By Carly Menzel
Public Relations Student Assistant

When we leave this world we hope to be remembered by our family and friends. But few of us will be remembered by strangers for generations to come. One Kansas Wesleyan
University alumna has built a legacy of her own. With the help of the new Student
Activities Center, Helen (Woodworth) Schopp will be remembered by both her Kansas
Wesleyan family and future Coyotes for many years to come.

Helen Schopp is a true Coyote. She recently honored her alma mater by leaving Kansas Wesleyan a $1.6 million gift from her and her late husband’s estate. Of that, $730,000 will be used for the new Student Activities Center, and the remaining will go to the Fred and Helen Schopp Endowed Scholarship.

Helen Schopp attended Kansas Wesleyan University from 1929-33. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree and teaching certificate from Kansas Wesleyan. Helen was active in the choir during her years at KWU. Helen also enjoyed cheering for her older brother, Walter, a KWU athlete. After graduation, Helen did some graduate work at Kansas State University and began teaching home economics. Helen taught in Ada, Wellsville, Tescott, and Hays high schools. While teaching, Helen met her husband, Fred Schopp, a 1921 graduate of Kansas State University.

During the 1950s, Helen and Fred returned to Salina, where they were actively involved in the community. Helen taught home economics at Kansas Wesleyan for two and a half
years. She was active in the Salina Sustaining Fund Drive from 1954-1969. She also
served on the KWU Board of Trustees from 1956-59 as the Alumni Association’s elected
representative. Helen was an active officer of the Kansas Wesleyan Auxiliary. In 1969, Helen was chosen by the Kansas Wesleyan Alumni Association to receive the Distinguished Service Award.

In the early 1970s, Helen and Fred moved to San Luis Obispo, California, to be near Fred’s brother. The Schopps were an energetic couple; touring the world to attend square-dancing conventions. The couple danced in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the Far East. Fred and Helen were happily married for 55 years. Fred passed away in 2002, a few months after his 100th birthday.

Every year since 1992, Brad Botz, Director of Institutional Advancement, traveled to San Luis Obispo to see Helen and to reminisce about Kansas Wesleyan.

“It was always a joy to visit with Helen about Kansas Wesleyan. Her eyes would twinkle as she recalled her days at KWU, not only as a student, but as a professor and a trustee,” he said.

Botz said that he liked to take Helen Kansas Wesleyan windbreakers. She always wore
them proudly. “She was very proud of Kansas Wesleyan. Her blood truly ran purple.”

Botz said he and Helen were good friends up until her death last year. He was with Helen when she passed away at the age of 92 on August 1, 2004, at her home in San Luis Obispo, California. Botz said he greatly misses Helen. “She was a dear sweet person and a good friend.”

Helen will be missed by all of her Kansas Wesleyan family, but her legacy will live on in the Student Activities Center. Every university should be so lucky to have a wonderful, caring, serving alums like Helen Schopp.