Video: montage of various students on UBalt campus
Judah ContrerasB.A. '26
When college becomes more than a degree
The best experience I've had that I never saw coming was the people I met, the professors I met, the friends I've made, and the course material I've learned.
Judah Contreras came to The University of Baltimore with a degree and a job in mind. He’s graduating with a completely different perspective. The people he met and experiences he enjoyed helped Judah see that college was about more than the endgame.
The University of Baltimore School of Law celebrated the Class of 2026 during its commencement ceremony, honoring academic achievement, service, and the enduring sense of community that defines UBalt Law.
When you walk across this stage today, you are not only changing your life, you are expanding what feels possible to all the people watching you.
There was a common thread among The University of Baltimore’s Class of 2026 graduates. These graduates worked hard to reach this moment, but it was their support system that made it all possible.
Don’t measure your journey by perfection, measure it by persistence.
Find your why. Keep pushing through obstacles. Turn pressure into purpose. These were some of the messages delivered to the Class of 2026 at The University of Baltimore’s graduate and undergraduate ceremonies on May 20.
Samantha HildweinB.A. ‘17, MPA ‘20, B.A. ‘23, M.A. '26
Each Degree Opens More Doors
That’s why I like UBalt so much, because it’s improving me over and over again.
Samantha Hildwein wanted to prove something to her niece when she first committed to college. But once she got started, she realized there was so much opportunity to grow herself.
Samantha HildweinB.A. ‘17, MPA ‘20, B.A. ‘23, M.A. '26
Alan Lylesprofessor, College of Public Affairs
Support, mentorship boost ‘the hero’s journey’
At 73, I want to be clear-eyed in terms of where the runway ends for me, and affirm that all the extra work was worth it. … It has been a richly rewarding and meaningful life.
Alan Lyles would become the first in his family to earn a college degree. He would go on to earn another bachelor’s degree, a professional pharmacy degree, a master’s in public health and a doctor of science.
