Mr. Coppedge ’94 has been selected as the next head of College Counseling at Belmont Hill. He replaces Ms. Bobo, who will depart for Dexter Southfield after holding the position for nine years. While Ms. Bobo will be sorely missed, Belmont Hill is excited for Mr. Coppedge to take over the mantle.
Mr. Coppedge, a Belmont Hill graduate, has been a part of the college counseling office since 2016. He attended Colgate University and got his master’s degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Prior to Belmont Hill, he worked in the Admissions offices of The Epiphany school, and then at Tufts University. He has a breadth of experience in the college admissions landscape including his time at BH.
As the head of college counseling, Mr. Coppedge will still continue to serve as a number of students’ counselors, but he will also have an expanded role. He states that he will also focus on the bigger picture, and as he put it, “think about curriculum and bigger initiatives, and ways we can work with and complement the great work that is going on here at Belmont Hill.” He is excited to continue his work from the past few years in a wider role while continuing to help support students on their paths to college.
Mr. Coppedge hopes to begin to get more involved with students in the tenth grade. This will not necessarily involve the college process, but Mr. Coppedge wants to make sure that students can “maximize and lean into their Belmont Hill experience” and take advantage of the “myriad opportunities that a place like this affords its students.”
As he transitions into his new role in the coming year, Mr. Coppedge reminds juniors to manage their stress levels as the application process picks up, and control the things that they can control. He wants students to “put your best foot forward in the classroom, maintain and develop involvement outside of the classroom based on genuine interests and passions, foster positive relationships with the peers and adults in your life in and out of school, and keep an open mind.” For sophomores, he urges students to take risks, explore their passions, and perhaps most importantly, “enjoy the camaraderie of your time here as student.”
As a BH alumnus, Mr. Coppedge has a unique connection with the students here and believes that getting to know students well is at the core of what he does. The Belmont Hill community is certainly excited to see Mr. Coppedge step into his new position as head of college counseling, and we wish him luck in his expanded role.
