Class of 2022: Kekuta Bah

Kekuta Bah is an Accounting and Business Administration major from Silver Spring, Maryland.

When I took my first step on the Hill, I was: A high school senior thinking about where I wanted to go to college.

The me who will ring the Old Main bell on Commencement Day is: A college graduate who went through the rollercoasters of college life but found a way to beat every obstacle and make it to this moment.

Real world experiences: I was able to be a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax assistant for low-income families in Carroll County.

My aha moment: I learned that anybody, even myself, can be seen as a role model to someone else and that with anything you do, people are watching, and you never know how that can create an opportunity for yourself.

Footprints I’m leaving on the Hill: I want to be remembered as the student who tried to find ways to make the McDaniel experience a fun one, especially navigating through the hard times of COVID.

Faculty or staff member who most influenced who I have become: I’d say even though I stopped playing football after my sophomore year, Coach Demarcus White has been a big influence on me throughout my college years. Some of the conversations we’ve had over time have definitely stuck with me, and I remind myself of some of those things every now and then when I'm going through a tough time or just need some motivation.

Best class ever: My best class would be Principles of Accounting. I say this because if you would’ve told me, “Kk, you’re going to become an accountant,” four years ago, I probably would have laughed. After taking that class, I realized honestly how smart and capable I really am and how much I like money.

Took me totally by surprise: The way I was able to develop what I want to be lifelong relationships with some of the people I’ve only known for less than four years of my life. When you’re in college and on campus, the friends you make really see the most of you, from waking up in the morning to late night weekends together, which makes the relationships much more meaningful.

My favorite spot on campus: Hoover Library was always my favorite spot on campus. It served me as a place to sort of reset my brain after a long week or a long day. Even if I wasn’t always doing work, being at a desk enjoying my own time to myself helped me to get everything I had to get done in my busy life.

My capstone title: Business Strategy & Policy

What it’s about in plain talk: This course analyzes business strategies that can be used by all businesses in the world today. We look at specific companies and decipher whether their business strategy is operating efficiently for that specific company, or if they should change their strategic perspective.

Tell us a little about your activities, including sports, during your years at McDaniel: I played football in my first two years of college. After my freshman year, I started DJ-ing and it became a passion from the first time I ever tried it. Now I am currently a Top 8 National Collegiate Performing Arts National College DJ three years later. I am a first initiate of the Phi Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., here at McDaniel.

What’s next: I plan on continuing to expand my DJ career while also working in the accounting/finance field.

How will you stay connected to McDaniel? I plan on being as active as I can, especially within Alpha Phi Alpha, when I can on campus. Also, I know I’ll be getting some calls to DJ events every now and then, so I’d be more than happy to come back and do that.