Samuel Huntington Public Service Award

The Samuel Huntington Public Service Award provides $30,000 stipends for graduating college seniors to pursue one year of public service anywhere in the world. The award allows recipients to engage in a meaningful public service for one year before proceeding on to graduate school or a career. Projects that have the potential to be sustainable are favored, and therefore many of the projects initiated by past award recipients continue to benefit people today.

First presented in 1989, the award has provided 88 outstanding young people the opportunity to bring their extraordinary spirit of public service to reality. Non-US citizens can apply if they are graduating from a US college/university. 

Deadline: January 12, 2024 

For more information and to apply: https://www.samuelhuntingtonaward.org/

Alternative Breaks Experiences this Year

 Join us for Alternative Breaks Experiences this Year!

Program Details:

• Alternative Breaks (AB) are week-long service-learning immersion experiences during the university's Winter, Spring, and Summer breaks that address social issues in local, national, and international communities. Students can lead or participate in the experiences, and there are mentoring opportunities for faculty & staff!

• The Alternative Breaks Experience looks to build a world in which UMD students are empowered learners in community together, taking action toward just causes.

• Interested students must be willing to commit 1.5 hours/week for 5 weeks leading up to the experience 

• Experiences are typically $100 - $200, however there are opportunities for fundraising and scholarships

Who should participate?:

• Any student that wants to explore community development, civic engagement, local issues, leadership, and service.

• Undergraduate and graduate students interested in exploring social issues.

How will you benefit from participating?:

• Connect with a community of peers from across campus and create new friendships. 

• Develop and practice personal and group leadership skills such as active listening, reflection, critical thinking, and communication. 

• Learn how to best engage and serve communities.

What should I expect?

• Engage in short-term service-learning immersion experiences that address social issues in local, national, and international communities.

• Learning and discovering root causes about different social issues through service 

• Active engagement in personal reflection, listening, small group dialogue, and small group activities.

• Thought-provoking questions and dialogue around social issues.

• Making connections between social issues and your academic, personal, professional, or civic life.

• Identifying at least one action step to take towards a social issue you are passionate about.

Sign Up Information:

• Visit alternativebreaks.umd.edu to sign up starting Tuesday, September 5th, 2023.

• The deadline to sign up is Wednesday, October 11th, 2023. 

For more information or questions, visit alternativebreaks.umd.edu or contact us at alternativebreaks@umd.edu

ODK applications are now open!

Omicron Delta Kappa – one of the most prestigious national societies to recognize leadership is now accepting applications for the Fall 2023 semester. ODK brings together junior, senior, and graduate students with our most outstanding faculty and staff members, to recognize campus leaders and to encourage other students to achieve.

Omicron Delta Kappa requires a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.650 for juniors (60-89 credits), 3.700 for seniors (90+ credits), and 3.800 for graduate students to be considered for membership. 

Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society applications are now available. Eligible junior, senior, and graduate students should visit www.odk.umd.edu to begin the application process. 

Membership applications must be received electronically no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 15, 2023. 

For more information and clarification about how to complete this application, we encourage you to view the tutorial uploaded to the application website. Additionally, there is a comprehensive frequently asked questions file that we encourage applicants to view as well for information and answers to their questions.

Become an Alternative Breaks Experience Leader!

Do you love visiting and learning about new places? How about taking action against some of our world's grand challenges? What if you could also develop leadership skills at the same time?

UMD's Alternative Breaks program is looking for students passionate about service & social justice to lead groups of their peers on transformative community service-learning experiences this upcoming year, which will take place over Winter, Spring, and Summer Breaks! No previous leadership experience required. 

AB Experience Leaders will receive a partial to full scholarship covering the cost of their AB Experience, as a result of completing all EL requirements. 

Apply today: go.umd.edu/ABExperienceLeaderApp23

Applications will be received on a rolling basis until slots are filled.

Want to learn more about the experience of being an EL before you decide to apply? Check out the Experience Leader Quick Guide!

Reach out to alternativebreaks@umd.edu with any questions!

Apply to be an Alternative Breaks Experience Leader

UMD's Alternative Breaks program is looking for students passionate about service & social justice to lead groups of their peers on transformative community service-learning experiences this upcoming year, which will take place over Winter, Spring, and Summer Breaks! 

Benefits include: 

• Developing leadership skills like facilitation/presentation, trip planning, & communication,

• Building strong relationships with your co-leader, fellow students, and staff advisor,

• Expanding your understanding of a variety of social issues & what meaningful service looks like, and finally

• Traveling somewhere new!

AB Experience Leaders will receive a partial to full scholarship covering the cost of their AB Experience, as a result of completing all EL requirements. 

Apply today: go.umd.edu/ABExperienceLeaderApp23

Applications will be received on a rolling basis until August 15th at 11:59pm or until slots are filled.

Want to learn more about the experience of being an EL before you decide to apply? Check out our Experience Leader Quick Guide!

Reach out to us at alternativebreaks@umd.edu with any questions!

Alternative Breaks Experience Leader Applications Now Open

 Are you interested in learning about and visiting new communities? Do you enjoy reflection, dialogue, and meaningful experiences with other UMD students? How about exploring some of the grand challenges facing our world today? 

