mission statement
The RAC Fund for Social Justice will work to support Rebecca’s dreams of improving health and health care for everyone through bold policy change and health system reform. Rebecca believed that health is a basic human right, not a privilege for some. And she therefore also believed that major public policy and system reforms were needed to ensure that everyone has equal access to all of the main social determinants of health – quality education, safe physical environments, food security, affordable housing, and affordable and quality health care--regardless of race, income, or where people live. Rebecca also believed that the U.S. health care system, including hospitals and insurance plans with their major resources and influence, needed to be reformed to have a stronger focus on prevention, community health, and the social factors that drive health inequality.
The overall mission of the RAC Fund for Social Justice is to keep Rebecca’s dream for health equity alive. To reach this goal, the fund will provide scholarships to like-minded University of Michigan graduate students who are committed to the same vision and goals as Rebecca, and who are also investing in dual graduate degrees that combine deep training in both public policy/advocacy/system reform and health, including public health and medical care.
Funds could also be disbursed to tax exempt organizations working toward the goals Rebecca believed and organizations that impacted Rebecca’s life.
Ford School Recognizes 2024 Rebecca a. Copeland fellows
Shannon Gielow (MPP/MSW ‘26) and Ellie Bai (MPP/MPH ‘25) were chosen for their commitment to public service and focus on promoting health equality.
Shannon Gielow is pursuing a dual degree with Social Work. Her focus is on juvenile youth, and wants to "help disassemble the cycle of systemic involvement that many minorities and impoverished individuals are forced into." She has experience working in MSU's Adolescent Diversion program, an 18-week intervention program where she was assigned to a youth involved in the juvenile justice system, and also interned in Intensive Neglect Services within the Family Division Court in Lansing.
Ellie Bai is pursuing a dual degree with Public Health (Health Management and Policy). Her focus is on addressing the "gaps resulting from socioeconomic status across communities and countries." Her application outlines her experience navigating the healthcare system when she came to the U.S. as a teenager ("7 referrals, 4 hospitalizations, 2 surgeries, over 30 clinic bills, a 3-year gap from school, and 12 months of mental healing—all because of a 1-inch break on my cheekbone"). She's committed to health equity and believes that "health cannot be defined as a human right unless the gaps are responsibly identified, fulfilled, and protected."
The fellowship was established by the Copeland family in fall 2021 in memory of Rebecca Copeland (MPP/MPH ’21). Rebecca passed just months after completing her dual master’s degrees at the University of Michigan and on the verge of beginning a career of tremendous impact in health policy. Rebecca was devoted to achieving health equity by improving health and health care for everyone through bold policy change and health system reform.
Shayla Harrison named chrt’s Rebecca copeland memorial intern for 2024
The Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) is a nonprofit health policy center at the University of Michigan. CHRT works to transform data and research into useful information that can be used to craft policies and practices that improve the health of people and communities.
Shayla Harrison was selected as the 2024 Copeland Memorial Intern because she is deeply connected to CHRT’s mission to provide evidence-based recommendations to inform policy, facilitate the integration between health, mental health, and social service providers. She will focus on supporting work that resonates with Rebecca’s commitment to addressing and supporting key issues such as affordable care, medicaid policy, mental health, and substance abuse.
Rebecca Copeland worked as an intern with CHRT from 2019-2021 while she was a graduate student at the University of Michigan Schools of Public Health and Public Policy. Rebecca was dedicated to improving health and health systems for vulnerable populations. At CHRT, she brought enthusiasm and excellence to her work and was immediately identified as a highly capable analyst.
A Letter from the Copelands
Dear Family, Friends, and Supporters of the Rebecca A. Copeland Fund for Social Justice,
It has been just over 2 years since we have seen Rebecca’s smile or heard her laugh. We miss her terribly but continue to work diligently to make sure that her dreams are fulfilled. With heavy hearts, we established the foundation in Rebecca’s honor to do just that.
We are proud to share that – thanks to the generosity of Rebecca’s incredible community – we had a very active and impactful 2023. Our third cohort of RAC Scholars were named. This year’s scholars are Olivia Morris and Jennie Scheerer. Both are in their final year at the University of Michigan, and both are dual degree majors, as was Rebecca. To learn more about each of these well‐deserving students, please scroll up for their full bios. For the first time this year, we are providing a subsidy to cover the cost of attending a conference away from the Ann Arbor campus that will offer our scholars the opportunity to make professional connections which can help them identify career opportunities. This is in addition to providing the same tuition assistance that we have in previous years.
With your help, we have been able to add two new grants that support areas Rebecca would have applauded. The first is a sponsorship of a research project in the School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. This project is spearheaded by a professor who was Rebecca’s mentor and close confidant while in graduate school. Rebecca shared many debates and conversations with her mentor discussing a wide range of topics relating to public health and general health policy. This year will be the inaugural year of the Copeland Consulting Project. Three graduate students will assist in providing a Michigan legislator with economic, political, and social analyses for a bill that could improve the Michigan health insurance system. This is the type of work Rebecca thrived on and would have loved to be part of.
The second new grant is to CHRT, the Center for Health and Research Transformation. CHRT convenes people and organizations, providing expert resources to align research, policy, and practice for better health outcomes, precisely the goal Rebecca was working toward. While attending graduate school, Rebecca interned at CHRT where she developed a wonderful relationship with the health policy director. In Rebecca’s memory, CHRT has created the Rebecca Copeland Memorial Health Policy Internship. This full‐time internship will research and analyze relevant and timely health policy issues. Jennie Scheerer, a 2023‐24 RAC Scholar, was a Rebecca Copeland Intern at CHRT this past summer.
Additionally, we plan to continue our effort, that was started last year on Giving Tuesday, to send girls that need financial assistance to Camp Marimeta. This was highly successful last summer as two girls were able to experience a wonderful summer away from home in beautiful northern Wisconsin. Rebecca’s time at camp helped develop her independent spirit and shape the person we all loved so much.
From the bottom of our hearts, our family thanks all of you so much for your ongoing generosity with your support of the Rebecca A. Copeland Fund for Social Justice. Our goal with the foundation is to keep Rebecca’s spirit alive and support people and organizations where there is a desire to improve health outcomes for all. Your giving will allow us to continue this effort. Please visit RACFund.org to make a contribution and for more detailed information on the foundation and Rebecca. Donations to the foundation can also be sent directly to us.
Warmly,
David, Liz, Sarah, Jason, Warren, Rhodes, Ella, Jonathan and Mallory
2023 In review
REmembering REbecca
STUDENT, TEACHER, COLLEAGUE, FRIEND
In her time at the University of Michigan, she had a profound impact on the people who knew her. The community that was touched by Rebecca stretches across states, the nation, and even international borders.
sCHOLARSHIP
SUPPORTING FUTURE LEADERS
The first grants $15,000 scholarships from the RAC Fund were awarded to two dual degree masters students at the University of Michigan. Both are pursuing dreams and objectives similar to Rebecca’s. Our hope is that Rebecca’s aspirations have inspired others to take bold action and pursue careers that impact our society. Together, we can build a community of well-educated, thoughtful individuals dedicated to improving the lives of many.
Bringing Change
The RAC Fund for Social Justice will work to support Rebecca A. Copeland’s dreams of improving health and health care for everyone through bold policy change and health system reform.
Officers
David Copeland
Elizabeth Copeland
Sarah Kozin
Jason Kozin
Jonathan Copeland
Mallory Copeland
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