Catherine Davis Black Award Winner Named
COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Central School graduate Charlotte Pope is the recipient of the Cooperstown Rotary Foundation’s 2023 Catherine Davis Black Scholarship. Pope was acknowledged at this year’s CCS Commencement Ceremony on June 25th and received the $1,500.00 scholarship at the July 18th Rotary Club of Cooperstown luncheon at The Otesaga Resort Hotel.
The scholarship was created in 2015 by the CRF in memory of Catherine Davis Black, a founder and Charter Member of the local Rotary Club’s tax-deductible charity. Black was the first female president of the Cooperstown club and went on to be one of the first female Rotary district governors.
Because Black had a special interest in early childhood education and music, the scholarship criteria stipulate that the recipient should be planning to pursue a career in one of those areas, as well as having demonstrated the Rotary tenet of “service above self” by volunteering and contributing to their community.
In bestowing the award, CRF Chair Ellen Tillapaugh noted that Pope was a perfect fit for the scholarship criteria, as she has volunteered extensively and plans to attend Miami University of Ohio this fall to major in early childhood education.
“I am so honored and grateful to receive the grant from Rotary,” Pope said. “I admire the work that they do in Cooperstown. I plan to further my own education and pursue a career in teaching.”
Pope is the daughter of Gina Ulrich and Brent Pope of Toddsville.