GS Senior Builds on Personal Experience to Help Others Crack the Code Post-Incarceration

Aedan Macdonald's emerging career in fashion unexpectedly came to halt when he was incarcerated for a drug charge he had been involved in nearly five years prior. After setting his sights on the Ivy League and later, enrolling at GS, he founded Justice Through Code, a program designed to help others find fulfilling work post-incarceration by learning to code.

April 14, 2021

In the early 2010s, Aedan Macdonald ‘21GS was focused on building a fashion brand in Los Angeles. He owned and ran Foundry, a luxury clothing Boutique, and Holographic Universe, a men's and women’s fashion line, garnering the attention of the fashion industry. With editorial spreads in Marie Claire and other fashion publications, Macdonald’s success seemed to be building. 

His momentum as an emerging talent came crashing down when he was incarcerated in federal prison based on his involvement in marijuana distribution during his late teens and early twenties, nearly five years prior, before legalization.

“My businesses and the life that I had built for myself were completely destroyed,” Macdonald said.

Despite this unforeseen setback, Macdonald’s incarceration set him on an entirely new path when, early in his incarceration, he learned about the School of General Studies (GS) and the work surrounding mass incarceration that the Center for Justice focuses on at Columbia University. He became intent on being admitted to the School, and to prove he could thrive in education, he first began taking classes in prison.

In many ways, GS saved my life as it provided me with a clear goal to work towards while I was incarcerated.

Aedan Macdonald '21GS

“Having seen my own success in fashion, I was determined to return to school and make the best of an incredibly terrible and traumatic situation while I was incarcerated.”

Throughout primary school, Macdonald had wrestled with learning disabilities and found himself internalizing the idea that he was different and couldn't excel in school. 

“When I arrived in prison, I was at a point in my life where I had processed that trauma and in turn developed a sense of self-worth that allowed me to love and see myself as worthy of doing well in school,” said Macdonald, “Removed from the constraints of a special education classroom and designation, which caused me to feel othered and, armed with this goal, I blossomed as a scholar.”

One year before his release, Macdonald applied to GS with his sister’s help. He continued his studies while waiting for both his release and an admissions decision. 

“In many ways, GS saved my life as it provided me with a clear goal to work towards while I was incarcerated,” said Macdonald.

Soon after, he received the news from his mom that he had been admitted and could begin his studies at Columbia when he returned home. While excited for this next step, Macdonald also recognized the privilege that allowed him to make the transition from prison to the Ivy League. 

Starting Justice Through Code (JTC) has allowed me to extend some of the same opportunities that GS has provided to me––the promise of education, a better life, and a pathway towards stability––to our students who overwhelmingly come from the communities of color disproportionately impacted by mass incarceration and the low wages and high rates of unemployment that returning citizens experience.

Aedan Macdonald '21GS

“Although my incarceration was devastating and destroyed everything I had built in my previous life, I understand that my privilege as a white male and someone that had experienced success before my incarceration and had a robust support network when I came home made my process of re-entry easier,” Macdonald said. 

Now in his final semester at GS, Macdonald has found his way working with the Center for Justice to build Justice Through Code (JTC), a program designed to help previously incarcerated people find lucrative and fulfilling jobs by learning how to code.

“Starting JTC has allowed me to extend some of the same opportunities that GS has provided to me––the promise of education, a better life, and a pathway towards stability––to our students who overwhelmingly come from the communities of color disproportionately impacted by mass incarceration and the low wages and high rates of unemployment that returning citizens experience,” said Macdonald.

JTC has become immensely popular, and the program has placed students in positions at a  variety of prestigious companies. The program now has over 1,000 applicants, and Macdonald is working with the Center for Justice to develop what comes next for the program. 

“My experience at GS has been incredibly impactful and has changed me in ways I couldn't imagine. It has forced me to be the best version of myself that I can be,” Macdonald said. “I intend to continue to build upon my work with Justice Through Code at Columbia as we work to test and scale the model of this program at other universities throughout the country.”