ALL-TIME FACULTY MENTOR AWARD WINNERS
Pouliopoulos Becomes First Bentley Professor to Earn the Honor.
WALTHAM, Mass. – Jim Pouliopoulos, the founding director of the Professional Sales Program at Bentley University and a Senior Lecturer in the Marketing Department, is the 2021 recipient of the Dr. Dave Landers Faculty Mentor of the Year in the Northeast-10 Conference. The announcement was made Monday evening when the conference held its annual awards ceremony in a virtual format.
Named after the longtime professor and faculty athletic representative at Saint Michael's College, the Dr. Dave Landers Faculty Mentor Award recognizes a faculty member from a conference institution who has supported the efforts of student-athletes in achieving their academic goals.
The NE10 Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) created the Faculty Mentor Award in June of 2016. The honor is organized and voted on by a committee made up of current NE10 SAAC members. The winner will have their nomination forwarded on to the NCAA as the league's nomination for the Division II Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award - an initiative launched by the NCAA Division II SAAC in 2013.
"Pouli is an avid supporter of the student athlete experience and can often be seen cheering on our athletes on at home games," said Catie Noons, Bentley's Athletics Compliance and Student Development Coordinator. "The relationships he has with his students, particularly student-athletes, last long after graduation. He makes every effort to foster professional development and is always willing to offer advice. Pouli represents the best of our faculty and is more than deserving of this award," continued Noons.
Pouliopoulos received his bachelor's degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1984, his Master of Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1987 and his MBA from Bentley in 1994. He has been part of Bentley's marketing faculty since 2002 and recently published a book, How to Be a WELL BEING: Unofficial Rules to LIVE Every Day.
Pouliopoulos, the fifth recipient of the Landers Faculty Mentor, is the first Bentley professor to receive the honor.
Bentley softball player Melissa Landry wrote in her nomination, "Jim Pouliopoulos, or rather known as 'Pouli' across Bentley University's campus, surely exemplifies the NCAA Division II core values of learning, passion, service, resourcefulness, sportsmanship, and balance. Any student who has had the pleasure to take one of his classes would be the first to recognize that his enthusiastic nature and vivacious personality creates a positive learning environment that keeps students engaged time and time again.
"Simply put, Pouli is the type of professor that goes the extra mile and utilizes the few minutes before and after class to get to know his students personally. Whether this be asking about their weekend plans, or even directly talking to his student-athletes about specific stat lines or plays they made in their games earlier this week, he wants to learn more about them as an individual rather than just a student. This fact makes it so that his support is not only seen in the classroom, but rather outside the class and with our extracurriculars as well," continued Landry.
-Release provided by Bentley athletic communications staff-
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
