The biggest factor in Curtis Aiken’s success at the AAP has been his willingness to take initiative. Accepted to the program in 2018, he enrolled at the Dover campus planning to major in marketing, eventually selecting the media communication pathway. Curtis pushed himself to join Newark clubs and activities, forging social and academic networks that would eventually make his transition to the main campus easier. Once in Newark, Curtis got involved with the Horn Entrepreneurship and Summer Founders programs, eventually winning the Best Creative Startup award with his pitch for QuickDress​, a new fashion inventory, sales and merchandising app. Curtis also served as a press intern for senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper, spending the summer of 2022 assisting with the senators’ communications and traveling throughout Delaware to press and political events. Curtis is currently working as an exam proctor for UD and continuing to develop QuickDress.

​Rehoboth Beach resident Emma Ballentine knew from age 7 that she wanted to be a lawyer. She enrolled at the AAP with law school in mind and cites AAP Georgetown criminal justice professor Emma Jean Joseph as an inspiration. “Her story made me realize that it was actually possible for someone like me to attend law school,” she said. “She gave me hope while I was working on my associate degree.” Graduating from UD in 2021 with her criminal justice degree, Ballentine earned a full academic scholarship to Penn State Law. She is currently an intern at Penn State Law’s Criminal Appellate and Post-Conviction Clinic where, under the guidance of a professor, she and her fellow interns provide free legal assistance to incarcerated clients working on their appeals. Read more about Emma’s AAP experience and her plans after law school.