Our biggest donation drive of the year is almost upon us! Donate if you can and please spread the world to family, family friends, alumni, faith communities, and organizations you are a part of. Link to donate is here.
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Position Type: Internship, Stipend, Undergraduate Student, Graduate Student
Handshake ID: 9726261
Hiring Manager: Dr. Ciara Christian
Term: Spring 2025 semester with the ability for renewal
Yearly Stipend: $1500
Do you always find yourself talking about social justice? Are you the friend in your group who's always adding “nuance” to the conversation? Then we’re looking for you! Social Justice Dialogue Facilitation Fellows work for the Center for Social Justice Dialogue and are supervised by professional staff within the Center.
The main role of this internship is to support the work of the Center for Social Justice Dialogue (CSJD) in cultivating a campus community where everyone feels empowered and equipped to engage in difficult dialogue across differences of identity, background, and lived experience. Built on a foundation of Intergroup Theory and other social justice education frameworks, interns will co-create and deliver workshops on topics of identity, social justice, and dialogue to student populations. Further, students will support projects including MediaBytes, Your Story Belongs Here, InterACT, FYS: Race, Social Justice, and Dialogue, and other departmental programs. They may also support collaborative dialogue programs in partnership with other departments on campus (e.g. The Women’s Center, Center for Democracy and Civic Life, Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging, etc). Facilitators are expected to work a maximum of ten hours a week which includes weekly staff meetings to engage in deep learning, prepare for workshops, and continue developing student-focused programming. Interns engage in ongoing training, reviewing key activities, facilitation skills, and foundational introductions to various social justice concepts. Interns must be available for these training sessions as well as program retreats.
Upon the completion of more advanced training (including Restorative Practices) and a full year of participation, students will have the opportunity to apply to a “senior internship” position to facilitate higher stakes dialogues.
Develop, facilitate, and promote peer-led workshops on topics related to identity, social justice, and dialogue to student populations
Engage in ongoing learning and development connected to dialogue and facilitation
Co-create the continued foundation for IDEAL and InterACT programs, as well as contribute ideas and content for workshop curriculum
Support CSJD programming through attendance, marketing/promotion, co-facilitating activities within larger dialogues and workshops, etc.
Meet with the primary supervisor and attend regular student staff meetings (dependent on student availability)
Serve as departmental “student liaison,” gathering information about current student “hot topics” and needs and wants connected to dialogue
Serve as an ambassador for IDEAL and InterACT programs, as well as CSJD more broadly
Follow all area regulations within the Code of Conduct (this is provided during the staff onboarding process)
Fulfill all other duties and responsibilities as appropriate and assigned (including, but not limited to occasional oral / written reflections, time tracking, etc.)
Must be a full-time, matriculating undergraduate or graduate student at UMBC;
Must have and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (semesterly checks will be conducted);
Must be able to commit to a minimum of one full academic year for at least 10 hours per week;
Interns are strongly encouraged to enroll and fulfill all the requirements PRAC098 offered through the Career Center each semester, but especially for their first full semester of the internship program. Learn more about PRAC here.
Must be committed to being a positive role model and demonstrate leadership skills;
Must demonstrate ability to interact and communicate mindfully in person and online with diverse students, staff, faculty, and other campus community members;
Must be flexible with schedules depending on relevant programs, events and/or student professional development opportunities;
Must have flexibility to work evening and weekend hours on occasion;
Must attend all training sessions
Demonstrated experience with myUMBC, Gmail, Google Drive, Canva, Instagram,, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and/or Illustrator
Demonstrated basic knowledge in any of the following areas: the relationship between identity, power, privilege and oppression, intersectionality, social justice-related theories, intergroup dialogue (e.g. Critical Race Theory, Feminist/Womanist Theory, Queer Theory, Social Identity Theory)
Demonstrated leadership skills and experience through student organization leadership, civic engagement and/or activism
Have summer and winter availability; and
Have verbal, spoken, and/or written multilingual skills
The Building Bridges Across Difference: A Dialogue for Every Day series equips faculty, staff, and students with practical tools to foster connection and understanding across differences in today’s polarized climate. Grounded in the Center for Social Justice Dialogue's commitment to shared power and inclusive practices, this series provides strategies to build trust, navigate challenging and emotionally charged moments, and create environments that encourage community and mutual respect. By embracing intergroup dialogue practices daily, participants will enhance their ability to inspire critical self-reflection, cultural storytelling, generous listening, and loving accountability.
Both sessions take place from 11:30am - 1:30pm and will be held in ITE 237. Bring your own lunch!
If you have accessibility needs, please email csjdialogue@umbc.edu.
1. Exploring Your Role in Social Change • 3/25
RSVP: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/csjd/events/140997
This session focuses on identifying entry points into social change and allyship work. Participants will explore tools and practices that help them “see” themselves as part of a larger ecosystem of social change. Protests, voting, and other more obvious forms of advocacy are great, but they are not the only way. This session will help participants link their existing skills and passions to a wide array of practices and approaches to social change and allyship.
2. Loving Accountability: Practicing Grace and Forgiveness • 4/29
RSVP: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/csjd/events/140998
In this session, participants will explore loving accountability, a competency for dialogic community building, which is about centering humanity and prioritizing relationships as we call in and redress harm. This session will emphasize the importance of grace and forgiveness in the accountability process, drawing on the work of Kazu Haga and other works rooted in Kingian nonviolence. Participants will have the opportunity to practice tools connected to loving accountability like calling in harm and offering apologies.
This series is open for full participation by all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected category under applicable federal law, state law, and the University's nondiscrimination policy.
]]>UMBC’s Black & Gold Rush is here—a 36-hour giving challenge bringing Retrievers together to support our community. CWIT is rallying alumni, industry partners, and supporters to give, and we need your help to spread the word.
Here’s How CWIT Student Council Can Help:
Spread the word! Share your CWIT experience on your social media pages or tell friends and family why CWIT is important to you. A quick post, story, or even a text can help raise awareness and inspire support. Encourage other CWIT students to share their stories.
Get creative! Share photos from CWIT events and conferences (like Grace Hopper, Tapia, and SWE), post about how CWIT has shaped your journey, or even make a short video to encourage others to give.
Use this link in your posts:Black & Gold Rush Giving Page
Your voice matters, and every share helps CWIT continue providing opportunities for students like you. Thank you for being part of this amazing community and helping us grow!
]]>From 12-1 pm she will lead a workshop on AI and the Humanities in PAHB 216 that covers real-life examples of AI problems that have benefited from the critical, interpretive and analytical capabilities that humanities training can supply. Register here.
From 4-5 pm she will give a talk on the AI Paradox also in PAHB 216. She will discuss the often contradictory nature of AI, exploring how its advancements highlight the irreplaceable qualities of human intelligence and the importance of governance. Register here.
Virginia Dignum is Professor of Responsible Artificial Intelligence at Umeå University, Sweden where she leads the AI Policy Lab. She is also senior advisor on AI policy to the Wallenberg Foundations. She has a PHD in Artificial Intelligence from Utrecht University in 2004, is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, and Fellow of the European Artificial Intelligence Association. She is a member of the United Nations Advisory Body on AI, the Global Partnership on AI, UNESCO’s expert group on the implementation of AI recommendations, OECD’s Expert group on AI, founder of ALLAI, the Dutch AI Alliance, and co-chair of the WEF’s Global Future Council on AI. She was a member of the EU’s High Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence and leader of UNICEF's guidance for AI and children. Her new book The AI Paradox, is planned for publication in 2025.