Updates and opportunities for Neuroscience majors at the University of Maryland
Monday, February 23, 2026
Spring Health Professions Fair
The Reed-Yorke Health Professions Advising Office (HPAO) and University Career Center & President's Promise are excited to present UMD's 2026 Health Professions Fair!
This fair is open to all University of Maryland students and alumni, as well as local area college and university students interested in attending a Medical, Dental, or Allied Health School. We have historically hosted ~90 health professional schools and 400 students at this event.
DATE: Thursday, April 23, 2026
TIME: 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM
LOCATION: Colony Ballroom, Stamp Student Union (University of Maryland - College Park)
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Career Conversations + Jumpstart Your Job Search + More!
Career Conversations
The Career Conversations Series aims to help you develop the skills you need to advance your career development journey. The second event in the series, Navigating Your Search Beyond the Fair, will aid you in your search for internships and jobs in the technology field. The UCC@CMNS Advising Team will share UCC resources, show you how to use search tools, and how to submit an effective application.
Jumpstart Your Job Search
Prepare to embark on your professional journey confidently by attending our workshop tailored for graduating seniors. This session will provide essential strategies to effectively manage the job search process in today's challenging market. You'll gain valuable insights into application techniques, learn how to leverage networking opportunities, and understand how to navigate the complexities of a competitive job environment. Our experienced career advisors will offer guidance and share practical tips to help you build a successful job search strategy.
https://careers.umd.edu/events/event-calendar/jumpstart-your-job-search-graduating-students-1
Making The Most of Your Summer With an Internship
Are you facing a summer without an internship and wondering how to make the most of it? Join us for this engaging and insightful session where we'll explore creative ways to maximize your summer break. Whether you're looking to build new skills, network, or prepare for your next step, we've got you covered!
https://careers.umd.edu/events/event-calendar/making-most-your-summer-without-internship-0
Friday, February 20, 2026
Career Spotlight Event February 23rd
Dr. Carter's research on reciprocity in vampire bats (and other animal societies) may interest many of you. The research seminar is at 12:00pm in BRB 1103 on Monday, February 23rd.
Dr. Carter will also do a career spotlight event targeted to undergraduates on Monday, February 23rd at 4:15pm in BPS 1238.
You will hear a little bit about his research, but also about the experiences that led him to his current position as an Associate Professor at Princeton. Listening to this presentation will be beneficial for students who are considering graduate school and for those interested in finding international research experiences.
In honor of Dr. Carter's research topic, the BSCI department will provide bat-themed stickers for the event! Be sure to stop by and grab one for yourself!
Spring 2026 Drop-In Advising:
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Neuroscience Advisors will be available for drop ins on Tuesdays 10:30am - 11:30am and Thursdays 2:30pm - 3:30pm in the Neuroscience Advising Suite (1107 BPS).
Students will be seen on a first come, first serve basis, and it is okay if you do not meet with your specific advisor.
Please note: These meetings are meant to be brief, and should last approximately 10-15 minutes.
*The Neuroscience Advising Suite will be closed on Wednesdays, from approximately 10:00am to 11:30am for staff meetings.
Drop-In Advising should be used to for questions/concerns about:
- Your Spring 2026 schedule and classes
- Academic policies on grading method, add/drop/withdraw
- High Credit Load Request
- Campus Resources
- Signatures on campus forms
Drop-In Advising should not be used for:
- Graduation Plan review
- Mandatory Advising
- Study Abroad
- Requesting Letters of Recommendation
If you have extenuating circumstances and require a virtual meeting, please email with your request. Be sure to include your name, UID, and preferred meeting days and times.
Thursday, February 19, 2026
UMD Cognitive Neuroscientist Awarded Sloan Research Fellowship
A University of Maryland cognitive neuroscience researcher working to understand the mechanisms of how we learn from and about other people has been awarded a 2026 Sloan Research Fellowship, one of the most competitive and prestigious honors dedicated to early-career scientists.
Assistant Professor Caroline Charpentier of the Department of Psychology and UMD’s Brain and Behavior Institute is one of 126 early-career researchers at U.S. and Canadian educational institutions lauded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as “the next generation of leaders.” Fifty-nine Sloan fellows have received a Nobel Prize, including John Clarke, last year’s Nobel laureate in physics; more than 70 UMD faculty members have received the Sloan Fellowship.
Winners receive a two-year, $75,000 fellowship which can be used flexibly to advance their research.
Read more about Professor Charpentier and her research here.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Applications Now Open For the Maryland General Assembly Internship Program
You are invited to apply for the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) Internship Program, a two-semester course sequence open only to students who have earned superior academic records and who have demonstrated effective writing skills. Your academic record indicates you are an excellent fit for this limited-admissions program.
The minimum criteria for this two-semester program are as follows:
· A minimum cumulative UMD GPA of 3.0
· Junior standing (minimum of 60 credits) by the end of the Fall 2026 semester
· A grade of B- or better in any writing courses taken at UMD
· Registered UMD student in both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters
Many program alums have stated the MGA program offers the best internship opportunity at UMD. Interns serve at the MGA for 16-20 hours per week during the spring legislative session (January-April 2027). Their assignments develop invaluable professional skills. In previous sessions, interns researched proposed legislation, responded to constituent mail, organized news conferences, and wrote and delivered testimony. The internship portion of the course sequence (ENGL388M/HONR379W) conveys six credits.
In the preceding fall semester, students will take a three-credit course (ENGL381/HONR368A) which teaches students the skills that the internship will require. In addition, students learn about the MGA and Maryland state politics.
ENGL 381 satisfies the Fundamental Studies Professional Writing Requirement for the General Education requirements, and ENGL 388M satisfies one Scholarship in Practice requirement. These courses are also applicable to the English major, Professional Writing minor, and Rhetoric minor.
Benefits of participating in the program:
• Earn a total of nine upper-level credits
• Complete the university’s Professional Writing graduation requirement
• Satisfy one of the university’s two required Scholarship in Practice courses, at least one of which must be taken outside of your major
• Receive a minimum of $3,360 as a stipend to help defray travel expenses
• Receive a pass for free parking in the Naval Academy stadium parking lot
• Serve as an undergraduate ambassador to the state government
• All Maryland General Assembly internship students will also be members of the Maryland Fellows Program, with full access to a rich scaffolding of professional development workshops, individualized student advising and coaching, a speaker series, and a slew of other support!
There are two other benefits to this program that are perhaps even more valuable. First, the program helps develop skills that will help graduates secure real-world jobs. Second, it enables them to network with legislators and legislative staff. (Several program alums have gone on to work for the MGA!)
Here’s what recent interns had to say about their experience in Annapolis:
· “My Delegate asked me to prepare testimony for his bill hearing. He read my speech verbatim during the hearing and it was quoted in the local paper the next day!”
· “My Senator, my office, and other connections I made in Annapolis recommended me for jobs after graduation and wrote great law school recommendations.”
· "I learned more in this internship than I ever could from sitting in a classroom. The firsthand experience of being in Annapolis and experiencing the day-to-day actions helped me to gain a much better understanding of how Maryland politics works."
Click here to read a Maryland Today article about previous MGA interns.
Click here to find full information about the program.
To apply, simply complete the online application available on the website. Please note a letter of recommendation from a faculty member is a required part of the application process. The deadline for your portion of the application is Friday, May 1, 2026. The letter of recommendation should be sent directly from the recommender to Professor Blake Wilder at bawilder@umd.edu, and may arrive after you apply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis after May 1st ONLY if space in the class is still available.
If you have additional questions about the program, please feel free to contact me at lewiske@umd.edu.
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