PEC’s eight-week Summer Fellowship Program engages 12 college students and graduates in classroom discussions, field trips, and hands-on activities designed to impart practical knowledge and skills for careers in conservation, urban planning, agriculture, historic preservation, public policy and other related fields.
This year, our Fellows enjoyed three weeks here with us and five weeks of virtual learning from their homes in Virginia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, California and Texas. Their reflections on their experience highlight the importance of PEC’s Fellowship Program in building the next generation of land stewards.
“This program re-motivated me. I don’t know if that’s a word, but it motivated me once again to really make an impact in the environmental field. I think that that’s pretty important… to keep inspiring young minds and college-aged students who are feeling a little bit depressed about the future.”
— Max Feldman, Chapel Hill, NC
University of North Carolina, Class of 2025
“I was a sustainability studies major in college… but I honestly feel I learned more in these eight weeks than I did in all four years of college. The Fellowship really opened my eyes to how an environmental nonprofit works and has given me valuable skills.”
— Mary Michael, Austin, TX
University of Texas at Austin, Class of 2024
“I learned that conservation and environmental advocacy is a lot broader and interconnected than I expected. It’s incredibly different learning about environmental topics from current advocates as compared to learning about them in a classroom.”
— Cat Orescan, Charlottesville, VA
University of Virginia, Class of 2023
“After this Fellowship, I feel like I finally have some direction, and that’s super important for people my age. I would describe the fellowship as 10 out of 10, better than I expected. Not only did I gain so much from it, but the people I met, I will never forget.”
— Maxwell Creager-Roberts, Charlottesville, VA
Marquette University, Class of 2026
“The PEC Fellowship is a great way to learn about real issues that environmental nonprofits face. We went over environmental advocacy, leadership, GIS policy, sustainability, sustainable agriculture, and many other topics that I wouldn’t think would be in the field. This really makes me see that there are many career options.”
— Julienne Vinculado, Mooresville, NC
Wake Forest University, Class of 2024
“I think the most meaningful thing was being around people who have had different experiences, and then how they talk about different environmental issues or political beliefs. You can all have different experiences and perceive things differently and still come up with solutions. I feel more confident choosing a career in the environmental sector because of what I’ve seen at PEC.”
— Piper Nelson, Lonsdale, MN
University of Winnipeg, Class of 2023
“My favorite part of the fellowship was getting an inside look into how a nonprofit works. What will stick with me going forward? The importance of public communication, learning how to share issues with people and get them to care. Because of this fellowship, I’m going to start looking more into working for a nonprofit that focuses on the community aspect of environmental work.”
— Sydney Clayton, Williamsburg, VA
William & Mary University, Class of 2025
“My favorite part of the fellowship was connecting with the Piedmont region and PEC. I understand PEC’s mission in a deeper way now because I’m here and I get to see what they’re working to protect. I was also blown away by the PEC staff’s attitude and ability to get things done.”
— Daniel Garcia, St. Louis, MO
Indiana State University, Class of 2024
“My favorite part of the fellowship was the balance between the exposure to the outdoors of rural Virginia mixed with important environmental work that has changed my forward looking career trajectory. I felt very valued at this fellowship and could tell that there was a lot of care and intentionality towards making it a good experience for all of the fellows.”
— Freddie Lin, Columbus, OH
Swarthmore College, Class of 2024
This article appeared in the 2024 fall edition of The Piedmont Environmental Council’s member newsletter, The Piedmont View. If you’d like to become a PEC member or renew your membership, please visit pecva.org/join.