Progress 06/01/12 to 05/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Our primary target audience for this project is the students from underrepresented groups who are current Scholars on this grant. For the 2016-2017 academic year there is only one Scholar on this grant who is in her Sophomore year of an Environmental Science B.S. program. They are pursuing an education to become environmental professionals through traditional classroom instruction, labs and field experiences, and other experiential learning opportunities that may include: research, internships, jobs, servicelearning courses, and study abroad. Our secondary target audience includes high school students we are recruiting to attend the University of Vermont. Many of the students we work with through the High School for Environmental Studies, the Nature Conservancy, and the Student Conservation Association (SCA) are multicultural students from underrepresented groups. Another target audience is high school students in the Burlington area. We are working with current Scholars to do outreach on environment and natural resources issues to students from underrepresented groups at Burlington High School. Changes/Problems:Our fifth and youngest Scholar was funded for only two years. Despite documentation in her original award letter that her funding was for her first two years only, the student struggled to secure the funds required to stay in her degree for the final two years. This was a very rare circumstance but should we encounter this again in the future, we will take the steps of being clear each semester that funding is limited. The good news is, she will graduate with her class in the Rubenstein School. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Scholars on this grant utilized SEL and cost of education funding to participate in a number of winter and spring break faculty-led travel study courses. Courses attended included: Sustainable Development and Ecotourism in Costa Rica; Communities, Conservation, and Development in the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica; and Place-based Ecological Design in the Bahamas. One Scholar also utilized SEL funding to volunteer during summer 2015 with Sadhana Forest Haiti, learning about reforestation, permaculture, food security, and sustainable diet/lifestyle. Another scholar spent Spring 2016 at Western Australia University in Perth. A professional development lunch for Scholars in October 2015 was hosted by PD Marie Vea-Fagnant. Scholars shared their summer field/internship experiences and discussed ways to get involved in experiential learning activities. Scholars had opportunities throughout the year to work closely with our Assistant Dean for Student Services, and with our Career Counselor and Internship Coordinator. Scholars were supported in resume development, planning for experiential learning activities, pursuing internship, research and study abroad experiences, and in planning for their careers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In all years of the grant period juniors from the High School for Environmental Studies who are interested in the environment visited the UVM campus. Students made connections with current Scholars, faculty and staff at UVM, and learned about the campus and admissions at UVM. They also paid a visit to the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory, UVM Jericho Research Forest, and Shelburne Farms to learn about current UVM research projects there. Each year of the grant the USDA Multicultural Scholars have social events to foster community and networking. Guest speakers were brought to campus or visited the Burlington area to talk about natural resources, conservation, diversity and environmental justice issues. During this year and previous years of the grant, Scholars have attended talks or participated in special visits by a wide range of speakers, including: Van Jones, Majora Carter, Deputy Director Mickey Fearn of the National Park Service, writer and activist Bill McKibben, and former Scholar and alumnus Kesha Ram, currently serving her second term as a Vermont State Legislator. Twice during the grant period Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant, Rubenstein School Career Services Coordinator Anna Smiles- Becker, and USDA Multicultural Scholars presented at the Nature Conservancy Green Jobs Fair in New York City, and had the opportunity to network with staff and students from environmental high schools in the NYC area. Each year Co-PD Emilie Riddle and other Rubenstein School faculty met with underrepresented students attending the Discovering UVM campus visit program to discuss academic and career options in the field of environment and natural resources. Welcome letters were sent to all students of color who were either prospects or admitted students to The Rubenstein School each year during the grant period. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The immediate effect is that the five Scholars funded on this grant had funding that assisted them in covering expenses associated with being a student at the University of Vermont. Three of the Scholars completed their degrees in May 2016, a fourth completed his degree in September 2016, and a fifth scholar will complete her degree in May 2019. Two of these Scholars completed post-graduate internships Summer 2016 with the Nature Conservancy, then worked as AmeriCorps volunteers in NYC engaged in environmental education. Of these two, one is a staff Environmental Educator with Christodoro in New York City, the other is Program Coordinator for the Sustainability Learning Community at the University of Vermont while also pursuing a Master degree in Leadership for Sustainability. Recently graduated Scholars on previous USDA Multicultural Scholars grants are working as a GIS Analyst and a Park Ranger in Yosemite National Park. One Scholar funded on a previous grant who graduated in May 2016 completed an M.S. in Occupational Environmental Epidemiology at the University of Michigan and has recenlty begun a position as Disaster Epidemiology ORISE Fellow at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA. Another recently graduated Scholar, who had two successive summer internships with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, went on to a full-time position at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge as a Visitor Services Specialist. We continue to demonstrate success in preparing our Scholars for entry into graduate schools and careers in the field of environment and natural resources. Of the 40 Scholars funded on our MSP grants since 1999 11 have completed master's degrees (one has 2), one has completed a Ph.D, and four are enrolled in master's programs. At least 14 Scholar alumni are employed in environmentally-related careers with organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, Sustainable Jersey, Florida Department of Agriculture, National Park Service, and Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in Lebanon. Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant and co-PD Emilie Riddle worked closely with The Nature Conservancy on establishing a recruitment and retention program for underrepresented students. We hosted an overnight campus visit program October 2016 for high school students from NYC who have participated in the Nature Conservancy LEAF Program. The Nature Conservancy is developing ways to connect high school students to partner institutions, and then on to jobs in the environmental field. We have also begun to work with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to strengthen our outreach and recruiting of students from underrepresented groups. We used Cost of Education funds to provide enrichment opportunities for our Scholars as well as our Rubenstein School community. Fall 2016 we hosted Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Wisdom of Plants. Dr. Kimmerer conducted seminars and presentations, as well as met with current Scholars and other students.
Publications
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Progress 06/01/16 to 05/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Our primary target audience for this project is the students from underrepresented groups who are current Scholars on this grant. They are pursuing an education to become environmental professionals through traditional classroom instruction, labs and field experiences, and other experiential learning opportunities that may include: research, internships, jobs, service-learning courses, and study abroad. Our secondary target audience includes high school students we are recruiting to attend the University of Vermont. Many of the students we work with through the High School for Environmental Studies, the Nature Conservancy, and the Student Conservation Association (SCA) are multicultural students from underrepresented groups. Another target audience is high school students in the Burlington area. We are working with current and alumni Scholars on this grant to do outreach on environment and natural resources issues to students from underrepresented groups at Burlington High School, High School for Environmental Studies (NY, NY) and Brooklyn Academy for Science and Environment (NY,NY). Changes/Problems:One major change over the course of the last several years and coinciding with this grant period is our focus on partnering with organizations that offer field programs for students of underrepresented identity groups. While we had used our funding to host programs and outreach to minority students generally -- such as our on-campus visits -- we found that the students who were most interested in majoring in the environmental fields and likely to choose jobs in these fields were those who had some prior field experience. Note that all of the Scholars on this grant had some field experience during high school, three of them with The Nature Conservancy. This has informed our outreach and recruitment efforts in the sense that we have fostered relationships with the Internship Coordinator of TNC as well as the TNC staff in the New York City area. With regard to the Scholars specific to this grant, being named as USDA Scholars and receiving specialized support has had an effect on their retention. This could be a focus for assessment in the future. For instance, one Scholar struggled over the course of several semesters to support himself financially while also maintaining his academic performance. Access to Cost of Education funds meant that we could assist in funding for books, lab expenses, and experiential learning opportunities. I think without this help, he would have struggled to graduate within the four years. Two Scholars expressed feeling challenged in the transition to the University of Vermont but it was the expectation and prestige of being a USDA Scholar in some respects that kept them motivated. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A Scholar on this grant has utilized cost of education funding to participate in three Alternative Spring Break experiences: Solar Spring Break 2014 through GRID Alternatives in California; a trip in 2015 in service to Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary in North Carolina; and she led an Alternative Spring Break trip to a therapeutic horse farm in North Carolina in 2016. One Scholar utilized her SEL funding to study abroad at the University of Western Australia in Spring 2016. Her experience directly enriched her program of study in Forestry, including classes on soil-plant interactions, biodiversity, plant physiological ecology and Aboriginal culture. A second Scholar utilized her SEL funding to participate in the Round River Conservation Studies field semester in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Her program of study in Environmental Science was directly enriched by courses in the natural history of Botswana, field methods, applied conservation biology, and human impacts on ecology. She also participated in an ongoing herbivore monitoring research, and conducted independent research on elephant demographics in northern Botswana. These two Scholars have served in the Rubenstein School Stewards Leadership Program for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years, and are continuing in this role for the 2016-17 academic year. Scholars had opportunities throughout the year to work closely with our Assistant Dean for Student Services, and with our Career Counselor and Internship Coordinator. Scholars were supported in resume development, planning for experiential learning activities, pursuing internship, research and study abroad experiences, and in planning for their careers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In all years of the grant period, except spring 2016, juniors from the High School for Environmental Studies who are interested in the environment visited the UVM campus. Students made connections with current Scholars, faculty and staff at UVM, and learned about the campus