Beating the Odds is the name of the Children's Defense Fund scholarship program that helped Shekhinah Jay attend Cornell -- and the words also describe her life.

"I've always had a passion for school," says the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) senior.

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Shekhinah Jay, a dean's list standout, overcame obstacles to become the first in her family to attend college.

Jay, who grew up in Queens, N.Y., lost both parents to AIDS when she was still a child. A grandmother stepped in to raise her and, later, three orphaned cousins, supporting them all by cleaning houses.

"She's my rock; she's very strong," says Jay.

Jay attended Townsend Harris High School, a small institution with rigorous academics and a demanding overall program. "Even gym classes were hard," she says. "I didn't appreciate it then, but now I can."

She excelled there, attracting college scholarships, including one from The New York Times. However, she first applied only to universities with pre-law programs. Cornell wasn't one of them, but when a friend told her that ILR stood for "I love reading" and advised her to consider it, she sent off an application -- and was accepted. "I wrote about turning obstacles into motivation, inspiration and fuel to do better," says Jay.

When she visited Cornell during Diversity Hosting Weekend, "The campus was huge, and I thought students are probably just numbers here," Jay says. But when an ILR staff member greeted her by name, she was impressed.

And she fell in love with the Minority ILR Organization following its showcase event of members' talents. Her sophomore year she joined the student group's executive board. This year she is president.

The ILR School has met her expectations and then some, says Jay: "It's a close-knit family. Faculty and staff are understanding, helpful and care about students." And courses in human resource management and labor studies have inspired her.

"Shekhinah is a delight, a real standout," comments Laura Lewis, a staff member in the ILR's Office of Student Services.

Jay's philosophy, to surround herself with positive people, is reflected in her own sunny disposition, says Associate Professor Michael Gold, who praises her for "excellent work" in his labor law course. "I expect to hear great things from her," he says.

Another fan is fiancé Derrick Bass, a senior in engineering, who calls Jay "strong, intelligent and beautiful." She says, "He keeps a smile on my face, even during stressful times."

At Cornell Jay is a dean's list student who also is a Big Sister, Big Brother volunteer and has helped at Loaves and Fishes, on Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance and AIDS Ride for Life fund-raisers and an Afro-centric program for local youngsters that encourages ethnic pride.

She still plans to go to law school, but first Jay will work in human capital management at Goldman Sachs in New York City. The location will keep her near her grandmother. "She's always been there for me, and I want to be there for her."