Cornell alumni joined board members, current students and parents, and teachers along with members and supporters of the Ivy League Connection at Jardiniere on May 6, 2008.
The Ivy League Connection was founded by school board members in the West Contra Costa Unified School District - a large (30,000 student) east bay district encompassing seven cities and unincorporated municipalities (Kensington, El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, Pinole, Hercules, and El Sobrante).
The Ivy League Connection's primary mission is to encourage a "college-going culture" in all their district's schools by sending high school students to summer programs at Ivy League Colleges. For the past three years, it has sent students to Dartmouth, Brown, the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell and this summer will add Columbia University to that list.
In summer 2008, the Ivy League Connection is sending twelve students to participate in four different classes in the Cornell Summer Studies program from June 20th to July 12th. Last summer, three students attended Professor Kramnick's Law and Justice Course and all three students are returning for another summer at Cornell. The program has found Cornell to have the most rigorous program - most particularly because students receive Cornell credit for the courses they take.
In order to help create a connection between high school students and local alums, the Ivy League Connection hosts events at local restaurants to introduce its students to the alumni community and share stories of their experiences on campus. This year, several Cornell alumni were honored to join over 40 students, parents, school board members, teachers, and supporters at a spectacular dinner at Jardiniere.
CAANC is thrilled to be supporting this inspiring program. We congratulate the Ivy League Connection, its twelve Summer Studies students and two matriculating Class of '12 students (see students with Cornell visors in photo above) on their great accomplishments and look forward to hearing stories of their time in Ithaca. We are jealous that they get to spend summer days (and years!) back on campus and we wish them all the best.