and admissions at UVM. They also paid a visit to the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory and Shelburne Farms to learn about current UVM research projects there. We are modifying our strategy to focus on NYC high school students who have participated in the Nature Conservancy's LEAF internship program. This culminated in the visit that took take place in October 2016 that was referenced above. Each year of the grant the USDA Multicultural Scholars have social events to foster community and networking. Guest speakers were brought to campus or visited the Burlington area to talk about natural resources, conservation, diversity and environmental justice issues. During this year and previous years of the grant, Scholars have attended talks or participated in special visits by a wide range of speakers, including: Van Jones, Majora Carter, Deputy Director Mickey Fearn of the National Park Service, writer and activist Bill McKibben, and former Scholar and alumnus Kesha Ram, currently serving her second term as a Vermont State Legislator. Twice during the grant period Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant, Rubenstein School Career Services Coordinator Anna Smiles-Becker, and USDA Multicultural Scholars presented at the Nature Conservancy Green Jobs Fair in New York City, and had the opportunity to network with staff and students from environmental high schools in the NYC area. Each year Co-PD Emilie Riddle and other Rubenstein School faculty met with underrepresented students attending the Discovering UVM campus visit program to discuss academic and career options in the field of environment and natural resources. Welcome letters were sent to all students of color who were either prospects or admitted students to The Rubenstein School each year during the grant period. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The immediate effect is that the five Scholars funded on this grant had funding that assisted them in covering expenses associated with being a student at the University of Vermont. Recently graduated Scholars on previous USDA Multicultural Scholars grants are working as a GIS Analyst, a Park Ranger in Yosemite National Park, and two are AmeriCorps volunteers in NYC. One Scholar is in their second year of an M.S. in Occupational Environmental Epidemiology at the University of Michigan. Another recently graduated Scholar, who had two successive summer internships with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, went on to a full-time position at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge as a Visitor Services Specialist. We continue to demonstrate success in preparing our Scholars for entry into graduate schools and careers in the field of environment and natural resources. Of the 40 Scholars funded on our MSP grants since 1999 ten have completed master's degrees (one has 2), one has completed a Ph.D, and three are enrolled in master's programs. At least 14 Scholar alumni are employed in environmentally-related careers with organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, Sustainable Jersey, Florida Department of Agriculture, National Park Service, and Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in Lebanon. Four of the five Scholars funded on this grant graduated in May 2016. One Scholar (B.S. Environmental Science) has worked in environmental education with Christodora in Masschusetts, then secured two internship positions with The Nature Conservancy, first as a NYC Urban Conservation Crew Member then as an Urban Conservation GLOBE Intern in Atlanata, GA. They are now in a full-time permanent position at the University Vermont as the Program Specialist for the Sustainability Learning Community. Another Scholar (B.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Biology) is currently in a full-time, permanent position as Outreach Coordinator and Environmental Educator with Christodora in New York. One Scholar (B.S. Natural Resources) is currently a Promise Zone Data and Evaluation Associate with Americorps VISTA in California. One Scholar is currently member of our Rubenstein School Stewards Leadership Program and will graduate in Spring 2018 with a B.S. in Natural Resources Ecology. Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant and co-PD Emilie Riddle have been working closely with The Nature Conservancy on establishing a recruitment and retention program for underrepresented students. The Nature Conservancy is developing ways to connect high school students to partner institutions, and then on to jobs in the environmental field. We hosted an overnight campus visit program October 2017 for high school students attending High School for Environmental Studies and New York Harbor School from NYC. Many of these students were also participants in The Nature Conservancy LEAF Program. 17 students and 3 teachers attended this multi-day program including an administrator from The Nature Conservancy. The program included a mock class, a field experience in our Jericho Research Forest, a lab experience at our Ecosystems Science Lab, a working meeting between teachers and RSENR faculty/staff, lunch and dinner with current RSENR students, as well as opportunities to explore campus and the surrounding community. In June 2017, Dean Nancy Mathews, Professor Walter Poleman, and co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant traveled to New York City to meet with staff and students at High School for Environment Studies (HSES) and the New York Harbor School. At HSES we met with the Principal and other faculty to discuss their environmental curriculum and ways to align their courses to college level environmental coursework. We also met with the Guidance Counselor and several seniors who were admitted to the University of Vermont. One of these students enrolled in RSENR Fall 2017. Also, teachers from HSES spent a week in Vermont attending an Education for Sustainability workshop which is affiliated with the Rubenstein School. We also spent time at the NY Harbor School on Governer's Island. Students took us on a tour of campus which included a hydroponics and aquaculture facilities. Senior students presented their final research projects to us. One senior enrolled in RSENR Fall 2017. As you can see, the USDA-NIFA funding, beyond providing scholarship funds to undergraduate students, has augmented our efforts to recruit underrepresented students into environmental majors and helped us build bridges with teachers at these partnership schools.
