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
Dustin Liu ’19
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.
Mitch Belisle ’07, a member of the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame, was introduced to the excitement of entrepreneurship during his time at ILR, and he continues to draw on the lessons he learned at Cornell as he molds the next generation of lacrosse players.
“Pete” Jensen could only find work as a substitute teacher for Salt Lake City public schools after graduating with an undergraduate degree in American history from Brigham Young University in 1932, during the lowest points of the Great Depression.
Irving M. Ives, a fixture of the New York State Legislature and the U.S. Senate for nearly 30 years, spent his career championing groundbreaking legislation, the effects of which can still be felt today.
Jean McKelvey was a leading national figure in dispute resolution who was sometimes mistaken as the secretary at the labor hearings she led. In 1945, she began what has become a hallmark of ILR education: connecting the classroom and the real world for students.
Founding faculty member Maurice Neufeld, the son of immigrants, arrived at Cornell in 1945.
A history scholar, he had worked as a union organizer, a government leader and a U.S. Army officer. Along with Jean McKelvey, he designed and taught ILR’s first classes.
Martha Smith has been known for decades for her skill in creating an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for students in the ILR’s Office of Career Services. She retired after nearly 40 years of service in 2019.