Tuesday, February 28, 2023

2023 AGNR State Fair Dairy Exhibit Team

Each year, the College of Agriculture takes a string of dairy cattle to the Maryland State Fair for a milking and educational exhibit. We are looking for students to help prepare these animals to go to the fair, take care of them while at the fair – potentially show them in the ring, and answer questions that the general public may have.


Plant Futures


The Plant Futures Initiative (PF) is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to equipping and empowering the next generation of ethical leaders and entrepreneurs in the plant-forward food system. There are a growing number of students who are  eager to work in the plant-based food sector and seek the resources needed to equip them for the increasing amount of opportunities. We work with students to develop an authentic path of impact both on campus and beyond. 


In response to this demand, we are currently expanding the program we began at UC Berkeley in 2021 to a growing network of 30 university chapters.  Our chapter programming consists of community building around food systems curriculum and experiential learning that help facilitate the acquisition of internships, jobs, and mentors for our students. By joining a chapter, students can expect to connect with like-minded peers and experts engaged in multidisciplinary focused work to improve food-related outcomes.  

We are excited to start a chapter at University of Maryland and encourage any students that are interested to find a time via calendly to meet with Eric Sirvinskas (Chapter Community Manager). You can also find more information about the program on the Plant Futures website or reach out with questions to Eric (eric@plantfuturesinitative.org).

Sustainability Advisor Internship


Are you interested in teaching other students about sustainability? Would you like to improve your presentation and communication skills? Are you looking for a way to encourage peers to take action on sustainability here at UMD?


The Office of Sustainability is seeking Sustainability Advisors to teach first-year students about sustainability and ways to get involved with sustainability initiatives on campus. Sustainability Advisors visit UNIV 100, HONR 100, Scholars Colloquium, and other first-year seminar classes to  teach a 60- minute lesson. You would receive self-paced training in May and in-person training in early  September. You would then teach the lesson to classes throughout September-November based on your availability.


To Apply: Submit an application through this form. You will need to attach a short (1-2 minute) video of yourself explaining why you want to be a Sustainability Advisor, what courses you’ve taken that have increased your understanding of sustainability concepts, and if you are involved with sustainability-related clubs/projects on or off campus.


Prerequisites: Advisors must be current University of Maryland undergraduate students with at least sophomore standing (exceptions may be made). A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA is recommended. Advisors are expected to have a strong interest in sustainability, a professional work ethic, and a desire to help others adopt sustainable practices. Students in all majors are encouraged to apply.


Time Commitment: The time commitment is about 5-7 hours of presenting, primarily in the fall semester. Training requires additional time.


Pay: This is an unpaid, volunteer position.

Deadline to Apply: March 29, 2023 for best consideration.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Sustainable Food Systems

 




Maryland State Fair Scholarships

 The Maryland State Fair is currently seeking 4-year college, post- secondary college, and trade school applicants for the F. Grove Miller Maryland State Fair Honorary and the Marlin K. Hoff Memorial Scholarship programs. Scholarship Rules and Applications may be obtained at www.marylandstatefair.com/general-info/scholarshipsCompleted applications and supplemental information must be electronically submitted, no later than midnight on June 1, 2023. Recipients of the scholarships will be recognized at special ceremonies during the 2023 Maryland State Fair


Study Abroad Opportunities

Education Abroad is accepting applications through March 1 for Summer, Fall and Full Year 2023 programs and EA Scholarships. As an AGNR major, you can earn credit towards your degree with programs supported by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources!


Summer 2023 Options include...


...and more! For a full list of AGNR Summer 2023 programs, visit: https://ter.ps/AGNRSummer


Fall 2023/Yearlong Options

Swap a semester in College Park for a term abroad, where you can earn credits and stay on track with your academic plan in places like Italy, Australia, Korea, Mexico and more!


For a full list of AGNR fall semester and full year 2023 programs, visit: https://ter.ps/AGNRFallFY 


Can’t wait to just go away?


As always, don’t hesitate to let us know how we can help!

Terp Farm Positions

Terp Farm is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for student staff positions for the 2023 season. If you would, please distribute the attached announcement and position description to students and colleagues to help get the word out. We will be accepting applications through March 10 and conducting interviews before students leave for Spring Break.

