Worcester, MA --- WPI head men's basketball coach Chris Bartley recently received the Denise Nicoletti Trustees' Award for Service to Community during the university's annual Honors Convocation on April 22. The awards honored five WPI faculty members, a staff member, and a graduate student for outstanding research, teaching, advising, and contributions to the community. 

Established in 2003 in memory of WPI's first tenured female faculty member in electrical and computer engineering, it is presented to a member of the faculty or staff in recognition of passion and action in serving the needs of a community. Bartley's remarkable success as a coach is exceeded only by the impact he has had on the community as a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest and a mentor to WPI students. His example has inspired 100 students (the men's and women's basketball teams; four fraternities and sororities) to become Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

 
Chris Bartley is congratulated by Liz Tomaszewski, last year's Nicoletti Award winner.

Bartley recently completed his seventh season as head coach for men's basketball at WPI.  His accomplishments on the court have been impressive.  The team, winless the season before his arrival, has now won five straight NEWMAC Championships and has appeared in four consecutive NCAA Division III Tournaments.  Last March, WPI basketball player Ryan Cain was chosen from a national pool of finalists to receive the 2007 Jostens Trophy.  This award recognizes one student athlete for basketball ability, academic prowess, and community service.  Coach Chris Bartley has served as an outstanding role model and mentor to Ryan and his teammates at WPI. 

Other award recipients homered at the Convocation included Peter R. Christopher, (professor of mathematical sciences - Board of Trustees' Award for Outstanding Teaching), Joel J. Brattin (professor of literature - Board of Trustees' Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Scholarship), Kristen L. Billiar (associate professor of biomedical engineering - Board of Trustees' Award for Academic Advising,  Robert Lindeman (assistant professor of computer science) and Joshua Rosenstock, (assistant professor of humanities and arts) - Romeo L. Moruzzi Young Faculty Award and Saurabh Vilekar (graduate student in chemical engineering  - Teaching Assistant of the Year Award).
 

About Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI was one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. WPI's 18 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, management, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to the BA, BS, MS, ME, MBA and PhD. WPI's world-class faculty work with students in a number of cutting-edge research areas, leading to breakthroughs and innovations in such fields as biotechnology, fuel cells, and information security, materials processing, and nanotechnology. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Perspective Program. There are more than 20 WPI project centers throughout North America and Central America, Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe.

Full WPI Release - Courtesy Mike Dorsey

 Citation of

 CHRISTOPHER BARTLEY

for the

2008 DENISE NICOLETTI TRUSTEES' AWARD

FOR SERVICE TO COMMUNITY

 The Trustees' Award for Service to Community is presented in memory of Denise Nicoletti, a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department from 1991-2002, whose passion for life and outreach to under-represented groups touched many lives. Among her activities, Denise co-founded Camp Reach, a widely-acclaimed summer program which introduces seventh grade girls to the excitement of engineering and science. The recipient of the 2008 Denise Nicoletti Trustees' Award for Service to Community is Christopher Bartley. 

Chris Bartley is entering his seventh season as head coach for men's basketball at WPI.  His accomplishments on the court have been impressive.  The team, winless the season before his arrival, has now won four straight NEWMAC Championships and has appeared in three consecutive NCAA Division III Tournaments.  Last March, WPI basketball player Ryan Cain was chosen from a national pool of finalists to receive the 2007 Jostens Trophy.  This award recognizes one student athlete for basketball ability, academic prowess, and community service.  Coach Chris Bartley has served as an outstanding role model and mentor to Ryan and his teammates at WPI.  

Even more impressive is the impact that Chris has had in the community outside WPI.  He serves on the Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest; but his most outstanding contribution is his work as a mentor.  

For the past four years, the WPI men's basketball team has been involved with the School Based Mentor Program.  Coach Bartley's enthusiasm for the program convinced the entire basketball team to become Big Brothers to boys at Elm Park Community School in Worcester. 

Since their first introduction to School Based Mentoring, the WPI students and Coach Bartley have been faithful and enthusiastic Big Brothers.  They meet with the children every week, helping with homework, shooting baskets in the gym, or just talking with the students.    Coach Bartley has been the driving force behind the tremendous growth in the School Based Mentor Program.  The number of mentors from WPI has grown from the 15-member basketball team to 100 members, which now includes the women's basketball team, two fraternities and two sororities.  Chris has also recruited his fellow coaches and basketball teams at Framingham State College and Worcester State College to become Big Brothers. 

School Based Mentors are matched with children in the Worcester Public Schools.  Many of these students come from incredibly challenging backgrounds, including homelessness, substance abuse, and violence in the home.  Having the benefit of one-to-one contact with a mentor every week is a powerful motivator and has made a measurable impact on these children's lives.  Research and anecdotal evidence show that the one-to-one mentoring provided by Big Brothers and Big Sisters helps at-risk youth overcome the many challenges that they face. 

Not only do the children benefit from having a mentor.  According to Coach Bartley, being Big Brothers has helped the basketball team gain maturity and boosted the team's morale.  He sees a different side of the team when they are with their Little Brothers.  "Guys who seem really tough show a sensitive side when they're with the kids.  I've seen a lot of maturity develop in team members since they've been Big Brothers.  They understand how they're role models for the younger boys." 

For his years of dedication to WPI and particularly for his involvement of young people in social service through the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, we are proud to honor Christopher Bartley for the 2008 Denise Nicoletti Trustees Award for Service to the Community.

Based on nomination submitted February 2008