Interested in learning about various mechanical engineering career paths? UMBC’s Career Center is hosting a panel on Monday, October 29^th from Noon- 1pm in University Center 310. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with professionals in this field and gain insight on their career paths and what you can do now to prepare!

Panelists include:

• ·         Havtech
• ·         Regal Beloit Corporation
• ·         Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. 

No RSVP required.

Please note: UMBC is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors. If you would like to request accommodations (e.g., ASL interpreters, captioning, wheelchair access, etc.) for this event due to a disability, please notify us at least two weeks prior to the event. Requests received after that time cannot be guaranteed, but we will do our best to make arrangements for program access. Please contact the event host (careers@umbc.edu) with your specific request and be sure to include the event title, date, and time.

• UMBC Presidential Distinguished Staff Awards 
• Board of Regents USM Staff Awards
• Jakubik Family Endowment Staff Award
• Karen L. Wensch Endowment Award for Outstanding Non-Exempt Staff 

The prospect of graduate or professional school is an exciting one!

As you begin the process of exploring programs of interest, and preparing to submit applications, here are three main points to keep in mind:

Take time to find the right program fit!

When possible, visit the schools/programs that interest you. You’ll have the opportunity to see how the campus is laid out and learn about the surrounding area. Is it in close proximity to things you enjoy? What are the housing options like? What do the labs, studios and/or classroom facilities that you would be learning in look like? Overall, does it seem like the type of environment you will like to spend time in?

You’ll also have the chance to connect with program directors, faculty and current graduate students. You’ll want to consider whether or not the program has a professor who shares your research areas of interest. And meeting current students is especially important if your program will use a “cohort” model – meaning you will work with the same people throughout the duration of the program.

Finally, take time to research class options – some programs will provide more flexible schedule options include evening, weekend or online classes, while other programs may be more traditional and have classes throughout the day.

Graduate programs might require an entrance exam

The majority of graduate and professional programs will require you to complete an entrance exam, similar to taking the SAT or ACT when applying to UMBC. See below for what exam you might be expected to take:

• Dental School: DAT (Dental Admission Test) 
• Business and Management Schools: GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) 
• Master’s and Doctoral Programs: GRE (Graduate Record Examination) *Most common graduate admissions exam* 
• Law School: LSAT (Law School Admission Test) 
• Medical School: MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)
• Pharmacy School: PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) 

Letters of Recommendation – ask early and ask people who know you best!

Most applications to graduate or professional school will require you to submit letters of recommendation. Your recommenders should be individuals who know you well, such as a professor who taught you in several courses or serves as your research mentor.

Ideally, you’ll set up a meeting to ask for a recommendation face-to-face, which will help emphasize how important the letter is to you and give you the chance to provide context answer questions your prospective recommender might have.

Allow at least two months prior to the deadline to give your recommenders enough time to complete the recommendation.

See below for some other helpful links as you continue to prepare for your next steps!

The Graduate School at UMBC 

Applying to Graduate Schools via UMBC Career Center

Written by OAPA Peer Advisor, Malaysia McGinnis, Class of ‘19.

The common stereotype of a middle child is exemplified in the sophomore year of college. It is the year where the school, the people, the academic life no longer feel new, but it is not quite old. The classes become a steady slew of assignments, studying, and cramming. This overwhelming feeling often gives rise to the “Sophomore Slump.” During this period, a lack of motivation, boredom, and anxiety about the future (and present) are at their peak.

Socially, the friends you made in the first year of college may no longer be the people you click with, or they are not the people you want to be around.

But recognize that there is nothing wrong with needing a different circle of people to feel right at home. Your group of friends can make or break your college experience, and it is important to keep friends that you feel comfortable and positive with around you.

With so many vibrant organizations on campus, you can try to meet new people, and gain some new experiences to shift your life’s perspective.

Additionally, as there is a general perception that you should make friends and connections to people “higher” than you (in terms of success, social prowess, etc.); it is also beneficial to make friends “across” from you. The lateral relationships you develop in college can result in a stronger mutual uplift.

Academically, you may realize your major is just not what you want, or you simply grow tired of learning the same subject. You may realize that you may not be in the right field, and you want to go through a complete revolution in your academic career.

