Summer Sustainability Internship Experience
The Sustainability Internship Experience provides an experiential learning environment where students discover how to live sustainably while developing real world problem solving skills and professional, career-related work experience. Sustainability is inherently interdisciplinary and values diversity. We welcome students from all backgrounds, experience levels, and academic interests.
The two credit internship provides hands-on living-learning as part of one of two five-week blocks at the St. Lawrence University’s organic farm. In addition to the summer Sustainability Internship Experience, the site operates a full year Sustainability Program, student and faculty led research, and entrepreneurial opportunities like the student run farm to table campus café.
Students are assessed by the application process and during the interview process for their level of experienced and placed in one of three appropriate courses:
- Introductory level (ENVS 200): No previous experience required. Students have a high level of one-on-one oversight, mentorship, and training of the fundamentals.
- Intermediate (ENVS 300): Some theoretical or practical knowledge or experience from course work or job experiences. Students are mentored and trained to develop skills and competency.
- Advanced (ENVS 400): Students have existing theoretical and practical knowledge, plus some level of communication and research skills to develop, implement, conduct and communicate research project. Research projects can be coordinated to compliment students on campus course work, independent studies, or SYE.
The internship involves the day-to-day work of an organic farm (i.e. operations, livestock care, planting, cover cropping, weeding, harvesting, preserving), skill-based training workshops to prepare students for a multitude of careers, and interdisciplinary mini-research projects are incorporated. The internship is ideal for students interested in sustainability, environmental science, climate science, biology, ecology, agriculture, soil science, animal science, plant research and horticulture, disease and pest management, food science, food waste, natural resource management, business and economics, community resilience, advocacy, environmental justice, public health, and policy.
With the sustainability internship, students learn by using a systems-based approach. They make connections with professionals and SLU alumni to explore the local food system, including farms, farmers, researchers, and people in industry, government, and NGOs.
Students selecting either of the two five-week blocks may, at the time of application, indicate that they would like to live at the farm site for their other study block.
Students may apply for successive Sustainability Internship Experience’s back-to-back, or in multiple summers.
Students accepted to the Sustainability Internship Experience may also apply for the full year Sustainability Program by the spring deadline.
Application Deadline: 17 Jan. 2020