Cornell University Investigates Student for Alleged Antisemitic Remarks During Internship Process

Cornell University has initiated an investigation into a student, Austin Franco, following his reported rejection of an internship with VryfID, a New York City startup, due to the Jewish identity of its co-founders. Franco allegedly stated, 'Not interested in working for a Jew,' in a message sent through the Handshake job platform after applying for the position. The co-founders, Gabe and Aiden Einhorn, confirmed the incident and expressed their concern over the antisemitic nature of Franco's comment. Cornell University condemned the remarks and stated that the incident has been referred to its Office of Civil Rights for further investigation. The university emphasized its commitment to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment. Franco later clarified that he was unaware of the co-founders' Jewish identity before rejecting the interview and expressed his belief that his experiences with Jewish individuals have been largely negative. Gabe Einhorn remarked on the dangers of overgeneralizing based on religion or race and shared the initial message to highlight the issue of antisemitism.