This is okay. Take time to explore, and utilize any time you have outside of class to gain insight about what you want to do, including meeting with your academic advisor. Even if you are in the right field, maybe the 18 credits you took this fall in the same subject was just too much? UMBC is a liberal arts university, so you can balance out the GEP courses throughout your career to take classes that add a bit of diversity to your course load.

Sometimes it may seem as if everyone around you has it all figured out and are throttling into their success quicker. A word of advice: in college, no one has it 100% figured out. The journey to success and self-assurance is ever changing. So for those who feel late in finding out who they are, sophomore year is a great opportunity for growth.

Couldn’t attend CSJ: Ignite 101? No problem! We have all the information you need. This Round-Up was written by Women’s Center staff member Shrijana Khanal.

Critical Social Justice officially kicked off today with CSJ 101: Ignite! The presenters and leaders for this event were the Women’s Center’s very own Amelia Meman and Jess Myers. When the attendees walked in, they were welcomed with different tables which were each marked with a particular social justice issue–an affinity. The various issues included Immigration and Transnationality, Racial Justice, Economic Issues, LGBTQ Justice, Health Access and Equity, Government and Politics, Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence, and Ecological Justice. Individuals were invited to sit at the table with the issue which most resonated with them, whether it was due to passion, curiosity, or personal ties. After everyone chose their affinity groups, Amelia began with a presentation. She began with the essential question of, “Why Critical Social Justice?” The main idea that Critical Social Justice embodies is the importance of increased inclusivity.

“Critical Social Justice grows inclusivity on UMBC’s campus by helping more people feel welcome and comfortable engaging in challenging conversations about equity and justice, across all racial and ethnic identities, genders, sexualities, political ideologies, academic fields, and life experiences.”

Every year, Critical Social Justice has a different theme, so why choose “ignite?” CSJ: Ignite is focused on building partnerships across UMBC and catering to everyone’s personal strengths in relation to social change and social justice movements. As Amelia shared, we are stronger together, and we are stronger when we work from a place of authenticity. CSJ: Ignite exemplifies how a single light cannot illuminate a whole city, but it can begin the movement that changes through the world. Amelia expanded this description by drawing a parallel to a scene in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, where Pippin the Hobbit lights the beacon, symbolizing how UMBC is lighting the campaign of social justice activism through CSJ and invites each of us to reach out to others in the spirit of advancing social justice movements and change.

CSJ 101: Ignite was structured by first sharing examples of famous changemakers throughout history and then shifting the conversation to how we as individuals at UMBC can also become changemakers using their own strengths and interests. The examples of famous changemakers were:

• Sylvia River and Marsha P. Johnson, trans and gay liberation activists
• Kavita Krishnaswamy, a UMBC PhD candidate in computer science who increases accessibility of people with disability and seniors
• Ida B. Wells, an African-American leader, lecturer, and orator
• Audre Lorde, a black lesbian feminist writer
• FORCE’s The Monument Quilt, an activist collective that uses art to bring attention to and change rape culture
• Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark, a married team who conducted psychological research on children and internalized racism and self-concept
• Maysoon Zayid, an American Muslim actress and comedian of Palestinian descent

These various examples convey how social justice can be approached through different mediums like comedy, research, art, or writing. No lens, no skill, no perspective is better than another. They are all various and necessary tools to produce social movement and change.

Afterward, individuals in each group discussed what brought them all together at that affinity table. People shared their personal identities, experiences, and motivations for being an ally. Next, everyone was asked about their visions for that cause twenty years from now. The responses for this question included a mixture of optimism and hope combined with realism and anger.

Then, we all came together as a whole and reported out what we discussed in our small groups. The next of set of questions included sharing your major and career goals along with how our individual knowledge, expertise, skills, and talents can be applied to being a social activist and changemaker. It was fascinating to hear the different majors people had and how each major could serve a purpose in social movements, whether their field of study was computer science, public health, or financial economics. In addition, people’s diverse set of skills and talents including cooking, art, and animation also applied to the concept that anyone can use their hobbies for social justice. Our roles in our communities are not limited by specific boundaries or duties: we had a great turnout of RA’s, each of whom wanted to explore resources to better serve their residential communities.

CSJ: Ignite is just the beginning! Each and every individual has the capacity and ability to become a trailblazer and light the beacon of hope, activism, and justice. For a list of other CSJ events happening this week, check out our calendar!