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May 18, 2009 'I have worked with many of my peers with their startups, and I've been featured on Cornell's E-clips and in panel discussions, which allowed me to help inspire my peers to accomplish their dreams.'
Senior profile: Joseph Duva
Major: Policy analysis and management Why did you choose Cornell?
My mother came here as a nontraditional student and would bring my little sister and me to class when she couldn't find a babysitter. It wasn't long before I fell in love with the university (even as a 5-year-old!). I transferred to Cornell from Western Connecticut State University the fall of my sophomore year. Main Cornell extracurricular activity -- why is it important to you?
Entrepreneurship. My junior year, I placed within the top 10 teams in Cornell's Big Idea competition for one of my businesses, ServiceAuction.com, which allows people to bid on home improvements. As a senior I made it to the semifinals again for an idea we call VAISE, or voice-activated industry-specific encyclopedia. I have worked with many of my peers with their startups, and I've been featured on Cornell's E-clips and in panel discussions, which allowed me to help inspire my peers to accomplish their dreams. Your most profound turning point while at Cornell?
As a sophomore I went on a white-water rafting trip and nearly drowned. When I finally emerged after what seemed like a lifetime and found myself still breathing ... I had never been so content in my life than in that moment. I realized then how fragile life is and how important it is to stop and appreciate the simple things that we so often take for granted from day to day. Did you find yourself significantly different from most students at Cornell? If so, how?
I have been managing the ServiceAuction.com and been starting VAISE while attending school. So I've had a slightly different perspective and lifestyle than some of my peers. While at Cornell, what other accomplishments/activities are you most proud of?
Being a leadership teaching assistant in Human Ecology's Collaborative Leadership class. For example, I offered to help a foreign student who was brilliant but did not speak English very well and his writing suffered, which caused him great distress. I taught him how to outline, and his writing improved 200 percent. Seeing the confidence that this young person gained from his strengthened writing skills was, to me, one of my finest moments while in college. What Cornell memory do you treasure the most?
Time spent living in the transfer center. I formed bonds that I treasure more than almost anything else since coming to Cornell. What are your plans for next year; where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Working as an executive for Aldi, a European food retailer, in Connecticut while investing my income in the real estate market. I also plan on continuing to run my companies and eventually earn an MBA. I hope in 10 years to be on a leadership track with a large company where I can ultimately become a CEO and bring a heightened sense of social responsibility. |
