A Path Defined by Service & Responsibility

Posted October 16, 2024December 12, 2025 in Prevention Science, Staff, Stories, Students

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Commitment to public service is often built over time, shaped by moments of responsibility, reflection, and accountability. For Priscilla McCoy, those moments have unfolded across mentorship, nonprofit governance, and long-term civic leadership, eventually leading her back to the classroom. She is currently a Public Administration Executive MPA (EMPA) student at Rutgers-Camden. What follows traces the experiences that brought her here – and the work that continues to define her path forward.

When Mentorship Turned the Lens Inward

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, cum laude, and undergraduate certificates in Management Essentials and Organizational Systems Improvement. In 2019, I became a volunteer “Big Sister” through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cumberland and Salem Counties as part of a pilot program known as Mentor 2.0, a nationally recognized, technology-enriched mentoring program that matches high school students with professionals who have real-life work experience to help students graduate and succeed.

One evening during a monthly face-to-face event, as I was strongly encouraging my mentee to take the next step and apply to four-year colleges, something totally unexpected happened. That night, my mentee shared that she did not know if a four-year college was in the cards for her. Knowing her past academic performance and how brilliant and capable she was, I pleaded with her to apply to at least three colleges. As part of the evening’s lesson plan, she asked me what academic dreams I had when I was her age, and how I was doing in achieving those dreams. In that moment, I realized I did not have a good reason for why I had not fully obtained my own educational goals. I left the meeting that night and decided to get the ball rolling to apply to graduate school. Months later, I was accepted into the Rutgers-Camden EMPA program.

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A Longstanding Commitment to Service and Governance

I have held many positions in civic engagement over the years. For more than two decades, I have served as a Board of Trustees member, Vice Chair, Past Board Secretary, and member of the Revenue Committee for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cumberland and Salem Counties, where I monitor the organization’s fiscal management and review and approve the annual budget. I respond to funding sources and donors to promote the effective and efficient use of resources and help ensure the organization has what it needs to meet its mission. I also participate in fundraising efforts and the annual program assessment audit. As Chair of the Revenue Development Committee, I am responsible for fundraising planning and reporting to the full Board.

From June 2008 to May 2018, I served as a Board Member on the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Addiction through the Vineland Municipal Alliance, an initiative focused on alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse prevention among youth. I also served as a Board of Directors member and Buildings Committee member from January 2008 to 2012 on a quasi-government board focused on economic development initiatives, including the development of Restaurant Row and other projects designed to revitalize underdeveloped zones.

Milestones of Professional and Community Recognition

I was recently named one of Rutgers-Camden’s 24 in 2024: Celebrating Women of Black Excellence during Women’s History Month, in recognition of my collaborative work and support of senior leadership, professional excellence, and track record of supporting student success and inclusivity, while championing the needs and voices of peers across the Rutgers-Camden campus community.

In 2024, I was nominated for Big Sister of the Year by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and was named Big Sister of the Year by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cumberland and Salem Counties. After completing training with John C. Maxwell University in 2019, I joined the John C. Maxwell Team (JMT), a global network of more than 3,000 individuals across 75 countries, and was certified as a life coach, speaker, and trainer. JMT life coaches provide one-to-one and team coaching to help individuals grow their personal and professional skills and develop as leaders who empower those within their circles of influence.

In 2018, I was a featured vocal artist at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., where I performed one of my favorite songs, Alabaster Box, by Priscilla “CeCe” Winans-Love.

In 2014, I received a Leadership Award and was honored for my service in ministry by the National Congress of Black Women, Inc., Bridgeton Chapter, an organization dedicated to the educational, political, economic, and cultural development of African American women and their families. The organization trains women for leadership and decision-making roles in government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector.

Other academic recognitions include the Pearson® Higher Education Scholarship Award for Academic Excellence and Community Service. I was also honored as Woman of the Year by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Gloucester County Chapter, for my work in the community as Executive Director of a summer enrichment program co-founded for school-age children.