The Sophomore Experience helps you reflect, regroup, and move forward with confidence. You will build community with your peers, develop essential skills for your future, and reconnect with your sense of purpose.
Sophomore Day
The Sophomore Day fosters meaningful connections through shared experiences, bringing students together for experiential learning, meals, and collaborative team challenges that inspire lasting relationships while nurturing individual growth and purpose. It’s held In fall, on two alternative dates to give scheduling flexibility, and all second year Cornell engineers are expected to attend.
The Fall 2025 Sophomore Day was held on Sunday, September 14 and Saturday, September 20. Students will be contacted in late summer 2026 to register for the 2026 Fall Sophomore Day.
It contains three components:
-
Skill Building for Career Readiness
Designed by the Selander Center for Engineering Leadership, you will work in small groups to hone crucial skills that are fundamental to collaboration, critical reasoning, influence and persuasion, and courageous followership.
-
Community Lunch
Over a casual meal, you will build on connections you created in the morning workshop.
-
Team Adventure Challenge
Your learnings from the morning workshop will be put to the test in this friendly competition. Working in smaller teams, you will stretch your problem-solving, cooperation, and creative thinking abilities.
Upcoming Events
-
Spring Cornell Career Fair Days All Industries Fair
–
The fair features a wide range of industries and organizations—from Fortune 500 companies and government agencies to innovative nonprofits. Explore diverse opportunities, discover new career paths, and connect with employers hiring for internships, co-ops, and full-time roles.
Career paths include:
- Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
- Architecture, Planning and Design
- Business and Finance
- Communications, Media, and Entertainment
- Computing, Information Science, and Tech
- Consulting
- Energy, Environment and Sustainability
- Engineering and Manufacturing
- Entrepreneurship
- Government, Policy, and International Relations
- Science and Biotechnology
- Social Impact
- And more!
Why Attend?
- Meet employers who are invested in your future.
- Gain valuable insights into career pathways, industry trends, and hiring processes.
- Build your professional network early.
Career Development
Your Sophomore Experience includes career programming that is designed to grow with you. Whether you’re unsure of your path or ready to dive deeper into a specific field, there are opportunities for exploration and preparation.
-
![Enjoying the sun on a Spring day next to Olin library]()
Career Advising
Professional career advisors are available to guide Engineering students in their career exploration and internship search, while student Peer Advisors offer help with resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and practice interviews.
Engineering Resources for Sophomore Success
-
Office of Inclusive Excellence
Academic success resources through the Office of Inclusive Excellence include Academic Excellence Workshops for second-year courses, Tutors-on-Call, and Study Jams.
-
Engineering Advising
Engineering Advising supports your academic planning as you work toward affiliation with a major. In addition to individual advising, Engineering Advising offers Information Sessions that cover topics like affiliation requirements, how to stay in good academic standing, and how to explore opportunities like study abroad.
-
Major Department Advising
Major Department Advising supports your academic advising within a major. In each major, a faculty member serves as director of undergraduate studies and works with your assigned faculty advisor and the undergraduate coordinator for the major to help you navigate your progress toward your degree.
-
Coaching and Mentoring for Professional and Student Success
Offered by the Selander Center for Engineering Leadership, this is a guided mentorship experience that helps you explore your values, goals, and strengths. Through reflection and discussion, you’ll be better prepared for personal and academic decision-making as you plan your remaining Cornell experience.
Experiential Learning for Engineering Sophomores
Experiential learning is a core philosophy of our engineering education—one that emphasizes active participation, critical reflection, and the real-world application of knowledge. For sophomores, this approach means learning by doing, making connections across disciplines, and gaining the confidence to solve complex challenges. Through a variety of hands-on opportunities, students not only reinforce technical skills but also grow as thoughtful, adaptive, and innovative engineers.
-
![SoNIC students work on building a robotic prototype in Upson Hall.]()
Student Project Teams
Join interdisciplinary teams where students collaborate on real-world challenges—from sustainable design to robotics competitions. These hands-on projects cultivate teamwork, technical expertise, and creative problem-solving in a dynamic, supportive setting.
-
![Tang Hall with fall foliage.]()
Undergraduate Research
Engage with groundbreaking research led by faculty across a range of fields. Whether exploring renewable energy or developing next-gen materials, students gain firsthand experience with the scientific process and contribute to meaningful discoveries.
-
![Mike Kotlikiff and Wendy Wolford tour International Fair. The event showcases Cornell's global opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Explore the fair and find out about international majors and minors, language study, study abroad, funding opportunities, global internships, Cornell Global Hubs, and more.]()
International Experiences
Take your education global through study abroad programs, international design collaborations, or overseas internships. These immersive experiences build cross-cultural competence and broaden your view of engineering’s global role.
-
![Female student smiling during an event indoors]()
Peer Education Opportunities
Enhance your leadership and communication skills while supporting your peers. As tutors, AEW Facilitators, 1050 peer advisors, mentors, or lab assistants, peer educators foster a collaborative learning culture and gain valuable teaching experience.
-
![]()
Major-Affiliated Student Organizations
Connect with fellow students and professionals in your field through organizations aligned with your major. These groups host events, competitions, and service projects that strengthen your academic and career journey.
Duffield Engineering faculty and staff are excited to support you on your journey — because your sophomore year is not just about getting through. It’s about building what’s comes next.
Contact
-
Email