EcoLeader Graduate Student Fellowship, National Wildlife Federation

Job Title: EcoLeader Graduate Student Fellowship

Organization: National Wildlife Federation

Location: U.S., Any location; Priority will be given to a member of a Native American Tribal Community

Organization Overview: In Spring of 2014, the National Wildlife Federation launched the EcoLeaders Program to help students and young professionals develop sustainability leadership skills and secure great jobs that help the planet. The EcoLeaders leadership and career development program advances a proven model of leadership for sustainability. NWF’s EcoLeaders take five steps towards their personal leadership and career goals:

  • Declare an EcoMission
  • Launch a project
  • Support others
  • Earn certification
  • Create a personalized career plan

Position Overview: In an effort to strengthen the NWF EcoLeaders community, the NWF EcoLeader Community Fellow will support the growth and development of EcoLeaders and EcoCareers programs based on research of best practices related to strengthening and building relationships with Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and the advancement of equity, justice, and inclusivity principles within these programs. The specific goals and deliverables of the Fellowship will be determined based on the interests and strengths of the Fellows, as expressed in their fellowship applications. Fellowship applications should address one or more of the following goals:

  • Interview stakeholders at NWF and the College of Menominee Nation (CNM) in Minnesota to evaluate partnership for further opportunities and recommendations for expanding outreach to additional TCUs. Special attention should be given to the partnership with the College of Menominee Nation, as NWF has engaged with this school for many years, and CNM participates in more than one of NWF’s higher education efforts. This would include research, phone outreach, and writing.
  • Explore other current NWF relationships with Tribal Colleges and Universities and identify strengths, best practices, and opportunities for continued engagement. This would include research, phone outreach, and writing.
  • In relation to environmental and conservation career and leadership development, research the key interests, challenges, needs, and opportunities for Tribal College and University students and staff in working with NWF’s EcoLeaders and EcoCareer programs. This would include phone outreach, online survey development, distribution and analyzation.

Duties:

  • Register and maintain an active personal profile and presence on NWF EcoLeaders community, and promote to personal network during the course of the Fellowship.
  • Create project plan for a 4-6 month Fellowship term based on agreed upon Fellowship goal.
  • Coordinate with 1-2 other Fellows to share ideas, progress, and cohesion. [Optional]
  • Assist the NWF EcoLeaders team with additional duties as assigned.
  • Develop a summary report of findings and programmatic recommendations

Qualifications:

  • Motivated by values of equity and responsibility to those most marginalized • Dedicated to deepening understanding of cultural and systemic racism and the intersectionality of multiple forms of social inequality
  • Demonstrates awareness of positional power and privilege (both personally and professionally) and its attendant impacts
  • Consistently brings a high level of empathy and social skills to work and interpersonal interactions
  • Demonstrates awareness of the attributes associated with a white dominant culture and takes actions to dismantle hierarchies of oppression within that culture
  • Must be a strategic thinker, self-starter, well organized, strong communicator, and relationship builder.
  • An entrepreneurial spirit, initiative and energy is critical to success.
  • Must have a passion for and commitment to NWF’s mission.

Eligibility: Graduate students from any college or university within the U.S. are eligible to apply. Applications are invited from students in all disciplines and are not limited to environmental studies majors. Current and former employees of National Wildlife Federation and former NWF Campus Ecology Fellows are ineligible to apply. Former NWF interns are eligible to apply following one year from their final work date. The name on the application must be limited to one individual and the Fellowship reporting, training, or other requirements cannot be transferred to or shared with another student. Additional involvement should be noted in the proposal. The applicant must be enrolled in school through the duration of the 4-month grant period.

Time/Dates: Graduate students from any college or university within the U.S. are eligible to apply. Applications are invited from students in all disciplines and are not limited to environmental studies majors. Current and former employees of National Wildlife Federation and former NWF Campus Ecology Fellows are ineligible to apply. Former NWF interns are eligible to apply following one year from their final work date. The name on the application must be limited to one individual and the Fellowship reporting, training, or other requirements cannot be transferred to or shared with another student. Additional involvement should be noted in the proposal. The applicant must be enrolled in school through the duration of the 4-month grant period.

Benefits:

  • $6,000 stipend
  • Professional development resources, assistance, and networking
  • Possibility of academic credit for successful completion of the project, as an independent study or integration of fellowship project into course curricula

Application Deadline: April 22

How to Apply:

  1. Carefully review the information provided in this document.
  2. Complete and submit the application form for the 2022 NWF EcoLeader Graduate Student Fellowship, here.
  3. Submit an electronic letter of recommendation from your identified Advisor via PDF attachment to Fellows@nwf.org. Please make sure your name is in the subject line of the email.
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