Dagemawit Kebede (Dag-ma-weet keh-beh-deh) might be sitting in one of her classes when the shock of it hits her again鈥攅verything that led her to this moment started with her parent鈥檚 courageous sacrifice.
She was born in a small town in Ethiopia when opportunities were sparse, and today, she鈥檚 a first-generation college graduate in pursuit of a master鈥檚 degree at The University of 极乐禁地e.
鈥淩eceiving my undergraduate education was really the fruit of the sacrifice that my parents made, that I made, and also that my community had made for me,鈥� Kebede said.
Kebede immigrated to the United States 14 years ago with a somewhat predestined path. Her parents wanted her and her sister to have the college education they missed.
None of it was easy.
鈥淎 lot of times when you鈥檙e a first-gen immigrant student, you鈥檙e not only looking at getting into college, but you鈥檙e looking at adjusting into a culture,鈥� Kebede said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e always having to teach people how to say your name, you鈥檙e always having to learn English, you鈥檙e always having to work 10 times harder than everyone around you, because this is not your natural home and your natural environment.鈥�
Kebede, who now works in UBalt鈥檚 Division of Student Success and Support Services, had to adjust to the country and culture before she could begin to consider college applications.
Her parents鈥� love and sacrifice motivated her journey. She graduated from Towson University in 2020 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science.
Kebede鈥檚 next degree鈥攖he master鈥檚 she now pursues in global affairs and human security鈥攊s her own.
鈥淚 like education and learning new things, but I was never really allowed to just go to school and enjoy it for myself. It was a feeling like there was always more that I have to do,鈥� she said. 鈥� 鈥淣ow I have this opportunity to use that degree and move forward to get a master鈥檚 degree for myself and enjoy just being a student for myself.鈥�
When Kebede chose her master鈥檚 program, she found something that honored her roots. The M.A. in Global Affairs and Human Security helps students understand their place in international issues related to governance, sustainable development, transnational problem-solving and the promotion of human security.
鈥淎 lot of it is my story. I came here as a derivative of an asylee. My dad came here first and then brought us over. And a lot of the reasons why we left our home country鈥攂ecause of instability, not being able to have a future back home in Ethiopia鈥攁 lot of it has to do with global affairs and what security is for humans,鈥� Kebede said. 鈥淪o to me, it made sense to study the things that cause displacement all over the world, and things that a lot of humans go through.鈥�
Knowing her own past experiences, Kebede wants to build her future around helping others.
鈥淟ooking at my family and their journey and how they navigated such a difficult transition just helped me mature and have this understanding of the world and have more empathy,鈥� she said.