Imagine
Think about what a more sustainable future could look like.
Sustainable Futures Fellows
Tackle Sustainability Challenges. Shape A Sustainable Future.
NC State students eager to imagine, explore and develop sustainable solutions are encouraged to apply to the new Sustainable Futures Fellows program, which launches its inaugural cohort this spring. Through the redesign of the United Parcel Service (UPS) Foundation Endowment agreement between the UPS Foundation and NC State Continuing and Lifelong Education, the Sustainable Futures Fellows program engages interdisciplinary student teams in a unique 15-week exploration of the sustainability challenges and opportunities across key sectors of the economy, such as energy, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, transportation and more.
Eligibility
- Full-time undergraduate or graduate student pursuing any course of study.
- Students applying as teams must be interdisciplinary with at least two of NC State’s academic colleges represented on each team.
- Open to national and international students.
Reasons to Apply
- Sustainable Futures Fellows will receive a number of benefits:
Join a community of future thinkers - Building skills such as critical thinking and interdisciplinary team building
- Receive a $1,500 scholarship stipend for the Spring semester
- Under the guidance of a faculty mentor, the opportunity to explore the sustainability challenges and opportunities across key sectors of the economy, such as energy, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, transportation and more
- Opportunity to apply for supplemental summer funding to continue work through research or experiential opportunities
Program Requirements
During the spring semester, all teams will:
- Meet with their faculty mentor*
- Attend university events relevant to their focus area
- Complete an online course on futures thinking
- Attend a kickoff event and orientation in January 2025
- Attend the mid-semester event in February or March 2025
- Participate in an off-site field trip (Date TBD)
- Develop and present a final report on their work at a finale event in April 2025
*Fellows are expected to work in their teams for five hours each week, receiving a $1,500 stipend for the semester. The stipend is classified as financial aid and students are required to enroll in direct deposit. International students must also complete a tax assessment to receive payment.
Program Timeline
- Applications Open: September 23, 2024
- Application Deadline: November 22, 2024 at 11:59pm
- Acceptance Notification: December 16, 2024
- Program Begins: January 2025
- Final Presentations: April 2025
Selection Process
- Priority will be given to students applying as complete four-person teams.
- Individual student applications may also be accepted with students placed into larger teams if space is available.
- A team letter of support from a faculty mentor committing to serve as the team mentor is strongly encouraged, but not required as part of the application process. At minimum, teams should include on the application any names of potential faculty members who may have expertise in the area the team seeks to explore.
Faculty Mentors
Each team must have a faculty mentor, who will receive a $2,000 stipend for the semester. Teams are strongly encouraged to reach out to faculty before the application deadline and include a letter of support from the faculty. Faculty members who have interest in serving as a mentor are welcome to email Dawn Rodriguez-Ward (dtward2@ncsu.edu) about potentially being matched with a team.
Contact
Reach out to Dawn Rodriguez-Ward (dtward2@ncsu.edu) with any questions or additional information.
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