As the preeminent educational institution in the world focused on work, employment and labor, the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) generates and shares knowledge that improves the lives of workers and transforms the future of work.
ILR Stories
Mary Donlon, Trailblazer, Early ILR Supporter
A trailblazer who paved the way for women in the field of law, Mary Donlon, a 1920 Cornell graduate, was instrumental in establishing the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
Sonia Guior ‘15 is a self-described New Yorker, transportation nerd and aspiring Adirondack 46er. She also relies heavily on her ILR degree in her roles as employee, manager, union member and regulator of a rapidly evolving industry.
Coming from the Akwesasne Mohawk territory, Colin Benedict ’21 has mentored fellow Indigenous students and advocates for Indigenous rights on campus, work he hopes to continue after graduating.
Ben Francis-Fallon ’01 takes the lessons he learned at ILR and applies them to educating the next generation as a history professor at Western Carolina University.
Before coming to ILR, Michael Sanchez spent five years serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he learned that quality leadership is the most important factor in the success of any team or company.
Storytelling through video -- ILR student Caleb Harden used his talent to produce a tribute to the Class of 2020 when the pandemic disrupted their final months at Cornell.
The creator and host of “Black Voices on the Hill,’“ featuring the stories and experiences of Black Cornell community members, says ILR “has been, by far, one of the best decisions I ever made."
Dennis Woodside ’91 took his ILR degree to Stanford Law School, to a clerkship on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, to the boardrooms of some of the most recognizable companies in the country.
Dustin Liu ’19 is the son of Taiwanese immigrants who fostered in him the belief that individuals can inspire social change – a belief that was solidified during his time at ILR.
The career path of Jeanell English ’10 emerged from a traditional human resources role into sport production, where she led the resource operations function that delivered Discovery’s first broadcast of an Olympic Games to Europe.
ILR’s beloved matriarch, Lois Spier Gray, devoted 72 years to teaching and mentoring thousands of workers. As social justice and labor leaders, many continue her legacy.
Atticus DeProspo ’15 discusses the profound impact the ILR School had on him during his time as an openly gay men’s soccer player at Cornell, and how he continues to use his experiences at ILR to make a positive impact in society.
Haley Velasco ’15 may not have a typical ILRie career, but she credits the school for teaching her to pursue her passion wholeheartedly and to provide strong leadership to those around her.
