She has been employed as a professor at the university since, August 2002. She was the 2012-2013 first runner-up recipient of the University of North Carolina Governors’ Teacher of the Year Award. She was the 2009-2010 Elizabeth City State University’s Departmental Teacher of the Year (Department of Education), and Chair of the Department of Education from 2005-2009. Dr. Copeland is married to Robert L. Copeland, and they have two grown daughters, and four grandchildren.