12
Weeks spent with a Sustainability Fellow
400
Fellows add up to 400 hours of added capacity hosts' projects
16
Years of experience running the Fellows program
Sustainability Fellowship
Info-session for Interested Organizations
If your organization is seeking capacity and a fresh perspective and/or specialized expertise to tackle a sustainability project (defined broadly using the ), our transformative Sustainability Fellowship can help support your efforts! :
- About the process
- What sets our Fellowship apart
- Insights from recent partner Host organizations
- Answers to attendee questions
What is the Sustainability Fellowship?
The Sustainability Fellowship pairs exceptional undergraduate students and post-baccalaureates (grad students and recent grads) from 91制片厂 with municipal, educational, corporate, and non-profit partners to work on transformative sustainability projects. Don鈥檛 think your potential project connects with sustainability? Rethink that. We define sustainability broadly, using the as a framework.
From the moment your project is selected to the final day of the Fellowship, the 91制片厂 team and its supportive framework are here to guide through the process as well as to be there to provide a network of support to your Fellow throughout their journey. Learn about the details of the program in the dropdowns below.
What are host organizations saying?
鈥淭his was a wonderful opportunity for both the students and host organizations alike. It was a pleasure hosting top talent devoted and passionate about sustainability. They were forward looking and excited about the possibilities of the future. They had access to a very strong network of other students and professionals to help them navigate their projects and deliverables.鈥
鈥 Sandra Klausmeyer Senior Vice President Corporate Communications & Strategies, Bangor Savings
鈥淲hat an incredible opportunity. I have told so many people about it. For a Fellow to have two strains of learning at once 鈥 the org they are with and the 91制片厂 program support/community 鈥 it鈥檚 just fabulous and unique. Prabhjot was a tremendous fit for Orvis and threw herself right in. We are so grateful to have been a part of the program. Thank you!鈥
鈥 Laura Schaffer, Vice President of Conservation and Sustainability, Orvis
Contact Alexis Dwyer with questions or to discuss future project ideas.
2026 Fellowship Key Dates for Hosts
October 15, 2025
91制片厂 SI begins reviewing project proposals
November 3, 2025
due
November 19, 2025
Host organizations notified
February 23 鈥 March 6, 2026
Interviews
May 26 & 27, 2026
Orientation
June 16 & 17, 2026
Launch Event
August 6, 2026
Showcase
August 14, 2026
Last day of the program
Sustainability Fellowship Details
Thank you for your interest!
You design the project. We recruit a highly qualified Fellow with qualifications specifically tailored to the needs of your project and organization.鈥疻e work together to train and mentor your Fellow throughout the summer, jointly invested in the project鈥檚 success and the Fellow鈥檚 education.鈥疕ere鈥檚 what partner organizations get out of hosting a Fellow:
- Top talent working on-site with you to support your sustainability initiatives
- A pool of applicants with skills aligned to the needs of your project
- Collaboration and support in developing your project plan
- An outstanding Fellow who is supported by an active network of sustainability professionals
- Sustainability focused professional development coordinated by 91制片厂
- Opportunities to network with other organizations engaged in similar work
Have questions?
Please reach out to Alexis Dwyer (Alexis.Dwyer@unh.edu) anytime to discuss project ideas for 2026 or a future summer.
Host partners are primarily responsible for the design of the Fellowship projects鈥痑nd for the day-to-day oversight of their Fellows. Partners are asked to participate in the selection of their Fellow, co-develop a project plan with our staff, offer onboarding support, engage with the network, and most importantly, prioritize the meaningful mentorship of their Fellow. Specifically, partner organizations commit to:
- Develop a project that will be impactful for the partner organization and intellectually stimulating for the Fellow.鈥疌reate a position description and a detailed project work plan in collaboration with our staff.
- Engage in the interview and selection process.
- Facilitate hiring and payroll.
- Designate a primary Fellowship Mentor who will provide project guidance, be accessible on a day-to-day basis as needed鈥痑nd reserve at least two hours per week for鈥痳egularly scheduled meetings with the Fellow during the Fellowship term, see key dates above.
