For Jamie Ferguson, two things were certain – she always wanted to pursue a career in criminal justice, and she always wanted to attend a Historically Black College or University.
The decision to marry both certainties at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore was a simple one for the senior from Aberdeen, Md., who is on her way to graduating with a degree in criminal justice.
“UMES was the school that I wanted to go to,” she said. “I knew that I wanted to do something involving law, something involving social work, anything like that. I always had a big interest in it before coming to college.”
Ferguson said she made her choice to come to Princess Anne after attending a college fair as a high school senior knowing, “it was something to be a part of.”
“It’s a small school,” she said. “It’s somewhere where you can get an opportunity.”
With those opportunities Ferguson made the most of them, by becoming a member of the student government association starting in her sophomore year, continuing into her current role as senior class vice president.
“I’ve always wanted to be a part of SGA,” she said. “I wanted to make a change on campus for students that aren’t able to make that change for themselves.”
She said the decision to get involved was also spurred by the COVID pandemic and seeing its impact on the campus community.
The campus landscape during the pandemic was one she felt that was “a big change.”
“Having to go home, having to do everything online, expecting to pass classes and then coming back … it definitely felt that I was losing my college experience,” she said. “(When we came back on campus) it was still fine, but UMES had changed from my freshman year, so it was hard to adapt with change so big. It was hard for me.”
Another opportunity Ferguson was to get involved in was through a senior-year internship with Mid Shore Pro Bono, a nonprofit organization that supports and assists individuals and families who are unable to afford representation in civil legal matters and provides connections to community services.
Ferguson, who attends Mid Shore Pro Bono thrice-weekly, does intake where she vets submitted information and documents the financials of potential clients in order to determine their eligibility for the organization’s services.
She was also able to see the work done by being able to attend rent court session and seeing the lawyers handle cases for clients facing situations such as breach of leases and those who are struggling to pay their rent.
“It’s so rewarding to see attorneys being able to turn people’s lives around,” she said. “I love Mid Shore Pro Bono, and I want more people to know about pro bono work, especially for low-income families who are going through things like divorce, failure to pay rent, and domestic violence situations.”
With graduation approaching, Ferguson is looking at either attending graduate school or entering the job force. While she is still interested in criminal justice, she has ruled out one particular line of work.
“At first (I was interested in) law, but after attending school for four years, I don’t think I want to be a lawyer,” she said. “I want to be something that helps people like I’m doing now, so hopefully, I find something that matches my internship.”
In looking back at her UMES experience, Ferguson said it will be “bittersweet” with her time coming to an end.
“I was walking around campus, and I was like, ‘wow, I’m actually about to graduate college and leave UMES,’ and it’s really hard because I love this school and it’s going to be a new journey when I graduate,” she said. “Had I attended another school, I don’t think I would’ve found myself. I feel like I found myself at UMES.”
