The World Needs

THE BEST YOU

For Jennifer Connelly, adding a master’s degree while continuing to work full time as a clinical educator at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital initially felt like a daunting task. As she progressed, however, through NDMU's Leadership in Nursing Education program, Connelly realized that it was not just moving her career forward, but the University’s emphasis on caring science was also helping her strengthen her love for the profession.

What started with an AP Psychology class in high school became a lifelong calling for Rebecca Becraft '25. At Notre Dame of Maryland University, she built a foundation for empathy and understanding. Now Rebecca is ready to make an impact in mental health care and inspire the next generation.

Notre Dame of Maryland University’s School of Education is partnering with three public school districts to combat the teacher shortage with a $4.9 million initiative funded by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) – making it NDMU’s largest academic grant. More than 70 pre-licensed professionals from the public schools in Charles, Montgomery, and Worcester counties will enroll in the Bachelor of Arts in education program – earning the degree in just three years through NDMU’s distinctive teacher apprenticeship.

Eleven undergraduate students and two faculty at Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) are playing a hands-on role in one of the largest soil microbiome studies ever attempted. Dr. Jennifer Kerr and Dr. Sayumi York lead a team of student researchers were co-authors of a December 2025 article on the BioDIGS research in Nature Genetics, a leading peer-reviewed journal for high-impact research on how genetics impact human disease, biological function, and evolution. The NDMU team worked on the project with a Johns Hopkins University scientist who is one of the world’s foremost experts in genomics research.

For close to three years, Amelia King worked a 4:30 to 9:30 a.m. shift at Amazon before heading to NDMU for her classes. She also mixed in a second job selling insurance for State Farm on the side. All in all, King worked six days a week for a majority of her college career, using her one “off day” to catch up on coursework and her personal life. Her perseverance, however, paid off in the end, as she already has a full-time job lined up at an accounting firm downtown where she interned this semester.

Abdurrahmon Talabi dealt with a variety of challenges during his four years as a student in NDMU’s School of Pharmacy, including multiple hospitalizations caused by Hemoglobin SC disease (HgbSC), a form of sickle cell disease. Through strong relationships built with both his professors and fellow students, though, he was able to overcome those obstacles and match for a first-year residency at the prestigious Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia after graduation.

Mackenzie Lookingland will be graduating early from NDMU, needing only three years to complete the undergraduate portion of a program which will allow her to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in elementary education. Despite the shortened timeframe, Lookingland has filled her schedule with more activities than most students could manage in a typical four-year experience, serving as vice president of NDMU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, president of Gators Teach, and a Resident Advisor in Doyle Hall. In recognition of all her efforts on campus, she was the recipient of the University’s Legacy Award in February.

Sara Morales had two top priorities when she first began her college search: a well-regarded education program to fulfill her lifelong goal of becoming a teacher, and an opportunity to play both lacrosse and soccer. NDMU checked both of those boxes, and Morales will walk across the stage for a second time during the 2024 Commencement Ceremony at the Baltimore Convention Center after completing the School of Education’s five-year bachelor’s and master’s degree program.