This post was written by Ayanna Roberts, B.A. ’24, M.A. in Integrated Design student.
For Diarra “Dee” Scott, providing for his family wasn’t a goal, it was a responsibility.
Somewhere along the way, though, survival took priority over everything else, and his path
eventually led him to incarceration. He served six years in Jessup Correctional Institute (JCI).
While on the tier, Dee met a group of men enrolled in The University of Baltimore’s Second Chance College Program. Watching them work toward something greater sparked something in him. He figured he would give it a try.
“I had no idea I would have a journey going through JCI and would embrace the journey to move on with it,” said Dee, a B.S. in Business Administration student specializing in Entrepreneurship.
When he returned home, Dee felt the heavy and familiar responsibility of providing for his family. Now, though, how he faced that duty was no longer rooted in survival, it was rooted in growth and presence.
Dee’s commitment to his education and family came full circle when his son enrolled at the University of Baltimore. What was once a distant goal for Dee turned into something he could now experience alongside his son.
“I’m grateful for everything that the University has to offer because I am passing it down to my son,” Dee said. “My son was going through something because of my absence, and now he gets to turn his life around.”
Dee is no longer thinking about personal success, but about how his journey can serve as a blueprint for others in the community. He dreams of opening a produce market in west Baltimore to establish a space that not only provides access to fresh food but also represents opportunity and ownership in a neighborhood he has always called home.
As Dee looks toward the future, he remains grounded in gratitude for the University of Baltimore’s Second Chance program. For him, it represents more than education, it represents guidance, structure and the opportunity to rebuild a life he once thought was out of reach.
“The University is something great that people can gravitate to, in all walks of life, whether you’re from another country, you’ve been incarcerated, or a new college student,” he said.