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ILR, Unions Offer NYC Construction Workers Innovative Emotional First Aid

New York State Public Impact

The ILR School’s Worker Institute and unions have launched an innovative peer support initiative to destigmatize mental health and reduce suicide in New York City’s construction industry.

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Arianna Schindle (left) and Jeff Grabelsky (right) of the ILR School’s Worker Institute talk with Paul Schwan (center), a member of the Ornamental and Architectural Ironworkers Union Local 361 and an instructor in the peer supporter program.

Research by EMHRM Faculty Shapes Future of HR

Earning a master’s degree from ILR means learning from and collaborating with faculty members who are respected worldwide as thought leaders in human resources, work, labor and employment issues.

Our graduates become Cornell alumni, granting them access to Cornell's extensive network. Learn the skills that directly translate to strategic leadership capability and business impact. EMHRM is designed for seasoned HR executives, while the MILR degree is geared toward recent undergraduates, career changers and young HR professionals.

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ILR School Events

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Labor Economics Workshop: Jamie Gracie

Jamie Gracie When Resources Meet Relationships: The Returns to Personalized Supports for Low-Income Students Abstract: Children from low-income families face persistent educational and economic disadvantages. This paper studies Communities In Schools (CIS), a program that places coordinators in high-poverty schools to connect struggling students with personalized support. CIS is the largest program of its kind in the US, reaching 2 million students each year—nearly three times the size of Head Start—and, unlike most programs of this scale, is funded largely by private philanthropy and local governments. Using the staggered rollout of CIS, we find that the program boosts test scores for struggling students, and that these improvements persist, ultimately increasing high-school completion and adult earnings. These long-run effects can be closely forecast from changes in short-run outcomes, with non-cognitive measures playing a central role. CIS emphasizes personalization as a core feature of its model, and our results are consistent with this claim: coordinators tailor services to distinct student needs, yet students with different needs still see similarly large long-run gains. CIS delivers returns that compare favorably to other major education interventions, such as class-size reductions.

Localist event image for Labor Economics Workshop: Jamie Gracie
Labor Economics Workshop: Jamie Gracie

Without Shade, Without Rest

Join us for a screening of the documentary Without Shade, Without Rest. The film examines the fight for heat protections for outdoor workers in Florida in the wake of the hottest year on record, where rising temperatures collide with new political restrictions. We invite you to give back to the local farmworker community by bringing a food donation to the event. This is a meaningful opportunity to support those currently in need. The event is co-sponsored by Cornell Organization for Labor Action (COLA) and the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA). Part of the ILR School's 2026 Union Days.

Localist event image for Without Shade, Without Rest
Without Shade, Without Rest

Tickling Giants film screening and discussion

Tickling Giants is a documentary film featuring Bassem Youssef, known as the "Jon Stewart of Egypt. " The film offers a unique lens on political satire in Egypt in a period of political transition following the 2011 revolution. Discussion moderated by Dina Bishara (Global Labor and Work, Cornell University) and Mohammed Elfeky (Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University). Watch the trailer!

Localist event image for Tickling Giants film screening and discussion
Tickling Giants film screening and discussion
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“My time at the ILR School helped me understand both labor and management perspectives, which has proven to be a solid foundation for my career.”
Rob Manfred, Commissioner of Major League Baseball

Get to Know: Merrick Osborne

Faculty Spotlight

Merrick Osborne joined the ILR faculty in 2025 as an assistant professor in the Department of Organizational Behavior. He hopes his work will challenge assumptions about how traditionally marginalized people operate and that the findings will help laypeople navigate their workplaces more effectively. 

Merrick Osborne
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ILRies Change
the Future of Work.

Learn about ILR's impact

Catherwood Library

The Martin P. Catherwood Library is the most comprehensive resource on labor and employment in North America, offering expert research support through reference services, instruction, online guides and access to premier collections.

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Latest News and Research

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We generate and share knowledge to solve human problems, manage and resolve conflict, establish best practices in the workplace and inform government policy.

Rudeness May be Rewarded – As a Response to Rudeness

Cornell Chronicle
If you don’t have anything nice to say, perhaps it’s OK to say it anyway – if responding to someone who has treated you or your group disrespectfully, according to research by Merrick Osborne, assistant professor of organizational behavior.
A graphic showing individuals yelling at each other.
Rudeness May be Rewarded – As a Response to Rudeness

The Good Cornellians Can Do: Scott Alter ’01

Cornellians
Scott Alter '01 has led his company, Standard Communities, to become one of the largest affordable housing owners in the country, with more than 30,000 units across 22 states and more than 160 employees.
Scott (second from left), co-founder Jeff Jaeger (far left), and Standard Communities team members at the ribbon cutting for Bridgeview Village in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Good Cornellians Can Do: Scott Alter ’01

Book Talk, Film Screening, Keynote to Highlight Union Days

Cornell Chronicle
With a multipart theme of labor unions, immigration rights and racial justice, the ILR School’s annual Union Days event series will offer the Cornell community an opportunity throughout April to meet labor leaders and gain understanding of current labor issues.
Union Days 2026
Book Talk, Film Screening, Keynote to Highlight Union Days

ILR Support Propels Debate Team to Nationals

A Cornell policy debate team is heading to the National Debate Tournament, where they’ll debate about collective bargaining rights and represent Cornell’s Speech and Policy Debate Program.
April Vorontsova and Matthew Dye during a debate round
ILR Support Propels Debate Team to Nationals

Campus Life

Follow us @cornellilr

ILR students are making a difference at Cornell and beyond! Check out the ILR Instagram for a taste of campus life, student internship experiences, engaged learning opportunities and more.

From freshman to senior year, ILR’s emphasis on real-world skills and career direction stays constant. ⚖️🎓

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Congratulations and welcome to the ILR School, Class of 2030! 🎉 We’re excited to meet you! 🐻❤️👏

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Cornell policy debaters Matthew Dye ILR ’26 and April Vorontsova, A&S ’28, will compete at the National Debate Tournament in Houston starting tomorrow, Mar. 27-30, representing the Cornell Speech and Debate Program! 🏆 This year’s National Debate Tournament topic, “Resolved: The United States…

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ILR's annual Groat & Alpern Awards ceremony is tomorrow, March 26, at The Plaza Hotel in NYC! 🎊 Join us in celebrating Stephen H. Goodman ’65, the 2026 Alpern Award winner. 👏 Goodman was born in Brooklyn, New York, into a working-class family. “Fortunately, I had a very good guidance counselor who…

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In our latest faculty Q&A, get to know Justine Modica! 👋 Modica joined our ILR faculty in the summer of 2025 and is an assistant professor in the Department of Global Labor and Work. She is excited to be teaching ILR 1100: Introduction to US Labor History. 📚 "I love that I get to teach students…

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Soaking up some beautiful Slope sunsets never gets old 🌅

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