FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2024
Contact:
Spencer Knoll (MSL), spencer.knoll@msl.org
Sam Novey (CDCE), snovey@umd.edu
Maryland Student Legislature Announces New Partnership with UMD Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement
BALTIMORE, Md. (March 26) – Today, the Maryland Student Legislature (MSL) and the University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement (CDCE) announced a new partnership to improve understanding of the inner workings of state government while assisting students at all Maryland higher education institutions in launching their careers in politics, public policy, and law.
MSL and CDCE have launched a curated job and internship portal available to the public and focused on Maryland public service opportunities. MSL and CDCE are also working together to jointly produce educational materials that help students understand how their state government works, with an emphasis on turning that understanding into action and providing students with the tools they need to effectively advocate for the issues they care about in Annapolis. As part of this effort, on February 29th, MSL and CDCE hosted a ‘Maryland General Assembly 101’ seminar led by Dr. Jim Kunz, a Professor of Social Work at McDaniel College and a member of MSL’s Board of Directors.
“Students who want to make a change in their communities often don’t know where to begin. CDCE is at the forefront of the effort to change that here in Maryland and we are thrilled to be partnering with the Center to help open the doors of state government for Maryland’s students” said Spencer Knoll, Chair of Maryland Student Legislature, Inc.
“Facilitating understanding of state government for both UMD students and the general public is at the core of everything we do at the UMD Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement. We are so grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Maryland Student Legislature to create the Maryland Policy Career Resource Center and the Annapolis 101 training” said Sam Novey, Chief Strategist at the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement.
About the Maryland Student Legislature
The Maryland Student Legislature (MSL) is a statewide collegiate civic education program that promotes understanding of state government through a model Maryland General Assembly held in Maryland’s historic State House. Founded in 1989, MSL provides experiential learning that supplements classroom instruction while assisting students in launching their careers.
About the UMD Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement
The University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement (CDCE) works to educate, inform, and engage citizens and scholars in order to improve democratic governance. CDCE bridges the gap between academic research and practical solutions to problems related to the role of government and its citizens as equal partners in the practice of a vibrant and healthy democracy.
