Kevin Morgan shied away from networking opportunities when he was an undergraduate student.
A piece of advice from his adviser early into his MBA program at The University of Baltimore gave him the confidence boost he needed.
His adviser told him he could take all of his classes online and earn his degree that way, or he could come to campus to network with his classmates and professors, and to pursue internships and experiences that add up to more than a degree. He chose the latter.
“UBalt has been the best thing to ever happen to me career-wise, because I've been able to get a lot of job and networking opportunities,” Kevin said.
After high school, Kevin chose to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. A Baltimore native, he knew about UBalt but was looking for a different experience in his undergraduate years. UBalt was always part of his intended homecoming and when he was ready for a graduate degree, he already knew where to look.
“It's been the best. I've been able to be around my family more, and I've been able to network with people who I have not networked with when I was in Washington, D.C. There’s just a sense of home,” he said.
Kevin also values smaller class sizes that lead to deeper connections with his professors and a unique diversity that allows him to learn from similarly driven students with varying backgrounds and experiences.
“I found out a lot about myself coming into my first year at UBalt. I found out that I prefer more of a personable setting. … That's the thing I like most about UBalt. It's very personable, and everything is very hands on, and you'll never not have any help with anything,” he said.
Kevin came to UBalt’s Merrick School of Business with the full intention of earning an MBA. A friend of his at Howard showed him how many opportunities for jobs and networking were available to business students.
Once at UBalt, he had an inkling accounting was his destined specialization but dabbled in a few core courses to make sure of his direction. Once he started some advanced accounting courses, though, he was convinced of his path.
“I’ve always loved doing math. I loved crunching numbers when I was in middle school. So I figured, why not accounting? So that's led me to where I am now.”
Long term, Kevin is interested in wealth management and particularly helping people keep their pension funds above inflation rates.
Opportunities outside of the classroom are helping Kevin prepare for the future he wants for himself.
Kevin works as a graduate assistant for the business school and has held multiple internships through the Schaefer Center for Public Policy’s NextGen Leadership Program.
His first position through the Schaefer Center, which is housed within UBalt’s College of Public Affairs and offers paid internships to students, was with Howard County Detention Center’s re-entry program. He chose the opportunity in honor of his mom, who worked as a correctional officer, so he could better understand her role in helping others.
Kevin’s work involved helping incarcerated individuals meet their basic needs as they prepared for release.
“That first position meant a lot to me, and I actually stuck around, even until this day, on a volunteer basis,” he said.
His second internship involved working under Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman. He helps input and manage data for contracts with the Board of Public Works.
Kevin is grateful for the professional experience he’s gained through the jobs he’s found while being a student at UBalt.
“Coming from the Schaefer Center, and then moving to being a GA, I think both of those positions definitely helped me. Those were two opportunities that I felt like I spoke the right language in a sense of being a mature in person and being able to handle a position that a lot of people depend on,” Kevin said. “I will say that has been a huge help career wise. My LinkedIn is now more active than it's ever been, and I can only thank UBalt for that.”
He already has another internship lined up for next summer, this time with a law firm in Columbia, Maryland.
After his graduation, Kevin is determined to become a certified public accountant and believes his next role will make a huge impact on his future goal.