Cornell University Personal Statement

Improved Essays
I realize from a young age that I was fascinated by plants and their growth. Even though my family did not have much money growing up, my brother and I were exposed to math and science from a young age. My parents allowed us to explore our areas of interest and encouraged us to take on projects that would foster our talents. My life experience growing up with supportive parents gave me a solid foundation and fostered my inquisitive mind. During high school I attended a school focused on engineering, environmental science and health care science. At this time I was heavily involved in the environmental and agricultural programs. This laid the groundwork for my decision to attend Cornell University as an agricultural science major with a focus on the environment.
As an African American I do not often see people who look like me in the field of agriculture. None of my agricultural professors at Cornell University have been from the
…show more content…
During the spring of my junior year I studied abroad for six months in Copenhagen, Denmark I was able to observe their agriculture which relies heavily on organic techniques. The value of this experience came when I was able to compare production techniques from the United States to Denmark. I was able to see the pros and cons of using both methods of production, which gave me a more in-depth understanding of both. Also I took a study trip to Thailand and observed their production in a rural village as well. While Denmark’s production vastly differed from America’s one thing they had in common that Thailand did not was their reliance on heavy inputs especially in the form of machinery. Observing the agriculture in that rural village was eye opening because people were still able to survive and be moderately food secure with barely any inputs of machinery, fertilizer etc. By going to these other countries I understand a more about American agriculture and agricultural production as a

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    According to statistics, more than one billion people in the world are undernourished today. In his article “Attention Whole Foods Shoppers”, Robert Paarlberg discusses recent food policy of Western countries, according to which food products should be organic and local. In result, poor African countries experience hunger and worsening of the agriculture infrastructure because most Western countries lost their interest to invest the agricultural systems of developing countries. While in the West food becomes more and more exquisite, poor countries become deprived of the most basic food products, such as rice, wheat, and others. Paarlberg emphasizes that helping developing countries is no more a trend today and the world market is justified…

    • 966 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The author explains that there has been much progress made in advancing the movement, creating better food, ecological, and social conditions. However Obach also points out current issues like big-organic and conveys the idea there is more progress to be made. In order for organic to displace conventional systems, activists will need to continue their battle at all levels, from educating consumers, to making policy…

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In “What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic?” by Steven Shapin, Shapin discusses the current trend of people who are migrating to eating organic food only but also moves to dismiss any false connotations of what it truly means to be eating organic products. Shapin brings up the popular assumption that farms that claim to produce organic products are imagined to be a small family-owned business. That was not the case, as evidenced by Shapin’s article, where he pointed out that one of the biggest organic food producers, Earthbound Farm, went from a two-and-a-half-acre farm into a combined 26 thousand acres farming space. In addition, Earthbound Farm has production plants in different parts of the country which conjures up images of a large cooperate operation. (429) To keep up with the world…

    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Marty Strange earned his Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and sociology from Defiance College and a Master of Science degree in agriculture economics from University of Missouri. Strange worked for rural America his whole career. For 38 years Strange was a valuable member to two organizations, when both was just starting. The two organizations was Rural School and Community Trust policy program (Rural Trust), which Strange was a member of the Board of Directors for 15 years and Center for Rural Affairs which Strange was the program director for 23 years. That organization help lead to the sustainable agriculture movement.…

    • 668 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A. In Michael Pollan’s informative novel, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, the author encourages the idea that food has a greater role than just filling our stomachs. He does this by informing the readers about each of the aspects in which food contributes to, such as environmental and even political roles. In doing so, Pollan separates his novel into sections; each diving deeper into an idea that some may glance over. The author, using these sections consisting of the industrial, organic, and hunting-gathering food chains, discuss the dilemma humans must face when picking their meals.…

