Fellowship Opportunities in MEM

Fellowship Opportunities in the
Master in Environmental Management Program

Western’s MEM offers a suite of graduate fellowships to reduce tuition, to enhance organizational partnerships, to elevate master’s project quality, and to improve career competitiveness for select MEM students. Over 80% of our master’s students, regardless of residential or distance student status, receive some financial assistance through fellowships, internships, and grants. If you are applying to the MEM program, please indicate your interest in specific fellowships in your personal statement. The number of program fellows will be determined each year by the quality and quantity of the candidate pool. Note that only a few require additional application processes. Most fellowships are applicable to year one of the program, students are encouraged to work with their faculty mentor to apply for project-based funding for year two.

Track Specific Fellowships

Integrative and Public Lands Management (IPLM) Track Fellowships

Contact Dominique Naccarato, MEM (dnaccarato@western.edu) for more information.

Each year the IPLM selects multiple first-year students to receive fellowships that reduce tuition. Students are selected based on the strength of their application, their potential for leadership within the program, and the professional skills and interests they bring with them. These fellowships do not require working or subject-matter commitments. Rather, they are simply an incentive to join our graduate school community. Previous awardees have conducted masters project work that involves watershed restoration, environmental monitoring, geospatial data applications, endangered species recovery, wildlife-recreation interactions, mining reclamation, land management governance and policy, and so much more.

Global Sustainability (GS) Track Fellowships

Contact Dr. Ricardo Vazquez-Perales (rvazquezperales@western.edu) for more information.

Each year the GS track selects multiple first-year students to receive fellowships that reduce tuition. Students are selected based on the strength of their application, their potential for leadership within the program, status as a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and the professional skills and interests they bring with them. These fellowships do not require working or subject-matter commitments. Rather, they are simply an incentive to join our graduate school community. Previous awardees have conducted masters project work that mitigates the impacts of globalization on indigenous communities, provides platforms for marginalized communities to communicate their stories, examines alternative systems of governance and infrastructure, and so much more.

Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Track Fellowships

Contact Dr. Ricardo Vazquez-Perales (rvazquezperales@western.edu) for more information.

Each year the SRC track selects multiple first-year students to receive fellowships that reduce tuition. Students are selected based on the strength of their application, their potential for leadership within the program, and the professional skills and interests they bring with them. These fellowships do not require working or subject-matter commitments. Rather, they are simply an incentive to join our graduate school community. Previous awardees have conducted masters project work that involves innovative food and water systems, green energy and infrastructure, municipal sustainability plans, conflict resolution and collaboration models, and so much more.

SRC Built Environment Fellowship: $5,000

The fellowship is intended to support students interested in making human settlements sustainable and resilient, either urban or rural, in topics such as sustainable buildings, city planning, waste management, energy and electrification, Industrial Ecology, Life Cycle Assessment, and other human environment endeavors.

National Service Fellowships

Americorps Education Award: $6,300

Up to 5 accepted MEM students who have finished AmeriCorps, are midway through AmeriCorps, and/or who are committed to AmeriCorps service in the coming year are eligible for this award. Please describe your eligibility and interest in your MEM program application. Contact (MEM@western.edu) for more information.

Fellowship Award for Veterans, Active-Duty Personnel and Military Retirees: $5,000
Veterans who receive the fellowship will receive a one-time payment to be applied to their tuition for their first year in the program. Contact (MEM@western.edu) for more information.

Coverdell Assistantship: up to $10,000.00 + residency = $24,140.00
The fellowship aims to support Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) in pursuing a Masters in Environmental Management, offering financial assistance and residency for the awardees. Prospective candidates will deploy the skills gained abroad in intercultural exchange to develop and manage projects, collaborate with communities on locally prioritized projects, or achieve global sustainability projects.

Other Funding Opportunities

Restoration Assistantship: Up to $20,000 over two years

Join Western Colorado University’s Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability as a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA). The Masters in Environmental Management (MEM) program’s strong ecosystem restoration track has launched students into leadership roles in environmental agencies and non-profits. Collaborating with the WCU Center for Public Lands, this position offers an unparalleled opportunity for MEM and/or Masters in the Science of Ecology (MSE) students to spearhead ecosystem restoration projects in and around the scenic landscapes of Gunnison/Crested Butte, CO. The selected GRA(s) will work closely with stakeholders to implement various restoration strategies such as virtual fencing and low-tech process-based techniques. Ideal candidates will demonstrate a passion for conservation, possess strong communication skills, and exhibit a willingness to engage with diverse communities. Potential earnings of $20,000 over two years. Contact Dominique Naccarato at dnaccarato@western.edu for more information.

