Cameron had little doubt about joining the UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association, inspired by the scholarship that helped her find success & ignited her desire to give back.
From the Cape Cod coasts to the classrooms of UMass Dartmouth, Justine Cameron ’14, MPP ’19 has always been a dedicated student who prioritized academics. In high school, she went above and beyond by taking International Baccalaureate (IB) classes and completing challenging coursework that prepared her for higher education—an adventure that would uncover an unrealized passion and set her on a path to success.
Cameron initially chose a university in New York to begin her collegiate career, but soon found that the distance from home, high costs, and lack of connection to the campus community was more than enough for her to transfer to UMass Dartmouth at the start of her sophomore year.
“I wanted to be closer to friends and family. Being from the Cape, I wanted a university that was more affordable and accessible in a way that I could commute back and forth,” said Cameron. “I knew of the UMass system’s reputation, and UMass Dartmouth stood out for offering all of that.”
Upon admission, Cameron was awarded free tuition, a recognition of her exceptional academic performance in high school and on MCAS tests. While commuting helped alleviate the financial burden of room and board, it also posed a challenge for fully immersing herself in the UMass Dartmouth experience —a hurdle many commuters must leap.
However, receiving the Alumni Association Undergraduate Scholarship provided her with the support needed to get involved on campus. The scholarship not only eased the financial strain of commuting costs but also helped establish a lasting connection between Cameron and the University, enabling her to engage in life on Ring Road in ways that transformed her into the person and professional she is today.
Opportunities unlocked with scholarship support
While Cameron’s degree may be in psychology, a leadership elective class with Dr. David Milstone awakened her to a new dimension of a field she had always felt at home in—education. Always the student, Cameron never realized that her future career had been right in front of her, waiting to be explored through every on-campus opportunity she could find.
Cameron held several roles at UMass Dartmouth, including Orientation Assistant and Student Conduct Assistant for the Office of Student Affairs, where she handled course withdrawals, investigated appeals, and processed academic integrity cases. She also worked to foster a sense of belonging on campus for the 4,000-student commuter population as a Commuter Assistant, organizing social events and contributing to the hiring and training of new commuter assistants.
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“All of these activities really helped me to better understand and be sensitive to the needs of diverse, nontraditional students,” explained Cameron, and none of it would have been possible without the Alumni Association Undergraduate Scholarship encouraging her every step forward. “Getting so involved on campus really set a foundation of understanding for me on what student affairs is, what it means to be an advocate for students, and what it means to be a leader in education. Education has always been a huge part of my life, and I feel like it has afforded me opportunities that I wouldn't have otherwise.”
Even after graduating in 2014, Cameron didn’t stray too far from her UMass roots, beginning her career at UMass Chan Medical School while pursuing a master’s degree in public policy (MPP) at her alma mater. With the mentorship of associate professor of public policy Dr. Nikolay Anguelov, she completed research titled, A Review of Title IX and the Impact of the ‘Dear Colleague' Letter: Understanding Sexual Assault Reporting Policies on Massachusetts College Campuses, which won the Beineke Best Public Administration Capstone, American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) Massachusetts.
“The focus of my research was whether there is a best practice in terms of what will allow students to feel most comfortable to report sexual assault or other things that fall under Title IX protection,” said Cameron, who is currently Director of Accreditation at Dartmouth College. “And of course, that interest stemmed from my exposure to student conduct as an undergrad.”
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Now, it’s Cameron’s turn to be the difference in a Corsair’s life. She joined the Alumni Association to give back in ways that directly support students, just as the University and Association had done for her. Through her involvement, she has worked to strengthen alumni connections, mentor students, and support initiatives that create opportunities for current scholars, ensuring the same cycle of growth that she experienced continues.
“For me, joining the Alumni Association came from a place of feeling deep appreciation for the growth that I had as a student,” said Cameron. “I was a direct recipient of the Association’s kindness as a student, so it’s special to have had the opportunity to experience the benefits of this scholarship and now give back as a proud member myself.”
For Cameron, it all comes full circle, with every path leading back to the institution where even the wildest dreams can be made a sweet reality: UMass Dartmouth.