You do not have to be enrolled in classes to enroll in the Monthly Payment Plan!

Just estimate your costs and if need  be you can make changes once you know your exact costs.

“It’s a competitive job market out there.” How many times have you heard that? I know I hear it all the time. 

It can be incredibly unnerving and discouraging to try and present yourself to employers and recruiters when you start getting overwhelmed about the people you’re competing against as well as all of the qualifications the employers are looking for. However, it’s important to remember that you’re a student, and you’ve probably had a job, internship, class project, and/or papers to work on, which means you have qualifications to talk about! Sometimes you might not realize that the work you’re doing is building up particular skills, so it’s always helpful to take a step back and recognize the work you’re doing. By evaluating your skills and practicing your elevator pitch, you can boost your confidence and feel more prepared for job and internship interviews.

This Friday, March 4th from 12 to 1pm, there’s a Transferable Skills Workshop in Commons 328. This is an excellent opportunity to help you gain these skills. Whether you’re a freshman, alumni, or graduate student, this workshop is an awesome opportunity for you to identify what you’re good at and love to do, learn how to articulate with an employer, and learn how to make contacts in a field whenever you’re ready to make them! Doing this workshop could give you the confidence you need to find an internship or full-time job in the next few months. It could even help you decide on classes, internships, attending career fairs, and making connections. 

You can also always check out the Career Center website for some help on evaluating your skills and pitching them to employers. If you’re still feeling unsure about what your skills might be, you can take one (or all) of our online assessments that will allow you to learn more about your interests, skills, and strengths, as well as what field of work you could fit into based on your results! Another great thing to do is to find out more about your major. You can do this by using the Career Insider Portal on the database Vault, LinkedIn, and your academic department website to check out some of the fields of work you might be interested in going into for your major. 

You might already know what your strengths are, but are unsure about how to organize them. Our page on creating a 30 second commercial for yourself is a great resource for organizing your transferrable skills. A 30 second commercial is a concise way to identify who you are, some of your major strengths and accomplishments, and what you could contribute to an employer or company. This can be incredibly helpful for career fairs, networking, or answering that intimidating question from employers, “Why do you want to work for us?”

Having confidence in yourself is a significant part of finding a job, so I highly recommend attending this workshop or taking additional steps to get there!

A reflection from Women’s Center staff member Daniel Willey

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about how disaster response and the concept of a snow day have social justice implications. This week, I am continuing the trend by looking at the disaster in Flint, Michigan. Many news outlets are examining the crisis from a “so how do we fix it” standpoint, but I want to look at this crisis through the lens of “how did we get here.” What structural imbalances led us to this point? What does this crisis say about the bigger picture? Before we get there, though, let’s look at what happened:

(cnn.com)

In 2011, former acting mayor of Flint, Michigan Mike Brown was appointed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder as the city’s Emergency Financial Manager. The city was $15 million in debt, and it was the EFM’s job to cut the budget as much as possible to remedy the situation. As a major cost saving measure, Flint voted to stop buying water from Detroit, which pulls water from Lake Huron, and connect to Karegnondi Water Authority as a cheaper, more direct way of getting water from Lake Huron. This plan, voted on in 2013, would not be completed until 2016 and the city switched to water from the Flint River in the interim. Tests done on Flint River back in 2011 showed that the water from the river was corrosive and would need to be treated with phosphates before it could be used as a water source. This information was sent to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in 2013 when the decision was made to switch. It was the MDEQ’s job to address the corrosiveness of the water, which would cost about $100 per day. As a cost saving measure, they didn’t.

Fast forward to April 2014. Flint switches its water source. Residents report that the water is brown, smells, and has a bad taste. It was gross, but officials insisted it was fine.

(flintwaterstudy.org)

That summer, E.coli and coliform bacteria were found in the water and residents were told to boil their water. Still gross, but officials still claimed the water was safe to drink. Residents continued to report nasty water which was now causing rashes and illness across the city. In January of 2015, Detroit offered to reconnect Flint to Detroit municipal water and wave the reconnection fee. City officials declined and again insisted the water was safe.

Meanwhile, the GM plant near Flint stopped using the water, citing issues with corrosion of metal parts. Since April 2014, this same corrosion had been eating away at the zinc coating on the inside of lead pipes, allowing lead to leach into Flint’s water supply.

You probably know the rest of the story. There was cover-up after cover-up.

Thousands upon thousands of cases of water to be distributed to Flint residents (ibtimes.com)

Kids showing signs of lead poisoning were tested. The water was tested. The city switched back to Detroit’s municipal water, but it was too late. The lead was exposed and continues to leach into the water today. Flint is currently in a state of emergency, with all of its residents using bottled water to do everything from cooking to bathing to brushing teeth.

