College Sports Information Directors of America

Debbie Copp, an assistant in the University of Oklahoma Sports Information office since 1977, will be presented the 2008 Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) at the organization’s annual workshop July 1 in Tampa, Fla. The award is presented annually to a CoSIDA member for civic involvement and accomplishments outside of the sports information office.

Copp has been active in CoSIDA since the 1970’s serving as the CoSIDA committee on committees’ chairperson the past two years. She has also been active on the special awards, publicists for women’s sports, publications awards, and computer committees. She has welcomed women and minorities into the profession and mentored many as an active member of FAME. She received the CoSIDA 25-Year Achievement Award in 2002.

She joined the Sooner staff as a student in 1975 during the first year that women’s athletics were a part of the department. She went to full-time status in 1977 and has worked events in every sport that OU sponsors. She moved into her current position in 1990. As the Director of Publications for Oklahoma, she has worked on numerous award-winning publications including national award winners for football, postseason, softball, track and field, soccer, men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling media guides. She also has received writing awards from the organization.

She worked three Olympic Festivals as a press officer for the U.S. Olympic Committee and has assisted local charitable organizations including Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity Women Build and the American Cancer Society. Beyond her work assignments, Copp has a long-standing tradition of community service both on campus and in the city of Norman. A graduate of Oklahoma and almost a life-long resident of Norman, she is active in a number of organizations and campaigns including:

On campus:
• She has served as chair of the Staff Senate twice, of her employee member group three times and received the staff merit award twice
• Served on the search committee for the Dean of College of Journalism & Mass Communications
• Is currently serving on the Employee Benefits Committee, served on the Publications Board for nine years and was a presidential appointee to the Speakers Bureau for six years
• Co-chaired the Campus Campaign (OU employee fundraising campaign) for 12 years - last year's total was $1.7M
• Serves on Board of Visitors for the College of Arts & Sciences and for the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
• Served on the Board of Directors of the ‘O’ Club Oklahoma letterwinners association

Norman Community:
• She served on the Board of Directors for the Women's Resource Center for eight years, including one year as board chair. WRC operates the Norman Shelter for Battered Women, the Rape Crisis Center and a counseling and referral service for women;
• Chaired the fund-raising committee for Women's Resource Center for six years and continues to coordinate an annual event that raises more than $10,000 annually for the Center
• She is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and serves on one committee
• Has helped with the publicity efforts for the Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity Women Build and the local American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days and Relay for Life.
• Was a board member and officer on LinkNorman, an initiative that promoted community dialogues
• She is an active participant in the Secret Santa program for children in DHS system
• Lion's Club member.

Past Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award Recipients
Bob Kenworthy served as SID at Gettysburg College and was the first recipient of the award. He is a CoSIDA Hall of Famer.
2007 Dave Wohlhueter (Cornell-retired)
2006 Judy Willson (Louisiana-Monroe)
2005 Edward Hill, Jr. (Howard)
2004 Bob Nygaard (Minnesota-Duluth)
2003 David Sherwood (Wingate)
2002 Becky Paull (Idaho)
2001 Lonza Hardy Jr. (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
2000 Will Keener (Calfornia State Stanislaus)
1999 Jack Grinold (Northeastern)
1998 Bill Hamilton (South Carolina State)
1997 Norman Gough (Mississippi College)
1996 Sheila Stevenson (Rowan)
1995 Wylie Smith (Northern Arizona)