Bulldog Spirit

Rolling Out the Bulldog Bred Carpet

Photos by Cary Edmondson
 
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Darrell Copeland III was overflowing with Bulldog Spirit – and it showed with his bedroom décor, full of Bulldog swag and even carpet featuring the four-paw logo. Copeland attended nearly every Fresno State football, baseball and basketball home game, and often even attended football practices when they were open to fans during the Pat Hill era.

He graduated from Fresno State in 2009 with a degree in media, communications and journalism (public relations) and was determined to use his talents to help elevate the brand of his alma mater. But, in 2011, at just 25 years old, Copeland died unexpectedly after collapsing while playing recreational softball with his close friends (including Eddie Hughes, the editor of Fresno State Magazine).

Inspired to keep Copeland’s memory alive and leave a legacy at Fresno State, his parents and friends raised about $90,000 — through softball tournaments, holiday craft boutiques and in-kind donations — to create two scholarship endowments in his honor. One endowment supports student-athlete scholarships through the Bulldog Foundation, and one supports students in the Department of Media, Communications and Journalism.

“Darrell had a positive educational experience at Fresno State and thoroughly enjoyed writing for The Collegian,” says Diana Copeland, his mother. “He was passionate about giving back to the university, which
is why family and friends rallied together to provide two scholarships in Darrell’s memory.”

– Diana Copeland,  Darrell’s mother