Hospice Volunteers -- Johns Hopkins Home Hospice is looking for volunteers for a home hospice program that provides care to patients with life-limiting illnesses. Volunteers are needed for direct patient service, bereavement care services and administrative support.

The next training session will be held in July. For information, contact the hospice's coordinator of volunteers at 410-288-8060.

Fitness Classes -- Lunchtime fitness classes will be offered to JHU faculty and staff beginning the week of July 12 on the Homewood campus. The focus will be on toning and muscle conditioning. Sharon Parker of Absolute Fitness will be the instructor for the eight-week session.

To register or for more information, call Occupational Health Services at 410-516-0450.

Scholars Programs, Career Awards -- Applications for awards in 2000 are requested for the Searle Scholars Program of the Chicago Community Trust, the Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards in the Biomedical Sciences.

The Searle Scholars Program supports the independent research of outstanding individuals who are in the first or second year of their first tenure-track appointment at the assistant professor level. Grants are normally $60,000 a year for three years. Candidates should be pursuing research careers in pharmacology, genetics, immunology, cell biology, neuroscience, biochemistry and related areas in the fields of medicine, chemistry and the biological sciences. Applicants must have begun or will begin their first tenure-track appointment as an assistant professor in a clinical or basic science department on or after July 1, 1998. The Pew Scholars Program supports beginning investigators of outstanding promise in basic and clinical sciences relevant to the advancement of human health by providing them with assured funds as they establish and obtain other funding for their laboratories. Awards are normally $50,000 a year for four years. Candidates must have a doctorate in medicine, other health-related professions or biomedical sciences, and must hold a full-time assistant professor or independent researcher appointment as of Nov. 1, 1999. On July 1, 2000, they shall not have been members of the full-time faculty at any institution for more than three years (excluding time spent as a clinical intern, resident or working toward board certification) regardless of tenure status.

Both Searle and Pew encourage research clinicians and basic scientists to apply. Hopkins may nominate up to two candidates for the Searle Program and two candidates for the Pew Program, one of whose research involves them directly with patients. Awards will be activated by July 1, 2000.

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards in the Biomedical Sciences provide research training support beginning in the advanced postdoctoral years through the initial years of faculty service to assist fellows in becoming independent investigators. Awards comprise salary support of $38,000 to $60,000 per year and a research allowance of $16,000 to $65,000 per year, for a possible total of $574,000 over six years. Awards specifically targeted for reproductive science are included. Candidates must have M.D. degrees or Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences and be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada. All candidates must have completed at least one year and not more than four years of postdoctoral training at the time of nomination. Johns Hopkins may nominate six candidates, ideally three M.D.s and three Ph.D.s. Faculty at the rank of assistant professor or the equivalent and above are not eligible.

An internal selection committee has been formed to choose the university's candidates. Selection of candidates will be completed by the end of August or early September in order to allow ample time for preparing the final applications.

The internal deadline for the Searle, Pew and Burroughs Wellcome Fund awards is Monday, July 26. Completed applications should be sent to Elaine Simonds, 708N Wyman Park Building at Homewood by this date. For application materials or more information, call Ms. Simonds at 410-516-8734 or contact her by email at <mes@jhu.edu>. Information on these and other scholars programs is available on the ReSource homepage at http://resource.ca.jhu.edu, under "Funding Opportunities."

How to Become an Effective Leader -- Stephen Covey, author of the bestselling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and Homero Bayarena, a consultant with Franklin Covey Co., will be the guest speakers for a course titled "Be Proactive--A Habit of Highly Effective People."

The program is scheduled for Wed., July 28, from 1 to 6 p.m., in the Turner Auditorium in East Baltimore. Topics to be discussed include effective leadership in a changing global market; how to be more proactive as a leader in one's professional and personal lives; and increasing productivity through the "four roles of leadership."

The registration fee for the course is $350. For more information, call 410-955-3169 or fax 410-614-8614.