“I wear this insanely obnoxious jacket that makes me look like a happy little bluebird, when all I want to be is a grumpy gray blob.”
Abby Kautz may want to be a grumpy gray blob, but she definitely doesn’t give off that vibe. She flew into the lobby of Mann Library like a ball of energy, very willing to talk about anything!
Abby is a second semester senior, who transferred here for her sophomore year from SUNY-ESF. Why the transfer? She absolutely loves her major at Cornell. It’s a mouthful: International Agriculture and Rural Development, known as IARD to those of us that prefer acronyms. Growing up in Lancaster, PA (one of the coolest places in the United States, in my opinion), she developed a love for different cultures and people. Her major is a “convergence of passions,” after realizing that her aptitude for science and botany could be combined with food and people.
Last summer, Abby had the opportunity to go to Tanzania through Cornell’s Global Health program. You can tell from the way she spoke about the trip just how much she loved it. She spent a month studying at a Tanzanian school, then some time hiking the foothills of Kilimanjaro.
Since she is a senior, the next question couldn’t be avoided. What does Abby plan on doing after her fast-approaching graduation? She has applied to intern for Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO), a non-profit organization for international agricultural development with interns that have Christian backgrounds. The intern begins in Florida doing “hands-on work with tropical plants,” followed by 6 to 12 months abroad.
When asked what she ultimately wants to do, Abby said that she wants “to be a place of refuge...It’s not a traditional career goal”. I obviously asked her to explain. She wants to be involved with marginalized people in the United States. Food, agriculture, and gardening may or may not be involved, but she knows she definitely wants to help people. “I want to live in an orphanage and teach them how to garden, or something,” Abby said. “I just love people.”
The interview wouldn’t have been complete without asking about her Cornell life. She is a member of the Christian fellowship, Navigators. According to her, they “hang out and talk about the Bible.” Where is Abby’s favorite study spot on campus? She prefers the “dungeons of Kroch in the evening. The cubicles are so productive.” The fact that she refers to them as dungeons makes me want to avoid even going down there, but to each their own, I guess. Her favorite things about Cornell are her friends and that she is studying things that she believes are worth studying. Abby’s least favorite part about Cornell? “There is not enough sun, I suppose.” Most people would agree with her on that one.