Below is a list with many options for you to consider during your free time, or during summer or winter months when classes are not in session, including:  

• Learning Something New
• Preparing for Certification Exams
• Providing Service
• Networking
• Being Well and Reflecting

Learn Something New

• Complete LinkedIn Learning courses (all UMD students have free access--see login instructions)
• Expand your thinking about diversity and inclusion:
• Seeing White podcast
• MEN podcast
• Self Made on Netflix
• Complete Canvas course offered by Smith School Career Services staff:
• Master of Finance/Master of Quantitative Finance - Online Career Course
• Sign up for a UMD class outside of your degree program to build your skills or pursue personal interests; review course offerings in Testudo (please get clarify about whether or not courses count toward degree requirements from your MPO academic advisor)
• Receive online services, resources, and instruction from the UMD Online Library
• Improve your financial modeling skills by taking a class with Wall Street Prep
• Complete the Bloomberg Market Concepts course to increase your knowledge about financial markets (students that do not have an existing Bloomberg Terminal login can request free access)
• Watch YouTube videos to build technical skills relevant to your major or career interests
• Coursera offers free online courses in a wide range of subjects
• Codecademy provides free courses for several programming languages, data science, and web development
• Khan Academy has lessons and tutorials for math, science, engineering, humanities, and more
• Duolingo provides free language learning
• Plan or attend a virtual Hack-a-thon
• Keep up to date on Smith School faculty research through the Smith Brain Trust
• Read books recommended by Maryland Smith faculty and staff
• 31 Great Quarantine Reads, Chosen by the Vanity Fair Staff
• NPR’s Book Concierge
• Investigate faculty whose research interests you--read their scholarly work and learn about their current researchImprove your business communications
• Improve your business communications

Prepare for Certification Exams

• APICS Certifications
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• Financial Risk Manager (FRM)
• SAS

Provide Service

• Create your own tutorials to share helpful tips or demonstrate technical skills for your major with your classmates
• Idealist and Volunteermatch offer many virtual volunteer opportunities
• Community-based opportunities are available at the Mutual Aid Hub
• Use your technical skills to support a political campaign
• Subtitle and translate TED Talks to bring ideas to others
• Volunteer to Translate with Translators without Borders
• Make a global impact by volunteering virtually with the United Nations
• Transcribe historical documents for the Smithsonian
• Train others in technology with Right Here at Home
• Volunteer to create social change via DoSomething
• Browse volunteer opportunities based on cause area and skillset at Catchafire
• Use your marketing, tech, HR, strategy, or finance experience to provide consulting work to a nonprofit organization via Taproot Plus
• Solve real-world analytics problems for nonprofits through Analytics Corps
• Use HeroX to help companies find innovative solutions on through crowdsourcing
• Provide project-based work on Freelancer or Upwork

F1 students: please review https://globalmaryland.umd.edu/offices/international-students-scholar-services/unpaid-work for clarify around volunteer eligility. 

Network with Other Students, Professionals and Alumni

• Go to a Meetup to meet new people with similar interests
• Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date, and network with personal introductions to alumni and others you want to connect with
• Target 2/5/10 reach out emails per week
• Turn LinkedIn connections into 1-3 phone or online conversations per week
• End your summer with 3-5 strong advocates
• Explore professional organizations related to your degree program and learn about online events, upcoming future conferences, discounted student memberships, and educational resources
• ALPFA – Association of Latino Professionals For America
• Forte Foundation
• Accounting
• GWSCPA – The Greater Washington Society of CPAs
• NSA – National Society of Accountants
• IIA – The Institute of Internal Auditors
• AscendNAAMBA
• AICPA – Association Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• AAA – American Accounting Association
• NABA – National Association of Black Accountants
• IMA – Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
• Analytics
• DAA – Digital Analytics Association
• IIBA – International Institute of Business Analysis
• Consulting
• Institute of Management Consultants USA
• Professional Consultants Association
• Finance and Risk
• CFA Institute
• CFA Society of Washington
• CFA Society of Baltimore
• GARP – Global Association of Risk Professionals
• General Management
• American Management Association
• Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM)
• Human Capital
• Association for Talent Development
• HR Leadership Forum
• National Human Resources Association
• Professionals in Human Resources
• Society of Human Resources Management
• Information Systems
• AIS - Association for Information Systems
• CompTIA
• ISSA – Information Systems Security Association
• Marketing
• AMA – American Marketing Association
• DAA – Digital Analytics Association
• Insights Association (formerly Marketing Research Association)
• Supply Chain
• CSCMP – Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
• APICS – Association for Supply Chain Management (and certifications)
• ISM – Institute for Supply Management

Be Well and Reflect

• Keep moving and connected to other active Terps with RecWell
• Meditate with the Health Center
• Create a GitHub of projects and writing samples that can be shared with future potential employers
• Review the CDC Advice on managing anxiety and stress during COVID19
• Apply positive psychology by reviewing 87 Self-Reflection Questions for Introspection