Sammi Landsman
B.S. Cornell University, Development Sociology
The human experience has similar notes around the world– mothers patting their babies to sleep, adults gathering around a drink, meals with notes of garlic or ginger or onion, girls giggling over their crushes, the importance of a shower. How these experiences look may differ– a bucket shower and boiling water, a bamboo mat and a crib, mi goreng and matzo ball soup, kava and beer– but the essences are the same. Sammi believes that it is in this humility where we can recognize the power of what it means to be human, and that we can harness this power to create compassion. Travel has been her vessel of exploring these dichotomies.
Sammi grew up on Long Island, New York, and found Dragons on a serendipitous Google search. Her 2017 summer program to Indonesia was transformative and sparked her interest in development studies. Her time at Cornell focused on international development and sociology, with focuses on agriculture and climate change.
After graduation, Sammi organized a year circumnavigating the world to study the effects of climate change on food security and work with community NGOs. Her travels took her to the communities of Cape Town, South Africa to engage in community agriculture, and to the fields of New Zealand to farm. In Australia, Sammi worked for an environmental nonprofit that focuses on land restoration and indigenous land back. Her work in Fiji and Tuvalu, the first nation that will sink due to climate change-induced sea level rise, reinforced the importance of community building, food and water as a human right, strong social policy, and human compassion.
Sammi is excited to rejoin the Dragons community as an Outreach Coordinator. She is passionate about expanding the world of travel to all students and believes that experiential travel is one of the most impactful ways to learn about the world. Outside of work, you can find Sammi sweating in downward facing dog, gardening, dancing with friends, cooking up a storm (did she mention matzo balls?), and booking her next flight.