Danica Nelson was a nontraditional student in a nontraditional school.
She came to The University of Baltimore at 17. At UBalt, with its average undergraduate age of 31, she was in classrooms unlike anything she could have imagined.
It didn’t take long, though, for Danica to find her community.
“I’ve made really good connections, and I also like that we're a smaller school, too,” she said. … “I really have been able to learn more than if I were, for example, in a class of 200 some students. I feel like I'm getting more out of my education being here.”
Danica learned about UBalt through a friend. At the time, she had already applied to multiple colleges and was drawn to Florida. She was born and raised in Baltimore and looking for a change.
She figured she could look at the University based on her friend’s recommendation.
“Financially, it made a lot more sense for me to stay here. And also, I was 17 at this point; I wanted to go away for college, but I didn't necessarily feel I was fully ready to leave.”
She was also impressed with UBalt’s criminal justice program—the major she knew she wanted.
“Being in the hot spot of the DMV, I knew that I would have a lot of great internship opportunities after graduation, so I felt like this seemed right,” she said.
Danica’s oldest sister went to the police academy out of high school. The stories she brought home captured Danica’s interest and became the seed for her own career path development.
When she was older, she also started thinking about psychology. Nature versus nurture discussions fascinated her. She started thinking about degree options that balanced behavioral analysis and crime. It led her toward a criminal justice degree.
The time she’s spent as a nanny further motivated her future path. Her long-term goal is to work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crimes Against Children unit. After declaring for the B.S. in Criminal Justice, she decided to pick up a minor in Victim Studies.
After she graduates this spring, Danica plans to attend graduate school. Until then, Danica is enjoying spending any extra time she has hanging out in the city and with her friends.
“I love how walkable everything is around this area. Being able to walk around to Mount Vernon and Bolton Hill, I think it's a great area,” she said.
Danica came to UBalt for its criminal justice program, but she’s cherished the opportunities, support and friendships she’s found along the way.
She earned funding twice through the Featherstone Foundation, which offers competitive scholarships for outstanding students facing economic challenges.
Danica landed an internship as a communications liaison with Baltimore City Council under District Six. The opportunity came up through the Schaefer Center for Public Policy’s NextGen Leaders for Public Service program.
“I was working with local delegates, local council people. I got to sit in on a couple hearings with the mayor, which was a very interesting, really cool experience. Ultimately, it was a great experience. I loved it there,” she said. … “It wasn't what I saw myself doing, necessarily in the long run, but nonetheless, it was my foot in the door. It gave me opportunity to make great connections and to network.”
Through UBalt’s global field studies, Danica traveled to Vietnam, Austria and London. Those experiences involve about a week of course work for a full semester of credits. She had never traveled internationally before UBalt.
“I feel like it gave me the opportunity to see the world in a completely different perspective,” she said.
Danica has been a member of the International Student Association, Omicron Delta Kappa and The National Society of Leadership and Success.
These organizations, particularly time spent on club boards, taught her leadership and communication lessons she knows will stick with her.
“Through learning more leadership skills, I've learned how to delegate a little bit more, and be direct in a respectful, clear way,” she said. “It let me find my voice, and I feel like I can use that for the greater good for those who maybe can't necessarily have their voice be heard.”