ABOUT COLUMBUS COPELAND

Inspirational speaker, author, and trainer, Columbus Copeland, knows how to turn obstacles into opportunities. Growing up in rural Clinton, South Carolina, Copeland gained invaluable insight into what it takes to rebound from life’s struggles. How? Columbus Copeland had an opportunity to see things from an unmotivated person’s point of view because he was immersed in a community where far too many residents chose to give up. He gives credit to his mother and father for keeping him focused.

Copeland became a star basketball player for Clinton High School, where he received numerous honors.   Despite all the honors received and records broken, his dream of going to college on a basketball scholarship seemed unattainable. Having poor grades, SAT scores, and graduating nearly at the bottom of his class made many college coaches reluctant to take a chance on him. Mr. Copeland soon took matters into his own hands by handwriting hundreds of college coaches begging them for a try-out.  To his dismay, not one college responded.  However, with hard work, prayer, and assistance from his High School coach, Copeland’s persistence paid off. One week prior to high school graduation, Emmanuel Jr. College at Franklin Springs, Georgia afforded him a try-out.  He was offered a full basketball scholarship that same day.

At the end of his sophomore year at Emmanuel Jr. College, Copeland became the first African American to receive the Bill White Award -- the highest honor bestowed upon a student athlete. He graduated with a BS degree from Evangel College in Springfield, Missouri. After graduating from Evangel College, he was able to pursue a childhood dream. He was granted an opportunity by a free-agent to try out with the Sarasota Stingers in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He often says, “It feels good to go after your dreams even if you do not reach them. A real good dream gives birth to other opportunities that would only have come as a result of your dream.  I hate to see adults discourage children from dreaming.” Yes, as a child he often dreamed of playing college and professional basketball. Once he entered college, it was realized that he could become a professional in others as well.   

Copeland received tremendous programmatic and training experience while working with the South Carolina Employment Security Commission.  There he had the opportunity of working with the disenfranchised.  After speaking to a standing room only crowd at the National Head Start Conference in Orlando, Florida someone asked him, “What was the defining moment that made you go into business as an inspirational speaker and author?”  His response -“Life!”  “Life has a way of presenting opportunities through problems. Once we solve the problems, we will find opportunities.”  After leaving the Employment Security Commission, he relocated to Charlotte. Unfortunately, within six months he was terminated from his duties.  For the next 30 days, he could not find work. A decision was made to create a job – to start his own business.  One of the proudest accomplishments has been developing programs to empower and transform welfare recipients.  Thousands of welfare recipients have benefited from his teachings. Many of them are now homeowners, managers, entrepreneurs, and the list of achievements goes on. 

Columbus Copeland is the author of two youth empowerment workbooks -- both self published.  Creating and Developing My Own Way is the title of his first book. Growing up and overcoming a handicap -- a severe stuttering problem, Copeland understands how children feel dreading school the next day in fear of been ridiculed. He developed the second self-help workbook, What’s So Funny About Teasing? to help children rise above bullying and teasing. He wrote in the opening of this book, “I believe that whatever shortcomings you have in your childhood, if you do not face and work on them, you will carry these same behaviors over into adulthood.”  His life suffered for twenty-five years because of being in denial and running from my stuttering problem. “It’s amazing how the thing I ran away from for twenty-five years, now allows me to fly across the country helping  people overcome their comfort zone.  There is no greater feeling than standing in front of thousands of people delivering words of encouragement and strategies to help get their lives back on track.”

Copeland has a long list of clients who call on him consistently to deliver keynote speeches at National, Regional, and State Conferences. He does professional staff development and empowerment trainings as well.

Some of Columbus Copeland’s clients are as follows:  

Charlotte Mecklenburg Urban League, Charlotte, NC
Broward County Urban League Fort Lauderdale, FL
Rockland County Head Start, Spring Valley, NY
San Bernardino County, San Bernardino, CA
Gary Teachers Union, Gary, IN
Northeast High School Kansas City, MO
East Georgia Facility System Georgia Regional Hospital Augusta, GA

Copeland currently resides in Charlotte, NC.