Three ORIE students honored by 400 Club

In spring 1997, Cornell’s Department of Athletics and Physical Education began a program called the 400 Club to recognize the best and brightest among the student-athletes. The club honors those who achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the previous semester with a special breakfast.

Considering the time commitment required to compete among the best in the nation, on top of the demanding academic schedule faced by all Cornell students, it's particularly impressive to see many of Cornell’s student-athletes not only competing at a high level, but also performing exceptionally well in the classroom.

This spring, three ORIE students—Vincent Declercq, Jack Nicoletti and Tim Willittes—were honored at the breakfast for the students who achieved a 4.0 grade point average during the fall 2017 semester.

Vincent Declercq is a senior on the men’s swimming and diving team. A native of Dendermonde, Belgium, he came to Cornell to pursue excellence both in the classroom and in the pool. His collegiate athletic career came to a close at the Ivy League championships in February, where he placed 12th in the 200 butterfly, 13th in the 100 butterfly, 16th in the 200 individual medley and was a member of the fourth-place 400 medley relay team. Outside of the classroom and athletics, Vincent has been engaged in Greek life and the international student community.

Jack Nicoletti is a sophomore in the College of Engineering double majoring in operations research and chemical engineering. Outside of the classroom, he is a member of Sparkstone Analytics (an algorithmic stock trading club) and the treasurer and philanthropy chair for his fraternity. A native of Barrington, Ill., he is also a member of a research group in the chemical engineering department focused on supply chain optimization for chemical processes. As a member of Cornell’s sprint football team, Jack was named second-team All-CSFL after catching a team-best 27 passes for 306 yards and one touchdown. In his free time, Jack enjoys watching sports, playing sports, and exploring the scenic parks around Cornell’s campus.

Tim Willittes is a senior in the School of Operations Research and Information Engineering with a minor in business. In addition to his work in the classroom, Tim is a starting pitcher on the Cornell varsity baseball team and volunteers his time in multiple organizations within the athletic and engineering communities. On the diamond, the Scottsdale, Ariz., native buoyed the Big Red’s starting rotation with a 4-4 record and 5.56 ERA while leading team in starts (11), victories (four), strikeouts (54) and quality starts (six). He has done medical research at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where he performed analysis on data from a previously conducted clinical trial to gain a deeper understanding of coping mechanisms in patients with knee osteoarthritis, and their relationship to benefit from exercise physical therapy treatment. After graduation, Tim will join Johnson & Johnson as an ITLDP associate analyst.