KINGSTON, R.I. — Oct. 6, 2025 — The University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension is excited to announce the launch of the Environmental Management Fellows Program for students at URI and the Community College of Rhode Island.

Cooperative Extension’s newest fellowship program builds on the success of URI’s popular and well-known Energy Fellows Program and the Rhode Island Agriculture and Food Systems Fellows Program. More than 250 students have completed these programs since 2008, with program graduates going on to work in clean energy, policy, business, education, agriculture, food and nutrition, and science communication.

The new program aims to serve as a talent pipeline for entry- to mid-level professionals with a comprehensive understanding of environmental protection, natural resource management and climate resilience.

Students who’ve been through Cooperative Extension fellowships say the programs expanded their skill base and gave them the confidence to pursue their desired career paths.

Rowan Valle ’26 says his fellowship last year working in URI’s Urban Agroecology Lab gave him experience networking and access to a range of researchers and policymakers in the field he wants to work in.

“I learned how to move within these networks, how to talk, how to present myself and that was an invaluable experience,” he says. “The perspective you gain is immense and the networking opportunities are amazing.”

Cooperative Extension for the community

“Cooperative Extension is meant to be responsive to community needs,” says Kate Venturini Hardesty ‘06 ‘10, program administrator in URI Cooperative Extension. “We provide direct resources for local employers and expanded training for students.”

She says the new program developed from conversations with leadership at Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), who hope to use it to attract and retain workers with the skills to support their work in environmental management. Hosting fellows from the Energy and Agriculture and Food System Fellows programs in recent years gave RIDEM staff an appreciation for what students can bring to their work teams and led to the agency working directly with URI to help create an employment pipeline for qualified workers.

“DEM is proud to count many URI alumni among our leadership team, including our director and deputy directors,” says Amanda Cantrell ’10 ’11, deputy director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. “We’re thrilled to partner with URI on this new fellowship program and invest in the next generation of environmental leaders. By creating clear pathways into state service and opportunities with private-sector partners, we’re helping to shape a stronger, more resilient environmental workforce. We look forward to welcoming the next cohort of fellows to Team DEM!”

Hardesty and her team were happy to oblige: “Our fellowship programs engage students across disciplines and expose them to complex challenges that require critical thinking, community engagement and a depth of knowledge to solve, before they graduate,” she comments.

Selected fellows will be placed within RIDEM, other public agencies and private business to work on everything from policy issues, communications and research, to data collection and analysis, community outreach, and more.

Applicants can come from any program or major — a passion for sustainability and a strong desire to gain professional experience are the only prerequisites.

“These fellowships are really workshops for public service,” says Hardesty. “The skills students gain are very useful in the public sector. They also benefit from working with a cohort of students across majors at the University.”

“A passion for the topic is really important,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be your major.”

Hardesty says the program will build a workforce that can help sustain Rhode Island as students are positioned for careers that manage and preserve the state’s resources.

“This work is important to keep people healthy and support environmental leadership here in Rhode Island,” says Hardesty. “We want to support state needs.”

In addition to the paid internship, students selected will earn academic credits for professional development training and participate in industry-led weekly Summer Industry Trainings.

Applications are due by Oct. 24. Interested students can find more information at the Cooperative Extension website. For questions, contact kate@uri.edu.