Chuck Cooper III and Sean Gibson: Making equity and education a mission
Share this post:
When we established foundations in honor of Chuck Cooper, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and the first African American drafted into the National Basketball Association, and Josh Gibson, catcher for the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays and the second Negro Leagues player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, we did so with a leap of faith. Both Cooper and Gibson were barrier breakers, and we feel privileged to carry on that legacy.
We continue to honor their achievements with the establishment of the Chuck Cooper and Josh Gibson Center for Equity and Education at Point Park University. In partnership with the Rowland School of Business leadership, we have established a center that we hope will help level the playing field for communities of color, youth to adults, from everything from education to employment. With so many conversations happening about equity, equality and opportunity, we want to be an important part of that discussion.
Point Park University and the Rowland School of Business are committed to working with young people from all communities to take advantage of education and mentorship opportunities. At the center, we’ll look to engage students by helping them leverage their social capital and build networks of successful academic, business, athletic and community role models. Programs the center will offer include financial literacy, navigating the college application and personal branding.
When we grew up in the 1960s and ’70s, opportunities to rise beyond where you started were few and far between. For our namesakes, gaining a foothold in the American dream was through sports. It was in basketball and baseball that they found greater acceptance, respect and some measure of economic security. In fact, Cooper went on to get a master’s degree after his NBA career and became one of the first African American executives at Pittsburgh National Bank. From the sturdy foundation they built, we were able to attend college, work in corporate America, establish foundations and advocate for people in need.
Part of the center’s programs will be delivered through the Sarah Heinz House on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. Events, lectures and other programming elements will be offered to Sarah Heinz House students and their families, and to the broader community. We’re especially appreciative of the key financial support we’ve received from Chuck Hammel, CEO of Pitt Ohio and First National Bank and their commitment to equity, education and opportunities for all communities.
One of the most important areas of focus at the center will be the “invisible middle” students. These are the students who need an extra push — aren’t failing but not thriving. Students who have difficulty in school, both academically and socially, often get extra attention, and there are gifted programs tailored to high achievers. But what happens to the students in the invisible middle? That’s where we see a tremendous need and opportunity for education and career mentorship.
We believe we can help make our region stronger by creating opportunities for everyone, regardless of where you grow up, what your parents do for a living or what school you attend. It’s what our namesakes believed, what our foundations are about, and it’s the driving force behind the Chuck Cooper and Josh Gibson Center for Equity and Education at Point Park University.
Chuck Cooper III is president and CEO of the Chuck Cooper Foundation and Chuck Cooper Enterprises LLC. Sean Gibson is executive director of the Josh Gibson Foundation and president of Josh Gibson Enterprises.