In honor of Black History Month, we proudly celebrate and highlight the remarkable contributions of Black students, faculty and alumni who are an integral part of the Millsaps College community. Today we turn the spotlight on Rhonda Cooper, class of 1985.
Frisbees flying across The Bowl, lunches in the Caf, parties and late-night talks. These are a few of the college memories that come to mind for alumna Rhonda Cooper. Now a successful attorney in her hometown of Jackson, she was initially apprehensive about attending Millsaps.
Guided by Family
“I was accepted to Howard and Emory, but due to some health issues my dad was concerned about me being away from home,” she said. “He convinced me that it was best that I remain close to home by attending Millsaps.
“My dad thought the only and best college for me was Millsaps,” she recalled. “For years, my dad would tell family and friends his little girl went to the best school in Mississippi.”
A Whole New World
Cooper found Millsaps to be a place of new experiences. “While my surroundings were familiar, I still immersed myself in campus life because it was a whole new world of different people with interesting backgrounds and stories to share,” she said.
A standout memory from her freshman year was a course titled Heritage. “Our professor, Dr. Richard Mallete, was quite memorable. I had never met anyone as intellectual, well-rounded and carefree as he was in the classroom.” The course was her initial exposure to critical and analytical thinking, skills that would serve her the rest of her life.
Cooper went on to take philosophy and history courses that honed her writing skills. She even took Latin all four years at Millsaps. “I still think being a Latin scholar set me apart.”
Beyond the Classroom
For Cooper, the Millsaps experience was about more than academics. It was about community and a sense of belonging. “We would cook out on Saturdays at Lefleur’s Bluff with members of the Black fraternities and sororities,” she said. “I met one of my closest friends at Millsaps; she graduated two years before me and now lives in Los Angeles. We have nurtured a friendship that began well over 40 years ago and now includes our parents and children.”
The Next Step
Armed with a business administration degree from Millsaps, Cooper headed to law school.
While at the University of Alabama Law School, it was clear that Millsaps had laid a strong foundation that set her up for success. “The rigors of my undergraduate education equipped me to meet the challenges of law school,” she said.
Intellectual curiosity, discipline, active listening and compassion – traits Cooper credits Millsaps with instilling in her. She deems them essential to her legal profession.
Defined by Community Service
She has completely immersed herself in giving back. Hosting educational workshops, volunteering with Jackson Public Schools on literacy projects and mentoring are just a few examples of her community service.
“Service and community engagement are important to me because people matter,” she said. “I have worked closely over the years with the Mississippi Center for Justice and the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence because their missions are akin to my philosophy: to aid and uplift marginalized communities often neglected or underserved by the larger community.”
Switching Gears
Practicing law didn’t come without its difficulties. After an extremely grueling three-year case, Rhonda was facing burnout and knew she needed a change. “I was mentally and physically drained when it was all over,” she explained. “I needed to switch gears to slow the pace.”
Cooper had taught as an adjunct instructor at Jackson State University early in her career and she knew it was time to return. After 20 years in the courtroom, it was time for a return to the classroom. She became a clinical professor and pre-law advisor at JSU, where she redesigned the legal studies program.
“For eight years, I taught, advised, counseled, mothered, chaperoned travel and dined with dozens of young adults desiring to become lawyers,” she said. “Those years have been the most rewarding of my career by far.”
Rhonda Cooper’s life story is one of dedication, service and lifelong learning. From her days at Millsaps to her successful legal and academic career, she continually reflects the values Millsaps nurtures in its students: integrity and passion to name a few.
She has returned to practicing law, but it’s impossible to title her with a single word. She is a lawyer, a mentor, an educator, a leader and an inspiration. Her legacy is not just written in legal briefs, but in the lives she’s touched and the communities she’s served.