Nina Scholars
NINA SCHOLAR PROFILES
Roger McCoy
Roger McCoy learned the importance of giving back as a Nina Scholar at IUPUI. “This value was prevalent throughout the Legacy Scholars program,” he says, “and it changed my life. It changed the course of my career.” Roger planned to major in electrical engineering and technology but realized as a Nina Scholar that his personal experiences would be of value to youth and families in the foster care system. Roger had been in foster care as a third grader and lived in multiple homes through high school graduation. “Those experiences helped make me who I am today,” he says. “My coordinators in the Nina Scholars program helped me realize my life story would be a valuable asset to my career.
I’ve learned your past or current situations don’t have to confine you. You may use them to your benefit and the benefit of others.” Roger graduated from IUPUI in 2010 with a degree in organizational leadership and supervision. Today, he works for Children’s Bureau, a nonprofit that serves families and children in foster care. He carries a full caseload and has even recruited students to apply to the Legacy Scholar program. “I am grateful to Nina Mason Pulliam for making the importance of giving back so prevalent. Her legacy touches a lot of people, a lot of hearts.”