STATE COLLEGE — Best friends do nice things for each other.
In the case of Mimi Barash Coppersmith and Barbara Palmer, the latter started a new fund in Coppersmith’s name with Centre Foundation to benefit women in leadership roles.
On Nov. 1, Coppersmith also was presented with the Oak Tree Award from Centre Foundation “in recognition of her excellent service, commitment and passion for not only Centre Foundation, but for the community at large.”
It’s fitting that a fund for women in leadership positions is in Coppersmith’s name. Locally, she’s been a standout female leader herself since the 1960s. She and her first husband, Sy Barash, founded Town&Gown Magazine in 1966. She’s been a prominent philanthropist, serving on the initial board of directors for Centre Foundation and as its chair in 1986 and 1987.
At a time in her life when she said she wanted to branch out and blaze a new trail, Coppersmith ran and was elected to the Penn State board of trustees on her first attempt. She would serve as its first chairwoman for two years of her seven terms.
“We are excited to be able to honor Mimi with this award, not only for her dedication to Centre Foundation, but also for the difference she has made in Centre County through years of generosity and service,” said Molly Kunkel, executive director of Centre Foundation.
Coppersmith said many women come to her for advice and feel as though they haven’t been treated as equals.
“I generally advise them to believe in their own self and their own capability and be their own best advocate,” Coppersmith said.
Women tend to undervalue their services and compromise to be nice because they’ve been taught to be ‘good girls.’ I was taught that way too, but I was taught to not be afraid to represent myself by a very strong mother.”
She said that nurturing helped her build self-esteem, be a strong advocate for herself and always ask questions.
“I always say to people, ‘There’s no such thing as a dumb question.’ Because, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. You don’t get the answer. You don’t get what you want. You don’t get progress.”
The fund established in her name by Palmer now gives her a chance to do even more for women.
Palmer started the fund with $60,000 that will be paid “to nonprofit organizations in Centre County encouraging and supporting women taking strong leadership roles around community issues,” said the letter agreement describing the fund.
The grant distributions will be recommended by a committee of three to five women in leadership roles. Those committee members will be selected by Coppersmith herself in consultation with Centre Foundation.
“It’s very rewarding to be in a position and have the opportunity to lead and help other women. It feels very good. Especially when you get results.”
Coppersmith already has two funds of her own creation at Centre Foundation. In 2005, the Mimi Fund was started to support the ongoing work of the foundation. In 2013, she started the Mimi Barash Coppersmith Fund for Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, which has $73,000.
Others in the State College area may know Coppersmith as a past president of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, campaign coordinator for Centre Lifelink’s capital campaign, board member at the Palmer Museum of Art and chairman of the capital campaigns for the Women’s Resource Center and Hemlock Girl Scout Council. She has served on the board of the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and has been honored as Renaissance Person of the Year by Penn State.
Coppersmith also is a recipient of the Penn State Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor bestowed on PSU graduates.
Editor’s note: Mimi Barash Coppersmith is the founder of Barash Media, which is owned by Indiana Printing and Publishing, publisher of The Centre County Gazette.
