It’s not always how you start, but how you finish.
University of Maryland Eastern Shore graduating senior Shymir Coakley can attest to this.
Coakley, a finance major who is earning his degree during UMES’ 28th Winter Commencement on Dec. 13, came to campus following his freshman year at another college. While his college experience at UMES was a new one as a transfer, he was more than familiar with the campus.
“I was an Upward Bound student in high school, and we would go to UMES for the program,” said Coakley, who resides in Salisbury. “When making the decision to transfer, UMES became a priority because I knew people who went to UMES, including (Upward Bound Director) Dr. Nicole Gale, my sister, and a few other people who would make the move seamless.”
While the familiarity with UMES made Coakley’s initial transition seamless, the decision to change majors added a challenge.
“When I was at my last institution, I was a physical therapy major because I was a track athlete. It all lined up,” he said. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do or what major I wanted.”
That all changed after Coakley attended a couple of financial conferences.
“I started thinking about the impact financial literacy has on the black community and culture, and after that, I knew what I wanted to do,” he said. “It’s something that a lot of people need help understanding, such as taxes, knowing the importance of credit, and investing.”
Once set with his major, Coakley found his comfort zone and accumulated a number of accolades on his resume, including participation in the National Association of Black Accountants, the Student Government Association, the Campus Activities Board, and membership in Phi Beta Sigma.
He also earned a working position with the Maryland Municipal League (MML) during his senior year. Coakley leveraged that experience at the MML into a post-college job working with the Pennsylvania Municipal League.
Upon reflection, Coakley said one piece of advice that he would give to anyone deciding to go to UMES is to take advantage of the experiences offered.
“UMES is a great place for opportunity if you go looking for it,” he said. “If you’re willing to put your best foot forward and stay focused, you’ll come out on top.”
