Tarrant County College Southeast President William E. Coppola, Ph.D., is the 2019 recipient of the Arlington MLK “Advancing the Dream” Award in Education.
Coppola, TCC Southeast president since 2012, is being honored for exemplifying the “Advancing the Dream” ideals of the civil rights leader.
“Through his leadership in academia, Dr. Coppola lives the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King,” said Angela L. Davis Henry, Advancing the Dream Community Awards chair. “Dr. Coppola’s vision to create college access to a diverse community, including his leadership in a joint partnership with Arlington ISD to create and build an early collegiate high school for Arlington ISD students, made him the ideal honoree.”
His service beyond TCC Southeast also contributed to Coppola’s recognition, Davis Henry said. These include his contributions on the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Commission on Structured Pathways, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce Board, City of Arlington Transportation Committee, Methodist Mansfield Hospital Community Advisory Board and the Methodist Health System Audit Committee. Additionally, the honor recognizes his work as the Phi Theta Kappa Texas Presidential Liaison, as well as with the Phi Theta Kappa National Advisory Board, the Rotary Club of Arlington, Tarrant County Homeless Coalition, Continuum of Care Board of Directors and as a founding council member of the Tarrant Transit Alliance.
Coppola was recognized Friday at the “Advancing the Dream” banquet at The University of Texas at Arlington, the kickoff event for the four-day celebration that includes a step competition, poetry and jazz performances and an ecumenical service.
“It is truly an honor to receive this prestigious award on behalf of Tarrant County College and TCC Southeast,” Coppola said. “I am proud that we are in a position to support the students and community we serve to achieve their dreams and goals.”