A lot can change in four and a half years. No one knows that better than Temple criminal justice major Jeffrey Copeland, Class of 2016.

On Tuesday, July 14, Copeland shared his opinions about the criminal justice system with the president of the United States, listened to President Obama talk about Copeland’s life story during a major national policy address at the 106th Annual NAACP Convention, then conducted media interviews late into the night.

It was a day that Copeland, now 39, couldn’t have imagined in early 2011, when he was behind bars in Philadelphia’s Cambria Community Center after his sixth DUI conviction.

That conviction, Copeland decided, would be his last. He stopped drinking, and soon after he was released, he enrolled in the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP). Copeland participated in CCP’s Reentry Support Project, a program that helps adults with criminal records overcome barriers to accessing higher education. After graduating with honors, Copeland transferred to Temple, where he carries a 3.83 GPA and is on track to earn his bachelor’s degree this fall—all while volunteering at the Reentry Support Project and investing countless hours into a new hobby: long-distance running.

The key to Copeland’s academic success is simple, he says: “I focus on always attending class, always having a voice in class and always doing the work that’s asked of me by the professors.”

His habit of speaking up in the classroom—not an easy discipline to maintain for a man who acknowledges an inner shyness—makes him a favorite of Temple’s criminal justice faculty.

“He brings a different dynamic,” said Tara N. Tripp, an instructor in criminal justice who has taught four of Copeland’s classes at Temple, including Gender and Justice this summer. “He doesn’t just do the readings; he has lived the readings. He shares real-world experiences. That means so much for all of the students. They learn from him.”

Copeland’s story of redemption was celebrated by President Obama in a speech at the Pennsylvania Convention Center that criticized a criminal justice system that “remains skewed by race and wealth.” Shortly before the address, President Obama met with Copeland and three other ex-offenders. Each of the men shared his opinions on the criminal justice system. Copeland focused on flawed policies, such as “three strikes” laws, that have locked away millions of Americans convicted of nonviolent crimes. The conversation was informal, Copeland says, and the men talked about sports as well as policy.

The weight of the moment didn’t sink in until Copeland took his reserved seat at the convention and listened to the president share the story of his journey.

“It was pretty surreal,” Copeland said. “It was emotional. I thought about where I was four to six years ago, and it bolstered the understanding that I’m growing.”

To read more about Copeland and his encounter with the president, read this Philadelphia Daily News story by Vinny Vella.