I would like to be added to the listserv. How can that happen?
Sign up for our list serv to receive emails by filling out this form.
I would like to be removed from the listserv. How can that happen?
Email ewbumd@gmail.com with the subject line “Remove from Listserv.” In the body, include your name and the email address you subscribed to the listserv under.
How do I get more information about EWB?
There will be an informational general body meeting at the beginning of the semester that will discuss our chapter, our current projects, and ways for new members to get involved. The time and location of the meeting will be sent out through our list serve once it is established and you can also check our website for updates. Please feel free to contact any executive member if you have any questions and we look forward to your involvement.
I am interested in joining EWB. What do I need to do?
Just show up! Click here for project meeting times. One way to get involved in EWB is to show dedication to a project by attending meetings and contributing to project design and development. Another way is to volunteer your time to helping with executive board tasks by contacting executive board members here or working with the events or fundraising team.
Is there any form that I have to fill out to become a member?
No.
I haven’t been able to make it to a meeting. Is it too late to join?
It is never too late to be involved in our chapter. We always have projects going on in different phases of completion, and there is always ways a person can contribute.
Are graduate students allowed to participate or is it more of an undergraduate experience?
Graduate students are allowed and encouraged to participate.
How many projects are currently handled by EWB this coming semester and what are those?
You can view the listing and details of current projects on our website.
Do I have to be an engineering major or interested in engineering specifically to join?
No, all potential members are welcome, as long as you are interested in working on a team to create change through sustainable projects!
What should I do if I want to attend one of the trips?
Attend meetings for a project and really get involved in EWB-UMD, you will have plenty of chances to do so. When a trip is coming up, the Project Lead will release travel team applications which you just have to fill out and submit back to them, and hopefully be chosen if you have shown dedication and would be a good addition to that trip’s travel team! Assessment, implementation, and monitoring trips occur over winter and summer breaks. EWB-UMD covers airfare and students are required to cover in-country expenses including housing/food/visa/immunization.
Are the going abroad trips generally organized for summer or winter break?
Trips are organized for during both break terms, depending on when they are started and their individual timeline- neither winter nor summer is preferred.
If I join a team project, am I guaranteed an opportunity to go abroad with the team? Do I need to be involved for a minimum number of semesters before I can go abroad/at what point in my college career am I eligible to go on one of the trips?
Students involved in projects are not guaranteed a spot on the project team, as individuals of the project team are chosen based on dedication, initiative, enthusiasm, fundraising and involvement for the chapter and the project. Project members are eligible to travel at any age/experience level, but must be chosen by the project leaders. Being chosen to travel is largely independent of previous project experience and there is no minimum membership time required to travel. To be chosen to travel, a student must show dedication to a project and the project leader must feel that that person is an integral part of being able to accomplish a project implementation. Volunteering at EWB fundraising events is also a necessity for travel.
Do I need any qualifications before I can go abroad for a team project?
When working on a project, there is no minimum educational or experiential qualifications; everyone learns and researches together and shares their knowledge. Again, the opportunity to travel is not necessarily granted to the smartest or most experienced members, but the most involved and dedicated. That being said, a travel member must be at least familiarized with the technical and engineering aspects of the projects.
I am an Engineering student at another University and am interested in EWB. How do I apply to participate in this program?
Unfortunately, EWB-USA UMCP cannot allow individuals to travel on projects that are not University of Maryland students. Most of our travelers work on design and logistics works for over a year before travelling. I encourage you to look for opportunities for joining the EWB chapter your University next year. If a chapter does not exist there, I encourage you to consider starting one, or a similar organization that employs student passion and engineering creativity to influence change in communities that desperately need it.
More information on starting a chapter can be found here.