Many students, while meandering through the lower quad, probably wonder why bright yellow school buses are constantly driving back and forth behind Shriver Hall.
These school buses actually provide a valuable service to the Johns Hopkins community.
Commonly known as the Homewood-JHMI shuttle, the buses provide service to Penn Station, the Peabody Institute, and the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
With a variety of stops, the shuttle consists of various passengers, from medical students who live near the Homewood campus to undergraduates leaving campus to head home.
Penn Station is a useful point from which to access all sorts of transportation. Many taxicabs and bus stands are located near Penn Station.
The MARC train, light rail, and the Amtrak train are also accessible through Penn Station.
According to the Baltimore Sun's website, the MARC train spans its service from Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) airport to Union Station in Washington, D.C.
The local light-rail service goes through BWI on its route between Glen Burnie and Hunt Valley.
The Amtrak Metroliner has services to D.C. and New York and stops at Penn Station several times during the day. The Acela Express serves D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and other major points north of Boston.
The next stop on the shuttle, the Peabody Institute, is another valuable resource, which provides all sorts of opportunities for Hopkins undergraduates.
Many students attend concerts at Peabody. Students may obtain tickets for these events at a reduced price, which, according to the Undergraduate Academic Manual, ranges from $5 to $8.
Some Peabody events, such as student recitals, permit attendance free of charge. The yearly concert calendar may be accessed at http:/www. peabody.jhu.edu/concerts-and-events.
Undergraduates interested in taking music classes at Peabody have two options.
They may take classes either at the Preparatory, for no academic credit, or at the Conservatory, for credit.
Students must apply for admission to Conservatory lessons, and must pay $165 per semester for a weekly lesson.
Undergraduates may also take lessons offered at the Peabody Preparatory. Preparatory lessons, however, do not count for credit and Homewood students may take up to two classes, which are not private lessons, free of charge per semester.
Students may also pursue a double degree program or a minor in music in conjunction with the Peabody Institute. The minor in music enables students to take private lessons, music theory, and music history classes.
Highly qualified students may apply for the double degree program. This rigorous program requires admission to the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences or the Whiting School of Engineering as well as admission to the Peabody Conservatory.
There are also various other programs available through the Peabody Institute, such as music ensembles in which Hopkins students may partake.
The Peabody Institute also provides many indispensable avenues of cultural exploration for the Hopkins undergraduate.
The Peabody Institute is situated in the beautiful Mount Vernon cultural district. The Mount Vernon district is home to numerous shops, restaurants, and parks. The shuttle stop is also close to the Walters Art Gallery.
The final stop of the Homewood-JHMI shuttle is, of course, the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution.
First-time shuttle rider, beware! The shuttle actually stops at two locations on the medical campus.
The first stop is adjacent to the Kennedy Krieger Institute, which is an internationally recognized facility dedicated to improving the lives of children and adolescents with pediatric developmental disabilities through patient care, special education, research, and professional training, according to its website.
The second stop is further along N. Wolfe street, and is directly in front of the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Welch Medical Library.
Both stops provide easy access to the Johns Hopkins Hospital and School of Medicine, which is situated between the two stops.
All of these facilities provide innumerable opportunities for Hopkins students.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Kennedy Krieger Institute offer many volunteer opportunities.
One of the missions of the Department of Volunteer Services at Johns Hopkins Hospital is, in fact, "to foster and promote interest in healthcare careers, medical and para-medical, in the youth of the community high schools and colleges," according to its website.
Nicole Swann, who is the Manager of Volunteer Services at Johns Hopkins Hospitals says, "a high percentage of volunteers at the hospital are, in fact, undergraduates from Johns Hopkins University.
"Many of these students benefit from volunteer experiences in various clinical positions throughout the hospital."
Volunteer opportunities are available in ambulatory care, oncology, pediatrics, emergency, eye care, and surgery, among numerous others.
Many students also participate in research activities or have jobs in various departments at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine or the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Although this summary is by no means exhaustive, it provides a glimpse into the various opportunities offered to Hopkins students by means of the shuttle.
The shuttle is free of charge, so be sure to take your J-Card, consult the schedule located at http:/www.jhu.edu/~security, and embark on a new activity from the rear of Shriver Hall. If nothing else, a ride on the shuttle will afford you with a new perspective of the city of Baltimore.
