Isabel Lee

Meet Isabel

As a student at the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy, Isabel found friends and an intellectually stimulating community in the school’s intimate atmosphere. Now Isabel is building a strong foundation in her pre-med track and thriving due to her involvement in the Cornell Policy Group, the Queer Pre-Health Association, The Daily Sun, and the Cornell Healthcare Review.

What clubs/activities are you involved with on campus?

I am involved with the Cornell Policy Group (Environment & Technology Center Director), Queer Pre-Health Association (Treasurer), The Daily Sun (Crossword Editor), and the Cornell Healthcare Review (Writer).

Why is the Brooks School a great fit for you?

Brooks is a great fit for me because it gives me the unique opportunity to explore healthcare through an interdisciplinary lens. From questioning the ethics of euthanasia to the possible economic outcomes from a free market for transplant organs, I explore healthcare through a multitude of perspectives from my courses. As a Health Care Policy major on the pre-med track, I take great pleasure in building a strong foundation in the science behind medicine as well as examining the delivery of medicine in our complex healthcare system.

What is your academic passion?

As I have a strong affinity for problem-solving, I particularly enjoy the chemistry classes in my curriculum. By increasing my visuospatial thinking and calculating specific amounts of products or reagents, I enjoy the various complex questions I am asked to solve through problem sets and lab sessions. I'm taking organic chemistry, and I find learning about the chemical structure of popular pharmaceutical drugs to be distinctly interesting.

How did you find your friends and community at Cornell?

Because Health Care Policy is a relatively niche major, I connected with peers early in my fall semester thanks to the intimate atmosphere of a small school like Brooks. Additionally, I cultivated many of my friendships by participating in different clubs and classes. For instance, enduring the challenges of CHEM 2070 during the first semester brought me closer to a group of friends as we navigated the demanding yet fulfilling journey together.

Hometown

Ridgewood, New Jersey

Graduation Year

2026

College/School

  • Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

Majors

  • Health Care Policy

Pull Quote

The Cornell experience is unique in its ability to bring together students of diverse studies. Within my involvement in the Cornell Policy Group's Environment and Technology Center, I collaborate with peers from diverse fields, including Environmental Engineering, Industrial and Labor Relations, Applied Economics and Management, Environmental Science and Sustainability, and Public Policy.

What is your favorite class so far, and why?

Being someone deeply intrigued by ethical considerations in diverse practices, my standout class so far has been PHIL 2455 Introduction to Bioethics. As I already knew about the biological processes behind CRIPSR/Cas9 gene editing, exploring the procedure through an ethical lens was eye-opening. Another subject that left a lasting impression on me in this course was the abortion unit. The opportunity to engage with well-crafted arguments from both sides of the issue was an intellectually enriching experience, empowering me to shape my own perspectives free from the influence of political bias.

What makes the Cornell experience unique?

The Cornell experience is unique in its ability to bring together students of diverse studies. For instance, within my involvement in the Cornell Policy Group's Environment and Technology Center, I collaborate with peers from diverse fields, including Environmental Engineering, Industrial and Labor Relations, Applied Economics and Management, Environmental Science and Sustainability, and Public Policy. Outside my Center, I also work with students with policy interests in domestic, education, foreign, healthcare, and economy.

Tell us about your favorite place to study.

As a resident of Cook House, I have a deep appreciation for the Cook Library as a quiet sanctuary for my studies. The rarely frequented quiet room allows me to fully immerse myself in a wide range of academic tasks, from composing intricate papers to preparing for demanding preliminary exams. Cook Library consistently offers a reassuring 24/7 environment that aids me through my college journey.

Tell us about your favorite spot on campus or in Ithaca.

I absolutely adore the Portobello Panini at Big Red Barn. With a cozy vibe inside the old carriage house, I love sitting down to read a book with my hot sandwich and freshly brewed coffee.