Growing up in Yonkers, New York, Charlie Hernandez didn’t always have Cornell University on his radar. Like many first-generation college students, his path to higher education was shaped by exploration and opportunity. While working for two summers in horticulture at a local conservatory, he learned about the plant science major at Cornell.
“It was a convergence of me realizing that ‘I would like to do this as a potential career’ and the opportunity to have it still be within New York,” he said.
That alignment proved transformative. The School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell supported his academic interests and emphasized hands-on environmental learning.
The transition to campus life, however, came with its challenges. Moving from the energy and density of Yonkers to the rural landscape of Ithaca required adjustment.
“For the first year, I would play city noise videos from YouTube whenever I would go to bed just to fall asleep,” he said.
A pivotal part of Charlie’s transition to Cornell came through the Kessler Scholars Program. With its cohort-based programming, field trips, and consistent mentorship, the program offered both structure and belonging. Early experiences, like a group trip to Niagara Falls, helped build relationships among Scholars. For Charlie, the program connection was even deeper.
“The community that comes with being a Kessler Scholar both at Cornell and [in the Collaborative] brings me a sense of reassurance that I am not navigating this process alone and that there are people whose purpose is to ensure my own success,” he said.
In addition to financial stability, the Kessler Scholars Program fostered a sense of identity and belonging on campus. Surrounded by peers from diverse backgrounds, Charlie found a community where he didn’t have to minimize any part of himself.
“The diversity amongst the Scholars in their ethnicities, creed, and life experiences reminded me of home,” he said.
With the encouragement and support to grow and lead, he took on roles as both a mentee and a peer mentor, helping to guide younger Scholars while reinforcing his own sense of purpose.
“Having that environment and space to cultivate success, motivate each other, pull each other through situations that arise, and pass down knowledge to the next cohort creates an advantage for first-generation students,” he said.
Over time, Charlie grew to appreciate the natural beauty surrounding him, taking full advantage of the trails, gardens, and outdoor spaces that make Ithaca unique. At the Cornell Botanic Gardens, Charlie became deeply involved in a student volunteer group, eventually rising to co-leader of the sustainable landscapes team.
One of his most impactful projects involved the creation of a medicinal garden in partnership with a local Indigenous community. Over the course of a year, Charlie and his team worked to build relationships, seek guidance from tribal leaders, and thoughtfully design a space that would serve both educational and cultural purposes. The project culminated in a large-scale planting day, inviting local students, staff, and faculty members to plant more than 1,500 specimens on the site.
“It was a really great experience because we were able to get more exposure on the project, work with Indigenous communities, and do community outreach,” he said.
As graduation approaches, Charlie is both excited and reflective about what comes next. This summer, he will serve as a crew leader at Wave Hill, a garden in the North Bronx, where he will mentor high school students through conservation projects—an experience that mirrors his own journey of mentorship and growth. In the meantime, he plans to apply to graduate programs in professional horticulture with a desire to continue his community-oriented path.
“Working with historically underserved and marginalized communities in large cities to foster personal relationships with the natural world around them is my ultimate goal,” he said.
As he prepares to leave Cornell and head back to his home of New York City, Charlie reflects on how future Scholars can give back to their roots.
“Overall, the Kessler Scholars Program is dedicated to student success and student support,” he said. “It leaves me hopeful for the incoming cohorts and current underclassmen that they will shape into well rounded individuals that can humbly uplift their communities.”