GVPT Undergraduate Newsletter

Are you a leader in the residence halls? Apply for NRHH!

The National Residence Halls Honorary (NRHH) is a national organization which serves to recognize extraordinary leadership of on-campus students. The University of Maryland chapter is currently accepting applications. Deadline to apply is November 16, 2007 by 4:00 pm. Applications can be found on our website at www.marylandnrhh.com. NRHH membership is restricted to 1% of students living in the residence halls. So, once inducted into NRHH you can consider yourself a member of the Top 1% of residence hall leaders nation-wide. NRHH has 4 functions: Recognition, Community Service, Membership, and Communication. We recognize other leaders on campus through our Of-the-Month (OTM) awards. If you have any questions, please direct them to Vice Chair for Membership Noam Harel at nharel@umd.edu. Don’t forget to complete the online application by November 16!

Applications and position descriptions can be downloaded at www.SGA.UMD.EDU or picked up in the SGA Office in 0209J Stamp Student Union. Applications are due WEDNESDAY, November 21. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Sterling Grimes (sterling@umd.edu). Please do not forget applications are DUE on WEDNESDAY, November 21st in the SGA office, 0209J Stamp Student Union!

Prospective Student Open House. When: Tuesday, November 27, 6:00pm-9:00pm. Location: The Atrium, Van Munching Hall. Come learn about MSPP graduate programs, including the five-year bachelor's/master's program. For more information and to RSVP: contact Taryn Faulkner, faulkner@umd.edu or 301-405-6331.

Can you afford to allow YOUR tuition to increase by 12% next year? If not, the time to take action is NOW! Find out how to contact yourstate lawmakers at www.sga.umd.edu.Only together can we make our voice heard! This will take you justtwo minutes but it could save you thousands of dollars:www.sga.umd.edu.Questions? Contact us at SGA@umd.edu.

Terpac is sponsoring " Israel 360", a stimulating multimedia presentation that is designed to offer a glimpse Israel's historical, geographical, and cultural makeup by taking a full-circle look at the country. This event is will be held on November 14th at 7pm in the Grand Ballroom at Stamp Student Union. This is an interactive workshop that provides its participants with a vivid impression of a country with roots that are thousands of years old. In addition to providing tons of information there will be a free raffling off an ipod mini and other cool Maryland paraphernalia . We will be serving a light dinner at the event. This event is co-sponsored by Hasbara Fellowships. ADMISSION, RAFFLE, AND FOOD IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. For more information on "Israel 360" please visit www.israelactivism.com or contact David Steinberg at (718) 612-4731.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers Scholarships to Germany from Fall 2008 to Summer 2009. Application Deadline January 31st 2008. The program supports each year approximately 50-60 US and Canadian undergraduate students. We hope to help these students reach their academic goals while building important and lasting bonds of friendship between our countries and introducing them to the benefits of the German higher education system. Highly qualified undergraduate students are invited to apply for scholarships funding study, senior thesis research and/or internships in Germany from four to ten months. Scholarships are available either as part of an organized study abroad program or as part of an individual, student-designed study abroad semester or year. For detailed program information see: http://www.daad.org/page/47220/ . For reports from past participants: http://www.daad.org/page/84893/

Dr. Erik B. Young wishes to support international travel-study for a group of undergraduates each year through the Erik B. Young, M.D. International Travel-Study Awards. The purpose of the program is to give deserving undergraduate students the opportunity to broaden their international horizons while they hone their academic skills. The procedure for selecting and granting the awards appears below. Each college can submit one undergraduate student nomination for the award. The student should be junior or senior during the 2008-2009 academic year. Each interested student will submit an application form electronically to his/her college dean’s office.Each student will also submit a short proposal outlining the purpose of his/her proposed international study, what he/she hopes to achieve from the program and how the experience will benefit the student in his/her professional career. Proposals will be strictly limited to five (5) pages, double-spaced, in 12-point type.The college nominating the student must submit one letter of recommendation (from a professor who has personal knowledge of the student’s capabilities) in support of the student’s application. Applications will be submitted electronically to college deans’ offices by February 1, 2008. College deans must submit complete nomination packets (including application, proposal and recommendation letter) to Linda Clement, Vice President for Student Affairs, by February 15th at lclement@umd.edu. A decision on the awards will be announced by March 10 , 2008. All recipients of this award will be required to write a summary of their experience for the selection committee to review and to forward on to Erik B. Young, M.D.

Join the University Career Center, the Study Abroad Office and representatives from the US State Department, REHAU, Peace Corps, and Education Development Center on Wednesday, November 14th from 5:30-7:30. Contact Lauren Ruszczyk at laurusz@umd.edu with questions.

