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Why I serve: An interview with CA Board Chair Michael Cornell
By Aria White
 It's no secret that Columbia is a great place to live: we were named the second best place to live by Money Magazine last year! In this ever-changing community, we're lucky to have residents who are interested in rising to the challenge of leading us into a bright future. We have residents who serve on boards of their village and homeowner associations, the Columbia Association (CA) Board of Directors and Resident Architectural Committees. Michael Cornell, the current chair for the CA Board, has been on the board for the past five years, and he remains dedicated to making Columbia an even better place to live than it already is!
For Cornell, who works as a business and marketing consultant in Baltimore, the need to volunteer came when he was young. "Serving the community is a strong ethic instilled in me from a very early age," Cornell says. "My parents were very active in charity and community organizations while I was growing up."
Cornell is no stranger to politics and elections; he got his start in politics in college at the University of Maryland. He ran for Student Government Association (SGA) vice-president on a ticket with the first African-American to be elected SGA president in the school's history. Since college, he has volunteered for several community leadership positions, including his village board and the CA Board. "I have served as youth coach in a variety of sports, as a youth group advisor, as a Cub Scout master, as a board director at my congregation, as a representative to the Maryland State Green Party, as a delegate to the Green Party National Convention and as co-chair of the Maryland Green Party," Cornell says.
Giving back to your community by volunteering and holding a leadership position is rewarding and can inspire you to do all that you can to improve the environment. "Working to help make Columbia a greener place to live—by any measure—has been extremely rewarding," Cornell says. "One of my favorite memories is walking through Symphony Woods Park with the board and a land planning consultant envisioning what Symphony Woods Park might look like one day. It felt like we were completing Jim Rouse's dream. That was inspiring, to say the least."
Not only does Cornell enjoy volunteering as a community leader, but he's passionate about encouraging others to do the same. "At the risk of sounding trite, I think we all have a responsibility to give back to the community in any way we can," he says. "To help leave the world a better place, what better place than where you work or live?"
There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available at the village and CA-wide level. "Find something you are passionate about or identify an area of expertise you have to offer," Cornell suggests. "Volunteer, go to a meeting, find something you're interested in or simply ask how you can help."
During this time of redevelopment of Downtown Columbia, we are at a turning point for the community. "Our focus has been building partnerships—with villages, county government, interest groups and the Howard Hughes Corporation," Cornell says. "The possibilities for public and alternate transportation, watershed management and reforestation and restoration projects are no longer dreams. These groups are working in concert to make them a reality."
If you're interested in getting involved and serving the community by running for a leadership position on your village (or CA's) board, elections are held in April each year for open positions. Visit ColumbiaVillages.org or ColumbiaAssociation.org to learn additional details.
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