Celebrating Our 10th Anniversary

10 Years of Uplifting Cornellians

Wow! It's hard to believe that Lifted has been around for 10 years. What started as a small project by a student in 2016 has blossomed (no pun intended) into a beloved campus-wide event that has brought joy to tens of thousands of Cornellians. As we celebrate this milestone, we want to take a moment to share a little about our journey.

Lifted was created in 2016 by Zach Praiss '16. Zach reflects, "with my time coming to a close at Cornell, Lifted was the culmination of my gratitude for all the university had provided me in my undergraduate education". Since then, a small group of students have kept up the tradition, organizing Lifted every Spring (and Fall starting in 2024!). Over the years, Lifted has grown from a few hundred messages to over 10,000 messages per semester, with thousands of individual Cornellians participating. At the time of this writing, over 30,000 messages of gratitude have been written, and almost 20,000 Cornellians have participated.

We hope you enjoy this blog post as we reflect on our past 10 years.

Spring 2016

Where it all began. Senders handwrote their cards to recipients, and recipients searched for their cards throughout the Arts Quad attached to balloons.

Spring 2017

Spring 2018

Spring 2019

Spring 2020

COVID did not stop Lifted — in fact, it emphasized how important it is to connect with each other in times of uncertainty. Lifted went fully virtual, with recipients receiving virtual eLifted cards via email.

Spring 2021

Spring 2022

Spring 2023

Spring 2024

Our first Lifted where we experimented with other attachments besides balloons. This year, we used flowers!

Fall 2024

Our first Fall Lifted in Willard Straight Hall! We had a winter-themed setup in the lobby, and recipients received their cards attached to a dazzling display with hot chocolate and candy canes.

Spring 2025

Lots of firsts here: The first Lifted to break 10,000 messages, the first to offer multiple attachment options (balloons, flowers, pinwheels, stickers, lollipops, suncatchers), and the first with a thunderstorm!

Fall 2025

Looking Ahead

Lifted has become more than just an event; it's a movement that embodies the spirit of kindness, connection, and community at Cornell. It's a chance for people to express their gratitude, brighten someone's day, and feel more connected to each other. We've heard countless stories of how Lifted has made a difference in people's lives, from recipients who felt truly seen and appreciated to senders who found joy in expressing their gratitude.

We're so grateful for everyone who has supported us. First, we want to thank the Cornell administration for their continued support of this event, including Campus Activities, University Events Team, Facilities and Campus Services, Student and Campus Life, SAFC, Cornell IT, and more. There are too many specific people within these groups to mention, but if you've worked with us, you know who you are and we are truly grateful. A huge shoutout as well to everyone who has donated to Lifted over the years to help bring this event to life. And, of course, to all the students who have organized Lifted over the years — as you know, putting on Lifted is one of the most fun (though sometimes stressful) experiences of our college careers, and we couldn't have done it without you.

Most of all, we want to thank YOU. Lifted would not happen without Cornellians who are grateful of each other :)

And with that, we say: Suprise! You've been Lifted! 🎈
~ The Lifted Team