Index
Scholarships
The James P. Soper Scholarship
The James P. Soper Scholarship was established in 1919 by James P. Soper, father of James P. Soper, Jr., Class of 1911.
James P. Soper was one of three brothers, including Alexander Coburn Soper, Class of 1867, whose generosity made possible the construction of Soper Hall of Commons which opened in 1903. James subsequently sent his son, James. Jr., to Hamilton as a member of the Class of 1911.
Following his time on College Hill, during which he joined the Sigma Phi fraternity, James, Jr. returned to the family business, Soper Lumber Company in Chicago. In 1937, he established the James Soper Merrrill Prize, in memory of his cousin, to recognize a graduating senior who best typifies the highest ideals of the College. James, Jr. died in 1979.
James, Jr.’s son, James III, followed his father to Hamilton in 1940 where he also joined Sigma Phi. Along with many of his classmates, he had his education interrupted by World War II. He left the College to serve in the U.S. Naval Air Force and was stationed in the Pacific. Following the War, he received his A.B. in 1948 from the University of Virginia. He, like his father before him, entered the family business, this time in California at the Soper-Wheeler Company. Over the years, James III retained his family’s affinity for Hamilton, hosting various events and administrators and serving on the Class of 1944 Reunion Committee.
June 2014
Please note: The named scholarships profiled on these pages are awarded as part of the College’s need-based financial aid packages. These funds help ensure the Hamilton Promise of keeping education affordable through meeting a student’s full demonstrated financial need.
Materials published here were diligently researched and written by students who strived for historical accuracy.
