Name: Amanda Quinn

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: U.S. Department of State | Title of Your Position: Public Affairs Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s): Global Studies and English Literature

Expected Graduation Year: May 2016

Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service-learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

Currently, I am a Public Affairs intern at the U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg, Russia. Most of the work I do goes into supporting the Consulate's work to plan events and programming that encourage cultural exchange between Americans and Russians. I also support the U.S. Consulate's various social media accounts.

Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.

I have always had an interest in diplomacy and the Foreign Service. Throughout my sophomore year, my goals became clearer and I knew I wanted to pursue a career involving international relations. I did some research and learned about the application process for an internship with the State Department and decided to apply for a Spring 2015 internship. On the application I expressed my interest and experience in Russia, but it was actually a total surprise that I was placed in St. Petersburg.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience?

Career Center, USA Jobs

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

I am so glad to be back in St. Petersburg. I studied abroad here in the fall, but it’s interesting to be here to work rather than study. Just being able to return to this city is a definite highlight of this position. Besides that, I've enjoyed the getting involved in the social media presence of the U.S. Consulate. In today's world, social media has begun to play a key role in diplomacy, and it is interesting to see that starting to evolve.

What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity ?

Participating in an internship abroad, especially in Russia, has provided me with the unique chance to get firsthand experience observing how U.S. diplomacy is conducted abroad. I'm also here during an interesting time for U.S.-Russia relations, so its been interesting watching that evolve from the perspective of American diplomats.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Do your research and explore all the ways you can get involved in your field of interest and then apply for everything that intriques you. Look into opportunities that can give you a unique perspective and experience in your field.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.

Take a risk and do something that scares you. I took a semester off and went abroad to participate in this internship. Don't be afraid to explore opportunities that are unique and take you outside of the normal college experience.

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On behalf of the The Reach Initiative, the Women's Center is excited to share this opportunity!! Read on!

The Reach Initiative is a mentorship research program for high school women  who are interested in entering into the STEM fields. Our team is currently looking for a diverse range of majors and people to serve on our planning committees and mentors to work directly with our young women.

 The Reach Initiative is currently looking for women who are pursuing degrees in the STEM field or Environmental Science and who exhibit a passion and commitment to gender empowerment, the maths and sciences, and diversity. Mentors will volunteer Saturdays for 3 hours a week on campus with the possibility of receiving credit through the Honors College and/or Shriver Center.

Beginning on Tuesday, May 26th, the Women's Center will operate with the following hours:

Kate Phelps, Assistant Director, UMBC Career Center

With summer in the air, students often rejoice at the freedom from classes. However, many UMBC students are taking advantage of the break to build their resumes with internships, co-ops, and research opportunities. Around the state, in Washington, D.C., and across the country, students are exploring career options while acquiring the valuable professional experience and life-long skills needed to jump-start their careers after graduation. If your student is engaged in a summer internship or research experience, the UMBC Career Centerencourages your student to enroll in our 0 credit Intern/ Research/ Co-op Practicum Coursewhich appears on their official UMBC transcript.  Students develop learning objectives, complete professional development activities, and evaluate their experiences to further connect their internship to their academic studies. Additionally, the Career Center may be able to help a student to connect to academic credit for their internship. To learn more, check out this video.

If your student has not yet secured a summer internship, it is not too late as some internships start later in June. The Career Center is open all Summer long to help students succeed in their job and internship pursuits. Be sure to check out the resources below to help your students land an internship,  full-time job, or even a great part-time summer job.

UMBC Career Guide (Resume, Cover Letter, Interview Tips, and Job Search Advice)

UMBCworks ( UMBC Job Search Portal and access to Schedule an Appointment)

NACELink (National Job Search Site)

Using LinkedIn in the Job Search (Building Your LinkedIn Profile, Using the Alumni Tool)

Sarena C Glenn RD, LDN, MS, Campus Dietitian

Sound familiar? You are not alone! College students often struggle at some point with making healthy choices in the dining hall. This time of year, many families are weighing their options for next semester regarding meal plans and healthy food options for their student. College is a wonderful time for exploring resources that build will-power to make nourishing and healthy choices. Dineoncampus.com/umbc is an excellent tool which provides nutrition information and ingredient list for daily menu items.

Students can access Dineoncampus.com/umbc through online menus, the iPad Nutritional Kiosk in True Grit’s or download App on Campus for iPhone, Android phones, and tablets.  The popular fruit-infused waters are flavorful calorie-free beverages, available at our dining hall and in the Commons for all meal plans. All meal deals offer the option of fresh fruit in place of chips or fries. There are meal deals that have a vegetable option. In our residential dining hall True Grit’s, there is an extensive salad bar which includes spinach, mesclun greens, and assorted vegetables, carbohydrates, and protein toppings. The vegan bar includes quinoa, couscous, rice, various legumes, tempeh, seitan, tofu or edamame offered daily. On the hummus bar, in addition to many flavors of hummus, there is tzatziki sauce, salsa, and homemade guacamole. In My pantry, students can choose from dairy alternatives, nut butter alternatives, and whole grain cereals. The sandwich station offers students a variety of whole grain breads. Hot fresh vegetable and whole grain side dishes, fresh whole and cut up fruit, and vegetable-based soups are offered daily at True Grit’s.

Students are more than welcome to seek out FREE nutrition counseling on how to make nourishing and healthy food choices with the campus dietitian. Concerns about food allergies, including gluten intolerance can also be addressed by the campus dietitian. MyUMBC Dining Services online provides numerous resources inclusive of media, handouts, and access to other online resources that can empower students to make nourishing and healthy food choices.  Coming soon Chartwells will start showcasing healthy meal deals which will be another resource that will empower students to make nourishing and healthy choices, so stay tuned!