TERP FARM is the University’s own sustainable produce farm located 15 miles from campus at the University’s Central Maryland Research and Education Center, Upper Marlboro Facility. Established in 2014 as collaboration between the Department of Dining Services and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the farm provides fresh produce to the campus dining halls and food-insecure members of the campus community through donations to the UMD Campus Pantry. Additionally, the farm has served as a “living laboratory” for students of
the University to engage in practical farming applications and learn skills and concepts that are imperative to running a successful farming operation. The Terp Farm management team is seeking student staff members for employment on the farm for the 2023 season. The position runs from May 22, 2023 - August 25, 2023, with potential for continuation part-time in the
Fall 2023 semester. Wages start at $15/hr.

Application deadline is March 10, 2023

Interviews will be conducted during the week of March 13th

Eligibility: Successful candidates should consider themselves to be hard-working, self-motivated, detail oriented, and able to demonstrate good communication skills. It is very important to be willing to receive direction and have a strong work ethic in order to work on a farm. While having previous farming experience or outdoor jobs is generally preferred, it is not required. However it is essential that candidates are committed to vegetable farming and all that it requires, including being able to lift 50 lbs regularly, and work outside in all weather conditions from rainy days to high summer heat. Preference will be given to those candidates that have at least 3 months of previous farming experience. A valid Maryland driver’s
license is required, as well as your own means for commuting to and from the farm.
University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political af iliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

The Terp Farm Student Staff will support the Terp Farm Manager in the following aspects of farm operations, including:
● Production
o Field operations for vegetable production, including cultivation and tillage, bed preparation,
planting, fertilizing, pest and disease control, irrigation, mulching, trellising, and weeding.
o High tunnel operations, including hand-scale bed preparation, planting, trellising, pest and disease
control, irrigation, weeding, and maintenance of structures.
o Greenhouse operations, including soil mix preparations, seeding, thinning, environmental
monitoring, pest and disease control, and sanitation.
o Post-harvest operations including washing and packing, sanitation, pest monitoring,
record-keeping, and worker hygiene.
● Facilities Maintenance and Infrastructure
o Basic construction and site development projects such as building greenhouse benches and
spreading mulch and gravel.
o Basic maintenance of tools and equipment, including cleaning and sharpening, checking fluid
levels, and following proper storage procedures.
o Ground maintenance, including mowing, string trimming, and site cleanup.
● Recordkeeping
o Daily note-taking and assistance in maintaining farm log books for food safety and production
records.

Physical Demands/Work Environment:
● Occasional work must be performed outside of normal scheduled hours due to weather and other factors
● Hazardous materials - petroleum based fluids, exhaust, pesticides, and sanitation chemicals.
● Wear and work in Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
● Working environment may have allergens—dust, mold, grasses, etc.
● Severe weather conditions, such as extreme hi/lo temperatures, strong wind, and rain.
● Heavy lifting - 40 to 50 lbs

Work Schedule: This position follows a typical 40 hour work week, 8 hours per day Monday through Friday,
with occasional adjustments to the schedule based on the needs of the farm.

To Apply: Send an updated resume and cover letter describing your interest in the position to terpfarm@umd.edu.
Include “Terp Farm Student Staff Application” in the subject line.
In your cover letter please provide responses to the following:
● Tell us why you want to be a part of the Terp Farm Team.
● Describe your qualifications for the position.
● Explain what outcomes you hope to gain from this experience.

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Cassie Taylor is a Chemist working on the interdisciplinary Botanical Review team at the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). A UMD graduate school alum, she will share about her nonlinear career path to working at the FDA, plus provide some insider-scoop on what the FDA does, how it’s structured, and how to work there! The FDA hires professionals from a wide variety of educational backgrounds for a wide variety of roles. If you’re interested in learning about opportunities, including internships, with the FDA we encourage you to participate! 


March 6, 2023

5:30 - 6:30 

Virtual

Register HERE


This event is being co-sponsored by UCC@CMNS and UCC@AGNR. 

Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (SASLA) Career Fair


SASLA (Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects) is holding a career panel on Tuesday, February 28 at 6-8pm in Critique Hall (Room 0104) in the Plant Sciences Building. Professionals from different specializations within landscape architecture will be visiting our campus to give brief presentations and participate in a Q&A session. Please join us to learn about the different types of work you could be doing as a landscape architect! This event is open to all University of Maryland students. RSVP Here

Federal, Global, and Maryland Fellows Internship Programs

 


UMD’s Federal, Global, and Maryland Fellows Internship Programs –

Submit Admissions forms now! OPEN TO ALL MAJORS!

Are you interested in professional experience through the federal/state/local government, non-profits, international organizations and more? Our one-year program combines a fall 2023 seminar and a spring 2024 internship (both for college credit) and offers a unique active-learning opportunity to integrate your academics with real world experience and explore future goals. Join a passionate, multi-disciplinary, and engaged student cohort and become part of a thriving 1300+ alumni network for life! 

Program Perks Include:

Your Choice of Fall Seminar Courses (all taught by expert practitioners, with courses offered once a week, mostly in the evenings; fall seminars are also cross-listed with Honors.)                

  • Energy and Environmental Policy (FGSM340/HNUH348T)
  • Global Health Challenges and Water Security (FGSM390/HNUH398T)
  • Economic Diplomacy (FGSM365/HNUH369T)
  • Science Diplomacy (FGSM370/HNUH378T)
  • Political Engagement and Advocacy (FGSM310/HNUH318T)
  • Public Health Policy (FGSM320/HNUH328T) 
  • International Security and Intelligence (FGSM355/HNUH359T)   
  • Responses to Global Challenges (FGSM380/HNUH388T)
  • Homeland Security and National Security Policy (FGSM330/HNUH338T)
  • US Diplomacy (FGSM360/HNUH368T)
  • Critical Regions and International Relations (FGSM350/HNUH358T)

Also: the *Maryland General Assembly Writing Internship* ENGL381/HONR368A (apply via English Department)

Spring Internship 3-9 credits available through our program (including Scholarship in Practice credit); you can also obtain internship credit through your own major to complete this Fellows requirement.

 

Internships/Program Partnerships at a myriad of sites, including U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Energy, Embassy of Spain, Office of Agriculture, Climate Action Campaign, Chemonics International, National Institutes of Health, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), NASA's Food Security and Agriculture Program, U.S. Department of Justice, and many more! 

 

Year round activities include visits with DC-area organizations, professional development workshops, personalized one-on-one coaching, resume and cover letter review, interview preparation, and much more!

 

Earn transcript notation as a Federal, Global, or Maryland Fellow

 

Admission Link: Online Admissions Form

Apply by Sunday, March 5, 2023, for first wave consideration!

 

***Prospective Student Info Sessions***

Every Friday, 12pm-1pm, In-Person at 2407 Marie Mount Hall; or drop by between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. any day!

 

Exciting News - Launching Maryland Fellows!

The University of Maryland is delighted to launch the Maryland Fellows Program in fall 2023. The aim is to prepare talented and diverse undergraduates to excel at their spring internships and pursue careers in public service, especially at the state and local levels. The centerpiece of the program is the Maryland General Assembly’s Legislative internships.  Maryland Fellows is launching as a collaboration between the Federal and Global Fellows Programs, the English Department's existing Maryland General Assembly Writing internship, and the Department of Government and Politics.

 

For more information on fall seminars, professors etc., visit the Fellows websites:
https://federalfellows.umd.edu/

https://globalfellowsdc.umd.edu/

https://marylandfellows.umd.edu/

Tree planting for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

 My name is Hailey Papagjika and I am the Maryland Restoration Assistant Intern with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. I am reaching out to let you know about multiple volunteer events that we have planned for the month of April.


On April 1st we will be planting 1,000 native trees and shrubs on seven acres of state park land in the Patuxent River Watershed. The location for the event is the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary in Prince George's County. If you are interested in coming out to help, you can register through our website here. 


On April 15th we will be planting over 1,000 native trees and shrubs on approximately five acres on a farm in Frederick County close to Gathland State Park. If you are interested in coming out to help, you can register through our website here. 


On April 21st & 22nd we will be planting more than 1,000 native trees and shrubs on six acres in Frederick County to protect the Middle Creek tributary to Catoctin Creek, which flows into the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. If you are interested in coming out to help, you can register through our website for Friday, the 21st and Saturday the 22nd.


