Featured Donor
Dr. Michelle McCollin
Dr. Michelle McCollin
There are people who are world-changers, impact-makers, people who transform the world in everything that they do. Michelle McCollin was one of these people.
Dr. McCollin was a Special Education professor at SRU from 2004-2018. She was invested in her students and believed that she should, must, live by example to teach her students how to make this earth a better place. She lived this in and out of the classroom.
In 2012 she founded Eyes4Africa which, with Dr. McCollin at the helm, delivered more than 5,000 prescription eyeglasses to Nigeria. Eyes4Africa also conducted eye clinics and provided school supplies to the country. Dr. McCollin would share pictures with her SRU students in order to give them a global perspective on helping others, and instill in them that teaching goes beyond the school building.
On campus, she was active with the Black Faculty and Staff Association, even serving as its Vice President. According to a Letter of Declaration by the group, her involvement “was a major influence on the organization’s forward progress.” She was a consistent contributor to the Black Faculty and Staff Association Scholarship (formerly the African American Caucus Scholarship) which led to its endowment in September 2017. For this reason, in spring of 2018, following her unexpected death, the name of the scholarship was changed to the Dr. Michelle McCollin Memorial Scholarship. This was to honor all that she had done.
In fall 2011 Dr. McCollin told Rock Magazine, “I believe that thoughtful, committed people can change the world.” In her lifetime, she showed that this is absolutely true.
There are people who are world-changers, impact-makers, people who transform the world in everything that they do. Michelle McCollin was one of these people.
Dr. McCollin was a Special Education professor at SRU from 2004-2018. She was invested in her students and believed that she should, must, live by example to teach her students how to make this earth a better place. She lived this in and out of the classroom.
In 2012 she founded Eyes4Africa which, with Dr. McCollin at the helm, delivered more than 5,000 prescription eyeglasses to Nigeria. Eyes4Africa also conducted eye clinics and provided school supplies to the country. Dr. McCollin would share pictures with her SRU students in order to give them a global perspective on helping others, and instill in them that teaching goes beyond the school building.
On campus, she was active with the Black Faculty and Staff Association, even serving as its Vice President. According to a Letter of Declaration by the group, her involvement “was a major influence on the organization’s forward progress.” She was a consistent contributor to the Black Faculty and Staff Association Scholarship (formerly the African American Caucus Scholarship) which led to its endowment in September 2017. For this reason, in spring of 2018, following her unexpected death, the name of the scholarship was changed to the Dr. Michelle McCollin Memorial Scholarship. This was to honor all that she had done.
In fall 2011 Dr. McCollin told Rock Magazine, “I believe that thoughtful, committed people can change the world.” In her lifetime, she showed that this is absolutely true.
Featured Scholarships
Elmer Cottrell
Elmer B. Cottrell Memorial Scholarship
Anatomy, physiology, statistics… these are the names of classes that strike fear in the hearts of students. These were some of the classes that Dr. Elmer B. Cottrell taught when he worked for Slippery Rock University. Yet, he also taught gymnastics and lifesaving. In fact, Dr. Cottrell was a diverse and talented man who wore many hats while a faculty member on campus. He served as assistant football coach, assistant basketball coach and head gymnastics, tennis, golf, and swimming coach.
Dr. Cottrell drew up plans for the East-West Gym swimming pool which was the first swimming pool on campus and then started the competitive swimming program. In 1970, posthumously, he was elected into the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame.
This tireless man worked at SRU for 25 years from 1923 to 1948 and then retired to work for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the Director of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. He served in that position until his death 11 years later in 1957.
Dr. Cottrell was also founder of PSAHPERD, The Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, which is having its 97th convention this year. Each year PSAHPERD gives out 16 Awards including Teacher of the Year Awards and Athletic Director of the Year. The highest award that this organization gives is the Elmer B. Cottrell Award to recognize exceptional service and leadership to PSAHPERD and the profession.
