true05/21/2026Family fuels graduate speaker’s resilienceErick Masaua experienced life’s greatest blessings and some of its most difficult challenges while pursuing his master’s degree at The University of Baltimore. He still found motivation in his family to push onward.Student StoriesErick Masaua, in his cap and gown, speaks from the podium on stage during commencement.As an international student, finding a supportive and welcoming community was important to me, and UBalt gave me that experience.Erick MasauaM.S. '26Student StoriesYale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences