Veritas Academy at Cornell University
You’re In! Now What?
Veritas Academy: Faith, Learning, & Making the Most of College
A Pre-College Retreat for Incoming Cornell Freshmen: July 25-28, 2019
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Veritas Academy is a three-day residential experience for incoming Cornell freshmen, held July 25-28 on the Cornell University Campus. Led by Christian faculty, upperclassmen, alumni, and campus ministers, this experience helps incoming students ask the big questions, design a meaningful college experience, learn practical tips, and build a faith community among peers – all before arriving on campus in the fall. The curriculum draws upon The Veritas Forum’s 25 years of experience engaging faith and inquiry on America’s leading campuses.
Faculty Mentors:
Praveeen Sethupathy, Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University
Praveen is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Cornell University. He received his BA degree from Cornell University and his PhD in Genomics from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Human Genome Research Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Francis Collins, he moved in 2011 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics. In 2017, he returned to Cornell University as an Associate Professor. Praveen has authored over 70 publications, and has served as a reviewer for over 30 different journals. Recent honors include a faculty merit award for outstanding teaching and mentoring. Praveen’s laboratory is located in the newly renovated Research Tower on Tower Road. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his wife and three children.
Staff and Coaches:
Billy Riley is originally from the rolling farmlands of south central PA. He works alongside his wife, Cole, as CCO campus staff at Cornell University in partnership with Chesterton House– a Center for Christian Studies. He received bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and psychology from Washington & Jefferson College and is interested in the ways philosophy informs the Christian faith. Billy oversees much of the programmatic aspects of the ministry, as well as meets with men in the house for spiritual formation. He also advises Veritas Forum’s student chapter at Cornell. He loves movies, playing basketball, and healthy introspection.
Vivek Mathew is a sixth-year doctoral candidate in Cornell’s philosophy department working at the intersection of metaphysics, philosophy of religion, philosophy of language, cognitive science, and history of philosophy. He was one of five nationwide fellowship recipients for cross-training grants given by the Society of Christian Philosophers and the Templeton Foundation. Prior to Cornell, Vivek studied computer science at Princeton University, worked eight years in quantitative finance at Morgan Stanley in New York City, did his M.Div at Princeton Theological Seminary, and read the B.Phil in philosophy at Oxford University. Vivek and his wife Jeanie live in Ithaca with their three children.
Students will come out of Veritas Academy with:
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- Relationships with faculty, upperclassmen, and alumni
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- A framework for integrating faith and learning in college
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- Tools for designing a meaningful college experience
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- A vision for serving and contributing to campus life
- A faith community of peers before orientation starts
When: Thursday, July 25 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
Where: Chesterton House – 111 & 115 The Knoll, Ithaca, NY
Who: Soon-to-be freshmen at Cornell who are excited to cultivate their faith in college, intentionally contribute to campus life, and meet Christian faculty, upperclassmen, alumni, campus ministers, and peers
What: An intensive learning experience that provides incoming Cornell freshmen with the tools, resources, community and vision to flourish in college
How: Apply by June 30
Cost: $199
Scholarships (including travel costs) are available upon application. Have further questions? Send an email to andrew@veritas.org.
APPLY HERE
To learn more, contact info@chestertonhouse.org
You can learn more about the Chesterton House, a Christian Study Center at Cornell University, here.