The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) worked with Bernard Lafayette, civil rights icon and advisor to AAC&U's Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Centers effort, to create this brief video. Mr. Lafayette discusses the national reckoning with racial injustice and the importance of democratic and civic engagement to creating the kind of thriving democracy we have yet to achieve.
UMBC is the site of an AAC&U Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center coordinated through the Shriver Center.
From Sept. 30 to Oct. 14th, 2020, the Presidential Management Fellows application for the program’s Class of 2021 will be posted. The entire initial application process, including submission of all necessary documents, must be completed by October 14th.
The PMF Program was established by Executive Order in 1977 and amended by Executive Order in 2003 to attract to the Federal service outstanding citizen-scholars from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. Program regulations were amended again in December 2010 by Executive Order[5] establishing the PMF Program as one of the three student Pathways to federal employment. By drawing graduate students from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, the PMF Program provides a continuing source of trained men and women to meet the future challenges of public service.
The PMF Program is a flagship leadership development program at the entry level for advanced degree candidates. It was created more than three decades ago by Executive Order and has gone through many changes over the years.
What Do You Want to Change About Government?
What Will You Give?
You will give the best you have to give to a cause greater than yourself. You will bring fresh, new ideas and a willingness to take on challenges never dreamed possible. Your zeal for the position will serve to spark new energy and excitement in your co-workers. As part of the PMF “fraternal order,” you will portray your elite status through the quality of your work and service to your country. You will need to demonstrate leadership, foster teamwork, set goals and, in the end, deliver something of value to the American people. See Notable PMF Graduates at the end of this article from Wikipedia.
During these unique times, navigating physical distance, managing classes online, and adjusting to new living situations may mean that it is time to sharpen your resiliency reserves.
Resilience is one’s ability to recover from difficulties. It is thought that resilience can be learned and includes being aware of, and changing how we think about events from initially negative to more positive appraisals. For example,
“The pandemic is going to make it impossible for me to find a job, why even try!”
While it is true that it might be more challenging to find a job after graduating, another way to look at this challenge is,
“While I may not be able to find the exact job I was hoping for, I have skills in being able to work online, and can add a lot to a company. I am going to apply to a wide range of positions!”
The first statement might leave you feeling defeated and not wanting to do anything while the second statement validates the difficulties and invites creative action!
Resilience is based in positive psychology and incorporates other factors such as optimism and positive emotions. Resiliency is not a trait that only some people have but is instead a set of behaviors, thoughts, and actions that one can take during times of distress. The best part is that resiliency can be built. A few ways to build resilience are:
Build your connections.
Have strong relationships and connections with understanding people who can support you during difficult times.
Invest in your health and well-being.
Make sure to take care of your mind, body, and spirit with healthful techniques.
Explore your purpose.
Transform large goals into smaller ones, take advantage of classes or opportunities that help you to discover yourself, or find time to help others.
Embrace healthy and positive thoughts.
Keep perspective about the present moment, accept the changes happening around you, learn from past experiences, and look toward the future with hope.
Seek help early and often.
Reach out to family, friends, or professionals when you need help either physically or emotionally during a challenging time.
The Counseling Center has resources to support your cultivation of resilience, including:
You’ve Got This: Four-Week Resilience-Building Webinar - for more information and to register go to myUMBC.
Next Round: Mondays 1 – 2:30 p.m., beginning November 2
WellTrack - free app for UMBC students with materials to address depression, anxiety/stress, and public speaking with the very new addition of resilience materials to tackle overwhelming feelings. It includes a new course on resiliency to help you understand your feelings during this time of crisis, and helps teach techniques and perspective to apply when these feelings can seem overwhelming.
The Counseling Center is here to support you. Visit counseling.umbc.edu for information on services and additional webinars. You can also follow their myUMBC group.