Publications
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Progress 06/01/15 to 05/31/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Our primary target audience for this project is the students from underrepresented groups who are current Scholars on this grant. They are pursuing an education to become environmental professionals through traditional classroom instruction, labs and field experiences, and other experiential learning opportunities that may include: research, internships, jobs, service-learning courses, and study abroad. Our secondary target audience includes high school students we are recruiting to attend the University of Vermont. Many of the students we work with through the High School for Environmental Studies, the Nature Conservancy, and the Student Conservation Association (SCA) are multicultural students from underrepresented groups. Another target audience is high school students in the Burlington area. We are working with current Scholars to do outreach on environment and natural resources issues to students from underrepresented groups at Burlington High School. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Scholars on this grant utilized SEL and cost of education funding this past year to participate in a number of winter and spring break faculty-led travel study courses. Courses attended included: Sustainable Development and Ecotourism in Costa Rica; Communities, Conservation, and Development in the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica; and Place-based Ecological Design in the Bahamas. One Scholar also utilized SEL funding to volunteer during summer 2015 with Sadhana Forest Haiti, learning about reforestation, permaculture, food security, and sustainable diet/lifestyle. A professional development lunch for Scholars in October 2015 was hosted by PD Marie Vea-Fagnant. Scholars shared their summer field/internship experiences and discussed ways to get involved in experiential learning activities. Scholars had opportunities throughout the year to work closely with our Assistant Dean for Student Services, and with our Career Counselor and Internship Coordinator. Scholars were supported in resume development, planning for experiential learning activities, pursuing internship, research and study abroad experiences, and in planning for their careers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In all years of the grant period, except spring 2016, juniors from the High School for Environmental Studies who are interested in the environment visited the UVM campus. Students made connections with current Scholars, faculty and staff at UVM, and learned about the campus and admissions at UVM. They also paid a visit to the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory and Shelburne Farms to learn about current UVM research projects there. This year we are retargeting this outreach visit to focus on NYC high school students who have participated in the Nature Conservancy's LEAF internship program, and the visit will take place in October 2016. Each year of the grant the USDA Multicultural Scholars have social events to foster community and networking. Guest speakers were brought to campus or visited the Burlington area to talk about natural resources, conservation, diversity and environmental justice issues. During this year and previous years of the grant, Scholars have attended talks or participated in special visits by a wide range of speakers, including: Van Jones, Majora Carter, Deputy Director Mickey Fearn of the National Park Service, writer and activist Bill McKibben, and former Scholar and alumnus Kesha Ram, currently serving her second term as a Vermont State Legislator. Twice during the grant period Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant, Rubenstein School Career Services Coordinator Anna Smiles-Becker, and USDA Multicultural Scholars presented at the Nature Conservancy Green Jobs Fair in New York City, and had the opportunity to network with staff and students from environmental high schools in the NYC area. Each year Co-PD Emilie Riddle and other Rubenstein School faculty met with underrepresented students attending the Discovering UVM campus visit program to discuss academic and career options in the field of environment and natural resources. Welcome letters were sent to all students of color who were either prospects or admitted students to The Rubenstein School each year during the grant period. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The immediate effect is that the five Scholars funded on this grant had funding that assisted them in covering expenses associated with being a student at the University of Vermont. Three of the Scholars completed their degrees in May 2016, and a fourth completed his in September 2016. Two of these Scholars completed post-graduate internships this summer with the Nature Conservancy, and are currently working as AmeriCorps volunteers in NYC, engaged in environmental education. The other two Scholars have secured short-term work while they search for jobs in their fields. The final Scholar on the grant was appointed in Fall 2015 to replace a student who left the University; she has one year of funding remaining. Recently graduated Scholars on previous USDA Multicultural Scholars grants are working as a GIS Analyst and a Park Ranger in Yosemite National Park. One Scholar funded on a previous grant who graduated in May 2016 is pursuing an