If there’s anything Cornasia Sandford has mastered, it’s the art of adaptation. Between being the first person in her family to go to college or graduating college in a pandemic, Cornasia walks through life with poise, an open mind and a natural drive for success. Growing up in Maple Heights, Ohio, Cornasia embraced her identity as a self-proclaimed nerd, balancing academic excellence with a passion for sports, particularly volleyball and softball.
Cornasia took her reputation as a well-rounded student to Bowling Green State University, diving headfirst into the college experience as a first-generation student. Despite lacking familial guidance, she tackled the challenges of higher education with confidence and enthusiasm. Balancing work, reporting for BGSU news, founding two organizations and more, Cornasia embraced every aspect of college life, eager to learn and grow.
Rising above the obstacles posed by university, Cornasia graduated with her bachelor’s degree in communications and a double minor in journalism and advertising, which remains her proudest achievement. However, the obstacles didn’t stop there, as Cornasia graduated amidst a global pandemic. Faced with uncertainty in the job market, she embarked on an entrepreneurial venture, co-founding a natural haircare line with friends. Cornasia’s entrepreneurial journey served as a steppingstone towards her ultimate goal of working with students. Inspired by the Black women she observed thriving in the field, she was motivated to pursue a future in education. “It makes me feel good to see people who look like me in the fields that I want to be in,” she says.
Cornasia’s north star in her current role as a Tri-C Success coach is the students she works with, which she says is easily the best part of her job. She finds deep fulfillment in her role as a pillar of support for her students, recognizing that many of them lack the support they need at home. Drawing from her own experiences, Cornasia sees reflections of herself in the students she serves. “It’s truly rewarding to be able to provide assistance to students who share similar experiences,” she reflects. One notable memory stands out among her experiences as an educator: a student, newly granted residency, expressing a desire to have one of Cornasia’s paintings hanging on her wall. Cornasia was deeply moved by the fact that a student valued her artwork enough to desire it as a gift.
Outside of work, Cornasia’s schedule is primarily filled with her creative pursuits. As a painter, she specializes in creating abstract portraits of Black celebrities, incorporating a unique twist by omitting certain facial features. Additionally, she is passionate about media and is currently developing her own blog and podcast. The focus of these ventures revolves around navigating life in one’s twenties, a transitional period often overlooked in discussions about young adulthood. Cornasia aims to address topics such as dating and healing, recognizing the profound impact of past experiences on one’s journey into adulthood. “In your twenties, people often get to a point where a lot of stuff they experienced growing up affects them in ways they never imagined it would, and you have to learn how to deal with it as you transition into adulthood,” she says.
In the face of life’s trials and uncertainties, Cornasia remains true to her mantra: learn to be adaptable. “Life is unpredictable, so you have to be adaptable to be successful,” she affirms. Navigating college during a pandemic, transitioning roles at College Now from an AmeriCorps member to Xplore site coordinator, and now serving as a Tri-C success coach, Cornasia has demonstrated remarkable adaptability throughout her journey. This skill has not only guided her through various challenges but will also continue to serve as a cornerstone in her life.
