Take a look at some of the projects and presentations that Interdisciplinary Studies majors have done in the past!

Undergraduate Research is a great way to get involved and become engaged in your learning experience. What's even better is that as someone with multiple and/or diverse interests, you'll have the opportunity to develop a unique combination of research questions and answers.

The possibilities are literally endless, and you could even choose to travel, get an internship, OR apply for funds/fellowships that will help jumpstart or expand your research.

Check out the link below for more information!

Please join Dr. Charles Eggleton and the Mechanical Engineering Department in congratulating Dr. Anne Spence, winner of this year’s Outstanding Faculty Award.   Dr. Spence is a Professor of the Practice in the Mechanical Engineering Department and our Undergraduate Program Director.

This award was presented by the UMBC Alumni Association to Dr. Spence in honor of her outstanding track record in Engineering Education, her commitment to our students, and her ability to help our UMBC/ME grads excel, achieve, and plot their path beyond our campus. Dr. Spence consistently inspires our undergraduate students and has shown dedication to our program and our University that stands out even among the excellent Undergraduate faculty all over campus.

Winners of this award must be nominated by alumni and chosen by a committee comprised of the alumni Board of Directors and alumni leaders, and the recipient must show “extraordinary teaching as demonstrated by effectiveness in motivating students in ways that have a lasting influence on their lives.” 

The award will be presented on Thursday, October 9 at 6:30 pm in the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery, UMBC Main Campus.

The U.S. Department of State 2015 Summer Student Internship Program (unpaid) is now accepting applications.

Click here (https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/379670800) to go directly to USAJobs to start the Gateway to State online application. Please note that the deadline to submit completed applications is October 17, 2014.

Please note this is an earlier-than-usual deadline. We highly encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

This program offers U.S. citizen undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to participate in 10-week, unpaid internships that provide intensive educational and professional experience within the environment of America’s principle foreign affairs agency.

The unpaid internships are available at many of the over 270 U.S. embassies, consulates and missions to international organizations around the world, as well as at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. and other locations throughout the U.S. Participants gain first-hand, hands-on experience, and learn the realities of working in – and with – Foreign and Civil Service professionals who are at the forefront of America’s diplomatic efforts.

As an unpaid intern, you may have the opportunity to:

• Participate in meetings with senior level U.S. government or foreign government officials;
• Draft, edit, or contribute to cables, reports, communications, talking points, or other materials used by policy makers in furthering U.S. foreign policy objectives;
• Help organize and support events, including international and/or multi-lateral meetings and conferences on critical global issues;
• Contribute to the management and administration of the Department of State and America’s foreign policy; and
• Engage directly with U.S. or foreign audiences to promote U.S. foreign policy and improve understanding of U.S. culture and society.

So consider spending your Summer 2015 with the U.S. Department of State, witnessing and participating in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy, working closely with the U.S. diplomats and civil servants who carry out America’s foreign policy initiatives. You’ll not only have an experience of a lifetime, you may even earn educational credit.*

* Applicants who are selected for a U.S. Department of State Student Internship Program (unpaid) can contact the selecting bureau, or the central Student Programs office, if they require further details about the program to support their request for academic credit.

Please visit http://careers.state.gov/intern/which-program-is-right-for-you for more information about the Summer 2015 Student Internship Program (unpaid), and to start the online application process via USAJobs. Please note that the deadline to submit completed applications is October 17, 2014.

We appreciate your interest in internships with the U.S. Department of State.

Summer interns choose their own adventures, with powerful results.

You’re looking to learn more about a career and gain practical experience by becoming an intern. Do you apply for every available position online and wait to hear a response or do you research contacts, build connections and take action to find – or to build – your dream internship?

This summer, students across UMBC took action, seeking out faculty, staff, alumni and peers to find opportunities for experiential learning in Baltimore, around the country, and internationally.

“Be persistent,” said Joshua Dixon ’17, mechanical engineering, who worked as a research and development engineer for Power Transmission Solutions. “Find an opportunity in the area of what you want to do and be persistent.”

All that effort paid off. This summer’s interns found positions where they could gain hands-on experience and have a tangible impact on issues that matter to them. They conducted research in nationally recognized labs, made meaningful contributions to non-profit organizations and federal agencies, and worked for some of the world’s top corporations, including GE, Amazon and Delphi Automotive Systems in China.

“Find something that pushes your envelope all the way open, that you have a passion for, that’s a little unconventional, and then go do that,” advised Vanessa Barksdale ’17, social work, who interned as a caseworker for International Social Services.

Well-prepared and passionate, UMBC interns to stand out from the crowd. A 2014 National Association of Colleges and Employers report found that the number of internships held by college students was expected to decrease by 3.4 percent in 2014. However, UMBC’s internship, co-op and research placements have steadily increased, in large part due to student effort, faculty involvement and staff guidance.

Kerry Kidwell-Slak, associate director of internships and employment at the UMBC Career Center, explained, “Our goal is to empower students to explore the possibilities while developing their professional skills. We find that many of the students who are successful in acquiring summer internships do so by demonstrating initiative and making the most of the resources around them. These students talk with their friends, family and faculty members, log in to UMBCworks often, have active LinkedIn profiles and attend networking events on campus and elsewhere. Their drive sets them apart to employers.”

Are you ready to choose your own internship adventure? Here, a few 2014 summer interns who enrolled in the Career Center’s Internship, Co-op, and Research Practicum offer advice to get their fellow Retrievers started.

(9/2/14)