Centennial Community Award
- Happy 100th birthday to Zonta!
- The Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley selected Dr. Mary-Beth Cooper as the Centennial Founder’s Day recipient because she exemplifies the ideals of Zonta as a champion for women’s empowerment and mentor for equality. As President of Springfield College and in her many volunteer endeavors, she sets a standard for excellence, a leadership persona that exudes passion and purpose.
- Zonta is making a significant difference in the lives of women and girls around the world – from working on projects with UN Women that prevent and end violence against women to advocating for and funding initiatives to ensure women are given a chance to compete equally with men.
- On a local level, this small but mighty club has awarded thousands in scholarships, advocates for the end of child marriage in MA, works with survivors of domestic abuse and homeless women veterans, and partners in service with like-minded organizations like the YWCA of Western MA to further their missions.
On November 8, 1919, a small group of pioneering women came together in Buffalo, New York with a vision to help all women realize greater equality while using their individual and collective expertise in service to their community. Their vision became Zonta International (ZI), an organization that has grown to more than 29,000 members in 63 countries, working together to make gender equality a reality for women and girls worldwide.
In November of each year, the Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley recognizes the founding of ZI by honoring someone in the community who exemplifies the ideals of Zonta. (Scroll to the bottom of the screen to see some of the past recipients.)
One resource we used to find this year’s recipient was the book “The Power of Women,” authored and edited by Wayne E. Phaneuf, executive editor of The Republican, and historian Joseph Carvalho III, highlighting 1000 influential women from Western and Central Massachusetts, from the 1600s until the present day. The clincher, however, was personal recommendations from individuals who have found this woman to be an inspiration.
On Monday, November 11, 2019 ~ in honor of Zonta’s 100th birthday ~ the Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley will celebrate a local woman who is not only a champion for women’s empowerment but an influencer and mentor for equality.
Accolades for Dr. Cooper have been pouring in:Mary Beth Cooper exemplifies energy, intellect and commitment. It’s been incredibly rewarding to be a partner of hers and observe how she is transforming Springfield College by preparing the College for the next few decades. Her commitment is unrivaled to our College, to her family, our communities and any underdog in life that needs support and advocating. We are blessed to have Mary Beth’s character and leadership in Massachusetts as her standards of fairness and quality to higher education and our communities will long live on.
-Greg Toczydlowski
________________________________________
The honor bestowed upon Mary Beth by the Zonta in their centennial year speaks to the role she has played in this community. I would argue that while this is an award that recognizes a champion for women’s empowerment, and mentor for equality it is her Leadership that should be recognized as a great example for both Woman, and men. She sets the standard for excellence, a leadership persona that exudes Passion and Purpose.
-William Burke
________________________________________
I am happy to share my thoughts regarding Mary-Beth Cooper and her impact on the lives of so many she has touched. It was my honor, while serving as Chair of the Board at Springfield College, to be part of the search team, who recommended that Springfield hire Mary-Beth in 2013. We knew she was an excellent candidate based on her credentials and experience which is why we hired her. What we did not know was the impact that she would have on our institution, and the many corners of people’s lives that she would touch and continues to touch!
Simply put, Mary-Beth is a very bright person, with the ability to size up any issue quickly, and develop a sound, sensible, solution while always being aware of engaging others. She mixes a keen sense of humor with a passion for doing what is right, while practical, and, as such, has had remarkable success on a number of fronts.
As I reviewed my 90 day assessment of her performance in 2013, I think my words to her then foreshadowed completely where she was and where she is today. “You continue to demonstrate time and again through your interaction with others, your ability to focus on the critical elements of any situation, which is so essential to any successful leader. Clearly, you have displayed all of the qualities of an impact player.”
I am so happy that Mary-Beth will be recognized, by the Zonta Club, as it celebrates its Founders Day. She is an excellent choice and will be a solid contributor to the ideals and mission of the Zonta Club going forward.
Many thanks for all you do.
-Doug Coupe
________________________________________
Springfield College has seen some amazing leaders – in the classroom, on the field, and leading the institution. However, this College community has been energized, engaged, and empowered based on Dr. Mary-Beth Coopers leadership over the past 6 years. She connects at all levels of the college, she moves things forward, she models the way for other leaders, and has inspired me to be a better leader, mentor, and coach for others.
-Lauren (Winnie) Youmans
________________________________________
President Cooper is a woman of integrity who is loyal to the Springfield College mission of educating the whole person, spirit, mind and body with leadership in service to others. She carries that mission along with her commitment to equality, as she leads Springfield College and stands out as a community leader. President Cooper has championed our inclusive campus culture and belief in shared governance. Her energetic spirit. intellect, and her strategic vision has positioned Springfield College for an exciting future. Congratulations Mary-Beth on a well deserved Founder’s Day award by the Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley.
-Michele Megas-Ditomassi
________________________________________
Dr. Mary-Beth Cooper exemplifies a unique combination of innate compassion for students and colleagues and fervent determination that has led her to the helm of an internationally renowned institution. She is simply a good and decent person filled with admiration and respect for those around her and for the college she leads.