M.S. in Occupational Environmental Epidemiology at the University of Michigan. Another recently graduated Scholar, who had two successive summer internships with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, went on to a full-time position at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge as a Visitor Services Specialist. We continue to demonstrate success in preparing our Scholars for entry into graduate schools and careers in the field of environment and natural resources. Of the 40 Scholars funded on our MSP grants since 1999 ten have completed master's degrees (one has 2), one has completed a Ph.D, and three are enrolled in master's programs. At least 14 Scholar alumni are employed in environmentally-related careers with organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, Sustainable Jersey, Florida Department of Agriculture, National Park Service, and Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in Lebanon. Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant and co-PD Emilie Riddle have been working closely with The Nature Conservancy on establishing a recruitment and retention program for underrepresented students. We will host an overnight campus visit program this October for high school students from NYC who have participated in the Nature Conservancy LEAF Program. The Nature Conservancy is developing ways to connect high school students to partner institutions, and then on to jobs in the environmental field. We have also begun to work with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to strengthen our outreach and recruiting of students from underrepresented groups. We will continue to monitor the Scholars' progress and assist them in counseling and appropriate resources to help be successful in their academics. We will encourage students to utilize their SEL funding as well as our Cost of Education funds to take advantage of experiential and professional development opportunities. Scholars will work closely with our Career Services Coordinator in preparing their resumes and beginning internship and job searches.
Publications
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Progress 06/01/14 to 05/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Our primary target audience for this project is the students from underrepresented groups who are current Scholars on this grant. They are pursuing an education to become environmental professionals through traditional classroom instruction, labs and field experiences, and other experiential learning opportunities that may include: research, internships, jobs, service-learning courses, and study abroad. Our secondary target audience includes high school students we are recruiting to attend the University of Vermont. Many of the students we work with through the High School for Environmental Studies, the Nature Conservancy, and the Student Conservation Association (SCA) are multicultural students from underrepresented groups. Another target audience is high school students in the Burlington area. We are working with current Scholars to do outreach on environment and natural resources issues to students from underrepresented groups at Burlington High School. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One Scholar on this grant utilized cost of education funding to participate in a spring break 2014 travel study course to the Bahamas, focused on place-based ecological design. Students in the course explored island ecology and worked with local high school students on environmentally-focused design projects. This Scholar also served as co-chair of the Rubenstein School Diversity Task Force for 2013-14. This Scholar also utilized $1150 of her SEL funding to participate in a volunteer program in Haiti with the organization Sadhana Forest, where she participated in projects related to reforestation, food security, and permaculture. Another Scholar on this grant utilized cost of education funding for a summer Spanish class to hone his skills in preparation for a field study course abroad. A networking lunch for Scholars was hosted in spring 2015 with Jim Siegel, Biologist with US Fish and Wildlife Service. Rubenstein School students of color organized a documentary film screening and discussion with the first African American group to summit Denali, and a workshop on food justice with Kat Yang-Stevens. Scholars had opportunities throughout the year to work closely with our Assistant Dean for Student Services, and with our Career Counselor and Internship Coordinator. Scholars were supported in resume development, planning for experiential learning activities, pursuing internship, research and study abroad experiences, and in planning for their careers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In April 2015, eighteen juniors from the High School for Environmental Studies who are interested in the environment visited the UVM campus. Students made connections with current Scholars, faculty and staff at UVM, and learned about the campus and admissions at UVM. They also paid a visit to the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory and Shelburne Farms to learn about current UVM research projects there. Similar outreach events took place each year of the grant. Each year of the grant the USDA Multicultural Scholars have social events to foster community and networking. Guest speakers were brought to campus or visited the Burlington area to talk about natural