Every year, Cornell sends off a group of academically and personally motivated leaders to pursue their passions in a diverse array of fields from government to medicine to fashion. Whether they are in Ithaca or thousands of miles away, as the saying goes: once a Cornellian, always a Cornellian. This spotlight series offers a glimpse into the lives of alumni from Cornell’s American Studies Program. Ben Eisen graduated from Cornell in 2010 and is now a reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Now writing about finance and banking, Eisen developed his journalistic passions in Cornell through involvement in the Cornell Daily Sun. He also credits the Sun for meeting his wife. They are expecting their first child.
1. What was your favorite course in the program?
I remember taking a seminar on the First Amendment with Professor Robert Vanderlan. It explored the knotty issues involved in protecting free speech -- flag burning, pornography, hate speech etc. -- and how the courts made distinctions between what was and wasn't allowed. It opened my eyes to how freedoms ebb and flow over time, but also how forward-thinking our country's founders were in trying to protect our rights.
2. What is your fondest memory of the program?
I wrote my senior thesis on media coverage of the Iraq War. As part of it, I went to Washington, D.C. and interviewed a bunch of renowned journalists about their coverage of America's decision to go to war. I asked the legendary Professor Isaac Kramnick to be my thesis advisor. To my great luck, he agreed. I had met him years earlier, but it was so great getting to know him through that process. His passing a few years ago was a great loss for Cornell and those of us who got to work with him.
3. How are you utilizing the skills you learned in the AMST program in your everyday life?
The American Studies program taught me to be a critical thinker, to ask hard questions and to use all the resources at my disposal to find answers. In a sense, that's what I do every day as a reporter.
4. Are you currently at a place you envisioned yourself being in while in college?
I'm not sure I spent much time in college thinking about being a full-fledged adult, but I'd like to think the college me would be pleased with where I ended up.
5. What's one piece of advice you have for current Cornellians?
Be open to trying new things. You don't need to figure out what you want to do with your life by the time you graduate college. There's a lot of time for that after you graduate. It's just as important to figure out what you don't want to do.
