1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV).

2. A personal essay (no more than 1,500 words) stating why you are applying, why you are pursuing post-baccalaureate or professional studies, how the Society's commitment to academic excellence will be furthered by your studies, and your commitment to campus and community service. A questionnaire on the online application will also ask you to address what program(s) you will pursue, to what university or universities you have applied, the status of your application(s) and anticipated start and completion dates for your program.

that states what program you will pursue, what university you have applied to, what the status of your application is, when you plan to begin your program and anticipated date of completion. If already enrolled, please note this in your statement and you will only need to list what program you are enrolled in. Your statement should also address why you are pursuing post-baccalaureate or professional studies.

3. A current and comprehensive official academic transcript.

4. A total of THREE letters of recommendation from the any combination of the following:

• A faculty member in your field of study.   
• A current or former employer.
• A university or organization official familiar with your involvement in university or community service.

5. Either a paper of no more than 10 pages that you have prepared. If you have not prepared a paper due to the nature of your major, etc. please submit a piece of work related to your field of study such as film, sculpture, musical score, painting, slides, photographs, etc. In the case of art pieces, please upload photos of the artwork.

In the face of another political stalemate on Capitol Hill, Washington Post columnist Ezra Klein turned to Roy T. Meyers, professor of political science, to understand the possible impact of a government shutdown. Meyers, a former Congressional Budget Office analyst, argues that we may underestimate the costs of shutdowns by not accounting for the value of lost work hours, decreased federal parks revenue or the reduced pace of IRS audits.

Klein writes, “Meyers suggests that contractors might start charging the government a premium after shutdowns to compensate for the uncertainty of their payments. And a large body of work shows that unstable budget processes at the state level raise borrowing costs. Add those together and a real, sustained shutdown would cost much more than the $1.6 billion that separated this week’s two bills.”

The article, “Government Shutdown Would Cost Much More Than the Two Parties are Fighting Over,” appeared September 26.

The 6th Branch (T6B) is a 501(c)(3) started by veterans of OEF/OIF to bring skills and experience from the military to volunteerism in Baltimore City.  We believe that when presented with the opportunity and solid team to mentor, college-age citizens can step into leadership positions and make a difference. 

"Operation: Oliver" is a Veteran Sponsored Community (VSC) project that began in Fall 2011 in Baltimore City's Oliver neighborhood, an area devastated by economic depression and crime, and made famous by television's The Wire.  Project goals include garbage removal, beautification, safety patrols, and the introduction of art into common spaces.  We hope to create a national model of what a VSC can accomplish.  In this case, it means bringing local businesses and community resources to the area to accomplish not just the short-term goals, but the larger goal of bringing a sense of community and involvement back to Oliver's residents.

The attached position description outlines some of the volunteer opportunities available through Operation: Oliver.  Contact Jeremy Johnson (jeremyj1@umbc.edu) to learn more about the organization and to get involved! 

Students who volunteer with the program for 3-5 hours a week may be eligible for enrollment in the 096 Practicum, which provides a "Service-Learning" notation on a transcript.  Contact Clare Greene (clare6@umbc.edu) for more information on how to connect service with The 6th Branch with the 096 Practicum.  Hurry - deadline for Fall registrations is Thursday, October 6th!