[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 66 (Monday, May 13, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E643-E644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 FAREWELL TO VISIONARY, GROWTH-MINDED LEADER OF NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY 
                     COLLEGE, DR. ROBERT J. KOPECEK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHARLES W. DENT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 13, 2013

  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Robert J. Kopecek, 
president of Northampton Community College from 1977-2003, who passed 
away in North Carolina on April 25.
   Dr. Kopecek's vision was to expand access to education, foster 
economic development and make Northampton a world-class community 
college. Dr. Kopecek achieved these goals and much more, establishing a 
legacy as one of Pennsylvania's pre-eminent educational leaders. Under 
his leadership, enrollment at Northampton grew from 7,900 students a 
year to nearly 25,000, and the academic offerings expanded to include 
programs in more than 100 fields of study.
   To allow more people access to an education, Dr. Kopecek led 
successful efforts to offer classes in downtown Bethlehem, in the 
Lehigh Valley, and in Monroe County.
   As enrollment grew, so did the campus with the addition of 
Communications Hall and a child care center, the expansion of the 
College Center and Commonwealth Hall, and growing use of educational 
technology. In 1986, with private donations, Northampton became the 
first community college in Pennsylvania to build residence halls, 
enabling the student body, over time, to become more diverse, including 
international students.
   While leading the college, Dr. Kopecek also played an active role in 
the community. During his tenure, outreach to the community came to 
include adult literacy and English-as-a-second language programs, 
Horizons for Youth, and the Art as a Way of Learning program that 
became a national model in early childhood education.
   He also worked closely with business and industry, leading local 
manufacturers to rate Northampton as the ``most visible'' and ``most 
helpful'' organization involved in economic development in Northampton 
County. Dr. Kopecek led the movement to establish what was then the 
Northampton County Development Corporation, and served on the boards or 
advisory committees of the Bethlehem

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Chamber of Commerce, the Lehigh Valley Partnership, the Northampton 
County Industrial Development Authority, the Ben Franklin Partnership, 
and the Private Industry Council. He twice served as president of the 
Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges, and once as chair of 
the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Universities whose 
membership includes almost all of the public and private colleges and 
universities in the Commonwealth.
   Dr. Mark Erickson, current NCC president, noted ``Bob was a true 
visionary and his impact on this college, our students, faculty and 
staff will be felt for generations to come.''
   An editorial in The Express-Times at the time of his retirement 
described him as ``a miracle worker.'' Another in The Morning Call 
credited him with making Northampton and the community better places, 
noting that one of his gifts was recognizing ``the importance of 
community colleges to provide near-universal access to education beyond 
high school'' and ``how vital the community college is to economic 
development in its supporting region.''
   It is truly an honor to recognize Dr. Kopecek and his dedicated 
service and lasting contributions to the Northampton community.

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