Profiles of 2001 Graduating Students

Brief talk (and his parents' suggestion) helped to produce human ecologist Cory Polonetsky

Human Ecology ambassador Cory Polonetsky '01 poses in front of a mural in the Martha Van Rennselaer Hall Auditorium. Charles Harrington/University Photography

By Susan Lang

It's odd how a single conversation can change your life. For College of Human Ecology senior Cory Polonetsky, the serendipitous chat occurred when he was a junior in high school and was visiting Cornell during the university's statutory college open house day.

He had walked out of a session offered by another of the colleges on campus -- it just wasn't for him -- and wanted to head home, but his parents suggested he check out the College of Human Ecology first. But Polonetsky didn't want to go. So while his parents went into the information session, he hung back and chatted in the hall with a student who was a Human Ecology ambassador, one of the students in the college who helps explains the benefits of its programs to prospective students.

"I just loved what I heard," said Polonetsky, who is from Queens, N.Y. "I fell in love with what the College of Human Ecology had to offer and what the concept of human ecology meant. The policy analysis and management major had everything I was looking for -- business, economics, law, policy and government."

So Polonetsky applied early decision, and his life changed.

"Ironically, I would become that Human Ecology ambassador," he said. "I've been an ambassador since my sophomore year, giving my student perspective to prospective students about whether Human Ecology is a good fit for them or not."

And now he's the organization's vice president and has spoken on panels and to multitudes of students about his experience here.

For the past three years, Polonetsky also has been working in the college's student services and admissions offices helping to plan new-student programs, work on development recruitment activities and informational web sites and coordinate freshman scholars seminars. At the same time, he's made the college's dean's list six out of his seven semesters, so far.

The list of honors he's received is exceptionally long and includes: the Merrill Presidential Scholar award, a SUNY Chancellor's Award for student excellence, a Helen Hoefer Scholarship and membership in numerous honor societies recognizing his high grade-point average, including the Quill and Dagger senior honor society.

"It's a secret society [Quill and Dagger], so I can't say much, but what we do in terms of community service is just amazing, and I am so proud to be part of it," said Polonetsky.

Reflecting on his Cornell experience, he said: "I have grown so much here as a person and feel so blessed to have met such wonderful people through my fraternity, the college and the Cornell community. I will always feel an intrinsic pride and connection with other Cornellians no matter where I am. But now, after eight semesters, they're making me graduate, though I'd love to stay."

Polonetsky is headed for Boston where he'll be an analyst at the Cambridge Strategic Management Group, a consulting firm. He suspects he'll pursue an MBA down the road, but, ultimately, he hopes to turn to public service.

"I want to develop my skills in the next few years and then apply them in some public service area, something to help improve the human condition," he said.

And later this week when he leaves campus, Polonetsky will take the heart of his education with him, like a true human ecologist.