EMPLOYS Traineeship: tuition waiver (year one)
Western Colorado University seeks outstanding applicants for a National Science Foundation-funded graduate traineeship to prepare diverse future scientists for public land management careers. Over three years, these scholars earn both a Master of Science in Ecology degree and a Master in Environmental Management degree, with an emphasis in Integrative and Public Land Management. A limited number of competitive EMPLOYS assistantships are available each year to applicants who are US citizens or permanent residents. Assistantships are generally awarded for a one-year term and include a tuition waiver and stipend. Applications must be received by January 15 to be considered for an assistantship. Please contact (MSEcology@western.edu) for more information.

Coldharbour Institute Assistantships: $9,000/each
Four recipients of a Coldharbour Clark Fellowship, available to both first- and second-year MEM students, aid the Coldharbour Institute in realizing its mission on the Coldharbour property. June through May, students will work 10 hours per week with Coldharbour staff in either Watershed Restoration or Nonprofit & Land Management.
The Watershed Restoration Fellow will engage in activities including (but not limited to) wetland restoration planning and coordination, River Watch samplings, monitoring, and watershed health education. The Nonprofit & Land Management Fellow will focus on management issues and opportunities with the Coldharbour Ranch, working on issues like noxious weed mitigation, water resource development, monitoring, and exploring the feasibility of a native plant nursery at CI.
All CI fellows will contribute to our educational mission through outreach, instruction, and collaborative teamwork. In both instances there is an opportunity for MEM students to align CI Fellowship work with an MEM project. For more information on potential projects and these fellowship opportunities please contact Julie Nania at director@coldharbourinstitute.org. To apply, send your resume and a cover letter expressing your interest, qualifications, and alignment of these opportunities with career goals. Applications must be received before 5 p.m. MT on February 14th.

Funded Graduate Assistantships in the Food Systems, Public Lands & Hunting Program: $20,000, 20hrs/week:

The Food Systems, Public Lands, and Hunting Program is hiring three Graduate Assistants to work with one of three organizations: the Center for Public Lands, Hunters of Color, or the Coldharbour Institute, to establish and expand a new array of internship positions for undergraduate students. Graduate Assistants will: Identify new internship pathways in partnership with their host organization, develop curriculum designed to onboard and train undergraduate interns, and mentor and support undergraduates through their internships. For more information, please contact Dr. Kate Clark (kclark@western.edu).

Biosecurity Assistantship: $10,000
Western Colorado University’s Masters in Environmental Management (MEM) program is offering a $10,000 fellowship for a graduate student project working at the intersections of biological security and technology to inform mitigation of threats to our environment(s). The global pandemic beginning in 2020 has brought new attention to microbiological life and how such threats affect nearly all elements of human life (from the world economy to homeland security). In addition, emerging research is revealing the system-wide impacts of common pollutants affecting human and ecosystem health. Previous fellows have developed research papers and literature summaries related to abatement of PFAS chemicals, indoor air pollutants, and more. Topics and deliverables will be determined in conversation with your MEM mentor and the Clark School Dean. For more information, please reach out to MEM@western.edu.

Mountain Roots Food Systems Graduate Assistantship: Up to $42,000 (for a 2-year period, for incoming students; adapted 1 or 1 ½ -year terms may also be available for current students)
The RAP Fellow will work with Western, Gunnison Gardens, Mountain Roots, other community partners, and the state apprenticeship agency to administer the grant and coordinate and develop this new program. You’ll be the main point of contact for trainees, providing guidance and support throughout the program, facilitating mentorships, and organizing training and enrichment opportunities and networking events. You’ll lead targeted outreach efforts and work with affinity groups to develop recruitment pipelines that ensure equitable access and diverse participation. Your work will involve collaborating with program partners and experts to develop and refine training materials and curricula for both tracks, managing program logistics, and tracking participant progress to ensure they gain the skills and resources needed for successful careers in agriculture, and monitoring and evaluating the program’s overall progress toward goals. For more information and application instructions, please contact Dr. Ricardo Vazquez Perales (rvazquezperales@western.edu).

Writing Center Tutors: up to $1,000
Writing Workshop tutors offer assistance at any point in the writing process: brainstorming, outlining, polishing a final draft, or preparing a piece to submit for publication. For more information, please contact Karen Hausdoerffer, khausdoerffer@western.edu.

Teaching Assistants: variable amounts
Selected MEM students assist Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability (ENVS) faculty with course delivery, scheduling and logistics, and more at $18/hour.  Opportunities to TA in undergraduate or graduate courses are advertised to MEM students on an as-needed basis prior to each term. Please contact the MEM program facilitator at MEM@western.edu for more information.