There’s a lot of stuff going on here. This timeline (and this one) and these few articles can help you get up-to-date on the facts and the finger-pointing. But, I want to focus on the residents of Flint and ask the question, How on earth did this happen?

Flint, like many parts of Michigan, was hit hard by the collapse of the automotive industry in 2009. Today, 40% of its residents are below the poverty line and 57% are black. Most are blue collar workers and the median value of owner-occupied homes is just $41,700. So, one has to wonder: Would this have happened in a white suburb? Would it have taken over a year for officials to respond? Historically, the answer is no.

It’s important to understand that the Flint disaster isn’t just the result of negligence. City officials made a conscious decision to pump corrosive, notoriously contaminated water into the homes of its residents. They also made a conscious decision to not properly treat the water. Once things got really bad, city officials did everything they could to cover it up. Flint residents are calling for answers and solutions, all while trying to survive on one case of bottled water per day.

Protesters in Detroit, Michigan during the height of the water shutoffs (thedailybeast.com)

Access to clean water is a human right. We literally cannot live without it. But, time and again poor people and people of color are denied this human right in the US. Just this last summer, water was shut off for 3,000 households in Detroit because of past-due accounts. Thousands more are at risk for losing their water– in fact, 40% of Detroit, 120,000 accounts and about 300,000 people, have outstanding water bills at an average of $755 per household. Detroit Water Brigade is one of many non-profits working to stop the shutoffs and implement a water affordability program.

Water shutoffs in Detroit and contaminated water in Flint have two important things in common: high rates of poverty and high proportions of black residents. It is no coincidence that both of these human rights violations occurred in areas of high rates of poverty and majority black population. When you consistently demonize, criminalize, and disinvest in poor or black people and black communities, a clear message is sent both to civilian constituents and city officials: these people aren’t worth our time and money and they don’t care anyway. That’s what Flint city and Michigan state officials conveyed to Flint residents and, eventually, the entire country.

Lee Ann Walters shows MotherJones.com the water from her tap

The thing is, the people of Flint do care. Lee Ann Walters is the mother of four who blew the whistle on the whole issue. It was because of her and a report from the EPA that was leaked to her that the national media began to pay attention to the issue. She organized residents for town hall meetings with city officials on numerous occasions, only to be met with dismissals and the same story about how the water was safe. In this viral video, she explains another issue with the water: she’s still being billed for it. If you can’t pay for your water, they shut it off. If you have no water, Child Protective Services get called in to remove your children from an “unfit” and “unsanitary” home. After 90 days of not paying the water bill, they cap your sewer which can lead to having your house condemned. There’s already a stigma on poor families and single parent households, especially single mothers. We call them unfit, or suggest they don’t care about their children. They are assumed to be less educated and less concerned about health issues, and now the stigma has played into how this whole thing went down: not only have classist and sexist assumptions allowed officials to dismiss local concerns for months, but they can also cause families to be uprooted or become homeless. This is what makes this issue not only a human rights issue but a social justice and feminist issue. 

Protesters in Flint, Michigan (rollingstone.com)

The residents of Flint deserve justice. Sure, officials need to be held accountable for their actions but what Flint needs right now is water. Flint needs investment. Flint needs new pipes and more jobs and better access to healthcare and government assistance programs. Flint needs schools and teachers equipped to meet the needs of the hundreds of children who have been affected by lead poisoning. Activist Michael Moore has written an open letter expressing his anger and calling for accountability and revolution. Whether or not you agree with him, it’s clear that this is a social justice issue. And, if we claim intersectional feminism as a value and practice, this is an issue feminists need to rally around as well.  

Understanding how structures of poverty, racism, and sexism set this problem up (and inform what happens next) can help activists, policy makers, and leaders keep this kind of thing from ever happening again. It can also help us answer these questions: Why didn’t it become an issue sooner? Who matters — and who doesn’t? Where else in this country are people in crisis without a voice? What will it take to get us to notice? Will we be too late?

If you want to do more to help flint, check out the Flint Water Response Team website or this article listing different areas in need of donations. The Flint water crisis didn’t become widely known and publicized until fairly recently and the EPA is still not happy with how the recovery is going. Spreading the word, sending water, and putting pressure on officials is crucial in the short term, but Flint has a long, long expensive road ahead.

• Communicating with the Student Body:  More than any other branch in SGA, the Senate’s job is to listen to the voices of UMBC undergraduates and find new ways to respond to their needs, concerns and aspirations.  Senators find and develop multiple avenues for connecting with students, sparking and collecting their ideas, and supporting them in their own projects to improve the UMBC experience.

