Mimi Barash Coppersmith, ‘fearless trailblazer,’ State College icon, dies at 92
Mimi Barash Coppersmith, a State College icon who left a mark on Penn State and beyond, has died, the publication she founded announced Monday evening. She was 92 years old.
In a social media post, Town&Gown Magazine wrote that Barash Coppersmith was much more than a publisher of the magazine she launched in 1966.
“She was a passionate community leader, fearless trailblazer, and a tireless advocate for meaningful conversation and connection,” the publication wrote.
Barash Coppersmith was also co-founder of The Barash Group, an advertising and marketing company she started with husband Sy Barash “in the basement of their home in 1959 as a small advertising agency with big ideas,” according to the company’s website. Barash Coppersmith owned and ran the company for more than 50 years, and took over as publisher of Town&Gown after Sy Barash’s death in 1975.
“In 1966, Mimi launched Town&Gown with a simple but powerful mission: to bridge the gap between Penn State and the State College community,” Town&Gown’s post reads. “For decades, her voice shaped the stories that mattered most, championing local voices and celebrating the people who make this region special.”
A Penn State alumna, Barash Coppersmith became the first woman to be elected chair of the Penn State Board of Trustees in the early 1990s. She would go on to receive the Penn State Distinguished Alumni Award in 1998.
Barash Coppersmith’s gifts to the university led to numerous permanent endowments, according to a 2023 Penn State news release. She was also pivotal in establishing the university’s Renaissance Fund, which provides scholarships to academically talented students in need, and served as a board member.
“I’ve been fortunate to live a rich and satisfying life, but my service at Penn State has driven home the lesson that there is nothing more gratifying than helping those in need,” she said in the 2023 release.
Her contributions in the larger State College and Centre County community were also numerous. Through the years, her leadership, board and advisory positions included those with the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, Palmer Art Museum, Centre Foundation, Pennsylvania Pink Zone and more.
Her memoir, “Eat First, Cry Later: The Life Lessons of a First-Generation College Graduate, Penn State Alumna and Female CEO” was published in 2018.
“This book is lessons learned by a liberal, Jewish woman in the process of being part of the action in the community and the university,” she told the Centre Daily Times in 2018.
Barash Coppersmith and Sy Barash had two children, Carol and Nan.
“Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and all who were inspired by her life and work,” Town&Gown wrote. “Thank you, Mimi, for everything.”
In lieu of flowers
In lieu of flowers, one of the daughters of Mimi Barash Coppersmith has asked friends, family and those interested to instead donate to one of the charitable causes closest to her heart — or any charity, really.
“My mom wouldn’t really care one way or another,” Nan Barash said with a laugh, explaining her mother’s desire to better the world around her wasn’t limited to just a few causes.
Still, for those in need of ideas, Nan Barash suggested three places to donate:
- Barash Family Renaissance Scholarship (Penn State)
- College of Communications Barash Scholarship for Study Abroad (Penn State)
- Congregation Brit Shalom
Barash Coppersmith’s synagogue can be donated to online at britshalomstatecollege.org/donations-payments. Penn State did not immediately return a message seeking comment about how to donate directly to its funds, although the university’s give.psu.edu website directs those with questions to email annualgiving@psu.edu.
This story was originally published September 15, 2025 at 9:54 PM.