resources, conservation, diversity and environmental justice issues. During this year and previous years of the grant, Scholars have attended talks or participated in special visits by a wide range of speakers, including: Van Jones, Majora Carter, Deputy Director Mickey Fearn of the National Park Service, writer and activist Bill McKibben, and former Scholar and alumnus Kesha Ram, currently serving her second term as a Vermont State Legislator. Twice during the grant period Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant, Rubenstein School Career Services Coordinator Anna Smiles-Becker, and USDA Multicultural Scholars presented at the Nature Conservancy Green Jobs Fair in New York City, and had the opportunity to network with staff and students from environmental high schools in the NYC area. Each year Co-PD Emilie Riddle and other Rubenstein School faculty met with underrepresented students attending the Discovering UVM campus visit program to discuss academic and career options in the field of environment and natural resources. Welcome letters were sent to all students of color who were either prospects or admitted students to The Rubenstein School each year during the grant period. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The immediate effect is that the four Scholars funded on this grant had funding that assisted them in covering expenses associated with being a student at the University of Vermont. Recently graduated Scholars on our other USDA Multicultural Scholars grants are working as a GIS Specialist, as an AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteer for the City of Burlington, and as an intern at the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation. Another recently graduated Scholar, who had two successive summer internships with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, has gone on to a full-time position at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge as a Visitor Services Specialist. We continue to demonstrate success in preparing our Scholars for entry into graduate schools and careers in the field of environment and natural resources: five have earned graduate degrees (2 at UVM), three recently graduated Scholars are enrolled in graduate school. Other USDA Scholars have positions as a Vermont State Representative and Public Engagement Specialist for the Burlington Community Economic Development Office, Asia Regional Coordinator for Waterkeeper Alliance, a Program Officer for U.S. Climate and Environment at the Institute for Sustainable Communities, and an epidemiologist studying vector-borne diseases at the Tennessee Department of Health. Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant and co-PD Emilie Riddle have been working closely with The Nature Conservancy on establishing a recruitment and retention program for underrepresented students. The Nature Conservancy is developing ways to connect high school students to partner institutions, and then on to jobs in the environmental field. We have also begun to work with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to strengthen our outreach and recruiting of students from underrepresented groups. In addition to the four Scholars currently funded this year, we have appointed a fifth Scholar, a new first year student, to replace a student who left the University of Vermont. We will continue to monitor the Scholars' progress and assist them in counseling and appropriate resources to help be successful in their academics. We will encourage students to utilize their SEL funding as well as our Cost of Education funds to take advantage of experiential and professional development opportunities. Scholars will work closely with our Career Services Coordinator in preparing their resumes and beginning internship and job searches.
Publications
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Progress 06/01/13 to 05/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Our primary target audience for this project is the students from underrepresented groups who are current Scholars on this grant. They are pursuing an education to become environmental professionals through traditional classroom instruction, labs and field experiences, and other experiential learning opportunities that may include: research, internships, jobs, service-learning courses, and study abroad. Our secondary target audience includes high school students we are recruiting to attend the University of Vermont. Many of the students we work with through the High School for Environmental Studies, the Nature Conservancy, and the Student Conservation Association (SCA) are multicultural students from underrepresented groups. Another target audience is high school students in the Burlington area. We are working with current Scholars to do outreach on environment and natural resources issues to students from underrepresented groups at Burlington High School. