New VisionsLife Sciences at Cornell UniversityNew Visions Home / A Day in the Life... / Frequently Asked Questions /Application2012 Open House: Wednesday, March 7th @ 7:00pm | Application Due: March 23rd to the student's home school guidance counselor Contact Michele Sutton, Teacher at ms328@cornell.edu or 607.279.1656 for additional information
Exploring careers in Life, Environmental, Agricultural, and Applied Social Sciences at Cornell University and beyond...
  Students who are interested in exploring careers in the sciences are a good fit for New Visions. Whether you are interested in exploring the world of veterinary medicine, evolutionary biology, plant science or some other facet New Visions at Cornell University may be the right fit for you. Life Science students study topics that relate to animal medicine, plants, soil, water, food and fiber and the environment - and that's just the beginning. Many people think that agriculture is just farming - but it is much more than that. Agriculture can be defined as the production, processing, distribution and marketing of the food, fiber, flowers and fuel both in the United States and abroad. Students come to the program with a variety of interests - some more focused than others. Those who know what area interests them usually spend more time exploring it in more depth, while other students with less focus explore more variety. All students, however earn up to nine college credits after completing the program - making for a unique senior year. Students are responsible for managing a demanding and independently-paced workload and have the rare opportunity of working with university researchers and other professionals as they explore their unique interests. One of the highlights of the program is its partnership with Cornell University. Students work closely with researchers and faculty finding themselves immersed in areas that are of interest to them. A student desiring to become a veterinarian can explore a dozen or more departments at the Cornell University Companion and Large Animal Hospitals ranging from surgery to dentistry and may choose to conduct research in veterinary medicine - reproductive physiology, for example.
Because of the rigorous nature of the program, classes are taught at the collegiate or honors level, more than qualifying seniors to graduate from high school. To demonstrate the high academic rigor, students can receive up to ten college credits through an articulation agreement with Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3). Students receive credit for English 101, Environmental Science 101 and Environmental Science 102 upon successful completion of the program. Despite being challenging, New Visions gives students the rare opportunity to explore their own unique career paths and related interests. Some of the more popular areas of concentration are:
Become a Junior Researcher
 One of the highlights of the program is an immersion experience with the scientific method. Students conduct authentic scientific research with Cornell University researchers where they are given an opportunity to help solve real-world problems. Some students work on on-going research while others develop their own research question. Many students will have opportunities to have their work published. The capstone experience is participation in an authentic poster session. Some past projects include:
Other projects include the following areas:
Explore Careers in the Real WorldNew Visions students may choose from a list of established rotations (job shadow experiences / internships) or work with your instructor to arrange those that meet your own unique interests. Many experiences students to get hands-on experiences that they would not have in a traditional high school classroom.
Cornell Veterinary Hospital: Students rotate through departments in the Equine and Farm Animal as well as the Companion Animal Hospitals. Departments include: Ambulatory, Small & large animal surgery, Radiology, Anesthesia, Oncology, Intensive Care Unit, Ophthalmology, Community Practice Services, Dentistry, Diagnostic Laboratory, Large Animal Medicine, Farrier, Equine Performance Center, Wildlife, Exotics, Cardiology, Orthopedics. Students shadow veterinarians, Licensed Veterinary Technicians and vet students.
Cornell Natural Resources Department: Deer Study. Students shadow the wildlife biologists and graduate students as they study white-tailed deer. They assist with the capture, tagging, releasing and monitoring. Cornell University Plant Science Department: Tissue Culture. Students learn about modern advances in technology such as tissue culture, gene splicing and introducing genetic variation.
Syracuse Zoo: Students spend a full day working with zookeepers at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse. Placements include the Contact Barn, Small Mammals, Wildlife Trails, Elephants, Birds, Reptiles, Fish and Penguins.
Others have included: Congressman Maurice Hinchey's Office, If Only (Equine) Farm, Tompkins County Soil & Water Conservation District, Soil Pathology Laboratory, Cornell Animal Science Department, Reynold's Game Farm
Community ServiceA large part of this New Visions program is fulfillment of community service projects. The class of 2010 has adopted a highway through the Tompkins County Adopt-a-Highway program, removed invasive honeysuckle from the State Park at Jennings Pond and have plans to participate in stream clean up initiatives, construct an interpretative trail and volunteer at the SPCA just to name a few!
 
 New York State Envirothon Each spring, students test their skills at the New York State Envirothon in Owego. In 2007 the class placed first in Tompkins County and went on to the New York State Envirothon where they placed 17th out of 50 teams.    Some topics of study: VETERINARY SCIENCEEver seen a bald eagle up close and personal? Imagine surgery on a goldfish? How about an ultrasound on a race horse while it runs on a treadmill? Students with an interest in animal science have the opportuity to intern throughout the Cornell's Companion and Large Animal Hospitals where they shadow some of the country's best veterinarians. Students watch and learn during surgery, wildlife/exotics, dentistry, radiology, ophthalmology, oncology, and large animal medicine. Students visit the farrier, animal behavior specialists and even have opportunities to watch an autopsy on an animal (necropsy). Students follow cases from admission to discharge often accompanying the animal through x-ray, anesthesia, surgery and recovery. In addition to rotations throughout the Animal Hospital, students travel with the ambulatory unit to local farms, homes and even to the Syracuse Zoo! If you're really into animal medicine, the opportunities to see and experience may even include working with local veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitators. This year we are raising homing pigeons that will race at the NYS Fairgrounds this summer. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCEIf kayaking in the Adirondack Mountains, monitoring water quality in area streams, or cleaning up the environment sound like fun to you, then New Visions might be right for you. Students conduct research that makes a difference in the condition of the environment. In addition, students work with Cornell University researchers to develop disease-resistant crops, new varieties of landscaping plants or other important projects aligned with student interests. Classroom projects are conducted throughout the community, including the former Danby Elementary School, the greenhouse on campus. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
"New Visions has given me the opportunity to explore the field of veterinary medicine in a very independent atmosphere." Jenny Fitzgerald, IHS "I have never laughed and learned this much in school." New Visions Student "My students are prepared for success in college and in life because of this program's unique ability to connect classroom learning to real life experiences." Michele Sutton, Teacher Still need more information? Want to schedule a day long visit? Call Ms. Sutton at 607.279.1656 or email ms328@cornell.edu Need Directions? |
As a New Visions student, you will be able to participate in leadership development activities, award programs and scholarship opportunities through the National FFA Organization (visit 