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Environmental Leadership Initiative

The College of Idaho’s distinctive Environmental Leadership Initiative is a competitive program that provides funding for students of any major to use for research, travel, internship programs or other relevant experiences that will contribute to their development as environmental leaders in the sciences, politics, education, law and other relevant fields.  Accordingly, applicants must be students at the College of Idaho who plan to do graduate work or pursue a career in an environmental field.

Students who show exceptional promise as an environmental leader may request up to $1,000 through the Environmental Leadership Initiative.  The funds can go toward travel or internship or research expenses in an environmental field, equipment, or supplies necessary for guided research experiences in an environmental field, and/or stipends to supplement unpaid (or low-paying) internships in the environmental field, including living expenses.  The program is funded through the generosity of College alumni committed to increasing educational opportunities for students in environmentally-related fields.

To support the Environmental Leadership Initiative, or programs like it, please make a gift now to the College of Idaho.

Previous Award Recipients

2022: Yaxeny Lopez"How to Live Sustainably," using education as a tool to raise awareness of sustainable living in Honduras; Sonam Lama, "Promoting and Empowering Women’s Health Care and Sustainability," training Nepali migrant women in New York about environmentally sustainable feminine hygiene and personal empowerment.

2021: Bella Martin, “Developing Educational Materials about the Sawtooth Valley,” assisting the Sawtooth Society in developing a new Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) Steward program; Ian Clifford & Sakho Littler, “Improving the Eco-House Garden," improving a community garden on College property.

2020: Jazmin Nunez Scolari, “Developing Environmental Awareness in Paraguay,” interned at the Environmental Management Department of Asunción (EMDA) as well as volunteered for Mbaracayú School in Hernandarias, teaching and empowering women into sustainable practices.

2019: Sophie Trobitzsch, Internship at German League for Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection, and Andrea Rojas-Esco, "Changemakers" sustainability project in Guatemala.

2018: Kaitlin Galemore, “Documenting Pacific Lamprey Distribution in the Salmon River Basin.”

2017: Michaella Owens, “Sustainability: Canada to Campus.”

2016: Natasha Dacic, Summer research in Idaho backcountry.

2015: Azhar Mudaqiq, Davis Project for Peace in Afghanistan.

2014: Christina Stucker, Attended Environmental Studies Conference on Sustainable Food Systems.

2013: Tanya Greenwood, Served an internship with the Idaho Conservation League in Ketchum.

2012: Laura Barbour, Plant research in the western Snake River Plain.