Cooper Family Endows Outstanding Teacher Award to Fuel Teaching Excellence at UERead full article…

Posted: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
By: Ian Leonhardt, Advancement Communications Coordinator

The University of Evansville (UE) is proud to announce a leadership gift from H. Lee Cooper III H '88 and Ann S. Cooper '59 that will endow and formally name the Lee and Ann Cooper Outstanding Teacher Award.

The Outstanding Teacher Award is presented annually during the University's Spring Commencement, honoring faculty whose teaching transforms lives, builds confidence, and inspires students to pursue bold ideas.

The Lee and Ann Cooper Outstanding Teacher Award reflects one of UE's defining commitments, elevating the faculty who empower the University's mission for each student to think critically, act bravely, serve responsibly, and live meaningfully in a changing world. Selection of the Lee and Ann Cooper Outstanding Teaching Award is based on demonstrated excellence in teaching, innovative pedagogy, impactful advising and mentoring, scholarly or creative engagement that strengthens classroom learning, and meaningful service to the University and community. In addition to an honorarium, the award will also provide recipients with financial support that encourages continued professional development and scholarly growth.

The establishment of the Lee and Ann Cooper Outstanding Teacher Award reflects the Coopers' belief in the transformative power of purposeful and student-focused teaching, the kind that stays with students long after they leave the classroom. The University is proud to honor that belief through an award that celebrates their enduring commitment to UE, its faculty, and its students.

Ann Scheller Cooper is a 1959 graduate of Evansville College, whose lifelong commitment to education has remained a defining thread throughout her personal and professional life. As a secondary education major, she developed an early passion for helping others learn, a passion she carried forward in her work supporting adult learners returning to college and navigating new academic pathways. For decades, she has championed her alma mater with a steady dedication, strengthening programs, celebrating student success, and investing in the enduring impact of exceptional teaching.

H. Lee "Lee" Cooper III, is a retired banking executive who served as chairman, president, and CEO of CNB Bancshares, Inc. in Evansville. A long-time University of Evansville trustee, he served on the Board of Trustees from 1984 to 2008, including service as board chair from 1990 to 1993, and was named a Life Trustee in 2008 before being recognized as an Emeritus Trustee beginning in 2023 in acknowledgment of his long-term leadership and dedication. Lee received the Samuel Orr Honorary Alumnus Award in 1988, underscoring his deep connection to the University community.

Together, the Coopers have served the University as dedicated and influential champions, supporting students, faculty, and strategic initiatives across campus. Their philanthropy reflects a shared belief that great teaching changes lives and that universities thrive when faculty are encouraged and equipped to innovate in the classroom.

"This gift from Lee and Ann Cooper honors the faculty who stand at the center of the mission of the UE experience," said UE President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz. "Their generosity celebrates the educators who see potential in every student and helps them realize it. Because of the Coopers, generations of Aces will learn from faculty who teach with both purpose and passion."

Mary Kessler, Acting Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, noted how the gift reinforces UE's strong commitment to teaching excellence. "Our faculty are mentors, challengers, and partners in discovery," Kessler said. "This award recognizes our gifted faculty who provide opportunities for our students and shows students how their ideas can make a real impact. The Coopers' generosity ensures that inspired teaching continues to thrive at the University."