First a Student, Now A Teacher

Alexis Medley was born and raised in Chicago’s Austin and Englewood neighborhoods. The oldest of three siblings, she became the first in her immediate family to graduate from both high school and college — breaking barriers as a first-generation student and earning a full-tuition scholarship through the Posse Foundation.

Alexis’ academic journey began at Gary Comer College Prep, where her teachers played a pivotal role in shaping her future. “I wasn’t even going to go to the Posse interview because I was intimidated and afraid of failure,” Alexis recalls. “But my teachers believed in me. They helped me overcome that fear and see that I was capable of anything I set out to accomplish.”

As a Posse Scholar, Alexis selected Agnes Scott College in Atlanta after careful research. “When I looked at their mission statement and what they offered, I saw myself there. Plus, Atlanta felt like home — somewhere I could adjust easily,” said Medley. Alexis discovered her passion for law, though initially she was interested in political science. “I thought I had to study political science to get into law school, but it was boring for me, especially starting college on Zoom during the pandemic,” she says. “Once I learned you can major in anything and still go to law school, I explored other options. I fell in love with law through mock trials at the University of Maryland, where I worked on corporate litigation cases. That’s when I switched my major.”

During her time at Agnes Scott, Alexis found support from Pursue Scholars, particularly Executive Director Clive Craigen. “Pursue Scholars became important to me when Clive came to Atlanta. He had reached out to me because he wanted to meet me and that stood out. I don't know if it was Thanksgiving or Christmas coming up but when Clive found out I might not make it home for the holidays due to my paycheck, he bought me a ticket. He showed me that Pursue Scholars is more than a scholarship or a program that I'm a part of. It's people that care about you and want to see you do well.” 

After earning her Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Alexis joined Teach for America in Houston. Teaching is something Alexis discovered that she loves and an opportunity to pour into her students. “I never saw myself working with kids as far as being a teacher, but I feel like God just has revealed to me my purpose.  Even now that I'm going into year two and my contract is about to end with Teach for America, I can see myself still teaching beyond the two years.” 

Her own childhood experiences fuel her passion for education. “Coming from a single young mom and seeing domestic violence at home, school was my escape. It was the only place I could just be a kid. I didn't have to worry about cooking, washing dishes, cleaning up, or calling the police to save my mom. My teachers celebrated wins with me and told me I was doing such an amazing job to be going through so much. They poured into me and I think that influenced me to teach and be the person that my teachers were for me for my students,” Alexis shares. “Not everyone has an adult or parents supporting them,  believing in them, or making them feel important and special. It allows me to be more intentional with my kids, and make sure that I'm aware of things because I see so much of myself in my students. What they're going through now, I'm able to provide that wisdom and show them that it's possible to not become a [product of your] environment, even though it seems like everything could be bad right now, it's going to be a day where those moments don't even matter.”

Alexis’ influence extends to her family — one of her younger sisters recently earned a full-ride scholarship to college, inspired by Alexis’ path. She also plans to give back in three key ways. She wants to start a mentoring program for youth, taking them on college tours, field trips, and experiences outside their neighborhoods. She dreams of opening a domestic violence shelter for women and children, inspired by her own time in a shelter. And she hopes to provide scholarships for first-generation students, just as scholarships helped her pursue her own college education.

Today, Alexis is entering her second year of teaching and leaving her future in God’s hands. “I had this whole plan about law school after college. Then, I was going to teach for two years then go to law school. But God is grounding me and I'm just walking by faith and not by sight. I'm just following a journey that God has aligned for me because I know that nothing is coincidental. I’ve fallen in love with teaching and can see myself making it my career — maybe even becoming a principal. My focus now is reaching as many kids as I can.”

Stories like Alexis' are the reason we are grateful for partners like you. Your gift to Pursue Scholars today will be actively investing in young Chicago leaders and helping them embark on a journey that will truly lead to change.