• Initiating Action to Improve Students’ Experiences:  The Senate is where many of SGA’s new initiatives are born: an incubator of ideas and plans to improve UMBC policies, programs and practices.  Senators work together, both at the weekly meetings and in smaller groups throughout each week, to envision needed changes, develop practical plans, and coordinate the work of implementing them, involving and receiving support from Executive Branch officers as appropriate.  For example, the Senate could decide that what the student body needs is new dining options in The Commons.  A team of Senators would work together, coordinating with the President, to determine how to pursue these new options (identifying key decision-makers, researching the history of the existing dining options, developing a plan for advocating changes, engaging and informing the student body), and work to make the change happen.  If the Senate develops an initiative that requires steady, ongoing attention in subsequent years, the initiative may shift to the Executive Branch for implementation after the first year.

• Taking Positions/Considering Legislation:  When SGA formally takes a position on an issue, such as a bill being considered by the state legislature, it does so in the form of legislation approved by a majority vote of the Senate (which can be vetoed by the President, subject to override by a 2/3 vote of the Senate).  The Senate also has or shares responsibility for approving the annual budget, allocations of funds from SGA’s reserve account, and the appointment of certain SGA officers.  In addition, the Senate manages a fund from which it can make allocations to SGA projects.

• Representing the Student Body:  Senators represent all students on UMBC committees (consisting of staff, faculty and students) that establish campus policies and practices.  Fulfilling this responsibility entails both attending and participating actively in committee meetings and communicating with other SGA members and the student body about what the committees are doing.  (This responsibility is shared with the Executive Branch).

• Participating in SGA Initiatives and Activities:  Senators work with members of the other branches of SGA to contribute to positive change on campus.

Each year 55 of Maryland’s best and brightest college students are given the opportunity to explore careers in public service and nonprofit organizations.

Students are provided this annual opportunity through the Walter Sondheim Jr. Public Service Summer Internship Scholarship Program, as established by House Bill 269. 

Every year the Shriver Center at UMBC coordinates the Public Service Scholars programs on behalf of the State of Maryland to ensure that students across Maryland would have an opportunity to intern in various nonprofit, state, and/or local government entities each summer while earning a $3,000 scholarship.

The five programs are as followed:

1. Governor’s Summer Internship Program
2. Walter Sondheim Jr. Maryland Nonprofit Leadership Program


3. Maryland Department of Transportation Fellows Program*
4. Baltimore RISE Fellows (new in Spring 2016-an exploratory program for UMBC students examining cross-sector approaches to addressing social issues)

*The Shriver Center administers the MDOT Fellows Program on behalf of the Maryland Department of Transportation.  The program was created out of the success of the Governor’s Summer Internship Program in order to expose more students to the rewards and challenges of careers in Maryland’s integrated transportation system.  MDOT Fellows receive a stipend of $3,500 for an 8 week fellowship.*

Applications for all programs are now live and are due March 15. 

Each program requires a separate application.

Information for all programs can be found by visiting http://shrivercenter.umbc.edu/publicservicescholars/

Below are featured events and internship/employment opportunities that have recently been posted or have application deadline dates that are quickly approaching!  To see all that the UMBC Career Center has to offer YOU, please visit our myUMBC group page HERE or log into your UMBCworks account!

FEATURED EVENTS….

NEW! Inside Scoop: Opportunities in Health  - Monday, March 7, 2016, 12 pm – 1 pm   

UMBC Connects: NSA- Wednesday, March 2, 2016, 11 am – 2 pm, No need to stay for the entire event, come when you are able!

UPCOMING ON THE ROAD EVENTS….

 On the Road - General Electric- Friday, March 4, 2016, 9 am – 2 pm

NEW! On the Road:  Domino Sugar (ARS) – Friday, April 1, 2016 – 9:15 am – 1 pm, Deadline to register:  March 25

NEW! On the Road:  National Security Agency (NSA) – Friday, April 8, 2016 9 am – 3 pm, Deadline to register:  March 21

NEW! On the Road:  Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) – Friday, April 15, 2016 – 9 am – 4 pm, Deadline to register:  March 9

INFORMATION SESSIONS….

