05/19/2026
🎭 Senior Spotlight: Oswaldo Grajeda ’26
“You’re living your life, others have lived theirs, break those traditions if needed to, in order to find your true self.”
When Oswaldo sat down to write his senior letter to his younger self, he remembered seeing a poster for Melodramatics’ production of the musical, Avenue Q. It was in that moment that he realized he still had his spark for theater and “instead of letting that part of my identity die, I was going to strengthen it.”
Over the course of his Cornell journey, Oswaldo changed majors and even added new ones – four to be exact: government, history, American studies and performing and media arts (with a minor in law and society to round things out).
But while his academic and professional pursuits have kept him busy on the Hill, it’s been the community he’s built that has allowed him to discover and embrace his identity. Whether it’s hanging out with his Posse at Jameson Hall’s third floor lounge, listening to an album with Cornell’s Taylor Swift Club or taking advantage of an opportunity to see the world, Oswaldo has learned to “appreciate and celebrate the improvements you’ll make within yourself.”
And while he has challenged himself to get out of his comfort zone, he’s never forgotten the “friendships that make you feel seen” and learned “more about my passions by never breaking character.”
So, to that young Oswaldo – and anyone else watching: “thank you for never giving up on yourself, no matter what the world throws at you.”
