Washington, DC (July 26, 2015) – The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) joins the nation’s 101 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to honor and remember Dr. George Cooper as he is laid to rest on Monday.
An alumnus of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), Dr. Cooper was a leader and advocate for quality education. He dedicated most of his career to the over 300,000 students attending TMCF’s member- schools, the nation’s 47 publicly-supported HBCUs.
Dr. Cooper’s career within the HBCU community included most recently serving as Executive Director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs. His rich career included a stint as Senior Fellow with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and a four year presidency of South Carolina State University. He also held numerous faculty and administrative roles at Alabama A&M University and Tuskegee University.
“As we celebrate Dr. Cooper’s life, may our hearts be filled with happy memories of his journey, his legacy, and the tens of thousands of students that he touched through his dedication to HBCUs and higher education,” said Johnny C. Taylor, President & CEO. “On behalf of the entire TMCF family, we send our thoughts and prayers to his wife Diane, their daughters and the entire Cooper family during this most difficult time. “