The Basics

The Choice Program's AmeriCorps Member position is a one-year, paid, service-learning opportunity through UMBC's The Choice Program and The Shriver Center. Our AmeriCorps Members serve as advocates and work to connect families to self-identified, needed resources and reinforce a strengths-based, anti-racist, approach to youth development.

The Choice Program’s guiding principle is anti-racism, which we uphold through our accountability to the following values: 1) being youth-centered, 2) dismantling hierarchies, 3) practicing holistic development, and 4) believing in humanity. AmeriCorps Members collaborate on teams that serve youth through individualized, strengths-based services and focus on restorative practices.

Choice has served Maryland’s youth for over 30 years and currently has several exciting service opportunities based in the Greater Baltimore area, Prince George's County, Howard County, and Montgomery County.

What You’d Do

Serving within a team model, AmeriCorps members share case management responsibilities for program youth, including welcoming them into the program through intake meetings, helping them to set goals for their time with Choice, checking in with them along the way through service plans, connecting them with community resources, and offering classroom and/or legal support. You’ll make meaningful connections with the young people you serve, offering informal counseling/mentoring on recreational outings, community service activities, arts programming, home visits and beyond.

To us, youth development means: being available to our youth consistently, often making visits to meet with them on a daily basis; using a strengths-based approach to promote positive self-image; using a holistic approach to honor every aspect of a person’s life; developing high expectations and holding youth accountable to their own progress on goals; forming a mentoring relationship that is built on trust and rapport; engaging with families and assisting as a communication link; fostering self-sufficiency by building life-skills; providing opportunities for meaningful engagement through structured after-school, weekend and summer activities.

Service is completed collaboratively at Choice, from case management of youth to organizational decision making. In addition to day-to-day case management responsibilities, you’ll participate in cooperative projects, team-based decision making, and organizational committees.

Due to the nature of the workflow and youth needs, AmeriCorps members must be flexible with their schedules. Members should expect some weeks to include serving hours beyond a 40-hour week.position is a one-year, paid, service-learning opportunity through UMBC's The Choice Program and The Shriver Center. Our AmeriCorps Members serve as advocates and work to connect families to self-identified, needed resources and reinforce a strengths-based, anti-racist, approach to youth development.

The Choice Program’s guiding principle is anti-racism, which we uphold through our accountability to the following values: 1) being youth-centered, 2) dismantling hierarchies, 3) practicing holistic development, and 4) believing in humanity. AmeriCorps Members collaborate on teams that serve youth through individualized, strengths-based services and focus on restorative practices.

Choice has served Maryland’s youth for over 30 years and currently has several exciting service opportunities based in the Greater Baltimore area, Prince George's County, Howard County, and Montgomery County.  

For more info, and/or how to apply, go to:

The Women's Center's Returning Women Students Scholarships Application for 2020-21 is available. 

The deadline for submission is Monday, April 6th. 

If at all possible, please submit via email rather than campus mail based on new protocol of staff working remotely. 

This common application enables eligible students to apply for more than one of the Returning Women Students Scholarships using the same application. The four available scholarships are:

• Charlotte W. Newcombe Scholarship & The UMBC Scholarship for Mature Students 
• Jodi Mister/Charlotte W. Newcombe Scholarship
• AEGON Scholarship
• The Richard & Roselyn Bryson Neville Memorial Fund for Returning Women Scholarship
• The Rosalie Tydings Business and Professional Women’s Scholarship

All undergraduate students over the age of 25 and with at least 60 credits may be eligible. You must be completing your first undergraduate degree. Each scholarship has additional eligibility requirements which can be found on the common application instructions. 

The application is attached to this announcement (click on the download document button below). Please be sure to read over the eligibility requirements before applying. 

If you have any questions concerning the application process or the scholars program requirements, please contact the Women's Center director, Jess Myers, at womenscenter@umbc.edu. 

We hosted 2 different information sessions in the Women's Center (which can now be found on our Facebook group for review) related to the application process and scholars program requirements on: 

• Wednesday, February 19th from 12-1pm OR 
• Thursday, March 5th from 4-4:45pm

Each year, applicants submit applications with errors that often impact their consideration for a scholarship. We highly encourage all applicants to attend an info session before submitting their application.The info session on 2/19 also includes an extended presentation focused on crafting personal statements. If you cannot attend one of the sessions in person, a live-stream option will be available via Facebook Live. Please contact the Women's Center for more information. 

Applications are due now due Monday, April 6, 2020. If all all possible please submit electronically!