Donald Cooper, Com’58, LLD’07, and his wife Ann have generously contributed $250,000 towards the Robert Sutherland-Harry Jerome Entrance Award. The scholarship was established in 2008 by Queen’s University in cooperation with the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) and the Harry Jerome Scholarship Program. It honours Canadian athlete and humanitarian Harry Jerome as well as Robert Sutherland, the first person of African heritage to graduate from Queen’s and who, at a critical time in the University’s history, bequeathed his entire estate to the University.
Mr. Cooper served for a number of years on the board of the BBPA National Scholarship Fund. The students he met at the time had impressive academic and community service records. Knowing that tuition and the costs of living away from home were often prohibitive, Mr. Cooper wanted to do more to support the students' education.
Supporting the University’s goal of further diversifying its student body, the scholarship is awarded to one black student entering the first year of any direct-entry undergraduate degree program. It is based on financial need, academic achievement and contribution to the black community or other volunteer activities, and is renewable for three years providing a satisfactory academic average has been maintained and financial need remains.
