This week's impact interview is with Cooper Conway. Cooper is currently working to receive his Master of Public Policy (MPP) at Pepperdine University focusing on education policy.
Cooper Conway Interview
You're working on acquiring your MPP at Pepperdine, tell us how you decided to focus on public policy.
In the summer of 2019, I worked as an intern providing educational programming at a nonprofit in South Baltimore. While there, I saw students and families without access to the same educational opportunities I had been blessed to receive and didn’t understand why.
Ever since I had this awakening of sorts, I have worked for various organizations that advocate for promising reforms like education choice that empower students and families. At Pepperdine, I was particularly drawn to their Education Policy and Impact initiative, which allows me to learn from various education reformers inside and outside the classroom every semester. Dr. Hattie Mitchell has particularly inspired me and my classmates in this regard, starting a charter school called Crete Academy in South Central LA that humanizes what we learn in the classroom.
As there is a lot of discussion lately about education reform in the US, do you think there's something not being covered enough in the mainstream news?
For sure! There are many negative headlines surrounding K-12 education right now, and deservedly so, but there's also a ton of good news, which is never covered enough. Across the country, we are seeing an explosion in education freedom, high-dosage tutoring programs, and other significant initiatives/reforms that impact students and families. Recently, I talked to a Mom who put her son, who was getting bullied, into a new school this past year due to an education choice scholarship. Her son is no longer being bullied and made a new best friend. I think more people would love to hear about these programs' impact on individual families and students.
What do you think would need to change to get people’s attention and make them understand how important these issues are?
If Covid-19 didn’t do it, I don’t exactly know what will. I have a poster of RFK (not Jr., to be clear) on my wall with a quote of him saying, “The youth of our nation are the clearest mirror of our performance.” For me, the poster is a helpful reminder that we are blessed to stand on the shoulders of giants and are responsible for passing these blessings on to the next generation.
You were named one of 50CAN's 2022 National Voices Fellows, what would be your advice for young adults in the liberty movement interested in public policy?
Here is a quick list of advice I have received from others that have stuck with me:
How has Young Voices helped you become a more well rounded writer and commentator?
The support and encouragement from each person at Young Voices have been an integral part of my growth. Coming into the program, I had no idea what to expect; certainly, making TikToks was not on my radar. Nonetheless, the fact that I have even gotten to this point is because of the confidence and feedback the Young Voices team has given me to be a part of the public discourse.
How did Young Voices impact your career trajectory?
Nearly three years ago, I was given the opportunity to be a part of the Young Voices community. I have made fantastic friends in the program, got into graduate school with the help of a recommendation letter from Casey, and have gotten to advocate for policies that are making the American K-12 education system better. None of that would have been possible without the support of the Young Voices team.
I am still figuring out where I will land full-time after I finish my time at Pepperdine this April. Wherever I end up, I will continue advocating for every student to have the best education possible.
Which published works or media appearances Young Voices placed for you are you most proud of?
Anything I co-author with another Young Voices contributor, I enjoy. After an eye-opening experience at FreedomFest last year, Gary Frankel and I wrote this piece in the Washington Examiner, which provides a common sense approach to school choice’s role in the liberty movement. Another article I enjoyed writing discussed my family’s school choice story.
However, my favorite placement Young Voices gave me was a speaking engagement in Jackson, Tennessee, last summer in front of families, legislators, and other community members. After the speech, I struck up a relationship with the Student Award Center, which sponsored the event. This partnership has led to incredible success as we just doubled the number of students we provide scholarships to for this upcoming school year. Additionally, we plan to be at the forefront of ESA implementation for student families in West Tennessee once it is expanded across the state.
Thanks so much to Cooper for his insightful answers! Stay tuned for our next impact interview.
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