Our goal in doing this is to create a buffer which will protect the waterway from runoff and contamination, as well as to encourage the community to be engaged and informed in the benefits of regenerative agriculture and the role it plays in improving soil and water quality.

 

On the event days, the holes for the trees will be pre-augured to ensure the planting goes as smoothly as possible, but they are big events that we could not complete without the assistance of people like you who are willing to give us a hand! 


uTERP Summer Bridge Positions

Applications are now being accepted for students seeking to work with the uTERP summer bridge program. 


Program DatesSunday, June 25, 2023 -  Friday, July 28, 2023


There are several positions available with varying payments and time obligations; please view the position descriptions for more detailed information and requirements.

  • Math Instructional Assistant
  • Writing Instructional Assistant
  • Math Tutor 
  • Writing Tutor 
  • Residential Peer Leader


Interested applicants are asked to submit an application (which includes both a resume and cover letter) at the following website: https://go.umd.edu/uTERP23staffapplication. Applicants are welcome to apply for more than one position, however, a separate application, resume, and cover letter will be required for each position of interest. The priority deadline to apply is Sunday, March 12, 2023 by 11:59pm.

 

Please direct any questions to the Summer Bridge Program Staff at uterp@umd.edu.

 

Thank you for your consideration!


Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Samvid Scholarship for Future Leaders and Changemakers

 Are you a student with a substantial, demonstrated track record of driving societal change - on or off campus - through your leadership and service

--Are you planning to enroll in a JD, MPP/MPA, MPH, MD, MBA, or MS/MA in Social Sciences/STEM this fall 2023? 
--Are you planning a career in public service?

The Samvid Scholars program empowers future leaders and changemakers through financial support for graduate studies (up to $100,000 for two years of graduate study - JD, MPP/MPA, MPH, MD, MBA, MS/MA in Social Sciences/STEM) and a powerful support and coaching network.

Learn more by attending the UMD National Scholarships Office information session at 4 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2023 - click here to register! [Interested but can't attend? Click here to let us know.]

Deadline to apply: April 9, 2023 at 11:59PM EST

Eligibility: applicants must:
  1. be first-year graduate students for the 2023-2024 academic year
  2. have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5
  3. be U.S. citizens or DACA recipients
  4. be accomplished leaders in public service activities

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Sustainability Careers Meetup

 


Sustainability is a concept that spans a wide range of industries and fields. Participate in this opportunity to meet with hiring organizations implementing sustainable practices, creating sustainable products, and/or creating a more sustainable future. 


Join us at any point between 12 and 2, feel free to stay as long as your schedule allows. 


Date: March 3, 2023

Time: 12-2 PM

Location: University Career Center, 3100 Hornbake Library South Wing


RSVP Here


Voyager-Obama Scholarship for Public Service

 Voyager-Obama Scholarship for Public Service - for Sophomores / Tuition and Travel Support

The Voyager Scholarship, administered by the Obama Foundation and supported by AIRBNB founder Brian Chesky, helps students planning careers in public service by providing up to $50,000 for college costs AND transformative travel experiences.

Important: The Voyager Scholarship is for students who are Sophomores in Spring 2023, who have demonstrated financial need, have a GPA of at least 3.0, and plan to pursue careers in public service.

Application deadline: March 22, 2023 3:00 pm Central Time

Sign up here for access to our ELMS Resource Site for the Voyager Scholarship!

Benefits of the Voyager Scholarship:

  • Financial aid up to $50,000: Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in “last dollar” financial aid to cover remaining tuition and/or living costs for their junior and senior years of college. 

  • Students will design their own summer voyage between their junior and senior year of college with a budget of $10,000.

  • 10-year travel stipends: After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 travel credit every year for 10 years, totaling $20,000.

  • Access to annual Summit Meetings

Eligibility: to apply for Voyager Scholarships students must:

  • Demonstrate financial need (as determined by FAFSA)
  • Be finishing their sophomore year in Spring 2023
  • Plan to enroll full-time as a junior in Fall 2023. 
  • Have four (4) semesters or six (6) quarters of full-time academic coursework remaining before graduating
  • Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent
  • Have demonstrated a commitment to public service
  • Plan to pursue a career in public service upon graduation
  • Be a United States (U.S.) citizen, U.S. permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card), or an individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA).