Newsmakers FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 3, 2003 Contact: Robin Micket (860) 548-7894 Rensselaer at Hartford Students Honored with Founders Award HARTFORD, CONN – Three students at Rensselaer at Hartford, Brian T. Bassett of Oxford, Michael J. Conroy of Harwinton, and Harshida S. Patel of Rocky Hill, recently received the prestigious Founders Award of Excellence, one of the highest student honors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Established in 1994, the Founders Award honors Rensselaer students who embody qualities of creativity, discovery, leadership, and the values of pride and responsibility. The Founders Award winners were recognized during Rensselaer’s tenth annual Honors Convocation held at the Troy, New York campus on October 26. The event honors outstanding students and faculty for high academic achievements. Bassett, the Technical Lead in the Test Facility Engineering Department at Sikorsky Aircraft, is working toward an M.S. in Electrical Engineering. Conroy, who earned a Bachelor’s degree from Rensselaer, started his own software engineering company, Trinity Logic, LLC. He is studying for an M.S. in Computer Science. Patel, an Information Systems Specialist at Traveler’s Insurance, is studying for an M.Eng. in Computer and Systems Engineering. "Honors Convocation is a time for the entire Rensselaer community to applaud the achievements of Rensselaer faculty, students, and others who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavor," said Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D., President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The honorees from the Hartford campus were three of a total of sixty-eight students to receive the highly selective Founders Award. The award consists of a special certificate; recognition by faculty, staff, and peers at the Honors Convocation ceremony; and a $100 cash prize. The students were nominated based on the following criteria: strong academic standing; pride and responsibility in all aspects of life at Rensselaer; outstanding leadership skills with discretion, judgment, and well-rounded regard for the opinion of others; and excellent originality and imagination. # # #