UCSC Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program
Opportunity Description:
The Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at UCSC exposes early-career college students to the field of environmental conservation through field research, leadership and professional training. Each year, 20 students from around the U.S. and its territories are selected to participate in a two-year conservation leadership program. Our students represent a diverse spectrum of cultures and backgrounds, which helps to cultivate an inclusive and rewarding experience.
The two-year program is built around two core experiences:
Year 1: Eight-week, paid, intensive summer course integrating conservation design, leadership and research experiences while traveling with a close group of peers and mentors
Year 2: Eight-week, paid, intensive summer internship with a conservation organization or agency
Throughout the program, students receive the following benefits:
- Scholars receive a $4400 stipend each summer
- Winter workshop on professional development and leadership in conservation
- Year-round support from UCSC staff and an identified mentor at your home institution
- Scholars who complete the program become part of a growing scholarly and professional network of Doris Duke Conservation Scholars
Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements:
The program is looking for 20 passionate, creative undergraduate students from any major with at least two more years of college left. Any students who do not require a student visa to study in the United States (including citizens, nationals, residents, refugees, DACA, undocumented, and more) and plan to finish a four-year degree AFTER December 2023 are eligible.
Please see the FAQ page for more details about eligibility.
Application Process:
The application contains the following parts:
Information about you: Please include contact information, description of your recent jobs, activities, awards, information about your recommender(s), and your answers to three essay questions. Required questions are marked with an asterisk (*). You will also be asked for optional demographic information about yourself. Your choice to not provide this information will not influence your likelihood of being selected to participate in the program.
Transcripts: Unofficial copies of transcripts are fine, and they are typically easier for you to obtain. Please submit all of your college transcripts, even if you have earned credit at more than one institution.
A letter of recommendation: You’ll need at least one (1) recommendation letter. A second letter is optional. You are suggested to contact — in person or by email — someone you have worked closely with who is familiar with some of the experiences that you have described in your essays. Ideally, your recommender is a current or former coach, employer, professor, supervisor, or other academic or professional mentor willing to provide you with a detailed letter. Letters from family and relatives will not be accepted. Please share information about the program with your recommender (such as the website and your essays), and ask your recommender to describe how they know you, how long they have known you, your suitability for this program, and your potential to make a significant contribution to the field of conservation.
Please complete the information on the application about who is providing your letter and provide their email address in the corresponding field. Submittable will send them a letter of recommendation request on your behalf. Use the “send request now” option, or requests will not be sent to recommenders until after your application has been submitted.
Any questions? Email scholars@ucsc.edu.