by David Hoffman

The application for UMBC's STRiVE 2014 leadership retreat (January 13-17, 2014) is now available.  If you're a UMBC undergraduate interested in learning about yourself, building new skills, making new friends and becoming an agent of change on campus and in your community, you should consider applying.  Here are some of the Facebook status updates and tweets posted by participants in STRiVE 2013 the day they got back from the retreat last January:

• Back from an AMAZING 5 days at STRiVE. I honestly could not ask for a more awesome group of people to spend these past days with and I'm so grateful for all the effort everyone put into this to make it an experience of a lifetime. Although i'm sad it had to end, I can't wait to see all of you back at school next week!! Have a great rest of your break 

• Best week i've had in a LONG time!!! So many new friends and memories .Thanks Strive 2013 ♥ 

• If I had to describe this past week, I wouldn't know what to say. It was a complete blur, but an intense blur to my soul, heart, and mind. However, I do know that after this week, I can call all of the future leaders that attended STRiVE 2013 my family and that I can officially call UMBC not just my school...but my home away from home. 

• #STRiVE2013 was indescribable, unforgettable, and the best thing that could ever possibly happened in my life. 

• wow. words cannot describe what just happened - the easiest was to say it is that all I want to do is go back and do it all over again because it was so amazing. LETS GO BACK!! #STRIVE2013! 

• STRiVE was one of those times that made me wish life had a replay button.

• All I can say about STRiVE is YAAAAAAASSSS ! 

• What a week! It's unexplainable, but somehow things just got a lot better and life is much more explained :) STRiVE 2013 

• I've already had a good amount of faith in humanity and people but this whole STRiVE experience gave me that extra bump of reinforcement needed to start of this next semester right. Definitely one of the most amazing things I have ever been a part of.

• I honestly could not have asked for a more refreshing, enlightening, and inspiring week. Life changing is an understatement. How blessed I am to have been a part of STRiVE 2013! ♥ 

• SOOO I just got back from the leadership retreat known as STRiVE. The past 5 days have been some of the most memorable of my life thanks to the amazing people that I met, and I'm so happy to say that I'll be able to be around a lot of them for the next 4 or so years of my life. Thank you all for one of the best weeks of my life! 

• #STRiVE2013 was one of the best experiences of my life. Completely eye-opening, influential and absolutely perfect. They say the friends we made there are forever and I don't doubt it. What an incredible group of strong leaders. I cannot wait to see the change we can bring to the UMBC campus. 

• I was really not sure whether I wanted to go to STRiVE, but I'm soooo glad I went. It was such an amazing experience and I met so many great people. Thanks everyone for making it such a wonderful time :)  

• Five days, various new friendships, and countless new memories that I will always cherish STRiVE 2013 a truly unforgettable experience 

Learn more about STRiVE and complete the application here.

You can also read my post-STRiVE reflections and check out some photos from STRiVE 2013, STRiVE 2012, STRiVE 2011, STRiVE 2010, and STRiVE 2009.

The application is due by Thursday, November 15^th at 11:59 a.m. If you have questions about STRiVE, email Virginia Byrne: vbyrne@umbc.edu.

Co-Create UMBC is a blog for and about UMBC, written by David Hoffman and Craig Berger from the Office of Student Life. Join the Co-Create UMBC group on MyUMBC. Like Co-Create UMBC on Facebook. And follow David and Craig on Twitter.