PEC Summer Fellowship Program

Each summer, twelve students are selected to spend eight weeks with The Piedmont Environmental Council, studying with seasoned professionals in land conservation, land use planning, sustainable agriculture, habitat restoration and more. See eligibility and online application.

Shaping Tomorrow’s Conservation Leaders

Are you an undergraduate or recent graduate interested in learning more about a career in environmental conservation? If so, you should consider applying for the 17th annual Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) Fellowship program! Twelve students will be selected for this unique opportunity to spend eight weeks learning from and working with seasoned professionals in land conservation, land use planning, agriculture, habitat and more.

The PEC Fellowship is much more than an internship. For the first five weeks, the program combines classroom discussions, field trips, and hands-on activities to give participants a comprehensive understanding of the work that PEC does. For the last three weeks, the fellows work on a collaborative practicum, focused on their interests as well as a particular aspect of PEC’s work in the Piedmont.

Through this personalized experience, participants gain the practical knowledge and skills necessary to successfully transition into careers in conservation, urban planning, agriculture, historic preservation, public policy, and other related fields. PEC covers all program-related expenses and provides a stipend to cover living expenses.

In 2023, our plan is for a remote program, with two to three weeks in-person to allow fellows to meet with PEC staff and visit sites throughout the Piedmont. This is of course subject to current circumstances involving Covid and the ability to conduct the program safely.

Application deadline: February 21, 2023
Program dates: June 5 – July 28, 2023

What’s Provided

When remote, meetings will take place via Google Hangouts or Zoom.

When in-person, dual occupancy lodging/hotel accommodations will be provided by PEC. This component is contingent on facts on the ground related to Covid-19 allowing for the safety of PEC staff and fellows.

Stipend: For each of the eight weeks, fellows receive a stipend to help with expenses. Stipend amount is $325 per week.

Travel reimbursement: We will offer a travel reimbursement, subject to prior approval, to cover the cost of getting to and from the Virginia Piedmont (airfare, mileage, etc).