- Encourage the Fellow鈥檚 participation in training and networking opportunities provided by our staff, Fellowship presentations and additional activities relevant to the Fellow鈥檚 project and/or career.
- Ensure that the Mentor can participate in鈥 day two of the 91制片厂 Orientation, attend the 91制片厂 Launch鈥, and the 91制片厂 Showcase event鈥(see dates listed below).
- Be available for 2-3 planning calls with us鈥痑nd provide one brief written update on the Fellow鈥檚 progress over the course of the summer.鈥
- Actively connect with other Fellows and partners throughout the network.
- Provide the Fellow with a computer and other necessary resources and contacts required for the successful completion of the project. If the Fellow has a disability, the partner organization will make reasonable accommodations.
- If project related travel is a part of the project, the Host Organization must reimburse the Fellow for the incurred costs from the travel.
- Provide and receive feedback at the end of the Fellowship term.
2026 Summer Sustainability Fellowship Program Dates
September 23, 2025 1-2 p.m.
Host Organization Fellowship Info-Session
November 14, 2025 1-2 p.m.
Fellowship Info-Session for Interested Students
December 22, 2025
Positions posted online, student application opens
February 8, 2026, midnight
Student applications due
February 23 鈥 March 6, 2026
Student interviews
Mid-March 2026
Fellows receive offers
April 4, 2026
Fellowship cohort finalized
Fellowship Dates: May 26 - August 14, 2026
May 26 & 27: Orientation
June 16 & 17: In-Person Launch Event
August 6: Showcase
We mutually invest with host partners,鈥痠n the learning experience of each Fellow鈥痑nd the impactful outcome of each project.鈥疐ellows receive compensation for their work according to their level of education.鈥疕ost partners鈥痑re asked to contribute at the following rates*:
Undergraduate Fellow:鈥$8,000
Post Baccalaureate Fellow:鈥$11,500&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;
*91制片厂 raises funds to enable partners to host Fellows, even if they are not able to hire the Fellows or contribute at this level. In their proposals, host partners have an opportunity to state their ability to directly hire Fellows, and/or the levels at which they can contribute to the Fellow鈥檚 compensation if requesting that 91制片厂 hires them. 91制片厂 is able to hire a limited number of Fellows and, through the generous support of Jane鈥檚 Trust Foundation, alumni of the program, and others, 91制片厂 to offer a limited number of grants to cover some or all of the salary of some of those directly-hired Fellows, especially for municipalities and non-profits.
*Host partners are also asked to contribute $1,500 to the 91制片厂 Sustainability Fellows program as part of their participation. These funds will be considered a charitable gift, unless you are a government organization or municipality and governed by laws around use of public funds.
If your organization is seeking a larger philanthropic investment, we would love to speak with you about support for this program. All additional funds go directly toward placing students within small businesses, nonprofits and municipalities who may not otherwise have the ability to support a Fellow.
If your company is interested in providing support to a nonprofit or municipality to make a 2026 Fellowship possible, please don't hesitate to get in touch with Alexis Dwyer. Past Fellowship projects have been supported by Bangor Savings, Mascoma Bank, Tom鈥檚 of Maine, and Unitil.
Application Information
The summer is OPEN!
Questions? Contact Alexis.Dwyer@unh.edu to discuss hosting a Fellow in Summer 2026!
Ideal Fellowship projects include the following characteristics:
- The project is likely to catalyze long-term, substantial change, and/or to establish a replicable model.
- The work is challenging, in-depth, and the selected Fellow can assume significant ownership.
- The outcomes are tangible and can be completed in 400 hours during the summer.鈥
- The Fellow鈥檚 time and expertise are critical to completing the work.
- Mentors are invested in the outcome of the project as well as the Fellow鈥檚 experience.
- Partner organizations have a demonstrated structure in place to support and supervise a Fellow.
- Partner organizations are in geographic proximity to one another - consider suggesting that other organizations in your local area might host a Fellow.