Long before they accepted student jobs in the Office of Admission, long before they enrolled at The University of Baltimore, long before their families moved to Maryland, Deshanae Clarke and Rihanna Graham were two students at the same high school in Jamaica.
Neither knew they would reconnect in the same major at the same university at the same time nearly 1,500 miles from their first home.
“It's actually insane, because you'd never imagine somebody who you met from a whole different country to be here with you as well,” Deshanae said.
“It's like the stars aligned,” Rihanna said.
Now both first-time undergraduates are pursuing a B.A. in Policy, Politics and International Affairs with a dream to someday go to law school.
Deshanae felt drawn to UBalt after learning about the major and the Fannie Angelos Program for Academic Excellence. The program grants a pathway for students toward the law profession through scholarships based on merit.
“While applying for colleges, I was really at a point where I really didn't know where I wanted to go because I knew I wanted to study law, I knew I didn't want to be in debt, so I wanted to go to a school that was affordable, and also had all the resources that I need in order to become a corporate attorney. UBalt really stood out to me,” she recalled.
She was still weighing her options until she came to the midtown campus for a tour with Renee Edmonds, a friendly accounting clerk for the Office of the Bursar who knows many people by name.
Seeing the tight-knit community and her place in it sealed her choice.
Rihanna had a similar introduction to the University. It was during an open house where she witnessed the community closeness that mirrored Deshanae’s experience.
Rihanna first learned about UBalt through a family friend who recommended it knowing law school was her goal.
Particularly appealing to her is the School of Law’s Early Entry program. It allows certain undergraduates to forgo their senior year and earn two degrees in as few as six years.
Then Rihanna met Amadou Bah, an admission counselor, during a college fair.
“Because I was so passionate about going to the University, I was like, ‘Amadou, can you look at my essay? Can you look at my transcript? Will the University of Baltimore accept me?’ Because I was like, yes, I need to be at the University of Baltimore.”
After both Rihanna and Deshanae started at UBalt in fall 2025, the two students applied to join the admission staff as student ambassadors. In their role, they often staff the front desk of the Welcome Center and give tours to prospective students.
With every answered question and tour finished, they’re becoming more like the mentors they relied on during their college search.
“I definitely think it's an honor to be in this position, mainly because you get to give these people their first impression of UBalt,” Deshanae said. … “I might be a bit biased, because I'm a Bee wholeheartedly, but I definitely feel like we have so much to offer, and people don't know this, so when you come in for a tour, or when you meet new people like Renee, Amadou, these people give you the UBalt impression. They show you what UBalt really is, how friendly, how the connections work, how you can just be yourself and be comfortable on the campus while having all the resources that you need.”
Both Deshanae and Rihanna like to tell prospective students how many opportunities are waiting for them at UBalt and how it’s up to them to take them. They try to frequent as many campus events as they can fit in their busy schedules and are members of the Student Government Association, International Student Association and Mock Trial.
“We ensure that we put ourselves in organizations that align with the career goals that we have for ourselves,” Rihanna said. “I definitely have to say that Mock Trial has been one of the most influential things for me because I've learned so, so, so much from it, and I've met so many good people, worked with so many good people, and as much as it was a learning experience, there was so much growth that happened and a lot of exposure to the field that we want to become a part of.”
From the groups they join to the courses they select, Deshanae and Rihanna are very focused on a future in the law.
As a kid, Deshanae said, she would often question the law and how it works. Her major at UBalt is her first step toward finding the answers she’s always wanted.
“I feel like this major caters to not only the part of me that wants to be an attorney, but the part of me that also wants to give back to my community by learning about how it works and how it functions,” she said.
Rihanna’s interest in the law also started when she was young. As a reserved kid, she admired people who spoke up for themselves or advocated for others. When her mother and her got in a car accident and needed a lawyer to help, her future snapped into focus.
“There were a lot of documents being sent in, legal agreements and stuff like that, and my mom could not understand anything that was going on, and I wanted to take on that responsibility to just go through it and understand. It gave me, in a way, a sense of purpose,” Rihanna said.
Deshanae and Rihanna agreed UBalt, based on their experiences so far, is underrated. Both hope to do their part to share its value broadly.
“There's so many opportunities here,” Rihanna said.