NEW! Information Session: Amazon.comMonday, March 7, 2016, 5 pm – 8 pm

NEW! Information Session: Capgemini Government SolutionsTuesday, March 8, 2016, 5 pm – 7 pm

NEW! Information Session: Children Achieving Maximum Potential, IThursday, March 10, 2016, 12 pm – 1 pm

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NEW! On-Campus Interview Deadlines

PayPal
Software Engineer Intern
Deadline to Apply:  March 8
Interview Date:  March 22

srcLogic
Technical Consultant
Deadline to Apply:  March 9
Interview Date:  March 23

Enterprise Holdings
Management Trainee
Deadline to Apply:  March 10
Interview Date:  March 24

Harford County Public Schools
Teacher
Deadline to Apply:  March 29
Interview Date:  April 1

Triumvirate Environmental
Environmental Specialist
Deadline to Apply:  March 31
Interview Date:  April 14

FEATURED FULL-TIME & PART-TIME JOBS, INTERNSHIPS, AND RESEARCH POSITIONS

Northrop Grumman Extern Program for International Students

Summer 2016 Maryland Manufacturing Internship Program

Government Affairs Summer Internships - Exelon/Constellation

Keep an eye on the Career Center website (http://careers.umbc.edu/) for all upcoming events and programs!  Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors….this is an excellent opportunity for you to learn more about career paths…whether you are exploring possibilities or searching for an internship or full-time opportunity!

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All UMBC students registered for classes within the past year are included in the job-internships email list. Because the list is auto-populated by the Registrar, you cannot unsubscribe, but you can change your reception mode to not receive any more messages.

1. Go to https://lists.umbc.edu

2. Login with your myUMBC account or email address

3. Go to https://lists.umbc.edu/sympa/suboptions/jobs-internships

4. Under "Your list options" change the "Receiving mode" to "no mail"

5. Hit the Update button

A post written by Women’s Center student staff member, Carrie Cleveland

I have never been one to label myself a feminist. I think it is because what comes into my mind when I think of feminism is the 1960s – 1970s pop culture version where women were marching in the street and burning their bras (come to find out that this idea in my head is actually a myth). I never really identified with those women, so I pushed the topic to the side. THEN….. I started working here in the Women’s Center.

As a staff member, we are all encouraged to actively learn and one of the ways that I’m doing that is by reading. My background on all things feminism is much more  grounded in pop culture than it is theory. I’ve never taken a Gender and Women’s Studies class, like so many of my Women’s Center peers. Sometimes I struggle with the language and the theory so we thought this would be a good way for me to start my learning. Jess suggested that I dip my toe into the feminist blogosphere and start with some more approachable topics and accessible authors. As I’m reading and clicking and getting lost in all things women, I came across this blog written by Jamie Kennedy titled 10 Things Feminist Moms Do Differently Than Any Other Parents.

As I was scrolling, I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. One of the first ideas the author presents is about disrupting gender norms. Now I have three girls and a VERY handy husband. He’s always building or fixing something so we did not hesitate to get my kids a tool set when they were little. When my husband was beginning a project, my daughter would run down and grab her hammer so she could help her dad with something. Perhaps these experiences are why she sees being a scientist and an astronaut as career options. I never thought of that as feminist idea, more so that she wanted to hang out with her dad. Look at that! I did not even know I was challenging gender norms. Go me! 

One of the next topics explored that resonated with me was about consent. There was a time where another daughter was playing soccer and this boy pushed her. It was not part of the game; he just walked up to her and pushed her down. She came off the field and on the sideline we were having a conversation about her telling that boy that he had no right to touch her in that way. The blog pointed out to me that this was laying the groundwork about consent. It also opened the door for more conversation about personal space, boundaries, and expectations for ourselves and others. Again, my purpose was not intentional, but woohoo!

I basically found myself nodding my head to the memes about vaginas and of supporting whatever choice a woman makes about working. Ranting (which is explained in the blog as way to show our children we are passionate and thoughtful people too!), well I truly thought that was the Jersey in me and not the feminist, but why can’t it be both, right?More feminism that I did not even know about. As I reflect about who I am now and what the word feminist means, I’m starting to understand that feminism has a broader meaning. I now feel like I can embrace the label “feminist” and be more cognizant of my parenting choices when talking about women and gender. Next time my daughters say something about boys and girls, I imagine these ideas will come to mind when I thoughtfully choose to my words.

My oldest daughter visiting NASA Goddard with the Girl Scouts.

I want my daughters to know that they can do anything. My oldest is determined to be an astronaut and I realize now that she has no idea that Sally Ride did something unthinkable to many in 1983 because it is not unthinkable to her. The American Association of University Women (AAUW) put together this report on why women in STEM is so important and here is another blog post about how we don’t even recognize successful women who are already in STEM.

My daughter, Vivian, hanging out at the Women’s Center working away

Moms know we are often very reluctant to sing our own praises, but hopefully I am doing something right with these three girls. Who knows, maybe one of them will be the director the Women’s Center one day.