    • 981 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A red barn, with green pastures and cows roaming around happily; this is what enters most our minds when we think of farms, which is naïve. The truth is 90% of our food is industrially grown, where we feed cows through plastic tubes and give them antibiotics by the pint and corn is doused with chemicals. Michael Pollan, through “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” tries to open the eyes of the American people to understand this and to question what we are eating. Similarly, artist Nathan Meltz and the Reuters article “Monsanto replacing GMO canola seed in Canada” work to answer this all-important question by further analyzing our food production. Together, these various sources let the readers comprehend conventional agriculture through multiple lenses…

    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    This essay will open people's eyes and make them see why the industrial organic food chain is the best food chain to feed all of america and how important it is to eat organic. The name of this book is called “The Omnivore's Dilemma” and it is by Michael Polland and this book makes the reader really think about what have we really been eating and where does our food come from and the reality of the whole food organization but out of all the food chains the best one to feed our nation is the industrial organic food chain, the reasons why this is, is because it gets away from all of the corn that is basically in all of our foods and also to get away from all the processed foods and fast foods and in this food chain they don't put the bad products…

    • 947 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Within Ronald Wright’s novel, A Short History of Progress, the concept of a “progress trap” is explored. Described by Wright, a “progress trap” is a situation in which humans establish a dependence upon new technology or techniques that have been integrated into societal structures to help “improve” human living conditions. This newly developed technology or knowledge can become paramount in society and critical to the survival of the transformed civilization. At this point, a loop of “progress trap” development can begin to occur.…

    • 2114 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Industrialization Dbq

    • 1685 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Farmers in the United States during the industrialization were impacted by problems that affected them. The farmers in America were beginning…

    • 1685 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He argues that farmers need to practice and return to a smaller scale of farming, one that is sustainable to the environment and one that is safer for our health. Berry explores the interconnectedness of land, culture, and economy and really shows the importance of land stewardship. He argues and critiques the new “bigger style” of technology and farming and also explains why the large cultural shift has led us to not only harmful agricultural practices, but general lifestyles.…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Omnivore's Dilemma Summary

    • 2472 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Living Off the Food Systems Three distinct food production systems make up our everyday food choices. Some Americans will never move past the very first food chain where little connection exists between nature and the plate. In Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, he walks through and explores each food chain in detail. Pollan holds a strong desire to closely experience every aspect of the processes and origins of the food that humans eat. His introduction explains what the book’s message and journey are all about: “Omnivore’s Dilemma is about the three principal food chains that sustain us today: the industrial, the organic, and the hunter-gatherer.…

    • 2472 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    First and Foremost, I would definitely be thankful to attend the New Rochelle College. I have heard that this college have a cultivating and professional relations among colleagues and students. I'd like to collobrately be apart of this tight knit community. I'm a compassionate individual striving to be great. But most importantly I have a vision I'm trying to accomplish.…

    • 432 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Stain of Sustainability Sustainability is discussed in “Attention Whole Food Shoppers” by Robert Paarlberg and “Sustainability by Christian R Weisser. Christian R Weisser speaks more about the idea of what sustainability is and how is important for society to be aware of it. Robert Paarlberg explains in his article the way the Earth is more and less sustainable because of everyone 's actions around the world. Both articles touch on the ideas that there are people out there helping change Earth for the better, and want to make earth sustainable for the future. The authors both explain how there are also harmful situations happening that hardly balance out the help from others trying to make a difference.…

    • 845 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Farmers have been leaders in food for centuries. Without the production of agriculture, people would have ceased to exist. The food that farmers produce is heavily based on the geographical area they occupy. For example, farmers in Asia produce rice, farmers in South America produce coffee, and farmers in Idaho produce potatoes. Farming and agriculture brought man out of the age of hunting and gathering, and allowed civilizations to flourish because they no longer had to move around constantly and gather berries and fruits.…

    • 818 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Organic Food

    • 1077 Words
    • 5 Pages

    On the second World War the farming methods changed drastically. The modern organic movement originated in Europe while some farmers were experimenting with the alternatives to the industrialization of agriculture. J.I Rodale also helped with the development of it around the 1940’s. By the 1970’s environmental awareness and consumer demand fueled the growth of the organic…

    • 1077 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays