Who was Professor Abbie M. Copps?
Learn more about the Professor behind the contest.
Who was Professor Abbie M. Copps?
Abbie M. Copps was born in 1893 in Chateaugay, New York. For schooling, Copps went to Elmira College Teaching School in Elmira, New York, where she received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees. After that, she went on to go to Cornell University and received her Ph.D. In 1920, Dr. Copps came to Olivet where she obtained her first teaching position. Dr. Abbie M. Copps was an Olivet faculty member for 48 years before her retirement in 1968. Because of her years of dedication, Dr. Copps was given the nickname "Teacher". During her time for the institution, Dr. Copps served as the Chairman of the English department, and was honored with title Prof. Emeritus, a Presidential citation, and an Honorary Litt. D. degree.
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The Abbie M. Copps Sonnet Competition began in her name in 1963 by the Olivet English Department, to honor her years of service. By 1973, the competition changed to the Abbie M. Copps Poetry Competition, where every year, a major poet is chosen as the Olivet College Abbie M. Copps Poet.
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We at the Garfield Lake Review would like to thank and credit William Buchanan (who was a Professor of English at the University of Olivet from 1964-1980) and the article "Dr. Abbie M. Copps: 'Teacher'" written by an anonymous source for the insightful information we've obtained about Professor Copps.