UMD's Alternative Breaks program is looking for students passionate about service & social justice to serve as Experience Leaders for next year's experiences which will take place over your Winter, Spring, and Summer Breaks! 

Apply today to be an Experience Leader for 2023-2024

The EL application will close on Friday, May 12 at 11:59pm. Submit your application here: Experience Leader Application

What to expect as an Experience Leader:

• Being a part of a community that is equally as passionate as you are about service-learning & leadership

• Gaining all kinds of transferable skills that you’ll be able to apply to your future personal, professional, and civil goals including:

• Facilitation & presentation skills, logistical planning, team building, communication, and more.

• Weekly synchronous and asynchronous trainings/modules starting in the fall to support & guide you through the process of planning a transformative Alternative Breaks experience

Want to learn more about the experience of being an EL before you decide to apply? Attend one of our info sessions hosted by current ELs and ask them all your questions! 

For more, check out the official position description: AB Experience Leader Description

Reach out to us at alternativebreaks@umd.edu with any questions!

Opening: Volunteer Mental Health Counselor at UMD

 

Freshmen and Sophomores: Apply to Help Center to train to become a volunteer mental health counselor!

Applications are due September 17, 2022!

Read more about the Help Center

Help Center is University of Maryland’s student-run peer counseling and crisis intervention hotline that provides free and confidential help to the UMD community. Anyone can call and be connected to student counselors who are trained to help with any problems you may be facing.

You don’t have to provide your name or any identifying information – all calls made to Help Center are kept strictly confidential. We welcome all callers; no issue is too big or small. We also provide drop-in counseling and free, confidential pregnancy tests without an appointment.

Looking for Parade Volunteers

The District 21 Democratic Team has some exciting upcoming opportunities for volunteers to assist with upcoming festivals around Memorial Day and the 4th of July! Please see the flyer below for more information. 

Join us for the Spring 2022 Alternative Spring Break Experiences!

 

Program Details:

• Alternative Spring Break Experiences looks to build a world in which UMD students are empowered citizens in community together, taking action toward just causes.

• Through deliberative and reflective dialogues, direct service, and meaningful education which address global social issues, student participants will exchange, evaluate, and take action towards different ideas and approaches that challenge specific social, political, and economic structures of our global community.

• Direct service with community partners will demonstrate how students can turn their knowledge into action in safe, responsible, and sustainable ways.

• Interested students must be willing to commit their Spring Breaks, from Saturday, March 19th, 2022 to Saturday, March 26th, 2022. 

• The experience is in-person, and costs vary depending on the experience each participant is placed in.

• Program cost is all inclusive of lodging, meals, transportation, and education activities.

Who should participate?:

• Any student that wants to explore community development, civic engagement, local issues, leadership, and service.

• Undergraduate and graduate students interested in exploring social issues that include environmental conservation, education, socioeconomic inequity, health and wellness, and more.

How will you benefit from participating?:

• Connect with a community of peers from across campus and create new friendships. 

• Develop and practice personal and group leadership skills such as active listening, reflection, critical thinking, and communication, as well as civic engagement through in-person service.

• Learn how to effectively engage in constructive dialogue.

What should I expect?:

• Active engagement in personal reflection, listening, small group dialogue, and small group activities.

• Thought-provoking questions and dialogue around social issues.

• Making connections between social issues and your academic, personal, professional, and/or civic life.

• Engaging in direct service alongside community partners. 

• Participating in meaningful reflections to understand the impacts of community service on social justice.

• Identifying at least one action step to take towards a social issue you are passionate about.

Application Information:

• The deadline to apply is Sunday, February 13th, 2021.

• NOTE: We are actively recruiting staff advisors as well! If you have anyone in mind, please refer them to the application on our website listed below!

For more information or questions, visit alternativebreaks.umd.edu or contact us at alternativebreaks@umd.edu.

Volunteer This Semester Through Terps For Change!

 

Program Details:

• Terps for Change is a service-learning organization that allows students to engage in meaningful, longitudinal service with one of our 12 community partners. We hold weekly dialogues that give students the opportunity to explore and reflect on social issues that are impacting our community

• The experience is free and in-person. With Virtual options if needed.  

Who should participate?:

• Students who want to engage in weekly service and get involved in the community. 

• Undergraduate students interested in getting involved in engaging discussions, education and reflection centered around social issues and community service-learning.

How will you benefit from participating?:

• Connect with other students who have a passion for service-learning.

• Develop and practice personal and group facilitation skills such as active listening, reflection, critical thinking, and communication. 

• Learn how to effectively engage in constructive dialogue.

 

What should I expect?:

• Students will volunteer 1-3 hours a week with one of our local community partners with a group of students

• Participate in a 1-hour weekly dialogues around social issues.

• Making connections between social issues and your academic, personal, and professional life.  

 

Application Information:

• The Final Deadline to apply is February 4th, 2022

 

APPLY TODAY!

For more information, check out our website: terspforchange.umd.edu 

For more information or questions, visit Terps for Change  or contact us at terpsforchange@umd.edu