Mount Holyoke Grad Supports Voting Rights, Pursues Law at American University

This fall, Posse alumna Jaxzia Perez will attend law school at American University Washington College of Law, supported by a full-tuition scholarship. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College earlier this year with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in Latina studies.

At Mount Holyoke, Jaxzia served a two-year term as co-president of the campus Pre-Law Association. The cohort of pre-law students hosted study sessions, trivia nights and self-care activities to help each other feel supported on the rigorous academic track.

“Posse supported me and gave me the confidence that I can do it. I was able to leave college having made my own mark on it.”

“Posse Scholars who are also going to law school were very supportive, they helped me move forward with my goals,” Jaxzia says of her peer network at Mount Holyoke.

In the fall of her junior year, Jaxzia completed a semester at American University. While in Washington, D.C., she worked with the Coalition of Human Needs, an alliance of national organizations that promote public policies to address needs of underrepresented populations.

Back on campus, Jaxzia was motivated and equipped with experience to launch MHC Votes, a campus voting empowerment organization. MHC Votes has since evolved into a strong coalition with dozens of student and professor active members. The group helps students navigate the voting process, offering detailed support such as aiding access to absentee ballots, suggesting ways for international students to participate in the democratic process, and providing state-specific infographics.

Last year, Jaxzia was named a Capstone Scholar Activist through the Joseph and Evelyn Lowery Institute. She was encouraged to apply for the opportunity by Mount Holyoke Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Kijua Sanders-McMurtry, the College’s Posse liaison.

“As Capstone Scholars, we spent the past year researching how the history of voter suppression can prevent people of color from voting,” Jaxzia says. “We also studied Georgia legislation, conducted interviews, and wrote analyses. I learned so much.”

Now looking forward to a new beginning in law school, Jaxzia says she feels empowered by her positive undergraduate journey as a Posse Scholar.

“Posse has been amazing,” Jaxzia says. “I am the first person in my family to move out of the house before getting married. Moving all the way to Mount Holyoke was a big change. Posse supported me and gave me the confidence that I can do it. I was able to leave college having made my own mark on it.”