Program Overview
The UM Scholars Program is a structured, full-time summer research experience offered by the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State. It is designed to connect students from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) to faculty mentors at the opposite campus and with mentors and experiences at the Maryland Department of Health (MDH).
Goals:
The program aims to offer students a structured summer program that:
- Provides immersive, mentored research experiences.
- Fosters interdisciplinary collaboration across campuses.
- Supports student exploration of academic and career pathways.
Project Expectations:
This is not an administrative internship. Projects should be research-driven, goal-oriented, and provide students with the opportunity to produce 1–2 scholarly products by summer’s end.
Examples include:
- Contributions to journals, publications, dashboards, policy briefs, or reports for internal or external dissemination.
- Research using available datasets to build skills in data acquisition, analysis, and communication, even if not intended for publication.
- Opportunities for students to present their work at school-based or institutional forums.
** Mentors are under no obligation to take a student if it is not a fit. **
Mentor Role & Expectations
- Mentors should establish clear expectations for students.
- Mentors should provide necessary onboarding support and tools (e.g. equipment, building access, and email setup).
- Mentors should have regular check-ins to monitor progress, address challenges, give feedback, guidance, and provide support throughout the project.
- Mentors should supervise students’ time to ensure meaningful engagement and productivity and adherence to the 10-week, 400-hour requirement.
Mentor Availability:
Mentors are expected to provide the same full-time commitment (10-weeks, 400-hours) expected of students. If mentors anticipate planned time away during the program period, please communicate your schedule with your student(s) and MPower. The project timeline may be adjusted if agreed upon by both student and mentor.