2012 Grads to Receive Emerging Philanthropist Award

A trio of 2012 University of the Ozarks graduates - Tristan and Andrea (Muffuletto) Cooper of Clarksville, Ark., (pictured left) and Ethan Harbour of Booneville, Ark. - have each been chosen to receive the 2024 Emerging Philanthropist Award by the University's Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement.

The awards will be presented during the Ozarks Awards Ceremony, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18, in the Rogers Conference Center. The ceremony is part of Homecoming Week 2024.

The Emerging Philanthropist Award was established in 2019 by the University to recognize individuals age 40 or under who have demonstrated a record of exceptional generosity in support of Ozarks' mission and who have inspired others to give similarly.

The Coopers have an eight-year consecutive giving history and donate yearly to the 1834 Society to support the Ozarks Annual Fund. They also are supporting the new Wilson Athletic Complex.

During her time at Ozarks, Andrea, a legacy student who majored in biology, participated in campus organizations, research, and internships at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children's Hospital. After earning master's degrees in college student personnel and school counseling, she pursued a career in education, and now serves as the counseling manager for Cass Job Corps.

While a student at Ozarks, Tristan double majored in biology and environmental science. He was a student-athlete in cross country, a lifeguard, and served as an "armadillo hunter" for Dr. Frank Knight. In 2011, he was named the Male Athlete of the Year and began his career with the U.S. Forest Service. Tristan went on to earn a master's degree in fisheries and wildlife science and now serves as the engine captain for the Pleasant Hill Ranger District.

The Coopers have also donated their time to the University in efforts that have included participation on the alumni board, promoting the university at local gatherings, visiting classes to share career opportunities, and actively coordinating student volunteers with nearby Forest Service districts. The Coopers reside in Clarksville and recently welcomed a son, Sawyer Cooper, in May.

Harbour's first gift to Ozarks was the purchase of a senior brick in 2013. He has also supported the Ozark Annual Fund for six consecutive years while steadily increasing the amount of his donations.

Harbour earned a degree in economics from Ozarks before going on to earn a master's of divinity degree from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2015. He serves as a loan assistant at First Western Bank in Booneville, Ark., and as the interim pastor at Faith Lutheran Church, ELCA, in Booneville. He is president of the Booneville Lions Club and chair of the Logan County Democrats. He is vice president for Mercy Rural Critical Access Hospitals, a council member on the Booneville Human Development Center and a board member for Comprehensive Juvenile Services.

Harbour is the son of John and Lois Harbour of Booneville. His late uncle, Jerry Trowbridge, is a 1966 graduate of Ozarks.