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? One Scholar on this grant utilized cost of education funding to participate in a spring break 2014 travel study course to the Bahamas, focused on place-based ecological design. Students in the course explored island ecology and worked with local high school students on environmentally-focused design projects. This Scholar also served as co-chair of the Rubenstein School Diversity Task Force for 2013-14. June 19-21, 2013, Co-PD Emilie Riddle and Career Services Coordinator Anna Smiles-Becker participated in a conference hosted by Virginia Tech titled “The Future of Diversity in Our Disciplines and Careers: Natural Resources and the Environment.” Graduate student and co-chair of the RSENR Diversity Task Force, Kirsten Brewer, presented her research. The conference provided time for conversation and exploration of issues related to recruiting and retaining diverse students, and an opportunity for networking and relationship building with federal agency representatives and colleagues from other universities. Networking lunches for Scholars were hosted in fall 2013 with Mickey Fearn, former Deputy Director of the National Park Service, Jim Siegel, Biologist with US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Iris Montague, Scientist with the US Forest Service. Ms. Montague also presented in our first year Race and Culture course. A networking lunch with Mistinguette Smith, Senior Associate with the Interaction Institute for Social Change, was held in spring 2014. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? In September 2013, fifteen high school students from Manchester, New Hampshire participated in a Student Conservation Association (SCA) visit to UVM. Students had a chance to explore our Jericho Research Forest, visit the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory, and visit with some of our USDA Scholars on campus. In April 2014, eighteen juniors from the High School for Environmental Studies who are interested in the environment visited the UVM campus. Students made connections with current Scholars, faculty and staff at UVM, and learned about the campus and admissions at UVM. They also paid a visit to the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory and Shelburne Farms to learn about current UVM research projects there. The USDA Multicultural Scholars had two social events to foster community and networking. Guest speakers were brought to campus to talk about diversity and environmental justice issues. This year included special visits by: Deputy Director Mickey Fearn of the National Park Service, writer and activist Bill McKibben and former Scholar and alumnus Kesha Ram, currently serving her second term as a Vermont State Legislator. Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant, Rubenstein School Career Services Coordinator Anna Smiles-Becker, and USDA Multicultural Scholars presented at the Nature Conservancy Green Jobs Fair in New York City, and had the opportunity to network with staff and students from environmental high schools in the NYC area. We continue to develop our webpage to present information about the USDA Multicultural Scholars Program at The Rubenstein School. Co-PD Emilie Riddle and other Rubenstein School faculty met with underrepresented students attending the Discovering UVM campus visit program to discuss academic and career options in the field of environment and natural resources. Welcome letters were sent to all students of color who were either prospects or admitted students to The Rubenstein School for fall 2014. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The immediate effect is that the four Scholars funded on this grant had funding that assisted them in covering expenses associated with being a student at the University of Vermont. Recently graduated Scholars on our other USDA Multicultural Scholars grants are working as a GIS Specialist, as an AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteer for the City of Burlington, and as an intern at the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation. Another recently graduated Scholar, who had two successive summer internships with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, has gone on to a full-time position at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge as a Visitor Services Specialist. We continue to demonstrate success in preparing our Scholars for entry into graduate schools and careers in the field of environment and natural resources: five have earned graduate degrees (2 at UVM), three recently graduated Scholars are enrolled in graduate school. Other USDA Scholars have positions as a Vermont State Representative and Public Engagement Specialist for the Burlington Community Economic Development Office, Asia Regional Coordinator for Waterkeeper Alliance, a Program Officer for U.S. Climate and Environment at the Institute for Sustainable Communities, and an epidemiologist studying vector-borne diseases at the Tennessee Department of Health. Co-PD Marie Vea-Fagnant and co-PD Emilie Riddle have been working closely with The Nature Conservancy on establishing a recruitment and retention program for underrepresented students. The Nature Conservancy is developing ways to connect high school students to partner institutions, and then on to jobs in the environmental field. We have also begun to work with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to strengthen our outreach and recruiting of students from underrepresented groups. We will continue to monitor the Scholars’ progress and assist them in counseling and appropriate resources to help be successful in their academics. We will encourage students to utilize their SEL funding as well as our Cost of Education funds to take advantage of experiential and professional development opportunities. Scholars will work closely with our Career Services Coordinator in preparing their resumes and beginning internship and job searches.
