Summer College Alumni
Alumni profiles
We always love to hear what Summer College alumni are up to, and we thought you might, too. So here are three profiles we gathered from graduates Gia Crovatin (SC '02), Niki Sol (SC '97) and Ryane Englar (SC '00).
We invite you to send us your profile for posting on the Web to summercollegealum@cornell.edu.
Antonio “Tony” Tahhan (SC '03)
Even in the midst of his senior year at Cornell, Summer College alum and gourmet chef Antonio “Tony” Tahhan (SC ’03) is never too busy to share his gift and passion for cooking. Profiled in the The Ithaca Journal (read the article) and in the Ithaca Times, Tony has made himself known around campus and in the community through cooking classes, YouTube, a blog for fellow “foodies,” and a Web site ( www.antoniotahhan.com) replete with luscious recipes and mouthwatering photos.
Born in Venezuela into a Middle Eastern home and raised in Miami Beach, Tony borrows liberally from diverse cuisines and is not shy about improvising. He specializes in Mediterranean dishes, hosts food demonstrations, caters, and throws frequent dinner parties.
“Summer College was one of the deciding factors that drew me to Cornell,” says Tony, adding that he found inspiration in the scenic gardens and gorges that surround the campus. Following his May 2008 graduation from the university, Tony plans to move to Washington, DC—so food-loving alums in the DC area should be on the lookout!
Gia Crovatin (SC '02)
I can't believe it's been almost five years since I first came to study at Cornell the summer between my junior and senior years in high school. That summer was the best summer of my life and everyday I am reminded of what an incredible experience I had there.
I will be beginning my last semester at Cornell this January where I will be graduating from the Arts College with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts and American Studies. For the past four years, I have been very involved with the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, performing in over five Main Stage productions and numerous Black Box and student-run shows. Cornell has brought me many exciting experiences: through the Theatre Department, I was able to study at Michael Howard Studios in New York City and I was lucky enough to be able to travel to London for my fall semester of my junior year where I took classes at the British American Drama Academy.
This past summer I was able to intern at MTV Networks in New York City where I worked as a News and Red Carpet intern. The position that I was given was one that I was able to get through a Cornell Alum. When I graduate in May, I plan on moving to New York City and pursuing my passion: acting.
Summer College not only opened me up to the world of higher education, but it also opened my eyes to the possibilities that life has in store for all of us. Recently, my two best friends in the world, both Summer College alums, flew into Ithaca to surprise me for my 21st Birthday Party (one is from Seattle, the other lives in New York City). I still see my Summer College professors around campus and meet them for coffee. I am ever grateful for learning time management skills and how to really study like a college student. Summer College changed my life and I will always be thankful for my remarkable experience.
Ryane Englar (SC '00)
"I first came to Cornell University for the Summer College 2000 experience. At the time, I was 17 and incredibly eager to test my wings in an arena far beyond high school. Everything about Summer College was new, from living on my own to learning from world-renowned professors. Summer College also provided opportunities to develop tastes for new passions, like oceanography and oil painting, and to foster old dreams, too.
"Based on my passion for all creatures great and small, I enrolled in the 'Explorations in Veterinary Medicine' seminar. In the weeks that followed, I felt something inside me stir. It was as if the tiny spark that had been there all along ignited into a flame that could not be tamed. As I toured the veterinary facilities on campus, as I explored the rumen of a cow or practiced filling a cavity on a canine tooth, I fell in love with the routine, consistency, and opportunity that awaited us each day.
"As Summer College drew to an end, there was a part of me that very much desired to stay. I had found myself in Summer College, because it was there that I learned to take chances, to explore new avenues, and to believe in myself and in my dreams.
"After Summer College, I applied to Cornell University and was ecstatic to be accepted as an "Animal Science" major. Over the next three years, I devoted myself to my studies, and to every available opportunity—from showing horses in the annual Livestock Show, to working as a teaching assistant for the Animal Sciences and Natural Resources Departments.
"My work in and out of the classroom fostered familiarity with subject matter and confidence. At the same time, I explored the research side of medicine as part of a team studying chickens as a model for ovarian cancer. My time in the laboratory helped me to better understand the interplay between the various fields that make medicine what it is today: a combination of efforts and cooperation, dedication and drive.
"I wanted very much to be a part of those efforts. That dream came true when I was accepted a year early into Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. I am currently a second-year veterinary student here at Cornell, and I am thrilled to be a part of such a wonderfully dynamic and interactive institution.
"Veterinary medicine is and always has been my passion, since that very first time I set foot in a veterinary clinic. I might not have known then the extent to which animals would dominate my life, but I do know that my Summer College experience helped to pave the way to this, my final destination.
"After all, Summer College gave me lift and helped me soar with the prospects of tomorrow, which is why I very much look forward to leading this year's "Exploration in Veterinary Medicine" seminar. I am eager to return to a program whose foundation lies in helping students explore—and discover—their dreams."
Umair Khan (SC '99)
"Nearly a decade after attending Summer College, it is still one of the most memorable summers of my life. It was the first time I had lived away from home, and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to attend class, go on trips, and live with people from around the world. Who could forget the nightly ID check, telling ghost stories behind Ezra Cornell's mansion, or Professor Fortunato's writing exercises? The staff and faculty worked hard to provide an environment that was both intellectually stimulating and fun. In fact, because of Summer College, I applied early-decision to Cornell.
"I received my bachelor's degree from Cornell in Government and Near Eastern Studies in 2003. I then served for one year as the Frank Horton Fellow in the office of Congressman Mike Honda. I served as a legislative assistant to U.S. Congressman Bob Filner, advising on issues related to foreign affairs, immigration, energy, civil rights, and health care, and I worked with the Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign on national security issues and ethnic outreach. I'm now a second-year student at Albany Law School, where I'm interning for a federal judge."
Niki Sol (SC '97)
"Niki Sol attended the six-week Summer College program in 1997, where she had an amazing summer with the other ladies on Sperry's 3rd floor. She went on to attend Cornell as an undergraduate and received her degree in Communication in 2002. She worked for Summer College as a Resident Community Advisor in 1999 and as a Head Resident in 2005.
After graduating from Cornell, Niki traveled extensively and worked for a refugee advocacy organization. Currently, she finds herself back in Ithaca, working for Cornell as the Residence Hall Director for the Collegetown residence halls. She's also writing her graduate thesis for her Masters in Intercultural Relations from the University of the Pacific."