Martha Pollack

"It is really, really wonderful to have you all here in person on this beautiful – I hardly ever get to say this in Ithaca – this beautiful sunny day."

"Because, of course, the event was virtual,” . “It was me and two camera people. And that’s it. Rows of empty bleachers. And I’ve got to tell you, even if it’s hot, it is so much nicer to be here with all of you."

"These are two pieces of advice that go right to the heart of who we are at Cornell, right to the heart of how we’ve kept our community together and moving forward during this extraordinary era."

"Knowledge gives us a compass, But kindness is what gets us down the road. And to quote an African proverb that one of my mentors was fond of sharing, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together."