Historic gift to ILR will endow engaged-learning initiative

In the largest one-time gift commitment in the history of the ILR School, Edwin "Ed" Baum '81 and his wife, Holly Wallace, will establish the Baum and Wallace Family High Road Endowment. The foundational gift will fund stipends, subsidize housing and provide robust program support for High Road New York City, which provides students with engaged-learning and leadership opportunities.

"This wonderfully generous gift will enrich the educational experience of generations of students to come," said Alexander Colvin, Ph.D. '99, the Kenneth F. Kahn '69 Dean and Martin F. Scheinman '75, M.S. '76, Professor of Conflict Resolution. "I deeply appreciate the partnership of Ed Baum and Holly Wallace in helping position ILR as a leader in engaged learning."

Baum, a partner at Ashurst Perkins Coie, and Wallace, managing director and senior financial adviser at Merrill Lynch, previously supported the New York City program after it was initially established by ILR's Office of Engaged and Experiential Programs in partnership with the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement.

Modeled after ILR's High Road Buffalo program, this was a natural fit for Baum, who worked his way through Cornell with various odd jobs, including working as a dishwasher and short-order cook in the Willard Straight dining hall.

"As an ILR undergrad, I desperately wanted hands-on experience in the field, but couldn't afford to work unpaid internships," said Baum, the school's 2023 Alpern Award winner. "We want to help students in the same position I was in 40 years ago."

The New York City program partners with organizations whose missions focus on civic engagement, engaged leadership, evidence-based policy and strategic development. Over eight weeks each summer, students intern and participate in weekly workshops focused on topics such as critical reflection, peer-to-peer collaboration and networking.

"This gift from Ed Baum and Holly Wallace opens the door to working-class and middle-class students," said Esta Bigler, faculty director of the program. "Often these students are the first generation from their families to go to college, and many come from immigrant families. Most could not afford to take unpaid internships or have the chance to live in New York City, which has so much to offer.

"This program provides students with opportunities to work in social justice and nonprofit organizations, bringing new skills back to the Cornell campus, a broader perspective on the world, increased self-confidence and a window into what their future careers could be."

One such student is Bernie Carmona Perenda '29, a 2026 summer intern at Make the Road New York, an immigrant advocacy group introduced to the High Road program through Wallace's connections. The organization provides legal access, health services and educational programs for both adults and children.

A first-generation Mexican-American, Carmona Perenda serves as a recruitment and engagement intern, helping Spanish-speaking members stay informed about immigration updates, workers' rights and upcoming events. He also connects members with external resources and identifies those who need follow-up support.

"Growing up in an immigrant family, I experienced how difficult it could be to access reliable information," Carmona Perenda said. "Sometimes resources existed, but we didn't know where to find them, and the political climate often kept us from getting the help we needed. I wanted to be part of an organization that not only informs people about important issues but also shows them how to take action and connect with the right resources.

"This work connects closely to my education in labor relations and my future goal of pursuing immigration law, where I hope to continue advocating for immigrant communities and helping people navigate systems that can often feel inaccessible."

An unpaid internship would not have been possible, he said, and knowing that the funding comes from a fellow ILRie who once faced the same financial constraints makes it even more significant.

"This generosity has allowed me to gain meaningful experience helping serve immigrant communities while continuing to support myself," Carmona Perenda said. "I'm incredibly grateful to donors for making this opportunity possible, and it motivates me to give my best effort every day at Make the Road."

For 12 years, Baum and Wallace have sponsored an ILR partnership with the New York Advisory Board of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, a nonprofit that fosters entrepreneurship to youth in low-income communities. In 2014, the couple established the Cornell ILR Baum and Wallace Family Scholarship to support network graduates who attend Cornell.

"This transformative gift from Ed Baum and Holly Wallace ensures that engaged learning remains at the heart of ILR's long history of working with diverse communities throughout New York City," said Brigid Beachler, director of the ILR Office of Engaged and Experiential Programs.

"Their generosity will provide generations of future ILR students with access to meaningful opportunities to connect their classroom learning with real-world impact through internships and grassroots community partnerships. I am confident that their investment will equip our students with the knowledge, skills and perspective to become thoughtful leaders in an increasingly complex world."

Julie Greco is director of communications for the ILR School.