Internships

Internships in Environmental Studies add first-hand experience by getting students out of the classroom and into environmental work. Internship locations are varied, but all involve at least 100 hours of service (paid or unpaid), in the summer or during the school year.

Our internship database contains a list of hundreds of domestic and international internships completed by ENVS majors. The database is meant to help ENVS students find a potential institution to do their required internship. Organizations listed may or may not have current openings. Before reaching out to an organization feel free to contact the Environmental Studies Program to request additional information. Please, remember that your internship must be pre-approved by Dr. Sara Gomez via email (sara.gomez@tufts.edu.) If you cannot access the database, please send an email to environmentalstudies@tufts.edu.

Looking for sustainability-focused internships/jobs? This workshop led by the Career Center tailored for environmentally-minded students provides tips on a wide range of topics including internship and job searching, curriculum vitae and resume development and tailoring, networking, and interviews. 

Access Internship Database

To complete your Environmental Studies Internship:

1. Before beginning the internship you must contact Dr. Sara Gomez (sara.gomez@tufts.edu) to gain approval of your proposed internship
2. Complete the internship (paid or unpaid). Take some pictures to use in your poster or to be posted on the Environmental Studies website.
3. Students are required to sign up for ENV 99 after completing their internship. Students who complete their internship during the Spring/Summer are required to sign up for ENV99 the following Fall semester. Students who complete their internship in the Fall/Winter must sign up for ENV 99 in the following Spring. For example, if you complete your internship in December, you must enroll in ENV 99 in the Spring semester. ENV 99 is a "no credit" class. If you are a Senior doing your internship during the last semester before graduation you may enroll in ENV 99 that semester.
4. All ENV 99 students are required to complete an Internship Evaluation Form and a poster of their work (OPTIONAL poster template and an example can be downloaded here), which they will present at the mandatory symposium. All materials must be submitted through the Canvas course site. You can print your poster at the Tisch Library's Digital Design Studio for a small fee, or you can make your own poster instead of printing it as long as it looks professional.

Internship Symposium Posters Gallery

Funding Opportunities

Funding for Unpaid internships:

1. Career Center Summer Internship Grant Program
   Amount: $4,500  |  Deadline: March
   The Summer Internship Grant Program supports students through funding, materials, resources and support before, during, and after their summer internships, with a goal of helping students prepare for, and thrive, during their summer experience. During the program, students will attend a pre-internship orientation, receive biweekly newsletters, participate in career advising, conduct informational interviews, update their resumes, participate in supervision, and engage in formal reflection. Additionally, one of the grants offered through this program (Norton Nickerson Endowed Internship Grant specifically funds declared ENVS majors to pursue environmental internships.
    
2. Borghesani Prize
   Amount: $1000-4000  |  Deadline: February
   The Anne E. Borghesani Memorial Prize enables recipients to undertake a research project, internship, volunteer activity, or plan of study in a field involving international issues. Sophomores and juniors with a minimum 2.8 GPA from all departments or majors are eligible to apply.
    
3. Lily Glidden Award
   Amount: Up to $2,500  |  Deadline: February
   The Lily Glidden Award is awarded each semester to help students from pursuing a dream, in the U.S. or internationally, to explore and learn about the interconnected life on our planet. Open to all majors.
    
4. Tisch Summer Fellows
   Amount: $5,250  |  Deadline: January/February
   This program offers full-time, 10-week fellowship positions that address a broad scope of social issues and interest areas. Opportunities are based in greater-Boston, New York City, Providence, RI, and Washington, DC with the capacity for in-person work. Remote opportunities will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and might not be available during the 2023 program period.
    
5. Udall Scholarship
   Amount: Up to $7,000  |  Deadline: February
   Each year, the Udall Foundation offers funding for sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment. The Foundation also provides assistance with career counseling, internship placement, graduate school admissions, and professional development.

Research:

1. Undergraduate Research Fund 
   Amount: Up to $450  |  Deadline: Rolling
   Students may request funding for senior theses and for other proposals emphasizing original research that is directly supervised by a Tufts faculty member. You may request funding for  expenses such as supplies, travel, library cards, and payment of research subjects. The fund will support travel to a conference if you are presenting research.
    
2. Tufts Summer Scholars
   Amount: $3,500 living stipend + $1,000 research stipend + $1,000 faculty stipend
   Deadline: March
   The Summer Scholars program funds rising juniors and seniors to pursue ten-week independent research projects. As part of the program, you will work closely with a faculty mentor to create a poster to present at a poster session in the fall. Additionally, one of the grants offered through this program specifically fundsdeclared ENVS majors to pursue environmental research.  
    
3. Laidlaw Scholars
   Amount: ~$4,200 living stipend + ~$1,300 research stipend
   Deadline: January/February
   This program seeks to cultivate tomorrow’s leaders across all disciplines through independent research and leadership development programming. All scholars will develop, pursue, and report on a research question along with their faculty mentor over the course of at least one summer. Students are encouraged to explore faculty websites and speak with faculty that they are interested in working with as soon as possible.

4. Visiting and Early Research Scholars’ Experiences (VERSE) Program

   Amount: A scholarship that provides a summer stipend, meal plan, and on-campus summer housing.

   Deadline: February

   The goals of the VERSE program is to offer a 10-week summer mentored research and scholarship experiences for undergraduates      who may not have previously had the opportunity to conduct research and to inspire students to pursue doctoral studies at Tufts and envision research careers. For more information, students are encouraged to contact Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Ashon Bradford.

Miscellaneous:

1. Environmental Studies Career-Building Awards
   Amount: Up to $100  |  Deadline: Rolling
   The Environmental Studies Program offers up to $100 to help declared Environmental Studies majors pay for costs to attend local conferences, workshops or any other event relevant to the student's career goals in the context of the Environmental Studies major. To apply, send the application to environmentalstudies@tufts.edu.