Fellow Profiles

Efrem Bycer ‘09 was born in Seattle, Washington and has since lived in Little Rock, Arkansas, Oakton, Virginia, and South Burlington, Vermont. He enjoys outdoor activities, including kayaking, snowboarding, and hiking. An avid basketball player, Efrem can be found shooting around and playing pick up before or after his shifts at the Cornell Fitness Center. If you can't find Efrem outside or on the court, he is likely partaking in his favorite pasttive--eating. A Cornell Tradition Fellow since his freshmen year, Efrem has also serves as a peer advisor for incoming Fellows. A leader in his fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau, Efrem is the current Executive Vice President and former Philanthropy Chair. Efrem is committed to improving the community around him through service, advocacy, and a quest for social justice. This commitment was borne from Efrem's experience working on the recovery plan for the Upper and Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. The plan, written by students and faculty in Cornell's Department of City and Regional Planning, was adopted by the City Council and has resulted in $140 million of pledged public investment in these neighborhoods. To further this commitment, Efrem participated in the Cornell Urban Scholars Program in Summer 2008. On being a Tradition fellow, Efrem said "I am getting far more out of my college experience because I am more involved in the Cornell Community… even when my time here is done, I will remain a socially responsible member of my community.” After graduation in May 2009, Efrem hopes to attend graduate school and pursue a career in local government and/or non-profit management.

Alma Aldrich, ‘10 exemplifies the strong work ethic and dedication that characterizes many Fellows in the Tradition program. As a Tradition Fellow, she has taken advantage of a variety of Tradition seminars, lectures, and social gatherings. From these experiences, her desire to address domestic and international social dilemmas grew, particularly through a service-learning trip to Ghana which changed her life and solidified her career aspirations. She is a devoted member of Cover Africa, a group that raises awareness of malaria and hosts service-learning trips for students. As the director of service learning for Cover Africa, she helped raise over $22,000 to ensure full financing for all students who participated in the project. Alma was also a founding member of Active, Civically Engaged Scholars (ACES), a group that seeks to foster a healthy environment on campus for service-learning groups. Her involvement on campus also includes serving on various boards for Kappa Alpha Theta sorority since her Freshman year, the Rental Housing Board Commission for the City of Ithaca (since Fall ‘08), and the Cornell Daily Sun Editorial Board (since Fall ‘08). She has also been an Ashoka Fellow since Fall‘08. When asked what she appreciates the most about being a Tradition Fellow, she stated, “Tradition has been a constant source of both pride and encouragement for me throughout my years at Cornell. I have met a number of incredible students and staff who have felt as passionately as I have about service and have inspired me to do more.”

Molly Clauhs, ‘10 was born in Sellersville, Pennsylvania; a town located an hour outside of North Philadelphia. Although raised in a small town setting, Molly has an avid passion for travel that has led her from the shores of Spain to the beautiful coasts of Costa Rica. She hopes to one day open small Eco lodges in Central America that are completely sustainable and foster community with locals and travelers. This entrepreneurial spirit began early in her academic career with the launch of three pilot businesses, such as The Cooking Cottage KIDS (an extension of her mother’s cooking school), Parties Maid Easy (a service that sends assistance to party hosts), and personally made beaded jewelry that was sold at several boutiques. Molly has been a member of Delta Sigma Pi Professional Business Fraternity since her freshman year, a Hotel School Ambassadors President, and a tour guide for Cornell’s campus since her junior year. She has also been a Student Advisory Council member for the last two years, and has used a Tradition living expense grant to travel to Nicaragua. When asked what she appreciates the most about the Tradition program she stated “The Service Support account is an awesome gift to all Tradition fellows.  With a little creativity, Tradition fellows are given the resources to learn and give back with the funding. I have had several great experiences using Tradition funding and am extremely grateful.”

Scott Tucker,‘10 a Tradition fellow throughout his entire academic career states, “Gaining admission to Cornell has been the single most important achievement I have made so far.  Cornell has opened the door for me to many other opportunities.” As a student known for his unerring commitment to service and work, Scott’s involvement on and beyond Cornell’s campus has been extensive. As a member of the honor fraternity Alpha Zeta, he has served as Alpha Zeta’s house Censor (vice president) for three semesters and as house manager. Scott has also been a student researcher in the Biomedical Engineering department, and a peer advisor within the Biological Engineering major for the last two years. Scott has also accomplished many community service events such as Into the Streets, Ithaca Kid’s, BookFest, Cornell Hockey, Adopt-a-Highway, and Relay for Life to name a few. After graduation he hopes to matriculate to medical school to study orthopedic surgery. When asked what he most appreciates about being a Tradition Fellow he stated “My favorite aspect of the Tradition program is that it offers encouragement to students who enjoy serving the community.  There is no better feeling one can get than when you serve others, but modern college students often have too many financial troubles to be able to focus on service.  The Tradition program makes service possible through the financial aid it offers to students that qualify.”