June 30 marked the final day of Dr. George Cooper’s term as President and Vice-Chancellor of King’s. He has presided over a period of remarkable change at King’s. Over his four-year term, the Pit theatre was renovated, the President’s Lodge reopened, the HMCS King’s Wardroom and North Pole Bay residence have been redesigned with renovations now underway, King’s pioneered new graduate programs in Journalism, and new governance structures for the University were put in place – to name just a few accomplishments.
At a farewell ceremony on June 23, friends and family, alongside students, alumni, faculty and staff paid tribute to the work of our 24th president. In recognition of Dr. Cooper’s commitment to excellence in education, King’s Chancellor the Honourable Kevin Lynch announced the endowment of the Dr. George T.H. Cooper Scholarship. If you’d like to make a contribution to this new scholarship, designate ‘Other’ and specify the scholarship’s name.
Dr. Cooper’s wife Tia was commended for her tireless effort as chair of the 225th Anniversary Celebrations in 2014, and the restoration and management of the President’s Lodge, which was reopened after extensive renovations and has once again become a fixture in the communal life of the college.
Finally, artist Alan Bateman unveiled his portrait of Dr. Cooper, which will hang in Prince Hall alongside other former presidents of King’s. An ardent supporter of the chapel and its choir, Dr. Cooper is pictured seated in the pews, sporting his King’s tie.
In his farewell remarks, Dr. Cooper dubbed himself ‘the accidental president’, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to know the inner workings of a college community and to champion the kind of liberal arts education offered at King’s.
