Hello! My name is Victoria Dai, and I'm a second year at Cornell University, located in New York, majoring in Biology and Society on the pre-med track. I am passionate about working with local communities and people of all ages, from children in Head Start programs to elderly adults in hospice care.
For my Leadership-in-Action project during the summer of 2026, I partnered with makesense Americas to collaborate with Picacho Con Futuro, a local NGO in Comuna 6 of Medellín, Colombia. Founded in 1987, Picacho Con Futuro was initially founded in response to violence, displacement, and a lack of opportunities. Today, their primary focus is strengthening the community through culture, education, art, communication, and social participation.
Through my LiA, I, along with three other Liadlaw scholars, designed a proposal for a new cultural café for Picacho Con Futuro, designed to serve as a welcoming community space and support local social and economic development. This cultural café will be a huge milestone for Picacho Con Futuro, and hopefully Barrio Mío will be built and enjoyed by the local community within the next couple years.
Outside of Laidlaw and academics, I enjoy singing in an a cappella group, playing tennis and the piano, and spending time knitting. I love visiting new countries and trying different global foods!
I would love to meet more people so please don't hesitate to reach out!
As a first-generation college student, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, and a member of the Otomí Indigenous community, I have found that my experiences have shaped my commitment to advancing educational opportunity and equity. Growing up in rural Maryland's Eastern Shore and navigating the public education system exposed me to the challenges many students in rural and underserved communities face, while also demonstrating the transformative power of education. I am a student at Cornell University pursuing a B.S. in Public Policy through the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, with minors in Education, Inequality Studies, and Latino Studies. My academic and professional interests center on education policy, with a particular focus on improving educational outcomes and expanding access for rural and Indigenous students. I firmly believe that education is a fundamental human right and that every student deserves access to affordable, high-quality K–12 education, regardless of their background, geography, or socioeconomic status. I am always eager to connect with individuals and organizations working to advance educational equity and opportunity. Feel free to reach out at lm953@cornell.edu.
At Cornell University, students across disciplines are passionate about changing the world. Open to first- and second-year students, the Laidlaw Leadership and Research and Program provides generous support for student research, offers hands-on leadership development and reflection, and encourages students to reinvest their knowledge to help others succeed. Laidlaw Scholars are part of an international network of like-minded leaders.