Empowering Youth to Tackle Coastal Challenges in a Full-Time Setting
Status: Active
Summary:
This is a full-time fellowship opportunity for young adults (ages 18-24) from traditionally underrepresented groups. The goal is to develop a more diverse climate resilience workforce that reflects the communities of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This fellowship is designed to increase representation of underserved and marginalized groups in the climate resilience space. We are defining those specifically as: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, low income family, Rural areas, and Immigrants and non-native English speakers.
Climate resilience can be defined as ability to withstand and adapt to the effects of climate change while building a healthy community. Six early-career professionals will be selected to gain hands-on experience in coastal climate resilience, each participating in a year-long fellowship conducting coastal climate resilience work in Coastal Mississippi. Fellows will work with a host organization on climate resilience related tasks and also attend monthly training sessions with other fellows, mentors, and project team. Throughout the fellowship duration they will also collaboratively design a communication campaign on climate resilience.
Host Organizations:
Types of host organizations are broad and work could range from coastal conservation, estuarine ecology and outreach, workforce development or affordable housing non-profits, environmental education, bird monitoring, conservation grazing, landscape architecture, and more. The fellows will be treated as full-time professionals during their tenure, contributing to their host organizations while also pursuing their own interests and professional development. Fellows will be required to report in-person to host sites in Coastal Mississippi. It is anticipated that most work will occur during normal business hours (~9:00am-5:00pm), with occasional evening or weekend work as needed for special events.
Fellowship Details:
Stipend range is $31,200 – $37,000 depending on skills and experience. A limited number of health insurance stipends and relocation stipends will be available to qualified fellows. Expected start date will be Late Summer 2024 with a limited term of one year. Fellows will be expected to work a full-time schedule with the host site. The fellowship will be administered through The Water Institute.
Matching Process:
Once selected for the fellowship, fellows will participate in a matching process to determine their host sites. Fellows and hosts will have the chance to meet virtually to determine which organizations will be the best fit for the fellow.
Selection criteria include:
Target audience:
Approximate timeline:
- Communication skills
- Eagerness to learn
- Problem-solving skills
- Being a self-starter
- Young adults (18-24 years)
- Underrepresented groups
- Recently completed a workforce development program or
- Two-year degree program or
- Four-year degree program
- July 15, 2024 – Accepting rolling applications until this date
- Interviews have begun and will continue on a rolling basis throughout June and July
- June/July – interviews with hosts and fellow placement
- Late Summer – Fellowship begins
For any questions, comments, or if your organization is interested in becoming a host site for a fellow,
please email Jolie Griffey: jolie.griffey@msstate.edu
Funding provided by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Gulf Research Program to The Water Institute and Mississippi State University.
