The Passing of Dr. George E. Cooper,
Executive Director, White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

From Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

We have lost a great champion for the nation’s historically black colleges and a leader in the realm of animal husbandry and nutrition. On behalf of all employees of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, our prayers go out to his wife Diane, his family, our 1890s land-grant university partners and all who knew this brilliant and caring man. 

NIFA was fortunate to call Dr. Cooper one of our own for 17 years. During his long and successful tenure at USDA beginning in 1990, he served in many capacities under NIFA’s predecessor, the former Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service: As a National Program Leader in Animal Systems, as deputy administrator for Science and Education Resources and deputy administrator for Partnerships, and as communications director.

We honor his illustrious service to NIFA, USDA and our nation, and for his life-long commitment to ensuring that our nation’s historically black colleges and universities continue to graduate the next generation of America’s leaders.