Ten Cornell Tradition students pass on their awards benefits to others

Since 1989 the Cornell Tradition has been recognizing its own graduating seniors with Senior Recognition Awards. The 10 Cornell senior fellows who have been honored this year for their community service and leadership efforts will use their monetary winnings to benefit others.

The Cornell Tradition is an alumni-endowed recognition program established in 1982 through an anonymous gift of $7 million. The program awards 600 fellowships each year to Cornell undergraduate students based on their work experience, campus and/or community service, leadership and academic achievement. And, as in past years, Cornell Tradition fellows are well represented among Cornell students who have won other prestigious awards, scholarships and fellowships, nationally, at Cornell and in the Ithaca community.

Each year Cornell Tradition Senior Recognition Awards are given to a limited number of Cornell Tradition fellows. Each of those recognized can either designate their $4,000 awards as a charitable contribution to a nonprofit agency or establish a Cornell Tradition named fellowship for other students during the subsequent academic year.

The awards are competitively based on students' community service, leadership, work ethic, and overall contribution to the quality of campus life. Winners are chosen by a selection committee composed of faculty members, administrators and Cornell Tradition alumni. In addition, recognition award winners must also demonstrate an outstanding commitment to the Tradition and to remaining active as Cornell alumni.

Of the 10 awards given this year, nine have been designated to local agencies. One will endow Cornell Tradition fellowships for next year, where, in essence, award winners bestow upon their successors the same financial benefits they received.

This year's Cornell Tradition Senior Recognition Award winners and their award designations are as follows:

Daniel Benjoya: Award to be donated to Big Brother-Big Sister of Tompkins County, Ithaca.

Jesse Corburn: Award to be donated to West Village Urban 4-H Program, Ithaca.

Jamecia Finnie: Award to be donated to Northside Neighborhood Association, Ithaca.

Jennifer Harber: Award to be donated to Camp Friendship, a program of Friendship Ventures, Annandale, Minn.

Howard Heching: Award to be donated to The Etzion Foundation, New York, N.Y.

Marcella Houser: Award to be donated to On Site Volunteer Services, Ithaca.

Alexa Mills: Award to be donated to South Dakota Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Pierre, S.D.

Sudha Nandagopal: Award to be donated to Wildlife Conservation Society, Incia, Karnataka Tiger Conservation Project, Bronx, N.Y.

Gretchen Poulos: Award to be donated to Ithaca Pregnancy Center, Ithaca.

Gary Schueller: One year fellowship to a member of the CU men's hockey or lacrosse team with an interest in youth and education policy.

During the past 12 years, 157 Cornell Tradition seniors have received this recognition. They, in turn, have awarded 59 fellowships to other undergraduates, while more than $236,000 has been awarded to nonprofit agencies. And more than $116,000 has been awarded in the Ithaca community alone.