Cooper Named Recipient of the NCS4 Cornerstone Award
Mon, 07/22/2024 - 09:27am | By: Anthony Palazzolo
![Walter Cooper Award](/news/2024/_images/walter-cooper.jpeg)
Dr. Walter Cooper was awarded the second-ever Cornerstone Award at the NCS4 15th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition Award Luncheon held in Phoenix on July 10. The Awards Luncheon was sponsored by Evolv Technology, which provides weapons detection systems for security screening.
The Cornerstone Award recognizes individuals who have played an integral role in the foundation of the NCS4 and/or provided leadership in the development and growth of NCS4 programs. 鈥淲alter is one of the original founders of NCS4and its training program,鈥 said Dr. Stacey Hall, NCS4 Executive Director and Professor of Sport Management. 鈥淗e helped write the first grant the Center was awarded from FEMA to develop risk management training for college safety and security teams, and he served as the Center鈥檚 first-ever Director of Training. Walter exemplified all the qualities of a servant leader and humble leader. We thank him for advocating for the Center since its inception. He undoubtedly played an impactful role in where the Center stands today.鈥
Walter has held many leadership positions during his decades of service in higher education, such as Professor, Department Chair, and Dean. A Professor Emeritus at the University of 麻豆传媒, Walter was the NCS4Director of Training during the Center鈥檚 formative years, playing an integral role in the creation of NCS4 and the growth of its training program. Walter currently serves as the Director of the Interscholastic Athletics Administration Program at William Carey University, which he developed in 2014. He continues to consult with public and private sector industries on quality management training.
鈥淚 was quite surprised, honored, and appreciative to receive this award,鈥 said Dr. Walter Cooper, Director of the Interscholastic Athletics Administration Program at William Carey University. It鈥檚 an honor to have been a part of the formative years of NCS4. I鈥檓 very proud of the work that our team, including Ret. FBI Agent Jim McGee did to help lay the foundation for what NCS4 is today under the leadership of Dr. Stacey Hall and Lauren Cranford, both of whom I am very appreciative of. Being able to attend the conference gave me the opportunity to visit with people who were a part of NCS4 from the very beginning.
Planning for the 2025 Annual Conference is underway, with details to be released later this year. The event will be held July 1-3, 2025, at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas.
The NCS4 will host the National Marathon and Endurance Events Safety and Security Forum on December 3-4, 2024, at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, Va., and the National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Forum on January 28-29, 2025, at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Details will be released in the coming weeks.
About NCS4:
Established in 2006, the NCS4 is the nation's only academic center devoted to the study and practice of sports safety
and security. The NCS4 is partially underwritten by grants from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The NCS4mission focuses on three key pillars 鈥 Training and Education, Research, and Outreach. For
more information about NCS4, call 601.266.6183.