48. Monique Carrero-Tagle

Valhalla, New York · Arts and Sciences

Name at Cornell
Monique Carrero

mcarrero@aol.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I am currently married to a fellow alum, Juan Tagle.  We'll be married 15 years this September and  have two children: Alejandro (age 7) and Sofia (age 5).  We live in Westchester County, in the hamlet of Valhalla.

Professionally, I am Project Director for a research center at NYU that conducts psychosocial research on issues related to health, aging, and the community.  I've worked with the same research team for over 15 years, moving from several research-based institutions to another as a team but have been at NYU for approximately 3 years.

I'm looking forward to being able to travel more in the near future and can't wait to see many of my fellow alums at reunion in 2015.  

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
My all time favorite memory of my time at Cornell goes back to Slope Day of my Sophmore year.  Aside from the drinking, I always remember Slope Day as the day when everyone finally let loose and just had a great time hanging out on the slope with friends and feeling like you were finally free.  We usually had great weather (which seemed rare back in the day) and it was just a fun time.  Slope Day of Sophmore year was most memorable for me because that was the year my husband and I connected.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
I would tell that student that to a certain extent, your first year is the most important year so make it count.  It's really important to have a strong first semester because it's hard to bounce back.  Having a good GPA and scoring a great summer internship will set the tone for the remainder of your time at Cornell and make things easier in the long run.  Of course, it's always nice to have a good work - life balance, so it's OK to have a little fun along with way.  That's how friendships are built.  

What are you most looking forward to at Reunion 2015?
Cornell has such a beautiful campus and I love to go up and visit Ithaca.  Heading back for reunion always gives me the opportunity to reminisce about our college days with the friends who I created those memories with.  It's a great excuse for all of us to get together and I most look forward to seeing all of them.