Maura McLay

Maura McLay is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She holds a BA in Studio Arts and English with a concentration in Interfaith Leadership Studies from Washington & Jefferson College — a degree that reflects an instinct for thinking across disciplines that shows up in her writing. Her work has spanned creative content, journalism, and editorial writing through her time at Aiken House, alongside a professional background that includes nearly five years at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, one of Pittsburgh's most beloved civic institutions, where she worked across departments in both guest services and operational coordination.

At Grantford, Maura writes about scholarships and financial aid navigation — particularly for students who don't fit the traditional mold. Her article on scholarships for nontraditional students reflects a genuine interest in the parts of the financial aid system that don't get enough coverage: the options available to students returning to education later in life, changing careers, or approaching college on a timeline that doesn't match the standard four-year path. She's also written on the CSS Profile, covering the practical mechanics that trip families up most often.

Her background across the arts, guest services, and content creation gives her a particular sensitivity to how information reaches people — and how it fails to. At its best, writing about financial aid meets readers where they are, uses plain language without condescending, and leaves someone better equipped than when they started. That's the standard Maura holds her work to.

She is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.