September 23, 2021
Copeland Fellows announced
Copeland Fellows meet with Mark Copeland, left, and Ken Bouyer, right (photo by ECU)
It’s been a while, but the Business Leadership Conference (BLC), organized by East Carolina University’s College of Business, took place once again Sept. 13. COB juniors, seniors and graduates participated in the event’s keynote presentation in the morning and almost 20 sessions throughout the day.
This year’s Conference also served as the backdrop for a major announcement. The Copeland Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship program named the following students as its inaugural fellows.
- Jonathan Coleman, management information systems major
- Paige DeMutis, marketing major (intended)
- Evelyn Gonzalez, accounting major
- Aurora Shafer, entrepreneur major
- Grant Smith, marketing major (intended)
In Feb. 2020, the College of Business announced the new Copeland Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship program. The program is possible thanks to a generous commitment from COB alumni Mark & Tracy Copeland. This two-year fellowship is a comprehensive program that celebrates and encourages a culture of diversity and inclusion.
During the Conference, Copeland had an opportunity to meet the fellows for the first time.
“I’m excited to see the energy they have,” said Copeland. “I think about their different majors, their backgrounds, where they come from, and their activities around the university, and I couldn’t be more excited by what this young generation is going to continue to deliver during their time here at ECU.”
The Copeland Fellows will be required to participate in diversity and inclusion-related events for four semesters. They will each close out the experience by working on a project to demonstrate what they have learned while participating in the program. Twenty hours will be required for each semester.
“I’m hoping this fellowship allows for these students to come together and to make an impact across the COB’s student body,” said Mark Copeland.
Something special
Aurora Shafer is an Honors College junior from Orlando, Florida. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in entrepreneurship with a minor in disability studies. As a disabled person, Shafer is familiar with the specific issues faced by the disabled community. Still, she is not as knowledgeable on the specific issues faced by other historically oppressed groups. Her goal for the program is to understand diversity, equity better, and inclusion issues and better pursue a career goal of making employment accessible to disabled people.
Ken Bouyer of EY Americas addresses Business Leadership Conference attendees about the importance of diversity in the business world.
“I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to help define what this fellowship is all about and emphasize the importance of including disabled people in diversity, equity and inclusion conversations,” Shafer said.
As a junior in the management information systems program, Jonathan Coleman has a lot on his plate. He’s a member of the football team, vice president of the Student-athlete Advisory Committee, and a member of the Black Student-Athlete Organization and the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society. The Richmond, Virginia native is excited to have a chance to “be the front-runners of this program and lay the foundation for the many students who will come after us.”
“My goal for the Copeland Fellowship is to give a voice to people who feel as if they don’t have one,” Coleman said. “If we can impact just one student, it would mean the world.”
Grant Harrison Smith is a junior marketing major and a member of the Honors College. He applied for the fellowship program because he wants to “learn more about our diverse university.”
“My goal as a Copeland Fellow is to help move this fellowship forward,” said Smith. “As (a member of) the inaugural class, there is a little bit of pressure to help the program take a step forward, but I think the five of us are more than capable.”
“The new Copeland Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship program demonstrates that we are dedicated to a welcoming and open atmosphere in the College of Business,” said Dr. Paul Schwager, dean, College of Business. “With this program, as well as numerous planned initiatives, I hope that all of us will grow and be good stewards of diversity, equity and inclusion to the point it’s engrained in our DNA.”
The announcement of the Copeland Fellows plays in nicely with the Conference’s annual theme, which is constructed around ethics, diversity, globalization and the environment. Diversity was a focus of this year’s event thanks to the keynote presentation by Ken Bouyer, EY Americas director of inclusiveness recruiting and the Copeland Fellows announcement.
“Organizations such as ours are relying on universities to produce talent that will work and can work across the world without missing a beat,” said Bouyer. “It’s critically important that universities focus on diversity, equity and inclusion and that journey.”
Bouyer also had an opportunity to meet the new Copeland Fellows following his presentation and after doing so, he said he was impressed.
“They (Copeland Fellows) are from all walks of life, and I think they’re going to add so much value,” he said. “I think they’re going to grow and learn together as they move forward. I think this is going to be the start of something special.”
The Copeland Diversity and Inclusion Fellows were announced during the 2021 Business Leadership Conference. Pictured front from left: Copeland Fellow Evelyn Gonzalez, Copeland Fellow Aurora Shafer, Copeland Fellowship Director Dr. Amy McMillan; back from left, College of Business Dean Paul Schwager, Mark Copeland, Copeland Fellow Grant Smith, EY America’s Ken Bouyer and Copeland Fellow Jonathan Coleman. (Photo by Rhett Butler)
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