-John Odierna
________________________________________
Mary-Beth Cooper is an extraordinary person and has guided Springfield College through many important processes of evaluation on campus and outreach to the community. She leads with a transparency of thoughts and ideas and she truly loves Springfield College, her involvement in the community and the Mission of the College: To educate the whole person, spirit, mind and body for leadership in service to others. It is an honor to know and work with her as a Trustee.
-Sue Lundin
________________________________________
As a trustee of Springfield College, I’m proud to have Mary-Beth lead our school. Of course her energy and knowledge is formidable, but I realized she was a great role model for the students when she arrived at our apartment in New York City for an accepted students brunch after she completed a 5k. Even while traveling, Mary-Beth took the time to seek out a race and participate. That’s the kind of commitment to health and self-care that Springfield works hard to incorporate in our students to balance Mind, Body, Spirit.
-Su Robotti
________________________________________
It was a pleasure to be on Springfield College’s search committee when Dr. Cooper interviewed for the position of President. From the outset of her interview, she exuded confidence and authenticity. She was prepared, curious, humble, spirited, and funny, and in the end, we all felt she would be a natural fit for Springfield College’s 13th President. In her tenure, these personal attributes have melded beautifully with her leadership style, evidenced by her board engagement, improvements in the college’s physical plant, and her strategic goals for the future of the college. She has set a path for Springfield college that genuinely embraces our mission.
Marylynn Jacobs, MBA MS OTR/L CHT ’81’
Dr. Mary-Beth Cooper, PhD, DM became the 13th president of Springfield College in August 2013, bringing to the College her experiences from a long and distinguished career in higher education administration and community service and leadership.
With her leadership, Springfield College has experienced a rededication to the community service and civic engagement for which it is so well known, and has committed itself to building an inclusive campus that encourages engaged and diverse populations. She has fostered an internal environment that reflects shared governance among its faculty, staff, and students, and an external environment that is safe and welcoming for the College community and its city neighbors. She has created a strategic vision to build an institution that provides a student-centric experience, most recently embarking on a campaign to create an innovative learning commons that will bring together technology and library services to create a full service learning, research, and project space for our students. This common-space approach reflects a pedagogical shift toward cooperative teamwork and collaborative media that benefits the entire learning community.
Her vision for an inclusive campus encourages pluralism, engaged and diverse populations and thought. She has fostered shared governance and use of the Study Circle method of collaborative and democratic decision making among faculty, staff, and students; undertaken a new and innovative approach to enrollment management and institutional branding; and built a leadership team that reflects the needs of the student body and the integrity of the institution.
Cooper earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delaware, a Master of Education from the University of Georgia, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Rochester, a Doctor of Philosophy in education administration from Michigan State University, and a Doctor of Management from Case Western Reserve University. She previously served as senior vice president for student affairs at the Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology (RIT) and as chair of the YMCA of Greater Rochester Board of Directors. Cooper co-led the RIT President’s Commission on Women to improve the campus climate for women, is a past recipient of the RIT Four Presidents Distinguished Public Service Award, and was named one of Rochester’s most influential women by the Rochester Business Journal.
Known for her volunteer leadership, Cooper has been named to the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) Committee on Policy Analysis and Public Relations, as well as the Board of Trustees of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). She serves on the Boards of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM), the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Springfield Museums, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and Willie Ross School for the Deaf. She is a member of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts; and serves on the Steering Committee for the FutureCity Economic Development Strategy initiative for the City of Springfield as well as on the Leadership Advisory Committee for Reading Success by the 4th Grade.
The guiding forces in Cooper’s career have been her vision for human potential and education as the answer to creating flourishing communities, as well as her own yearning for intellectual stimulation. She takes seriously her role as a mentor to and advocate for students, women, and athletes. Cooper has conducted myriad professional presentations in a wide variety of venues, and she is frequently sought to serve as a consultant in her field. She has given numerous presentations on campus security and personal safety, management trends in higher education, time management skills, and women’s issues.
Past recipients have included Monica Moran (manager of Domestic Violence Prevention Programs at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission in Springfield, Massachusetts), Gail Gramarossa (Program Director for the Quaboag Hills Substance Use Alliance and a prevention specialist at the Collaborative for Educational Services), Marge Cavanaugh (founding member of the club and the epitome of a leader and role model to many – as a Korean war veteran, one of the first women Postmasters in Belchertown, first female commander of American Legion Post 130, Chaplain for AmVets Post 74, tireless volunteer for numerous clubs and organizations in the Palmer area), Mary Reardon Johnson (the Executive Director of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts for 30 + years), Kathy Picard (tireless advocate on behalf of children and adults who are survivors of child sexual abuse), Yoko Kato (domestic violence activist and motivational speaker on the topic of abuse locally and in Japan), Anne Gobi (state legislator since 2001 and strong advocate for issues that affect women’s rights), just to name a few.