The Guild program is your low-risk, high-reward chance to explore tech.

In one week, you’ll gain hands-on experience tackling a real-life challenge tailored to our local community. With the help and support of tech professionals, you’ll have the chance to figure out if you can picture a career in tech. 

If you are already pursuing tech at UMD, awesome! We can’t wait for you to join us. Please check out our additional programs like mentoring, intro to computing courses and Sprinternship™.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the eligibility requirements?

• Incoming first-year or rising second-year degree-seeking undergraduate at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD)
• Enrolled in at least 1 course at UMD during the Fall 2024 semester
• Good academic standing (2.0+ GPA)
• No prior major coursework in computing (non-major courses are OK)
  If you have taken CMSC131 or higher, INST126 or higher, or IMDM127, you are not eligible for Guild. Preference will be given to students who have not taken CMSC122, CMSC125, ENME202, GEOG276, PHYS165 or PHYS265.
• Focus on women and nonbinary students and other underrepresented groups in tech

How does Guild benefit you?

Participating in Guild requires five full days out of your schedule. But it’s five days that could put you on course toward a rewarding career. If you discover that you like the world of technology (which many Guild participants do!), the Break Through Tech DC team can help you take the next steps toward a great tech career.

So, you’re interested? Participate at no cost!

Guild is free of charge! In addition, we provide each participant with $200 after the conclusion of the program.

What does the program look like – and how does it work?

Guild sessions run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., plus optional social and office hour gatherings. During part of each day, we will spend time exploring:

• Community-building: With so much work and study being online, how can we make meaningful connections to others?
• Design thinking: How can we work with others to understand and work on solutions to real-world problems?
• Programming: How do I use programming tools to solve problems through reading user input, processing information, and providing meaningful output?
• Careers: What do industry professionals advise in their roles as mentors? What does it look like to have a job in tech?
• Study: What are the next steps for me to explore a career in tech at my current school? What is the pathway to graduate with a major in computing at UMD?

How does early move-in work for the in-person session of Guild?

Students participating in the second week of Guild will have the opportunity to move in early if they have already confirmed on-campus housing. For more information, please see this document.

Questions? Email breakthroughtech@umd.edu.