MS in Ecology Fellowships, Grants and Scholarships
Eligibility, application requirements and deadlines vary widely across opportunities. Please make sure you read each description carefully and watch for email announcements on when and how to apply for internal opportunities.
Internal Paid Opportunities
Biology Teaching Assistantships
Teaching Assistantships for graduate students to assist instructors in the Biology program in course instruction, implementing labs and field experiences, and planning and preparing for class sessions are offered on a semester basis. These assistantships are available to all current and incoming students. Details about the positions and how to apply will be sent to all students prior to the semester the assistantship is available.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Internationalization, and Justice (DEIIJ) Coordinator and Student-Faculty Liaison Fellowship
The goal of the MS in Ecology DEIIJ coordinator and student-faculty liaison is to:
1) Act as a coordinator for student driven DEIIJ actions within the MS in Ecology program,
2) To be a voice for student concerns about DEIIJ within our program, and
3) To add diversity to students’ communication outlet options as program needs emerge for them.
The coordinator and liaison works for the students to bring students’ needs and concerns to the Director of the MS in Ecology program. The term for this position is one academic year. Details about how to apply for this position will be sent prior to the fall semester. All current and incoming students are eligible to apply for this position.
High Country News (HCN) Digital Internship
In partnership with High Country News (HCN), the MS in Ecology program offers one Digital Internship. The intern will work directly with HCN Digital Editor, Gretchen King. This internship is offered each semester and announcements detailing how to apply are sent out to current and incoming students.
Inclusivity and Innovation Scholarship
Western’s MS in Ecology faculty believe representation of all of the nation’s diversity in the field of ecology leads to innovation and novel insight into ecological processes and their application to management and conservation. Currently, systemic racism and institutional barriers have led to under-representation of minorities in our field. We support all students representing different races, sexual orientations, genders, ages, nationalities, ethnicities, disabilities, religions, income levels, backgrounds and life experiences. Diversity, equity, inclusivity, internationalization, and justice (DEIIJ) enrich our learning and improve how we conduct science.
The MS in Ecology program offers a competitive scholarship, which covers full tuition for a student who brings diversity to our field and who is committed to aiding our program in creating full participation and inclusion of all. The scholarship will be awarded to engender diversity such as diversity of race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, presence of disabilities, internationalization, and educational and socioeconomic background. This scholarship is only available to incoming students. Interested applicants must apply to the Ecology program to be eligible.
To apply to the MS in Ecology Program and to this scholarship, please upload a statement (2-page max) that describes how receiving this scholarship will aid in enabling your educational journey and commitment to the field of ecology and aid the MS program in achieving our commitment to DEIIJ.
Social Media Master Fellowship
MS in Ecology provides an assistantship for a student in the program to maintain social media presence and act as the online face of the MS Ecology program. The student will work closely with the MS in Ecology director and the Western Marketing Department to post MS in Ecology relevant content the programs website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts. The term for this position is one academic year. Details about how to apply for this position will be sent prior to the fall semester. All current and incoming students are eligible to apply for this position.
Statistics Peer Tutors Fellowships
The MS in Ecology program offers two Statistics Peer Tutor Fellowships. The fellows are responsible for providing tutoring to MS in Ecology students on basic concepts in statistics and in using the statistical package R. In addition, the fellows will work directly with the MS in Ecology Director to develop and facilitate statistics and R workshops that utilize experts in ecological statistics and R. The term for these positions is one academic year. Details about how to apply for this position will be sent prior to the fall semester. All current and incoming students are eligible to apply for this position.
Writing Tutor Fellowship
The Clark Family School of Environment & Sustainability Graduate Writing Center seeks tutors who demonstrate strong writing skills, a deep interest in improving their own writing, professionalism and teamwork, and most importantly interpersonal skills for working with peers in the sensitive and challenging realm of writing. Tutorship responsibilities include: scheduling meetings in person and via Zoom to help fellow graduate students with writing and communications projects; participating in tutor trainings and meetings; reading and researching best practices for writing and teaching writing; offering craft and process workshops or work sessions; promoting MEM/ MS in Ecology/ MBA Writing Workshop services to classmates. The term for this position is one academic year. Details about how to apply for this position will be sent prior to the fall semester. All current and incoming students are eligible to apply for this position.
School of Graduate Studies Funding Opportunities
External Opportunities
Scholarships/Fellowships
- George Lea Founder’s Scholarship, Public Lands Foundation
- National Garden Clubs Scholarship
- Soil Science Society of America Scholarships
- Throlson American Bison Foundation Scholarship
- Women Helping Women Reach for the Stars
- Women in Science Grants
Research Grants
- Alpine Garden Society
- American Alpine Club
- Botanical Society of America Graduate Student Research Awards
- Colorado Mountain Club Foundation
- Colorado Native Plant Society Mission and Research Grants
- Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance Paddon/Gellhorn Wilderness Research Grants
- Meter Environment Grant A. Harris Fellowship (for environmental sensor equipment)
- Pitkin County Healthy Rivers
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Graduate Student Fellowships
- The Wildlife Society Small Grants – Management and Research
- Urban Forestry Fellowship
- US Fish and Wildlife Small Grants: North American Wetlands Conservation Act
- USDA SARE Graduate Student Grants in Sustainable Agriculture
Travel Grants