Shared by:
Brenda McGurgan
Computer Science Department Chair

Last spring, when Macy Soderberg ’25 announced she would attend Cornell University to study Computer Science, I told her, “I’m coming to see you!” Several weeks ago, I was able to fulfill that promise and also had the chance to visit Alice Adam '25 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Albany. Experiencing both campuses on a cool fall weekend in Upstate New York was a wonderful first-time adventure.

After a late-night flight, I met Alice on campus early the next morning. She’s thriving at RPI, where she’s excelling in her Computer Science courses and enjoying being close to family – her grandmother lives nearby and her sister is in New York City. Alice was able to skip her first CS class thanks to her AP score and is already planning a study abroad experience after completing four semesters. She proudly gave me a tour of her campus, showing me her favorite study spots, including one near the Quantum Computer, which she says inspires her to keep learning.

From there, I drove three hours to Ithaca to visit Macy at Cornell University. She greeted me with a warm smile, a big hug, and a Cornell swag bag! Together, we met Scott Campbell, Executive Director of Admissions, who gave us a tour of Cornell's new Computer Science building, still under construction. We also toured the Bill and Melinda Gates Hall for Computing and Information Science. Our conversation was insightful; Scott spoke highly of students from all-girls schools! He also shared that Cornell’s admissions team now asks applicants, “What gives you joy?” – a reflection of the university’s focus on empathy and creativity.

Macy is loving Cornell, where she was recently selected as an Engineering Ambassador. She’s embracing every opportunity that comes her way. She had just finished midterms and was preparing to fly home to Dallas for the Texas/OU game with her family.

Seeing these young women flourishing in their new environments filled me with pride and gratitude. Seeing their confidence and passion for Computer Science grow beyond Ursuline was a powerful reminder of why we do what we do each day. We rise each morning determined to make a difference—and visits like these remind us that we truly are.