An informational session will be held regarding the McNair Scholars Program for Minority Students on November 13th at 5pm in 2109 Tydings. To be eligible for the program, students must have a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.8 and at least 30 credits.

Will you be staying in College Park this Winter? Behind on your GVPT requirements? Fill up your free time by taking one of our two online GVPT courses.

GVPT 309C- Topics in International Relations: Civil Wars: Causes, Duration, and Resolution

This course is about civil wars around the world over the past 50 years, including those conflicts in Iraq and Sudan today. The course examines the concept of civil war (what is it, how is it different from other forms of wars or political violence), differences between different types of war (ethnic war, revolutionary war, ideological war, etc.), the causes of civil war onset, the dynamics of civil wars, impacts on civilians, termination of civil wars, and the concept of post-war transitional justice. This course does not meet in person, and will be taught exclusively online through blackboard, relying on readings from academic journals, podcasts from various sources, newspaper and magazine articles, as well as short, written lectures to tie the ideas together. You will engage other students through online discussion threads, and there will be opportunities to engage the instructor through on-line chats/instant messenger. If you have further questions about the course, feel free to contact the instructor at cjohnson@gvpt.umd.edu.

The Government and Politics Department will be offering GVPT399D- Politics and the Media taught by Dr. Jenny Wustenberg this Winter Term. This course provides an opportunity to critically evaluate something we consume every day: the media. We will discuss what the role of the media should be in a democracy. Where do they fail, succeed, need reforming, or revolutionizing? Students will also analyze and debate some of the newest trends in news-making and political campaign media strategy. In particular, we will discuss blogging, the use of the internet, and comedy news shows.

Intern for Ashoka: Innovators for the Public

The Global Development Department facilitates and coordinates Ashoka's fundraising and outreach efforts globally while also building development capability for all Ashoka staff. This position offers interns an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of fundraising in a globally integrated citizen sector organization. Interns will work on prospect research, grant proposals, knowledge management, donor relations, and event planning. Because of the cross-cutting nature of the Development department, interns will have the opportunity to interact and work closely with Ashoka's other programs and initiatives.

Qualifications: Ashoka is an ideal place for creative problem-solvers. We look for highly collegial, ethical people who have a track record of entrepreneurship and innovating for the public. Professional skills: familiarity with internet research; facility with Microsoft Excel; strong writing and editing skills; excellent verbal, interpersonal and group communications skills; exceptional organizational and time management skills; knowledge of Raiser's Edge and GetActive/Convio a plus. Above all, ideal applicants will be energetic and solution-oriented with a sense of humor. Prior office experience required. Graduate student preferred.

For more information, please contact interns@ashoka.org

To APPLY, review the requirements (http://www.ashoka.org/internship/apply) and submit applications to interns@ashoka.org copying jsinatra@ashoka.org

Intern for the U.S. State Department

The U.S. Department of State seeks qualified students for employment in the Office of Information Programs and Services under the "Student Career Experience Program." Applicants would be expected to work approximately 16 hours per week with the hours adapted to the individual’s academic schedule. Those selected would provide program assistance to the professional staff in administering the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts, reviewing documents more than twenty-five years old for declassification and release, responding to specific requests from the public, and managing special document production projects requested for the Congress or other investigative authorities.

For students interested in federal public service, especially international affairs or public administration, the program offers an excellent way of gaining on-the-job skills and experience through hands-on work with Department of State documents dealing with the entire range of US foreign policy and diplomatic activities. The program also gives students the opportunity to work alongside and to get to know distinguished retired senior diplomats on the Office staff, as well as senior Department officials. Students with the following majors are encouraged to apply: International Affairs, Public Administration, Public Policy, Political Science, National Security, Journalism, Information Science, Library Science, and Information Technology.

Students MUST BE U.S. CITIZENS, and MUST currently be freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or first-year-graduate students. Visit http://www.careers.state.gov/student/ for more information on Student Programs at the State Department. To submit your resume for consideration, please visit the Careers4Terps online system through the University Career Center’s website, http://www.careercenter.umd.edu/. Questions regarding this program should be directed to Thomas Parrillo via e-mail at ParrilloTD@state.gov.

The newsletter is sent out each Friday before 12 pm to all current University of Maryland students who have declared and been accepted into the GVPT major. Only information relevant to academic and extra-curricular opportunities for these students will be sent through the newsletter. The government advising office reserves the right to edit and review all submissions to the GVPT newsletter and deny any submissions at their sole discretion.

If you would like to submit information or announcements, please email ADVISING@gvpt.umd.edu. Only those submissions which are denied or delayed will be contacted further.