Getting the Most Out of Your Experience
Use this bucket list like a roadmap to plan out your Second-Year Experience (SYE)! How can you make the most of your time at UMBC?
✅ Grow within your major and as an emerging professional by taking UNIV 201: Second-Year Seminar!
✅ Go to Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) to see featured research, scholarship, and creative work carried out by UMBC undergraduates. Want to see yourself at URCAD one day? Attend a Getting Started in Research workshop!
✅ Attend The Major Event to learn more about the opportunities your major has to offer! Or check out a variety of majors if you haven’t decided yet.
✅ Complete the Scholarship Retriever and FAFSA in October. Did you know that you can qualify for new scholarships every year at UMBC?
✅ Get paid to do research. Undergraduate Research Awards (URAs) provide up to $1,500 to undergraduate students to support their research, scholarship, or creative work with a UMBC faculty mentor on an original project. UMBC students of all years and disciplines are invited to apply, as long as they remain enrolled at UMBC long enough to complete the proposed work. Applications open during the spring semester.
✅ Take the 096 Community Service & Learning Practicum through the Shriver Center. You’ll gain leadership skills through community engagement and participation in this zero-credit pass/fail course. You’ll also receive a notation on your transcript for completing community service.
✅ Take the FOCUS2: Career and Education Planning Online Assessment. You can book an appointment with the Career Center to discuss your results!
✅ Create your Handshake profile and upload your resume! Handshake is UMBC’s job and internship search platform. You can find opportunities on and off-campus to boost your resume!
✅ Visit OCA Mocha Cafe, UMBC’s community coffee shop located in Arbutus. Ask for the OCA Mocha signature drink!
Visit the OCA Mocha Cafe webpage
✅ Attend Study Abroad 101 through the Education Abroad Office. This is the first step on your journey abroad! You’ll learn all the ins and outs of the different programs. Study Abroad 101 attendance is required and a pre-requisite to both a private advising session with a staff member and applying for a program.
✅ Visit the Joseph Beuys Sculpture Park. Check out the journals in the benches!
✅ Take a selfie with True Grit! Don’t forget to rub his nose for good luck!
✅ Attend UMBC’s Cultural Showcase: Pangea during Welcome Week
✅ Cheer on the Retrievers at a UMBC soccer game! Fun Fact: Did you know that our football team is undefeated?