Student Stories
Former Policy Fellow: Aja McCoy
Former Policy Fellow: Aja McCoy
Aja McCoy has charted an impressive path since her first year as a policy fellow with The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis in 2020. Aja’s dedication to equity and truth-telling was a cornerstone of her life as a student and defines her as a prominent advocate in the fight for racial and education equity today.
Aja graduating from Saint Louis University School of Law
After completing her bachelor’s degree in political science from Xavier University in 2018 with the support of an interest-free loan and a James C. Bates & Alison Bates Bravo Grant through The Scholarship Foundation, Aja attended Saint Louis University School of Law, where she specialized in intellectual property law. She then worked with area nonprofits and government agencies, with special focus on the implementation of sustainable and safe solutions to key issues faced in St. Louis City and Kinloch, MO. Currently, Aja serves as the Coordinator of Workforce Development for St. Louis Public Schools, where she oversees the district’s Learn and Earn Internship Program. This program permits qualified high school seniors to engage in paid internships ranging from local, small businesses to international Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and government organizations. The goal of Learn and Earn is to make the senior year more meaningful by equipping students with skill-building experiences in the workplace.
Aja credits much of her professional success to her time at The Scholarship Foundation as a state policy fellow, a position she held for nearly four years. She describes her fellowship experience as “powerful, insightful and daring.” She frequently recalls traveling to the Missouri State Capitol to speak with elected officials and being surprised by how little the legislators seemed to know about higher education policy. “We were out there, sometimes putting it all on the floor. It was powerful to know [we] are the TRUE experts.”
Her colleagues in the policy fellowship played a pivotal role in her personal and professional development, together building a community centered on authenticity and collaboration. “Collaboration fails when we don’t let the experts be the experts, and this program arranged opportunities for students to sharpen our unique skills.” Aja brings this mindset to her current role, offering guidance and resources to over 400 students each year. Additionally, it has helped her discover her own authentic leadership style and commitment to creating space for young people to simply be themselves. “How can I expect students to show up in this space if I do not show up as myself?”
Reflecting on her own educational journey, Aja advises current students to dare to ask questions and always tell the truth. She shares that, as a fellow, she witnessed that many policy makers “lost sight of the people who policy impacts most,” and that while law school taught her how to argue and write, it was the policy fellowship that taught her how to center the conversation on those who are most affected by legislative decisions. She underscores the importance of embracing new experiences and moving on from jobs that “use your skills to bring harm to real people,” as she shared of a previous role, an experience many young lawyers may encounter in their first jobs after graduation. She emphasizes that her career path has rarely been straightforward, but staying curious, being critical of the status quo, and adapting to the unexpected are all qualities that have led to a fulfilling professional journey.
Aja McCoy’s story is a testament to the enduring impact of The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis policy fellowship. Her evolution from an enthusiastic fellow to a leader in student advocacy shows the profound ways in which the seeds of change can grow into significant contributions to our community.
“Troublemakers of the Best Kind” award ceremony in 2023
In 2023, the Foundation welcomed its 11th cohort of policy fellows. In the same year, the followship was honored with the
“Troublemakers of the Best Kind: Education Equity” award by the young people of LEAD-STL in recognition of its advocacy efforts at the state and national levels. Fellows and staff are regularly asked to speak on education policy, racial and economic equity, and the development of student-led advocacy efforts. The fellowship program will reconvene with its 12th cohort in November 2024.
Policy Fellowship Program
A healthy democracy requires that those most affected by policy help shape it. Since 2013, The Scholarship Foundation’s Policy Fellowship Program has embraced this idea. The student-led, student-centered program builds upon young leaders’ skills in systems change. Each year, fellows work toward these goals:
- Set a policy agenda centered on today’s students.
- Involve peers in redesigning democratic processes.
- Conduct research to teach and train policymakers.
- Lead advocacy efforts to promote equity, access, and accountability in higher education.
- Partner with like-minded organizations to put forth policy agenda and improve outcomes for college students affected by race, class, and immigration barriers.
LEARN MORE about Scholarship Foundation Advocacy.
