(Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

Welcome to C-StREAM!

CRC’s Chesapeake Student Recruitment, Early Advisement, and Mentoring (C-StREAM) program is focused on recruiting, advising, and mentoring college students from populations who have been historically excluded from the environmental field and are underrepresented in environmental research and management professions. For the purpose of this program, C-StREAM focuses on assisting students who identify as people of color and/or who are first generation college students.

The primary goal of C-StREAM is to encourage and support underrepresented students interested in leadership positions in environmental protection and restoration careers. C-StREAM endeavors to support this goal by developing inclusive career pathways that result in more diversity in the environmental workforce. The program works closely with academic institutions as well as government agencies within the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership to place selected students into meaningful summer fellowships, to support those students in their academic work, and to facilitate pathways for successful careers in environmental research, restoration, and/or management.

Summer Fellowship Opportunities

CRC works with successful applicants (now identified as “C-StREAM Fellows”) to match them with meaningful summer fellowships and mentors at one of our partnering host institutions, with the goal of providing continued mentoring and support during the following academic year(s) and summer(s). To support this vision, CRC works to stay connected with the Fellows to provide guidance and support as students continue to navigate their individual track for success.

Each summer, the CRC and its partners support fellowships that provide students the opportunity to learn about/experience environmental careers within both science and management fields. The program focuses on careers that support the continued restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, the Bay’s living resources, and the people who live and work within its bounty. C-StREAM Fellows have previously been hosted at the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO) in Annapolis and Oxford, MD, at the Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) in Annapolis, MD, and within CRC’s seven CRC academic member institutions.

C-StREAM Fellows gain experience in natural resource management, restoration science, and environmental policy. Each fellowship experience provides insights into careers in natural resource management, policy development and science beyond those applied for and allows students to make connections with established environmental management and science professionals. Coupled with the experience gained from their summer work, C-StREAM Fellows are provided with professional development opportunities and training on subjects such as time management, effective communication and presentation skills, and developing compelling resumes and cover letters.

C-StREAM Fellows receive stipend payments as well as funding to support housing and transportation needs, occasional fellowship related travel, and professional development activities.

Applications are solicited annually between mid-December and mid-February of each academic year.

Who Can Apply for a C-StREAM Fellowship?

C-StREAM is designed to create pathways for underrepresented* students to pursue careers in environmental research and management. C-StREAM is intended for any continuing undergraduate, at any level of study (including seniors pursuing graduate studies in the fall) who identifies as being one or both of the following:

  • a person of color
  • a first-generation college student

C-StREAM Fellows who have successfully completed prior C-StREAM fellowships are especially encouraged to apply and will be given priority consideration by the CRC.

C-StREAM SUMMER 2024

The application period for our summer 2024 C-StREAM fellowship opportunities is now closed.

These eight management-based experiences will provide C-StREAM Fellows with a unique opportunity to contribute to large-scale, long-term natural resource management and policy development. Some of these opportunities will be hosted by our partners at the Chesapeake Bay Program Office and the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office. Other fellowship opportunities will be hosted by CRC’s member institutions and will provide students with direct experience supporting research activities that contribute to the understanding of the Bay’s natural systems and species. Both management and research fellowships will contribute to the critical understanding of new ways to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality and manage Chesapeake Bay living resources most effectively and efficiently across the 64,000 square mile Chesapeake Bay watershed.

2 fellowship positions hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Program

2 fellowship positions hosted by the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office

1 fellowship position hosted by Old Dominion University 

1 fellowship position hosted by Penn State University 

1 fellowship position hosted by the United States Naval Academy

1 fellowship position hosted by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Duration and Compensation

The summer 2024 C-StREAM fellowship program will begin Monday, May 20th and end Friday, August 9th, 2024. These are our preferred dates, but the dates can be adjusted to accommodate a student’s school schedule if required. All C-StREAM Fellows will receive a stipend of up to $6,000 ($500/week) for the equivalent of 12 weeks (480 hours) of full-time activities. Candidates should expect to follow a normal weekday work schedule (roughly 9-5, M-F) with occasional variations for possible fieldwork and other activities. No benefits are provided. We offer assistance in arranging local housing if the position is an in-person opportunity if desired. A one-time housing and transportation allowance of $1,000 is available to each fellow to assist with living and transportation expenses. Funds are also available to compensate fellows for occasional work-related travel and professional development activities, $1,500.

Application Instructions

Applications to the C-StREAM program should be submitted by clicking the “Apply Here” button below once you have prepared your application materials as directed. You will need to have ALL materials except for your completed recommendation form ready for upload BEFORE you begin submitting. Please set aside 30 minutes for the application process. Complete candidate application packages must be submitted by 11:59 PM, January 28, 2024. Completed reference forms must be submitted by the candidate’s reference directly as instructed below by 11:59PM, February 4, 2024.

When you click the “Apply Here” button, you will be asked to provide the following application materials.

  • Application form – The C-StREAM application form registers your interest in a summer fellowship, collects your contact information, captures your reference providers contact information and allows you to note any relevant coursework that may not appear on your transcript. You will also be asked about your preferences regarding topical areas of interest that will be used to match students to specific fellowship opportunities.
  • Cover letter – Your cover letter is your opportunity to tell CRC more about yourself and your interest in this C-StREAM opportunity. Be sure to include a brief overview of your areas of interest and motivation for applying to this program, which of our fellowship opportunities interest you most, and discuss your future educational and career goals.
  • Resume
  • College transcript(s) – Unofficial transcripts are accepted! There is no need to obtain an official transcript for this application.
  • C-StREAM fellowship interest form – The fellowship interest form asks you to indicate which fellowship opportunities being offered this summer you are most interested in and will be used to match students to specific fellowship.

References

A complete application package will also include at least one completed reference form. Please download a copy of the reference form, complete the first part, and then provide it to the reference you have identified on your application form. They will complete the form and can upload it directly here: https://chesapeake.org/letter-of-recommendation/. Reference forms must be completed by 11:59PM, February 4, 2024. Reference providers do not need to wait for your application to be submitted before they submit the completed reference form.

Questions about C-StREAM? Contact us at crc-cstream@chesapeake.org

*Green 2.0 conducted a study which found People of color are 36% of the U.S. population, and comprise 29% of the science and engineering workforce but they do not exceed 16% of the staff in any of the organizations surveyed. For decades, environmental organizations have stressed the value of diversity however the diversity composition has not broken the 16% green ceiling. People of color support environmental protection at a higher rate than whites. However, environmental organizations are not adequately reaching out to organizations representing people of color communities. See other data from NSF here.