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From knitting to music making, hobbies serve as entry points to explore AI, algorithms, programming, and more. Nearly a dozen one-credit, half a semester Maker Movement Approach to Computing (MMAC) classes at the University of Maryland use students’ personal interests as a low-stakes on-ramp to learn about technology.In the knitting class, you can find Felix Baum ’29, a computer science and linguistics double major in College Park Scholars’ Data Justice program.

With the announcement of the 2025 First Year Book as The Constitution of the United States, College Park Scholars set a course to make one of the nation's founding documents spring to life. What better way than a day trip to the place where the document was signed!Many of our Scholars had not visited the City of Brotherly Love before or were very young on their first trips to Philadelphia. Now armed with some understanding of the founding of the United States, they were eager to dig in.  "I have never been to Philadelphia before and I want to learn more about a city that is so important in American history," said JaeMin Thurman, a Life Sciences Scholar. "I also want to continue to build relationships with other Scholars students."

A collaboration between OCS and the Business, Society and Entrepreneurship (BSE) College Park Scholars Program and sponsored by the Enterprise Mobility Foundation, the Career Boutique was created by BSE students, who gathered clothing donations and purchased new items as part of their capstone project in the spring. BSE students and teaching assistants, like computer science and finance major McKendry, will also be staffing throughout the school year.Clinical Professor and BSE Director Oliver Schlake donated the Hugo Boss suit that got him through a doctoral dissertation, wedding and Smith interview, and encourages community members to contribute too.

The 42nd annual Convocation ceremony on Wednesday will honor 32 outstanding university employees for their contributions to education, research and service, from making discoveries that tackle the world’s most difficult challenges to inspiring students in the classroom and improving daily life across campus.David Eubanks, Associate Director of College Park Scholars, will receive the President's Distinguished Service Award. 

Prince George's County native Jazz Lewis came to the University of Maryland as a freshman only sure of one thing. He wanted to serve. College Park Scholars ended up being the perfect home for the future Maryland state legislator, now serving in the Maryland House of Delegates as Majority Whip, allowing him to challenge himself academically but also expand his vision of what service could look like.An email invitation in late spring from College Park Scholars' Executive Director Marilee Lindemann for Lewis to return to the place where he learned about himself was accepted eagerly.

There were plenty of “Boots on the Ground” for move-in at the University of Maryland last week, but no need for fans in the hands, given the unseasonably refreshing 75-degree weather.Two College Park Scholars programs were captured in action on Service Day, a few days before classes began. Science and Global Change and Media, Self and Society had university photographers visit their service sites to see their impact in action. Read more about the more than 25 year old Service Day tradition by clicking here.