Mr. UDC, Oshane Orr and Miss UDC, Trenesha Anderson, are graduating STEM students who hail from Jamaica. They are also part of the DC-UP scholars learning community, a leadership community formed around academic programs, service learning and career services. The duo, whose one-year reign is coming to an end, is thankful for their experience at the University and looking forward to continuing their education.
Orr, who is graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, will enroll in the University of Pittsburgh’s Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program in the Fall 2022 semester. Anderson is graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and entering UDC’s Master of Science Program in Cancer Biology, Prevention and Control.
After being offered a scholarship and learning about the University, staff and faculty, Anderson said that she couldn’t see herself at another school.
“I always wanted to attend an HBCU. Once I learned more about UDC from previous students, especially about the faculty, I was motivated to come here,” Anderson said. “Once I got here, I realized that everything I had heard was true. It’s been a great experience.”
After graduation, Anderson plans to “take on the world.”
“UDC’s motto is “aspire, accomplish, take on the world. The faculty has helped me understand that I can do exactly that,” said Anderson. “They have been exceptional and genuinely help students succeed. I am looking forward to the master’s program, and then I intend to pursue a Ph.D. in immunology and microbiology.”
Orr shares Anderson’s enthusiasm about his experience at UDC.
“I like that UDC is a close-knit community,” he said. “During my first year, I was introduced to the STEM Center, where I could do research, which is vital for med school opportunities. This probably wouldn’t have been possible at a larger university”
The STEM Center welcomes groups of freshmen STEM students usually remain in the program during their four-year tenure at UDC. Students participate in all the activities of the Center, including research at UDC and externally at such institutions as Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Rutgers University, University of California, University of San Diego and the University of Pennsylvania.
Orr’s said that his education at UDC has prepared him for graduate school and beyond by providing him with some of the tools he needs to navigate the world.
“Before starting this journey, I was more reserved, but my experience at UDC has shaped me into a more confident person who is ready to go out into the world,” he said. “Everyone here wants students to succeed and that makes a huge impact.”