Cornell NYC Tech, the massive project to launch a new applied sciences campus in New York City on Roosevelt Island, is now accepting applications for its first class. Starting off solely with students pursuing a one-year Cornell Master of Engineering degree in computer science, classes begin this January at office space donated by Google in Chelsea.
Lovingly dubbed a “beta” release, the small and highly selective first class must submit their applications by October 1st in order to be considered. Judging by the excitement surrounding the new school and its proximity to giants like Google, it’s a fair bet that Cornel is about to be flooded with applicants.
According to Daniel Huttenlocher, Dean of the new tech campus, “Candidates for the beta class must be future tech leaders, with not only the highest academic credentials but also strong entrepreneurial interests, leadership skills and a passion for community engagement.”
Here’s what we know about the school’s curriculum:
Courses will be conducted on Mondays through Thursdays, with Fridays used for interdisciplinary workshops (e.g., design and technology, social entrepreneurship, leadership skills, etc.). Additional events (e.g., hackathons) will be scheduled throughout the year. In addition to the formal curriculum, the program will provide numerous opportunities for engagement with industry, practitioners, and community members; each student will work closely with a mentor from a company, nonprofit or early stage investor in addition to having an academic advisor.
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Quite a lot has already been said about this upcoming tech campus, and it’s receiving so much attention because of its massive potential to reshape NYC. As we’ve covered before, the greatest weakness for NY as a tech hub is its outright talent drought. There are simply not enough engineers and developers to go around. Building a massive campus right here in the city could change things dramatically.
Google’s donation is playing a major role in allowing this early start to occur, considering that the construction of the permanent Roosevelt Island campus wont be complete until 2017. At least for Google, the company is now lined up to get first dibs on new talent, straight from the campus. That’s not such bad luck for the students, either.
Here’s the ultimate pitch from NY Mayor Mike Bloomberg, a man who is determined to challenge the Valley’s stronghold on US tech:
If you are an engineer who wants to live in the best city of the world, the new capital of engineering talent, and the rising star of the technology industry, Cornell NYC Tech offers an exciting new opportunity. There’s simply no better place to further your education and launch your career than New York City. Getting in won’t be easy, but if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.
To learn more, check out the link below and go here if you’re interested in applying!
As for NY, check out TNW’s piece on the current state of the New York tech scene.
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