The Global Game Jam is a yearly event where participants at sites all over the world try to make games on a common theme in the same 48 hour period over the last weekend in January.
UMBC has been a Global Game Jam site since the very beginning, four years ago. Many Global Game Jam sites have to charge a registration fee, but thanks to the continued support by Columbia, MD-based Next Century Corporation, we are able to be totally free! It is not necessary to be a UMBC student to participate at the UMBC site, but we are limited to the first 40 participants, so register now at globalgamejam.org.
There are more details at gaim.umbc.edu/global-game-jam, including site hours, what to expect, and just what this Game Jam thing is anyway. Even if you don't participate, you can follow along with twitter #ggj12 and #umbcggj, and after the event is over, find our games on the Global Game Jam web site.