This summer PEC held its 15th annual fellowship program. From June 7 through July 23, fourteen fellows joined PEC online to learn about conservation, urban planning, agriculture, historic preservation, public policy, and many other skills relevant to work in the environmental nonprofit sector.
The program includes lectures by PEC staff and partners, readings and assignments, and three weeks primarily dedicated to an intensive practicum project. Usually held in-person, this year the Covid-19 pandemic called for a completely virtual format.
In the practicum portion of the fellowship, each fellow works with staff members to engage in a research area of their choice and practice their communication skills. At the culmination of the program, the fellows present their work to PEC staff and the board of directors.
PEC 2021 Fellows and Practicums
Julia Rankin and Samantha Grossman
Landscapes of Memory: Documenting and Preserving Community and Family Cemeteries in the Virginia Piedmont (survey)
Mentor: Kristie Kendall
Lauren Taylor and Lauren Hutchison
Invasives in Your Yard: A Homeowners Guide to Invasive Plants (website articles)
Mentors: Gem Bingol, Julie Bolthouse, Marco Sanchez, and Sophia Chapin
Alberto Della Torre and Annie Price
Campaigning for BRT: Route 7 and Sustainable Equity (StoryMap)
Mentors: Stewart Schwartz and Douglas Stewart
Anélyse Regelbrugge
The Threat of Data Center Development in PWC’s Rural Crescent (StoryMap)
Mentors: Julie Bolthouse, Hugh Kenny, Gem Bingol, and Watsun Randolph
Simon Willig, Micah Chau, Diamond McAllister
Environmental Justice in the Virginia Piedmont and Beyond (StoryMap)
Mentors: Tiffany Parker and Randolph Watsun
Thomas Jackson and Carly Harris
Energy Efficiency Update (website articles)
Mentors: Bri West and Sophia Chapin
Janis Arrojado and Liam Dolan
Restoring Bolton Branch (StoryMap)
Mentor: Claire Catlett
Interested in learning with PEC in 2022? Learn more about the fellowship program and how to apply here.