Switzer Environmental Fellowship
Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation
Award: $15,000
Deadline: Jan 6, 2026
To provide for graduate students from diverse academic and personal backgrounds in New England and California whose career goals focus on environmental improvement. Qualifications: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, or a refugee or asylee according to the definition provided by the United States Department of Homeland Security (international students are ineligible); must be enrolled in an accredited graduate institution in California or one of the six New England states (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI) and plan to be enrolled as for the entire current year-next year academic year; students in online programs are not eligible; must have strong academic qualifications, with academic and career goals focused on environmental improvement; master's degree candidates (including J.D. students) must have completed at least one semester or quarter of course work to apply, and they must be seeking a master's as their terminal degree; master's degree students planning to pursue a Ph.D. are advised to wait until they are in their Ph.D. program to apply; individuals enrolled in one-year master's degree programs may apply prior to enrollment, but must be formally accepted into their program to be eligible; Ph.D. candidates must have completed at least three years of doctoral work or plan to have passed their qualifying exams by July 1, current year; mid-career students are encouraged to apply and must demonstrate how their academic program will enhance their effectiveness as an environmental leader. Selection criteria: Selection will be based on committee criteria; basis of environmental commitment; applied focus; innovative problem-solving; leadership potential; collaboration and engagement; social equity awareness and experience; communication skills. How to apply: Applicants must be submit online nomination form; should include a 2-3 page original essay: the essay field is limited to 10,000 characters (approximately three pages, single spaced, in 12-point font); two professional letters of recommendation: recommendation letters must be submit in adobe PDF format; a current resume; most recent graduate academic transcripts; two short-answer narrative questions. Focus: Environmental conservation; Environmental law; Environmental science; Environmental technology.
Eligibility
- States: CA, ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI