Baltimore, Md. -- On Saturday, April 20, more than 100 UMBC students will pitch in to help clean up Baltimore's oldest African American cemetery as a part of the UMBC Serves program. Organized by UMBC's Shriver Center, Office of Student Life and Residential Life, the Mt. Auburn Service Trip will pull together new and returning students from the city, the suburbs and beyond. UMBC students will work alongside members of the community to pull weeds, remove trash, and provide easier access to the sites at the cemetery.

Founded in 1872, Mt. Auburn is the oldest African American cemetery in Baltimore. It serves as resting place for former slaves who found freedom through the Underground Railroad and many prominent African Americans.

UMBC Serves is an initiative designed to coordinate and strengthen service to the community at UMBC. Students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to discover the many exciting service- learning, community service, and volunteerism opportunities at UMBC.

UMBC's service connections with Baltimore City are numerous -- from the Mt. Auburn Service Trip, to programs targeting at-risk youth, lead-paint education and removal programs, mentoring and tutoring programs, and much more.

About The Shriver Center
Founded in 1993, in honor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver, the Shriver Center has established UMBC as a national leader in promoting service-learning, civic engagement and community-based service delivery. The Shriver Center enables students to link academic study to professional practice and community service, and is UMBC's primary vehicle for producing socially engaged citizens who graduate with the commitment and experience to serve responsibly in their communities, the State and the Nation. The Shriver Center also develops programs designed to strengthen communities and build local capacity to deal with the problems of juvenile delinquency, childhood lead poisoning, mental retardation and school drop-out.

About UMBC
Founded in 1966, UMBC is a medium-sized, selective, public research university situated on 500 acres between Baltimore, Md. and Washington, DC. UMBC has an enrollment of more than 11,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences and engineering. A campus community rich in cultural and ethnic diversity, UMBC promotes cutting-edge research and creative activity. The campus is home to the nationally-known Meyerhoff Scholarship Program, the Shriver Center, and a number of major research centers. UMBC is a member of the University System of Maryland and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.