Meet the Team
Mariama Darboe joined the Brandeis Upward Bound team as Director after seven years of dedicated service in youth development, academic support, and classroom teaching. Her career has been shaped by a deep commitment to expanding educational access for first-generation and low-income students, inspired in part by her own experience as a first-generation student.
Before stepping into program leadership at Brandeis, Mariama worked as a high school teacher, where she developed a passion for mentoring students and creating inclusive, engaging learning environments. Her work extended beyond the classroom into the nonprofit sector, where she served as Development Director for an international youth organization that provides scholarships to 100 high school students each year. In recognition of her dedication and impact, she was named Mentor of the Year by She’s the First in 2022.
Mariama holds dual master’s degrees from Brandeis University, one in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence and another in International Law and Human Rights. In addition to her work in education, she is an author whose writing empowers young readers and celebrates representation.
Outside of Brandeis, Mariama is the founder of Genius Ready 100 School Bags, a nonprofit initiative through which she raises funds to provide school bags and essential learning materials to underprivileged students in The Gambia.
As a student, Cassidy has taken on many research projects that include: education policy, economic justice, and labor history. Her undergraduate degree in Sociology has given her a robust foundation into her current work as a policy changemaker.
During her undergraduate career, Cassidy served two summers as a peer-mentor for high school students engaging in college-level courses and social justice work. At this residential program, she balanced her roles as a classroom assistant, residential advisor, and mentor. This experience reinforced Cassidy’s passions for youth development and equity.