Barkley Named Alumnus of the Year 
May 14, 2010
The Herkimer County Community College Alumni Association has selected Christopher Barkley, Cape Town, South Africa, as the 2010 Alumnus of the Year. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Barkley was raised in Ithaca, NY and is a graduate of Ithaca High School. He graduated from HCCC with honors in 2000. The award will be presented at HCCC’s commencement on Friday, May 21 in the HCCC gymnasium.
Annually, the Alumni Association Board of Directors selects an alumnus who has demonstrated the highest level of excellence in their professional field. Barkley holds an associate in arts degree in liberal arts and sciences: general studies from HCCC, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Iona College. He received a full athletic and academic scholarship to Iona to play soccer.
Barkley is employed by Grass Roots Soccer, as a manager overseeing programs across South Africa. He also worked for them in Namibia, Zambia and Sudan. The program reaches large numbers of young people with HIV education. It focuses on building basic life skills that help youth adopt healthy behaviors and live risk free.
Barkley recently developed “Skillz Street,” a program that encourages young girls from Khayelitsha to play soccer and engages them in community outreach activities. Over 100 seventh graders are participating in the league. Their activities include working in a soup kitchen and visiting drug and alcohol centers.
HCCC soccer coach Pepe Aragon said “The work Chris is doing in South Africa is truly amazing. I am so proud of what he does for Grass Roots Soccer for HIV prevention.” As an HCCC student, Barkley was captain of the 1999 national championship team. “Chris was a leader both on and off the field,” Aragon said. “He is one of the classiest student-athletes I have coached. Chris continues to make Herkimer proud by doing great things in this world. I am proud to say I had the privilege to coach him.”