JC Tretter '13

JC Tretter ‘13 chose the ILR School because he wanted the flexibility to study what interested him most after completing core courses. Tretter always wanted to be a sports agent, but he has put this dream aside for a bigger dream – playing for the Green Bay Packers.

Tretter persevered through injuries to both of his legs in his first two years with Green Bay. He has worked hard to recover and get back on the field this season. “My coaches and team are a pleasure to work with and have been supportive throughout my three years with Green Bay,” says Tretter.

As a four-year letterman and two-year starter for Cornell Big Red, Tretter went from tight end to left tackle. Tretter was also focused on his studies and joined ILR’s High Road Fellows to help improve Buffalo’s economy.

Tretter grew up in the suburbs of Buffalo and was excited by the opportunity to give back to his community and learn from organizations in Buffalo. As a High Roader, Tretter worked Monday thru Thursday with the employment section of Hispanics United for Buffalo. Tretter learned the organization’s process for helping individuals develop resumes and apply for jobs. He helped streamline their processes so that they could serve more individuals. Rather than start each resume from scratch, Tretter created templates for common resumes, allowing employees to more efficiently plug in applicant information.

Tretter remains involved with the ILR School and the High Road Fellows, building a lasting relationship with High Road Fellows Director Lou Jean Fleron. “The High Road Fellowship was the best experience I had in my four years at Cornell. The High Road exposed me to diverse points of view and changed how I think. I became aware of issues effecting the community, learned what others were doing to help and how I could also make a difference,” says Tretter.