hall, I didn’t realize how impactful the next 6 weeks would be on my life long-term, both professionally and personally. I met some great friends (Somesha, Tonie, Janella, Simone, Tanisha and Denise and David, my architecture buddy) and my love for architecture was reinforced by the intense program I endured. My sister Kyllan also attended summer college at Cornell 9 years later and was later accepted to the prestigious Sloane Program in Health Administration where she received her Masters Degree. I think she enjoyed her time at Cornell as well.

Main Quad

Cornell University is one of the most beautiful campuses I’ve ever seen. Nestled in the hills of Ithaca, NY, it’s beautiful gorges, trees and quaint college town feel is peaceful and serene. The buildings on this campus are stunning.

Sibley Hall is the main architecture building. It is where most lectures and events are held. Rand Hall (2nd image above) is where I’d spend most of my late nights feverishly working on projects. Rand Hall studios were not air conditioned then, which is why it was aptly named Rand “Hell”.

One of the libraries at Cornell featured a reading area that was partially underground. It provided a beautiful view of the steep descent to West Campus. I could never focus on reading while there. The view was just too nice.

The War Memorial, now called the Baker Dorms or The Gothic Halls were like a gateway from the main campus down the steep hill to West Campus. The Gothic-style building is my favorite historic structure on the campus. The ribbed vaults in the covered walkway are eye-candy.

Sage Chapel is another amazing building on the campus which carries on the Gothic-style tradition.

The buildings at Cornell are a graceful blend of old vs. new. The Museum of Art designed by I.M. Pei exemplifies that.

Duffield Hall is home of the Nanotechnology Department.

Schoellkopf Field features a curved seating design