Applying for Summer Funding

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Summer Internship & Research Funding 2024

$535/week up to 9 weeks

First Information Session: Feb.13, 6:00 p.m. CES Matt Cole Living room

Second Information Session:  March 5, 5:30 p.m.  CES Matt Cole Living room

 

First Application Deadline: March 15, noon (Priority deadline: a majority of funds are awarded in first round)

Second Application Deadline:  April 7, noon (Secondary application deadline) 

The Center for Environmental Studies provides funding to students to pursue unpaid environmental summer internships with non-profit organizations and governmental agencies, supervised research, and creative endeavors.  All details online at ces.williams.edu.

SUBSCRIBE:  Environmental Internship Listserv: http://ces.williams.edu/more-resources/ces-listservs/

FIND POSITIONS: Internship Postings (National & Berkshire & Campus): http://ces.williams.edu/student-opportunities/

APPLY: Application details: http://ces.williams.edu/student-opportunities/funding-research/

ELIGIBILITY: All Williams students (except graduating seniors) are eligible to apply for CES summer funding.

INFORMATION SESSION: Attendance strongly recommended.

QUESTIONS: Sarah Gardner, Associate Director, CES  [email protected]

Feb.13: CES Matt Cole Reading room

March 5:  CES Matt Cole Reading room

Application Guidelines and Required Materials

Summer Internship and Grant Funding

The Center for Environmental Studies offers funding to support summer endeavors, including scholarly research, career-related internships in non-profit and governmental organizations, and creative projects.  CES also hires students every summer to work as Caretakers in Hopkins Memorial Forest and to work in the Environmental Analysis Lab. Additionally, some Environmental Studies faculty members hire summer research assistants.  All Williams students are eligible to apply for CES funding, regardless of major, concentration, or year (graduating seniors are not eligible), however if there are more eligible applications than funding allows, students with a demonstrated interest in Environmental Studies will have priority (eg: Environmental Studies majors, concentrators and first and second year students who have taken ENVI 101 or ENVI 102).  All proposals must demonstrate an environmental component; CES’ interpretation of environmental is interdisciplinary.  The CES Summer Grants Program focuses on non-profit, government and research positions and provides funding for positions that involve manual labor, such as trail work or farm work, only when there is another significant component of the position.  Further, the Program does not provide funding for summer courses, programs, workshops, internships with a participation fee.  Travel expenses and other expenses related to summer positions are not covered as extra expenses, though students may use the funds at their discretion.  View internships that have been funded in previous years http://ces.williams.edu/student-opportunities/projects-funded/.

Research projects may be in support of a senior thesis, research assisting an Environmental Studies faculty member, research at another academic or research institution, or independent research under the guidance of a member of the Williams faculty.   Internships may be at non-profit, grassroots, activist, government or other organizations with an environmental mission.  “Environmental” is defined in an interdisciplinary way to include the broad field of environmental studies and environmental science, and including closely related fields such as urban studies, planning and design, agriculture, engineering, renewable energy, and environmental health. Creative endeavors may be in any field of the humanities and may include the fine arts, theatre or dance, or creative writing, and may result in an art piece, podcast, film, or other creative product.

Students who accept funding from CES are expected to fulfill three requirements.  First, you are required to give a public presentation about your summer experience during the following academic year. This may be a Log Lunch talk, a shorter talk in a group setting, a gallery exhibit, or some other public presentation appropriate to the project.  Second, you will submit a written report about the project (2 pages for internships; 10 pages for research projects plus a 2 page summary.). Third, students submit a paragraph summary and photo for the CES newsletter, CES Notes.

The maximum stipend is $535 per week for 5-9 weeks of full-time work. Applications will be accepted for part-time projects and funding will be pro-rated.   In the case that funding is obtained elsewhere, CES will provide not more than the difference between the funding secured and $535 per week for full-time work.  Students who accept other Williams College funding are not eligible for CES funding.  CES does not provide additional funds for project-related purpose, such as travel, lodging or supplies.

