The Latino/a Studies Program welcomes Monica Cornejo as a new assistant professor in the Department of Communication in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and teaching faculty in Latina/o Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Cornejo, graduating from the University of California with a Masters and Ph.D. has extensive research and published works that crucially examine structural barriers and resulting inequalities that are among the undocumented immigrant community. Her research has been published in distinguished journals such as Journal of Communication and Journal of Social and Personal Relationships and has received many awards and funding opportunities for her progressive and pressing research in the field of Communication.
Her research centers around the understanding of how inequalities arise from the structure barriers faced by undocumented immigrants, how they prompt communication identity management and advocacy communication strategies, and lastly, what said strategies mean for the well-being of undocumented immigrants. Dr. Cornejo’s research interests are informed by her lived experiences. Currently, Dr. Cornejo is undocumented with DACA status, which likely makes her one of the first, if not the first, undocumented tenure-track faculty at Cornell University.
At Cornell, Dr. Cornejo’s teachings focus on interpersonal communication and how it leads to the reduction and creation of disparities and inequalities in the United States. She also educates on the strategized used by minoritized communities to challenge these inequalities that places them in a second-class position. Dr. Cornejo’s academic focus on advocacy communication alongside health and well-being brings an invaluable perspective to education at the university and wonderful addition to the campus faculty.
Monica adds a welcome addition to the Latina/o Studies curriculum with a new course, "Vamos Pa'l Norte": U.S. Migration and Communication (LSP 3250), offered in Fall 2023 & Spring 2024.
Beyond being an assistant professor at Cornell, Monica enjoys painting, drawing, and creative writing; even self-publishing a children’s book, The Adventures of Juanito: The Undocumented Boy. As an undocumented immigrant herself, Dr. Cornejo was inspired to pursue a career that challenged the barriers of communication and understanding the prompting of the strategies used by undocumented immigrants.
The Latina/o Studies Program and Latine Student Success Office send a warm welcome to Dr. Monica Cornejo.
