SLU’s William L. Clay, Sr. Institute of Civic Engagement and Economic Justice Seeks to Educate, Engage, and Empower Next Generation of Leaders

SLU's William L. Clay, Sr. Institute of Civic Engagement and Economic Justice Seeks to Educate, Engage, and Empower Next Generation of Leaders

ST. LOUIS - The William L. Clay, Sr. Institute of Civic Engagement and Economic Justice at Saint Louis University, launched in the summer of 2025 with a legacy investment from the William L. Clay Scholarship & Research Fund, provides immersive learning experiences and hands-on training that address the social and economic challenges facing the St. Louis region and the nation.

At an Open House held on Nov. 11, Angie Clay Thomas, executive director of the William L. Clay Scholarship & Research Fund, said she was honored that the Fund was in partnership with her grandfather's alma mater, a place that helped shape the leader he became. U.S. Congressman William L. 'Bill' Clay (A&S '53), was one of SLU's first African American graduates.

"SLU provided my grandfather with two educations," Clay Thomas said. "One taught him how to make a living and the other taught him how to live."

Over the past 40 years, the William L. Clay Scholarship & Research Fund has provided critical financial support to 254 students from Missouri's First Congressional District who had the ability - but not the resources - to pursue higher education.

The Clay Institute continues the work advanced by Clay, the first African American to represent Missouri in Congress. He was a tireless advocate for expanding educational opportunities for underserved students during his more than 30 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Throughout his life, he has championed education as a path to opportunity.

Rochelle Smith, vice president and chief belonging officer at Saint Louis University, described the Clay Institute as a dream that has finally been realized - a place to continue Clay's legacy of education and community engagement.

"This is a place where faith and justice meet to serve humanity," she said.

The Clay Institute, housed within SLU's Center for Social Action, offers programming to all students with an interest in civic engagement and democratic participation. Programs offered through the Clay Institute include SLU's Policy Pods program and the new Pathways to Progress.

"My grandfather understood the necessity of compromise," Clay Thomas said. "But he also knew that truth and respect for humanity were not negotiable."

Bobby Wassel, Ph.D., director of the Center for Social Action, also leads the Institute's efforts. He said the Institute's goals were to educate, engage and empower students to be active participants in the democratic process.

"Needed now more than ever," Wassel said.

Wassel said he hoped the Clay Institute would produce leaders who continue Clay's legacy of collaboration and agitation in the Jesuit tradition of being "troublemakers for justice."

SLU awarded Clay an honorary Doctor of Public Service in 2018 in recognition of his lifelong commitment to education and public service. In 2023, he received the University's Pioneer Award, an annual honor recognizing alumni whose leadership has paved the way for others. Rep. Clay passed away on July 17, 2025. He was 94.

The Clay Institute is located in SLU's Center for Global Citizenship on West Pine Mall. The Institute's archival content includes legislation that Rep. Clay had a role in, including the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which was passed in 1993. Scrapbooks in the space were created by Clay.

About Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious Catholic research institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 13,300 students a rigorous, transformative education that challenges and prepares them to make the world a better place. As a nationally recognized leader in research and innovation, SLU is an R1 research university, advancing groundbreaking, life-changing discoveries that promote the greater good.