CES evaluates each application for summer funding individually. Joint projects are not encouraged, but if two students make a compelling case that a project is best conducted by two people, the Summer Grants Committee is willing to consider joint applications. However, each student must apply individually by submitting their own application materials and each application will be evaluated individually.  Further, if funding is awarded, each student is expected to individually fulfill the three requirements above.  For questions about the summer grants program or for an advising meeting, contact Sarah Gardner [email protected].

Internship Listserve

The CES internship listserve sends out dozens of environmental internship postings during the winter and early spring months, many from CES alums. Subscribe here.

Application Schedule

Information sessions about the CES Summer Grants Program are held in February and March.  All students considering applying should attend session. There are two application rounds, one before spring break (awards announced by end of break) and the other after spring break (awards announced in late April).  Check application form for deadline.  Award decisions are made by a committee of CES faculty.

Application Materials

In addition to the Application Form, students must submit the following: 1) Faculty recommendation through form provided:Link to Faculty recommendation form2) a transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable).  In addition, students applying for internship funding must submit the offer letter from the organization, which must include the dates of the internship.  Research and creative applicants must submit a proposal.

Scholarly Research: Thesis, Faculty-Sponsored, Independent

Stipends of up to $535 per week for 5-9 weeks will be awarded to students conducting independent research or research to support a faculty member in environmental studies.  Priority will be given to projects not eligible for funding by disciplinary departments or other sources. The project may be thesis research, independent research, or research supporting an Environmental Studies faculty.  Thesis and independent research projects must be designed by the student under the close supervision of a faculty member who will serve as an advisor to the project and who will help with research design, maintain contact with the student during the summer, and evaluate student work upon completion.  Faculty research positions are designed by faculty and support their research program.  At the end of the summer, students who received research grants are expected to submit a 10- page research paper, a 2-page summary, and to give a public presentation at a group session or a Log Lunch. Students may apply for stipends for shorter projects. Preference will be given to juniors to carry out work in support of a senior thesis. The research project must examine matters directly related to environmental studies. Please submit the following materials to the [email protected] by the application deadline:

  • Application Form
  • A research proposal including a research plan and schedule ( 3 – 5 pages);
  • A transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable);
  • Faculty recommendation through form provided:  Link to Faculty recommendation form
  • All application materials are due by the deadline.

Internships

Stipends of up to $535 per week for 5-9 weeks will be awarded to a limited number of students participating in internships exploring environmental careers. Students must have a confirmed internship and an offer letter in writing in order to apply for internship funding.  Students are encouraged to seek funding from the host institution, and to apply to CES for supplemental funding if necessary. Students may apply for stipends for shorter projects.  The internship must have an explicit relationship to a career in environmental studies. Please submit the following materials to [email protected] by the application deadline:

  • Application form;
  • A transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable);
  • An offer letter from the host institution including a job description, the name of your supervisor, an offer of an internship (the internship offer may be contingent upon funding), the dates of the internship, and the pay, if any.
  • Faculty recommendation through form provided:  Link to Faculty recommendation form
  • All application materials are due by the deadline.

Creative Endeavors

Stipends of up to $535 per week for 5-9 weeks will be provided to a limited number of students to complete creative works in environmental studies in the field of arts and humanities. A Williams faculty member must serve as adviser to the project, who will help with project design, maintain contact with the student during the summer, and evaluate student work upon completion. Students may apply for stipends for shorter projects. The project must examine matters directly related to nature or environmental studies. Please submit the following materials to [email protected] by the application deadline:

  • Application form
  • A transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable);
  • A creative project proposal (3 pages);
  • Faculty recommendation through form provided:  Link to Faculty recommendation form

CES Jobs

Each summer, several students are hired to work as Caretakers in Hopkins Memorial Forest and as Researchers in the Environmental Analysis Lab.

https://hmf.williams.edu

https://sites.williams.edu/envilab/

For questions about the summer grants program or for an advising meeting, contact Sarah Gardner [email protected].