By: Pattie Gorzala SC Feature Editor

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      Have you ever walked passed the cheerleader standing outside your local supermarket in the dead of winter, or just thrown that flyer some kid gave you on the floor or in the bottom of your shopping cart? Those kids standing out there are raising money for a good cause. Maybe they are raising money for the local Thanksgiving Food Drive, or maybe they’re raising money for cancer. Many of us walk passed those pesky kids praying they won’t see us, while others will throw our only dollar into that tin can, hoping one dollar can make a difference. Whenever I walk passed someone collecting donations one specific person comes to mind, Copeland Lewis, a senior here at ESU and a member of the university’s soccer team.

      Lewis has devoted much of his time to a foundation, specifically as director of the Jonathan Hibbert Soccer Scholarship foundation; a foundation that aides Jamaican student-athletes academic opportunity through athletics. The foundation was established in memory of Jonathan Hibbert, a talented young adult who excelled academically and was a gifted soccer player at Munro College in Jamaica. Tragically, Hibbert’s life came to an end on December 20, 2002 in a motor vehicle accident. “This foundation was started in 2003 by John’s mom, and one day in 2004, I was lying in my room with a picture of John over my bed, and I started to think about him. No charity was started or anything to remember him by, so I figured I know a lot of soccer coaches and John loved soccer so I started this scholarship program in memory of him.”

       Although Hibbert passed away his memory lives on through this foundation, which has provided many talented Jamaican students with opportunities that are beyond their wildest dreams. Currently, just under a million dollars in scholarships have been awarded to these deserving athletes. Just to name a few, there are fifteen students at the University of Maine, one at Howard University, and two at ESU, Toric Robinson, a sophomore, and Shane McFarlene, a junior. Roshane Ellison, a junior, is also a student from Jamaica on a soccer scholarship here at ESU.

      Lewis himself is a recipient of a soccer scholarship. “I received a soccer scholarship while I was at Munro College in Jamaica, and I attended a school in Kentucky before I was transferred to ESU. I chose ESU because of the good business program here; I also have family in New York and Philadelphia. ESU is right in the middle.” Although Lewis does experience periodic homesickness, and misses his mom’s cooking, he plans to remain in the area and get his graduate degree, or perhaps begin a career. This opportunity has been made possible by an athletic scholarship- one that many students only dream of.

      This scholarship program has been made possible by many ESU students and faculty members such as: Kevin Holmes and Kurth Francis, both ESU students, Rob Berkowitz, the ESU women’s soccer coach, who has referred Lewis to soccer coaches at other universities, Colleen Shotwell, ESU’s athletic trainer, and Dr. Drago, chair of ESU’s psychology department. The dedication and care of these people has made Lewis’ vision a reality, to start a charity in memory of his friend whom he holds near and dear to his heart. If you would like to help, please visit www.jhibbertfoundation.org to make a donation, or e-mail Lewis at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

      Next time you walk past someone collecting money for charity, remember all the faces you see every day. Every day we take for granted all our opportunities and everything we’re handed, but then there are some of us that wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for those people who put their dollars into those tin cans. I hope next time you consider throwing that flyer on the ground or in the bottom of your shopping cart that you remember the story of the 23 year old who made so many students’ dreams a reality, all in memory of his friend.