John and Char Kopchick have donated to various causes within Ohio University, including creating the John J. Kopchick, PH.D. Translational Research Endowments and supporting OHIO’s Campus Involvement Center.
As Ohio University faculty and supportive mentors to students, John and Char Kopchick hope to inspire other members of the OHIO community to be change agents. John, a Goll Eminent Scholar and professor of molecular biology, and Char, assistant dean of students for Campus Involvement, have donated to various causes within the University.
In addition to giving to OHIO, the Kopchicks have provided gifts to other universities, including the MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. John and Char simply believe that giving to universities is the right thing to do.
“We wanted to support students in undergraduate and graduate levels so that they have the opportunity to go on and learn like my wife and I did,” John said.
John and Char both came from humble beginnings, growing up in coal mining towns and being the first in their respective families to go to college. Scholarships allowed them to get an education and pursue the careers they hold today.
“Someone helped us, and now, we will help others,” Char said. “No one gets where they are without the help and support of others.” Through a charitable remainder trust, John and Char are able to watch their donations aid Ohio University students in real time.
“I want to see the impact of students getting excited,” Char said. “I want to see the fruits of some of this now.” Their gifts to Ohio University span an array of departments, but primarily go toward the science and molecular biology area for students who hope to make a change. John and his students conduct research that is intended to discover treatments for different human conditions. The John J. Kopchick, PH.D. Translational Research Endowments provide funding to students who are pursuing this type of research or other scholarly activities.
“Hopefully during this whole process, one or more [students] … will discover things that will help humanity somehow,” John said. “Without research, as a society, we’re stagnant.”
Char hopes to enrich the lives of both OHIO students and the residents of Southeastern Ohio through her work and the couple’s donations to the Campus Involvement Center. She explains that the Campus Involvement Center is how students get connected and “become part of that Bobcat family.”
As a part of the legendary Bobcat family, John and Char are paying it forward and encourage other individuals in the community to give. After all, Ohio University helped many Bobcats get their start, providing a place to learn and grow as a young professional.
“It has to be from their heart,” John said. “The donations don’t need to be in the millions. Really, anything. Any donation would help different areas of the University.”