At UMBC, “intellectual sports” are student organizations that test students’ academic mettle in off-campus competitions and conferences.
Intellectual Sports are SGA-recognized student organizations which represent the University in off-campus organized competitions or conferences that reward excellence in applied academic skills. Their competitions/conferences are primarily non-physical in nature and preparing for them represents the majority of the organization’s efforts each year. Students are able to join an intellectual sports club with no previous experience, train within an accepting peer network, master the relevant content and skills, and become competitive during their time at UMBC. There is a strong curricular component to each organization and they accordingly are often linked to a department or college that provides them with academic and monetary support. Their triumphs are inextricably linked to their teamwork: success comes as the result of collaboration, community, and engagement.
The university is developing an infrastructure for intellectual sports to provide them with the level of support often associated with athletic teams. We are dedicated to ensuring students experience the leadership, social networking, and community that’s part of all UMBC student organizations, while expanding their career readiness competencies through the hands-on experiences that are unique to intellectual sports.
For more information, contact Lesa Goodhue, Special Assistant to the AVP, Intellectual Sports & Applied Learning at lgoodhue@umbc.edu