A Passion for Education
Dogan Copeland, Class of 2023
For Dogan Copeland, Class of 2023, a career in education is more than a job—it is a dedication to students of all ages as they pursue a brighter future. It is a passion for helping others and a promise to do his very best to ensure students like him are supported the same way he was supported throughout his journey at Grand Valley State University.
Dogan originally graduated from GVSU with a bachelor’s degree in sports management and a minor in business. However, his interest eventually broadened from athletes to all students.
“What inspired me to switch from sports management to CSAL was wanting to work with college athletes to help them with their professional careers,” Dogan said. “But as I moved through school, I realized that I want to open this to every student, not just athletes. I hope to use this degree to help bridge the gap between high school and college.”
Through his graduate fellowship with College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL), Dogan works with the Thompson and Oliver Wilson Scholars programs, which academically, socially, and professionally support high school students on their way to college. Dogan now plays a role in guiding students with lower GPAs toward success.
“If they’re charted by the Thompsons or Oliver Wilson, those are students whose admission to the school is contingent upon the program,” he said. “I want to be able to help them get the resources they may or may not need and help them better themselves.”
Dogan is especially interested in helping first-generation students, people of color, and those from impoverished communities navigate a college education.
“For a lot of students like me, both of color and first-generation students, it is hard to have a support system coming into college to help understand what resources are available,” Dogan said. “I want to be that support system for any incoming student.”
Many of his GVSU experiences have helped Dogan on his path. He spoke highly about those who have influenced his overall experience and is especially grateful to his mentor for guiding him through life-changing decisions.
“Without her, I probably wouldn’t have been here to attend school or graduate,” he said. “I want to pass on those same notes of kindness and generosity to other students.”
Dogan expressed his thanks to those who have supported him throughout his GVSU career. In addition to peers, mentors, and professors, he credited the Thompson Scholarship program with shaping his growth as an individual, both personally and professionally.
“Without being a Thompson scholar or a student at GVSU, I wouldn’t have taken my future as seriously,” Dogan said. “I would have taken it one day at a time without thinking about the future, but as a forward-thinking school, Grand Valley made me consider what I want to do in the long term.”