Accepting Applications for Summer 2025 Cohort now until March 30, 2025!

Who We Are:

We are excited to announce STRAW’s 7th cohort of the Community College Conservation Internship, a summer program uplifting Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community college students in the conservation field. The internship is open to community college students in Sonoma, Napa, Marin, and Solano county. The 8-week internship, running from June 3rd to July 23rd, offers a $1400 stipend. No prior experience is required. We are dedicated to reaching potential participants who may not typically have access to opportunities like CCCI. If you’re interested in learning more about careers in conservation and participating in creating community among your cohort, this program is for you!

CCCI is a program offered by the Students and Teachers Restoring A Watershed (STRAW) team at Point Blue Conservation Science. Point Blue’s 160 scientists work to develop nature-based solutions to climate change, habitat loss, and other environmental threats to benefit wildlife and people. Point Blue’s STRAW team works with over 75 schools throughout California, engaging K-12th grade students and teachers in local ecological restoration projects. Students implement professional restoration technician work while learning about the importance of conservation, restoration, and community. We hope to address the growing need and scope of our work through CCCI and are eager to work with motivated community college students!

STRAW’s Community College Conservation Internship emerged from three central questions: 1) Who is being trained for, informed of, and recruited for environmental jobs? 2) How are environmental jobs made accessible? 3) What are key experiences and skills that can prepare the next generation of environmentalists of color to become environmental leaders?

CCCI interns will be eligible to receive an educational stipend of $1400, given in two installments.

What We Do

CCCI interns will:

• Gain an understanding of the history, principles and practices of conservation science.
• Create a practice of self-awareness and critical thinking to navigate careers in the predominately white environmental field as Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
• Create a sense of belonging within the environmental field and build a supportive community.

How We Do It

This 8-week program entails in-person gatherings and field work at active restoration sites. The internship begins Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025 and concludes Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025. Throughout the summer, we will meet from:

• 8:30am- 12:30pm on Tuesdays and
• 8:30am- 3:00pm on Wednesdays.

Here is a visual summary of the internship program schedule:

Descriptions of each type of gathering offered through CCCI:

Seminar Days (Tuesdays, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm) — Facilitated lessons presented by CCCI core facilitators and guest experts. During the seminar days, we explore a broad range of topics within conservation science and environmental justice, build community, practice self reflection, and more to inform intern career pathways.

Field Days (Wednesdays, 8:30am- 3:00pm) — Guided field work where participants will contribute meaningfully to active restoration sites and native plant nurseries. Interns will learn and implement restoration science techniques such as best practices in native plant nurseries, irrigation, invasive plant removal, seed collection, tool maintenance, and more.

Retreats (June 10th, 11th & July 22nd, 23rd) — The Orientation Retreat and Celebration Retreat will be held at Point Blue headquarters, active habitat restoration sites, and other conservation science sites. During retreats, interns will have opportunities to explore new learnings, reflect on new connections, and create community.

Participants are expected to attend and participate fully in both the Seminar day and field day each week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

How To Apply

Eligibility — You must be a current community college student within Sonoma, Napa, Solano, or Marin County, 18 years old or older, have the ability to work in the U.S. and be able to attend the full CCCI program.

This program is designed for people who self-identify as a member of a racially and/or ethnically marginalized (historically underserved/underrepresented) community. No prior experience in the environmental field or science is required, in fact we encourage folks who have had limited experiences in nature and the sciences to apply. We especially encourage you to apply if:

• You or your family members speak a language other than English at home
• You are a first generation college student
• You have had limited access to green spaces and time outdoors and are curious to deepen your connection to nature
• You live in a community of low socioeconomic status
• You have not had an opportunity to participate in similar internships previously

Ideal Candidates

CCCI looks for applicants who:

• Are curious about career opportunities within conservation science and education
• Are committed to acknowledging various perspectives and helping to build a welcoming community
• Are willing to actively contribute to the internship through sharing ideas and perspectives
• Are eager to take advantage of its benefits including connecting with and learning from mentors and community members
• Have the potential to benefit greatly from the internship’s opportunities and experiences

Program Benefits — Gain meaningful experiences learning with scientists and educators implementing conservation in local communities while receiving an education stipend of up to $1400 in a supportive peer cohort. This program focuses on community centered work, belonging, human and social dimensions of conservation, and collaboration. CCCI graduates will have the opportunity to apply for a paid position as a STRAW Apprentice from September 2025 to May 2026.

Application Timeline —

• Application Opens – Friday, February 28th
  • Apply via completing this google form by March 30th.
  • No letter of recommendation or cover letter is needed.
• Interviews (30 minutes) – Monday, April 14th to Friday, April 25th
  • Interview questions will be shared beforehand.
• Notification of Application Status – Wednesday, May 14th

Informational Webinar

Meet your internship coordinator and more details about the internship program through this webinar here.

More Questions?

We welcome questions and strongly encourage you to reach out if you have hesitations applying due to barriers you perceive having, such as scheduling conflicts, eligibility for the program, or anything else.

Please contact CCCI Coordinator, Edgar Alvarez, at ealvarez@pointblue.org with any questions.

Funding

This program is made possible by the Youth Community Access Grant from the California Natural Resources Agency, Measure AA, and the Tauck Family Foundation.