(c) 2025 Kristin Mosher

Robin and Jane envision a partnership in science, research and engaged learning that celebrates the strengths of Cornell University with the Jane Goodall Institute. The program's founding principles are deeply rooted in Jane's four reasons for hope: the indomitable human spirit, the amazing human intellect, the resilience of nature, and the power and dedication of young people. Here we remember Jane for her curiosity, courage, compassion and gentle spirit. Together we aim "To do the greatest good for all".

Montana Stone
That evening with Jane Goodall at Arader Galleries in New York City remains etched in my memory as a moment of surreal grace and inspiration. Surrounded by students, scientists, and conservationists gathered to support the establishment of the Jane Goodall Professorship for Conservation Science at Cornell, Jane moved through the room with quiet strength, giving her time to everyone who asked. Despite the weight of her years and the urgency of her mission, she radiated hope, speaking about the interconnectedness of all life. What struck me most was not only her profound wisdom but the gentleness with which she carried it—she listened as intently as she spoke, offering her thoughts freely and with warmth. Before parting, I asked Jane how she continued her work despite the political, environmental, and humanitarian crises of our time, and under the weight of it all. She smiled and said simply, “Because it is what I love.” I think about that often—how, in the final days of her life, she continued to work, to speak, and to inspire generations of people, just because she loved it. I was also fortunate to gift Dr. Goodall a bottle of whiskey on behalf of all the students of Partnerships for the Planet, with the inscription: For Jane Goodall: With respect and awe for inspiring hope. Her life and legacy remind us that true impact comes from passion, persistence, and the courage to act with hope.

Ava Cabble
The first time I heard of Jane Goodall was in the 5th grade. I found a book with a young woman on the cover in the jungle with chimpanzees. Reading about her work was very validating for me, as I had always believed animals were capable of complex emotion and intelligence. And beyond that, she showed the world that empathy and emotions can be beneficial to science rather than a hindrance.
Ever since I was introduced to chimpanzees by Dr. Goodall I had a love for them. My mom would have to drag me away from their exhibit at the zoo otherwise I would spend all day there. Working with primates was almost spiritual. Yes, they’re so similar to us, but the connection I felt wasn’t just from shared traits—I feel empathy for any creature, even a cockroach. This was different. It was the “click” people spend lifetimes searching for—that gut sense of calling.
Thank you, Dr. Goodall, for inspiring me and, Dr. Radcliffe, for believing in me—together you guided me toward finding my place in the wild.

Daeden Gordon-Somers-Archer

I found myself realizing a transformation in my understanding of education, character, and stewardship thanks to Dr. Jane Goodall and Dr. Robin Radcliffe. It was 6 years ago that I met Dr. Radcliffe, as a highschooler, through Cornell’s Continuing Education Summer Program, Conservation with Communities. It was then that I learned from him how to put the dream that Jane Goodall instilled in me into action. Working alongside ALeRT was the fulfillment of that dream, and the stepping stone I needed to realize my potential for affecting positive change through veterinary medicine. When I came face-to-face with Pahu, I noticed her ears scanning her ecosystem, the patterns in which she effortlessly traversed the jungle floor, the ebb and flow of her taste for myriad native plants. I learned to alter my senses to understand hers. At the same time, I experienced the needs of a makeshift clinic set up 50 miles deep in the heart of Borneo. In the context of a globalized world, at a time when Indonesia is moving its capital to Borneo, the Dayak community of that region taught me that efforts to conserve Pahu are inseparable from the reinforcement of Dayak values and existence. In turn, I gained a profound respect for vulnerability. Every day, I approached the ecosystem with humility, the Dayak community would treat the jungle with sincerity, and Pahu would exist in all of her purposeful individuality. The cornerstone (of that vulnerability and humility and sincerity), is something that Jane Goodall has always represented to me: faithful stewardship.