Apply to STRiVE! I am excited to announce the 7th UMBC STRiVE Leadership Retreat will be held May 27 - 31, 2014. Because of growing demand, Student Life is offering this summer session to give more students and staff the opportunity to be a part of STRiVE. STRiVE is an intensive and engaging off-campus leadership retreat (5 days, 4 nights) developed to inspire students to become more effective leaders on campus and in their lives. The STRiVE Coaches (consisting of 12 UMBC students and staff) tailor a curriculum that encourages the 50 participants to make new friends, learn about themselves, reflect on values and ethics, work in teams to develop practical plans for making a difference on campus, and tackle both simulated and real leadership challenges. STRiVE has been developed by Student Life in partnership with the Student Government Association. You are invited to apply to be a part of the 2014 STRiVE group. Applications are due Wednesday, March 26 at 11:59pm: tinyurl.com/STRiVE2014   An optional information session will beheld on March 10 at 6pm in Commons 331  If you have any questions, please contact me (Virginia Byrne in Student Life) atvbyrne@umbc.edu. More information on this program is available below. Sincerely, Virginia Byrne, Student Life Coordinator for Leadership Development & Education Make friends! Make a difference! Have a ton of fun! Frequently Asked Questions What is STRiVE? STRiVE is an intensive and engaging off-campus leadership retreat (5 days, 4 nights) developed to inspire students to become more effective leaders on campus and throughout their lives. The STRiVE Coaches (consisting of 12 UMBC students and staff) tailor a curriculum that encourages the 50 participants to make new friends, learn about themselves, reflect on values and ethics, work in teams to develop practical plans for making a difference on campus and in society, and tackle both simulated and real leadership challenges. STRiVE is funded by Student Life, the Student Government Association, alumni donors and participant fees.   Do I have to be an “involved” student to attend STRiVE? Absolutely not! STRiVE will be helpful to any student regardless of previous involvement or leadership experience. No prior experience is necessary! We are looking for a diverse group of students committed to developing their leadership skills and applying them to create positive change in the campus community. The application asks about campus involvement only to give the STRiVE planning team a sense of the different perspectives participants will bring to the retreat.   Where is STRiVE being held? STRiVE will be held at an Mar-Lu-Ridge Camp and Retreat Center in Jefferson, MD (round-trip buses will be provided to participants). Participants will stay in cabins in a community (sharing rooms) and all activities will be held on site.   How much does it cost? UMBC covers most of the cost of each participant’s attendance. However, there is a $100 participation fee that helps cover some of the cost of transportation, lodging and food. Money should not be a barrier to attendance, however, and there is a section of the application where any participant can request financial assistance.    What is the “Vision Selection”? STRiVE participants will devote a portion of the retreat to developing plans to make an impact in connection with an issue or problem about which they feel passionate. In the Vision Selection portion of the application, participants are asked to rank a few social topics so that we can group students with similar interests. However, there will be plenty of opportunities to interact with all STRiVE participants outside of the Vision Group. Please note that the planning team will make every effort to place participants according to their choices; however, we are unable to guarantee participants any specific topic at this time. We encourage participants to be open-minded and flexible when considering their vision selection.   When is the participant application due? Applications will be available March 3 and will be due March 26. Applications can be found attinyurl.com/STRiVE2014 on March 3.    When are accepted applicants informed? Applicants will receive an email in April with additional details about participating in STRiVE.   How can I find out more information about STRiVE? For additional information, please contact me (Virginia Byrne) at vbyrne@umbc.edu or come to the optional information session on March 10 at 6pm in Commons 331.