JONESBORO – A new endowed scholarship honoring the late Patricia Butcher Cooper, a native of Rison, has been established at Arkansas State University to support aspiring elementary educators. The Patricia Butcher Cooper Educator Scholarship serves as a tribute to Cooper’s dedication to teaching and her lifelong passion for instilling a love of reading in young students.
The scholarship is funded by Patricia’s husband, Dr. Roger Cooper of Athens, Ohio, and her sister, Lynn Wilson of Rison, both to celebrate her life and legacy. It will provide financial assistance to students pursuing degrees in elementary education at A-State, a cause deeply meaningful to Cooper, who herself overcame financial challenges to attend college.
Patricia Cooper graduated from Arkansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1982 and a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education in 1983. Named Outstanding Senior in Elementary Education in 1982, she went on to a 33-year career in education, teaching in Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Indiana and Ohio. For the last 12 years of her career, she taught kindergarten at The Plains Elementary School near Athens, Ohio.
“Pat believed in the transformative power of education,” emphasized Roger Cooper, a native of Cherry Valley. “This scholarship reflects her passion for teaching, her love of reading, and her desire to help others achieve their dreams of becoming educators.”
The scholarship also honors Patricia’s father, Thomas Carroll Butcher Jr. of Rison, who attended A-State. Butcher, who passed away in 2024, shared his daughter’s love for Arkansas State and was thrilled when she chose to attend college in Jonesboro.
Applicants for the Patricia Butcher Cooper Educator Scholarship must be full-time students pursuing a degree in elementary education. Additional details, including award criteria, will be managed by the College of Education and Behavioral Science Scholarship Committee.
“Pat’s story is one of perseverance and commitment,” Cooper added. “We hope this scholarship will inspire future generations of educators to follow in her footsteps.”
Additional information about this and other endowment opportunities at A-State is available through the Office of Development, (870) 972-3940 or Development@AState.edu.
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