In 2004, his children, Eleanor Cottrell Hartzell ’39 and Dr. Edwin Cottrell ’43, decided to pay homage to this amazing man by establishing a scholarship in his name. The scholarship is a tribute to their father’s life-long commitment to the advancement of health and physical education.
Anatomy, physiology, statistics… these are the names of classes that strike fear in the hearts of students. These were some of the classes that Dr. Elmer B. Cottrell taught when he worked for Slippery Rock University. Yet, he also taught gymnastics and lifesaving. In fact, Dr. Cottrell was a diverse and talented man who wore many hats while a faculty member on campus. He served as assistant football coach, assistant basketball coach and head gymnastics, tennis, golf, and swimming coach.
Dr. Cottrell drew up plans for the East-West Gym swimming pool which was the first swimming pool on campus and then started the competitive swimming program. In 1970, posthumously, he was elected into the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame.
This tireless man worked at SRU for 25 years from 1923 to 1948 and then retired to work for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the Director of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. He served in that position until his death 11 years later in 1957.
Dr. Cottrell was also founder of PSAHPERD, The Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, which is having its 97th convention this year. Each year PSAHPERD gives out 16 Awards including Teacher of the Year Awards and Athletic Director of the Year. The highest award that this organization gives is the Elmer B. Cottrell Award to recognize exceptional service and leadership to PSAHPERD and the profession.
In 2004, his children, Eleanor Cottrell Hartzell ’39 and Dr. Edwin Cottrell ’43, decided to pay homage to this amazing man by establishing a scholarship in his name. The scholarship is a tribute to their father’s life-long commitment to the advancement of health and physical education.
Leo Shapiro (L) and Charlotte (R), his wife
Leo I. Shapiro Memorial Scholarship
Leo I. Shapiro was a noted attorney in Pittsburgh who earned his undergraduate degree at The University of Pittsburgh and attained his law degree from Harvard School of Law. He was an authority on Labor law and served for many years as General Counsel for the Allegheny County Labor Council. Additionally, he was appointed Assistant Solicitor for the City of Pittsburgh and a Deputy Attorney for the State Labor Relations Board. He served as legal counsel and arbitrator for many Western Pennsylvania Labor Unions and was active with the State Minimum Wage Board
Mr. Shapiro strongly espoused equal higher education for women as well as men. One of his proudest achievements was that, in the nineteen fifties, he was able to educate all three of his daughters to degrees beyond baccalaureate.
After passing, and because he believed that lifelong education was achieved through reading and travel and academic pursuits, his wife, Dr. Charlotte H. Shapiro, established the Leo I. Shapiro Lecture Series. This program was designed for undergraduate liberal arts students. The Series evolved into a scholarship to recognize an outstanding student in the field of History or Political Science to perpetuate Leo Shapiro’s zeal and enthusiasm for higher education and advanced learning.
Leo I. Shapiro was a noted attorney in Pittsburgh who earned his undergraduate degree at The University of Pittsburgh and attained his law degree from Harvard School of Law. He was an authority on Labor law and served for many years as General Counsel for the Allegheny County Labor Council. Additionally, he was appointed Assistant Solicitor for the City of Pittsburgh and a Deputy Attorney for the State Labor Relations Board. He served as legal counsel and arbitrator for many Western Pennsylvania Labor Unions and was active with the State Minimum Wage Board
Mr. Shapiro strongly espoused equal higher education for women as well as men. One of his proudest achievements was that, in the nineteen fifties, he was able to educate all three of his daughters to degrees beyond baccalaureate.
After passing, and because he believed that lifelong education was achieved through reading and travel and academic pursuits, his wife, Dr. Charlotte H. Shapiro, established the Leo I. Shapiro Lecture Series. This program was designed for undergraduate liberal arts students. The Series evolved into a scholarship to recognize an outstanding student in the field of History or Political Science to perpetuate Leo Shapiro’s zeal and enthusiasm for higher education and advanced learning.