Bartlett family legacy continues through generations

Bartlett Scholarship recipient John Kelsey stands by the Sooner Schooner sponsored for many years by Buzz and Doc Bartlett.

Jen and John Kelsey both received Bartlett Scholarships.

The Edward E. and Helen T. Bartlett Foundation has made a huge impact on the community of Sapulpa, Okla., through multiple generations of philanthropy that have also impacted higher education with gifts and endowments established at the University of Oklahoma Foundation.

Since FY 2000, more than $1.3 million in scholarships has been provided to Sapulpa students.

The Bartlett family legacy began in 1914 when H.U. Bartlett founded the Bartlett-Collins Glass Plant, which evolved into a major local employer. Edward Bartlett, his second-oldest son, became director in 1915. Edward also was president of the family-owned Bartlett Memorial Hospital in Sapulpa.

He established the Edward E. and Helen Turner Bartlett Foundation in the 1940s to “improve the lives of those in the Sapulpa area with an emphasis on education and community services.”

Since 1965, OU’s Bartlett Scholarships have brought two Sapulpa students each year to join a cohort of recipients provided full tuition and fees for eight semesters.

“The Bartlett family’s desire is for students to gain as much educational attainment as possible in those eight semesters at OU,” said Jeff Blahnik, vice president of the Division of Enrollment Management, adding that students can pursue a dual degree, double major or a program that allows students to take additional coursework toward a master’s degree.

John and Jen Kelsey were among Bartlett Scholarship recipients. “Honestly, I could not have attended OU without it,” said John, a 1994 OU BA in history. “My only other option was to join the military to pursue my education. My father worked in the oil and gas industry and was without work for a while. He shoveled glass at the Bartlett plant in between jobs.”

John’s high school sweetheart-turned-wife, Jennifer Madden Kelsey, also received the Bartlett Scholarship. “The scholarship was a great honor in our high school,” said Jen, who earned an OU 1995 Bachelor of Music Education and 2002 Master of Music Education.

“The scholarship expanded my world in dramatic ways beyond my degrees. OU enriched my life and enabled me to find meaningful work. All of this became possible through the generosity of the Bartletts.”

The Bartlett Family Foundation has made numerous significant gifts to OU, including an endowed chair in the College of Public Health, a recent $150,000 gift to provide human patient simulators at the College of Nursing at OU-Tulsa and regular contributions benefitting the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band.

“The support of the Bartlett Foundation is so appreciated. OU continues to benefit from this generosity and, importantly, students continue to make their mark on the world and prosper as a result,” said Blahnik.