The Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy marked its first anniversary with a joyous celebration attended by over 300 students, faculty, staff members and friends.

The event in the Terrace Restaurant at the Statler Hotel was held on Sept. 15, 2022 – one year to the day since the founding of the Brooks School on Sept. 15, 2021. The celebration provided an opportunity for members of the entire Brooks School community to share their pride in a remarkably successful year.

“As I said a year ago, creating something new is never straightforward but, boy, have we accomplished a lot,” said Inaugural Dean Colleen Barry in her remarks to the gathering. “I am so proud of what we have achieved together during this year.”

Launched after decades of discussion and planning, the Brooks School is positioned to quickly become one of the nation’s leading schools of public policy. Provost Michael Kotlikoff was one of the foremost advocates of the school’s creation and represented President Martha Pollack and the university’s leadership at the celebration.

“We’ve made a ton of progress this year thanks to Dean Barry,” Kotlikoff said. “Cornell does not make hasty decisions when it comes to the social sciences. We consider everything, we take care in making a decision but once we make a decision, get out of our way. The school has started with tremendous momentum.”

Kotlikoff underscored several of the ways the Brooks School is serving Cornell’s commitment “to do the greatest good.” Barry echoed that theme as she described how through its teaching, research and global engagement, the Brooks School will improve the lives of people worldwide by advancing knowledge and informing policy solutions.

“The willingness to be measured by one’s impact on the world should be at the core of any leading school of public policy, including our own,” Barry said. “This has been our work during this first year, and I invite all of you to continue to work toward these goals in the months and years ahead. Speak up, share your insights and your creativity. Bring your expertise and values to the table, ask hard questions but do so with attention to respectful, civil discourse. Do not settle for good enough when it comes to recruiting the faculty who will build our school. Help us set the foundation for a preeminent public policy school at Cornell, one that we can all take pride in when we reflect on the defining accomplishments of our own careers.” She then offered a toast to celebrate “a wonderful first year!”

Many raised a glass of the celebration’s signature cocktail/mocktail, the Brooks Bubbly. Then came a rollicking raffle of fun prizes, and handcrafted cupcakes celebrating the school’s first anniversary.