Board of Trustees Scholar Finds Purpose in People and Possibilities
Posted on September 16, 2025
On his path to med school, Nicholas Cooper brings drive, balance and heart to the University of South Alabama's Honors College.
Nicholas Cooper, a graduate of UMS-Wright Preparatory School in Mobile, was named the 2025 University of South Alabama Board of Trustees Scholar, an honor reserved for the incoming freshman with the highest GPA and ACT score. With a 4.96 weighted GPA and a perfect 36 on the ACT, Cooper enters South as one of the University鈥檚 most accomplished students.
He felt nervous right before his Honors College interview, wondering if he was too unpolished, too uncertain. When the acceptance letter came, along with the email that confirmed his admission into South鈥檚 Early Acceptance Program for the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, it verified what his community had already seen: a rare mix of brilliance, humility and quiet determination.
Cooper has a longstanding interest in all learning, especially math, English and other languages. He鈥檚 pursuing a double major in philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences and biomedical sciences in the Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions, even though biology wasn鈥檛 always his strongest area.
鈥淚 knew that I would need a deeper background in biology to go into medicine, so this would be the best way to kind of hone that and teach me something I really don鈥檛 know much about, which is, in my mind, the main point of college,鈥� he said.
His long-term goal: 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping to be a reconstructive plastic surgeon, because my dream is to be a medical missionary later on in life,鈥� he said. On mission trips, he鈥檚 heard stories about children born with congenital disabilities because of maternal malnutrition.
鈥淚 figured that would be one of the most impactful ways to help these impoverished countries.鈥�
He hopes to serve primarily in Latin America, where his fluency in Spanish and Portuguese (the national language of Brazil) will give him a strong connection.
Cooper鈥檚 decision to attend South is deeply personal, and not just because twin brother, Jacob, is enrolled and on the same educational path to becoming, they hope, the first doctors in the family.
鈥淚've just kind of always had South on my mind,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y parents graduated from here. 鈥� My siblings have graduated from here.
鈥淎nd I've been in contact with a lot of people who are involved in the Honors College and in the medical program, and they are just all such incredible people. It鈥檚 not just work, work, work. They want to form a relationship. I decided I don't want my college experience to be a cold, draining, work-based thing the entire time. I want this to be a time where I form relationships.鈥�
I've just kind of always had South on my mind since I've been young. My parents graduated
from here, all my siblings have graduated from here. And I also did research on campus
here not too long ago. And I've been in contact with a lot of people who are like
involved in the Honors College and in the medical program, and they are just all such
incredible people. Like it's not just work, work, work. They want to form a relationship.
And kind of my mind, I decided, like, I don't want my college experience to be a cold,
draining, like work-based thing the entire time. Like, I want this to be a time where
I form relationships. So, I figured South would probably be the best option for that. I had been told by so many people, oh, this is such a prestigious program. It鈥檚 so
difficult to get into, like, don't be upset if you don't. And then I did, and I was
like, whoa, okay, well that's awesome. I loved the element of implementing critical thinking into medicine. So many times,
I feel like people think that medicine, and the sciences, they just have to be like
this formula that you just follow all the time. But like, we had to think outside
of the box. We had to think about new things that people hadn't thought about before,
which was just so freeing, especially because I love, I love like, creative thinking. I'm doing a philosophy major. So, like that's one thing that I love to do. So, seeing
that it doesn't just have to be like a formula the whole time. It doesn't have to
be static. It doesn't have to be strict. That was definitely exciting. I mean, learning doesn't have to be boring. Like, you can turn it into something that's
interesting for you. I think that's why we're at college. We're pursuing our interests,
our dreams. So why would we make it like a really sad and somber experience, you know? I've already formed such a great group of people who I've been hanging out with, like
if it continues on this track, on this role, then I'm really excited because I've
already formed so many great connections in three weeks. I can't even imagine what
it's going to be like for the next four years.Nicholas Cooper
At UMS-Wright, Cooper鈥檚 resume included varsity track and field and bowling, student government, honor societies and a long list of academic awards. He founded and led an Apologetics Club, served as senior class chaplain and took on a variety of leadership roles that taught him one key lesson: empathy.
鈥淟eading people means putting yourself in their shoes,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have to understand where other people are coming from 鈥� their doubts, their questions.鈥�
Cooper鈥檚 commitment to service runs deep. One of his most challenging and formative experiences was a summer internship with Church of the Highlands. He helped set up worship services at the Daphne Civic Center every week.
鈥淚 was getting up at 5 a.m. to set up chairs, screens, projectors,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen I鈥檇 stay through multiple services, worship team practice and sometimes small groups during the week. It was exhausting. But it was so worth it.鈥�
When he wasn鈥檛 volunteering or studying, he was doing fun stuff: singing, playing the guitar and throwing the javelin.
鈥淢usic is a big part of my life,鈥� said Cooper, who regularly sings at church. Athletics gave him stress relief. 鈥淪ometimes, after a long school day, you just want to chuck a stick as far as you can.鈥�
During his senior year, he held a research role under Dr. Joshua Keller, assistant professor of exercise science at South. He contributed to a study examining the effects of weight training as a preventive measure for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. The experience gave him a new perspective on medicine and research.
鈥�I loved the element of implementing critical thinking into medicine,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o many times, I feel like people think that medicine and the sciences just have to be like this formula that you follow all the time. But we had to think outside of the box. We had to think about new things that people hadn't thought about before, which was just so freeing, especially because I love creative thinking.
鈥淟earning doesn't have to be boring. You can turn it into something that's interesting for you. I think that's why we're at college. We're pursuing our interests, our dreams. So why would we make it like a really sad and somber experience, you know?鈥�
New friends are already lifting him up.
鈥淚've already formed such a great group of people who I've been hanging out with,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f it continues on this track, then I'm really excited because I've already formed so many great connections in three weeks. I can't even imagine what it's going to be like for the next four years.鈥�
