Jayla McCoy is proving that hard work, faith, and STEM excellence can take you far — and fast. The 23-year-old mechanical engineer has taken social media by storm after sharing her inspiring journey from undergraduate stress to six-figure success.
McCoy, who goes by @jems_r_cool online, recently graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Computer Science.
Not long after flipping her tassel, she secured a coveted role as a Reliability Engineer at ExxonMobil, one of the world’s leading oil and gas companies.
“God is good all day long,” McCoy said in a video posted to her TikTok channel. “I graduated with six full-time job offers at top Fortune 50 companies. I settled on ExxonMobil.”
She now lives in Louisiana, where she’s thriving both professionally and personally. In her video, McCoy beamed with gratitude and joy, reflecting on the road she took to reach this point.
“I just graduated in December,” she explained. “Spent those three months de-stressing from the hard life of undergraduate school. […] I just got off work. The weather’s good. Life is good. I get paid soon. Everything’s great.”
McCoy’s video, filled with affirmations and encouragement, has resonated with young professionals, especially fellow engineers and students in STEM fields.
She also offered a heartfelt message to engineering students currently grinding through tough coursework:
“To all those engineers out there — it gets better after undergrad.”
Engineer, Trailblazer, Inspiration
McCoy’s story isn’t just a celebration of academic and professional excellence — it’s a powerful reminder that Black women in STEM are making bold strides and breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated industries.
Her dual focus in mechanical engineering and computer science positioned her for a competitive job market, and she rose to the occasion with confidence and grace.
Now employed at a Fortune 50 company and living out her dreams, McCoy inspires the next generation of engineers — especially young women of color — to stay the course and believe in their worth.
