MobilizeGreen: Cultivating the Next Generation of Environmental Stewards
The workforce is constantly evolving, and so must the opportunities for gaining career-building experience. MobilizeGreen is dedicated to connecting passionate students and graduates with meaningful opportunities in sustainability and conservation. Through a variety of programs, including virtual internships, youth conservation initiatives, and career development events, MobilizeGreen is working to build a more diverse and equitable conservation workforce.
Expanding Access Through Virtual Internships
Recognizing the barriers that geography and finances can pose to accessing valuable internship experiences, MobilizeGreen launched the Virtual Intern program. This initiative expands access to skills-based, project-driven internships, allowing students to gain the experience they need to thrive in sustainability careers, regardless of their location or financial situation.
The Virtual Intern program partners with nonprofits and other organizations to place college-level students in short-term, project-based virtual internships in communities across the country. By removing traditional barriers, MobilizeGreen ensures that a wider range of students can participate and contribute to environmental initiatives.
Erin Holland, a participant in the Virtual Intern program, exemplifies the program's success. As a research intern with Saving Tomorrow's Agriculture Resources (STAR), a Midwest-based nonprofit, Erin helped build out their community resource database. She discovered the MobilizeGreen Virtual Intern program while completing a master’s degree at the University of Michigan. The internship is part of MobilizeGreen's commitment to supporting future leaders in the environmental STEM field. The flexibility of a virtual internship allowed her to stay at home in Macon, Georgia, take care of family responsibilities, and still gain valuable career experience.
Erin says that the biggest perk of a virtual internship is the flexibility. “I live at home in Macon, and moving to where the work is has been one huge barrier that I didn’t have to overcome. She also says that staying at home has enabled her to take care of family responsibilities nearby while still participating in a structured career experience.
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At STAR, Erin is supporting the buildout of their community assessment tools, which are tailored to the needs of specific crops and regions.“STAR has great online tools and resources for farmers,” says Erin. “My job has been to fill in the missing pieces across the system, add detail to descriptions, identify available funding, and help make sure that if a farmer only grows soybeans for example, the web tool isn’t producing results for corn growers.”
Erin says the internship has honed her skills and prepared her well for a career in the sector. “I’m a better researcher now. I’ve learned patience. And I’ve had the chance to meet professionals across the organization, each in service of trying to make a better planet for all.”
The impact of the Virtual Intern program is significant. Since its launch in 2020, MobilizeGreen has placed over 1,000 virtual interns with 22 nonprofits. However, the demand for these opportunities far exceeds the available positions. According to John Campbell, head of philanthropic partnerships for MobilizeGreen, the program receives approximately 30,000 applications at any given time, with only about 700 internships available through partner organizations.
To address this challenge, MobilizeGreen strives to make the hiring process as simple as possible for employers, offering support with job descriptions, professional development, and direct payment to interns. This allows organizations to focus on providing meaningful project-based experiences for interns. MobilizeGreen is now working with the foundation and other partners in reaching out directly to foundation grantees like STAR Conservation for internship opportunities.
Youth Conservation Programs: Investing in the Future
MobilizeGreen believes that young people of all backgrounds must be at the forefront of addressing environmental challenges in their communities. Their conservation and career readiness initiatives provide a unique opportunity to create a more just and equitable planet by investing in youth.
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These programs offer high school students and leaders the chance to make a real difference in their communities by learning leadership and conservation skills through paid work with trusted land management partners.
Maalik, a participant in the On-Site program in West Virginia in 2019 and in Wyoming in 2022, from Detroit, MI, exemplifies the transformative power of these initiatives. For Maalik, the chance to make friends, learn about the environment, and earn money working outdoors seemed like a great way to spend 3 weeks.
The impact of these programs extends beyond individual experiences. Participants gain valuable skills, explore potential careers, and develop a deep passion for environmental stewardship.
Matthew W., a participant from Superior National Forest, highlighted the sense of community fostered by the program: “The things that interested me was the opportunity to meet new people and learn new outdoor skills. The crew members work so well with the crew leaders; it’s like we connected so fast and it feels like family.”
Jenesis S. shared how the program shaped her career aspirations: “My time was a real eye-opener to the possibilities there are in the environmental science field. Before this, I was unsure if I wanted to pursue a career in environmental science but the program solidified my decision to want to pursue this career.”
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Jawaad M. emphasized the enriching and fulfilling nature of the experience: “The experience was incredibly enriching and fulfilling. Being able to contribute to real-world environmental issues, such as raising awareness about wildfires in Southern California, was particularly rewarding. This program not only strengthened my skills and knowledge but also deepened my passion for environmental science, making me eager to participate again and continue making a positive impact.”
Virtual Youth Programs
In addition to on-site programs, MobilizeGreen offers Virtual Youth Programs, which began in the summer of 2020. This 3-week summer program brings together diverse students from around the country for a unique virtual learning experience. Weekly stipends and equipment scholarships are available.
Crew Members (15-18) Coming Soon
Crew Leaders (21+)
In this three week program, participants will live, learn and work with high school aged students from around the nation in a unique forest setting. Forest Service completing invasive species removal, trail building and other important land-management projects. They will also receive mentorship in professional development, camping skills, and safety in outdoor recreation from their on-site crew leaders.
Career Pathway Fellowships: Launching Environmental Careers
For students and recent graduates seeking more in-depth experiences, MobilizeGreen offers Career Pathway Fellowships. These fellowships provide opportunities to work on environmental and natural resource management projects with partner organizations.
One example is the Fish & Wildlife Service (“FWS”) fellowship program, which brings together a geographically diverse group of students and recent graduates to serve in supportive, growth-oriented fellowships. Currently, there are three FWS fellowship programs-maintenance and infrastructure cohorts-available.
Conferences & Career Fairs: Connecting Talent with Opportunity
MobilizeGreen also hosts conferences and career fairs designed to connect students and graduates with new opportunities, employers with the latest talent, and academics with new approaches. These events play a crucial role in building a strong conservation workforce.
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