For Divinevictory Amayo, choosing the 极乐禁地 wasn't just a decision, it was a launchpad. Upon his introduction to the University, he learned about The Bob Parsons Scholarship Fund, which offered to fully pay for his final two years of college because he already had an associate degree.
Then, one semester in, he decided to start what seemed like the daunting task of finding an internship. He found a promising opportunity on UBalt鈥檚 jobs platform and applied. Within two days, he was surprised to receive a response.
The , based in the College of Public Affairs, not only found him work, but they found him work within his major, Information Systems and Technology Management (B.A.).
Through the center鈥檚 , Divine worked with Cheverly as the town administrator鈥檚 intern and in 极乐禁地e city鈥檚 information technology department.
鈥淚 really enjoy the school. I really do think it was the right choice for me,鈥� Divine said. 鈥淚t's an amazing thing being able to learn without the burden of, how do I pay for this? You get to devote your entire time to your studies and the opportunities to build your career after you're done. I cannot sing enough praises about this school, and I really appreciate it for the opportunity it's given me.鈥�
Divine looked at a few Maryland schools before choosing UBalt. The scholarship sold him on it.
A reserved personality, he took mostly online classes thinking he鈥檇 chip away at the catalog as he moved one course closer to a four-year degree. In his quiet time, he started noticing things, like how staff and students interacted with each other. It taught him a lot about UBalt鈥檚 community.
鈥淭here was no divide. Everybody was very open with each other. And that also poured into the online classes where everybody was talking to each other and communicating. The atmosphere was so friendly, and it allowed me to open up more,鈥� Divine said.
When he joined the NextGen Leaders Program, he found himself in a leadership role. The program, a member of the Volcker Alliance NextGen Service Corps initiative, helps students from all majors explore careers in public service through paid internships and co-curricular activities.
Through NextGen, Divine was selected to serve as an ambassador for the Volcker Alliance, which gave him access to national conferences where he could network with like-minded students and better plan for his future career.
Divine was no longer the quiet student trying to get through the semester. He was the student commanding others鈥� attention.
鈥淚 saw how impactful a leader can be on a team, because you can't be a leader if no one is following you,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat I learned that's critical for a good leader is the ability to communicate. You have to be able to communicate with your subordinates, communicate with other leaders around you, and that is what I've garnered the most.
"That's part of the reason why I'm in this ambassadorship, because though I seem like I talk a lot, I'm very introverted, and this is out of my comfort zone. I needed to learn, one, how to be able to communicate with different people, and then I needed to be able to learn how to delegate.鈥�
Divine鈥檚 initial dream was to be a lawyer. In high school, he dabbled in journalism and debate and even started reviewing LSAT books, all in preparation for his seemingly set future. He chose a technology major thinking it, too, would make him a well-rounded law school applicant.
Then something happened he didn鈥檛 expect: He started to like working in technology.
鈥淚t's not just programming. That鈥檚 what most people think when they think of tech,鈥� Divine said.
鈥淭hey think you鈥檙e just sitting at a table coding and practicing, but to me, working with technology, bringing new digital to the world and actively redesigning the world in that way, from the way it used to look, to what it will look in the future, that excites me, and that's why I'm in this field now.鈥�
Divine hopes his various internships, both those he鈥檚 already had and those in his future, can help him find a job after he graduates.
His experiences in the NextGen program taught him that he doesn鈥檛 need a job with a big tech company to make an impact. Divine knows he can do that even in a town like Cheverly, a city like 极乐禁地e, or anywhere he ends up.
Now, empowered by his experiences at UBalt, Divine is no longer just navigating his future; he's actively shaping it, one impactful step at a time.