Publications
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Progress 06/01/12 to 05/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Our primary target audience for this project is the students from underrepresented groups who are current Scholars on this grant. They are pursuing an education to become environmental professionals through traditional classroom instruction, labs and field experiences, and other experiential learning opportunities that may include: research, internships, jobs, service-learning courses, and study abroad. Our secondary target audience includes high school students we are recruiting to attend the University of Vermont. Many of the students we work with through the High School for Environmental Studies, the Nature Conservancy, and the Student Conservation Association (SCA) are multicultural students from underrepresented groups. Another target audience is high school students in the Burlington area. We are working with current Scholars to do outreach on environment and natural resources issues to students from underrepresented groups at Burlington High School. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? One Scholar on this grant successfully applied to use his SEL funding to participate in a Wild Rockies Field Institute program on the ecology of Alaska during summer 2013. A second Scholar on this grant has been selected to serve in the Rubenstein School Stewards Leadership Program for the 2013-14 academic year. June 19-21, 2013, Co-PD Emilie Riddle and Career Services Coordinator Anna Smiles-Becker participated in a conference hosted by Virginia Tech titled “The Future of Diversity in Our Disciplines and Careers: Natural Resources and the Environment.” Graduate student and co-chair of the RSENR Diversity Task Force, Kirsten Brewer, presented her research. The conference provided time for conversation and exploration of issues related to recruiting and retaining diverse students, and an opportunity for networking and relationship building with federal agency representatives and colleagues from other universities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? In March 2013, fifteen juniors from the High School for Environmental Studies who are interested in the environment visited the UVM campus. Students made connections with current Scholars, faculty and staff at UVM, and learned about the campus and admissions at UVM. They also paid a visit to the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory and Shelburne Farms to learn about current UVM research projects there. The USDA Multicultural Scholars had two social events to foster community and networking. Guest speakers were brought to campus to talk about diversity and environmental justice issues. This year included special visits by: Deputy Director Mickey Fearn of the National Park Service, writer and activist Bill McKibben and former Scholar and alumnus Kesha Ram, currently serving her second term as a Vermont State Legislator. PD Marie Vea-Fagnant and co-PD Emilie Riddle visited New York City in May 2012 to foster our continuing relationship with the High School for Environmental Studies, and to lay the groundwork for a potential partnership with the Harbor School on Governor’s Island. Both schools represent opportunities for recruiting academically students from diverse backgrounds to our programs. In August of 2012 Marie Vea-Fagnant and Emilie Riddle attended a LEAF educator retreat hosted by the Nature Conservancy at Common Ground School, New Haven, CT. The retreat offered an opportunity to present on our programs and to build relationships with high school educators from environmental schools across the country. We also attended the Nature Conservancy Green Jobs Fair in November 2012 to network with staff and students from environmental high schools in the NYC area. We continue to develop our webpage to present information about the USDA Multicultural Scholars Program at The Rubenstein School. Co-PD Emilie Riddle and other Rubenstein School faculty met with underrepresented students attending the Discovering UVM campus visit program to discuss academic and career options in the field of environment and natural resources. Welcome letters were sent to all students of color who were either prospects or admitted students to The Rubenstein School for fall 2013. In February 2013, Diversity Task Force co-chair Kirsten Brewer and Career Services Coordinator Anna Smiles-Becker presented on RSENR diversity initiatives including the USDA Multicultural Scholars at the UVM ALANA Coalition Multicultural Symposium. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The immediate effect is that the four Scholars on this grant have funding that assists them in covering expenses associated with being a student at the University of Vermont. Recently graduated Scholars on our other USDA Multicultural Scholars grants are working as a GIS Specialist, as an AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteer for the City of Burlington, and as an intern at the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation. Another recently graduated Scholar, who had two successive summer internships with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, has gone on to a full-time position at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge as a Visitor Services Specialist. We continue to demonstrate success in preparing our Scholars for entry into graduate schools and careers in the field of environment and natural resources: four have earned graduate degrees (1 at UVM), four recently graduated Scholars are enrolled in graduate school (1 at UVM), one is a Vermont State Representative, and one is a Program Officer for U.S. Climate and Environment at the Institute for Sustainable Communities. PD Marie Vea-Fagnant and co-PD Emilie Riddle have been working closely with The Nature Conservancy on establishing a recruitment and retention program for underrepresented students. The Nature Conservancy is developing ways to connect high school students to partner institutions, and then on to jobs in the environmental field. We have also begun to work with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to strengthen our outreach and recruiting of students from underrepresented groups. We will continue to monitor the Scholars’ progress and assist them in counseling and appropriate resources to help be successful in their academics. We will encourage students to utilize their SEL funding as well as our Cost of Education funds to take advantage of experiential and professional development opportunities. Scholars will work closely with our Career Services Coordinator in preparing their resumes and beginning internship and job searches.
Publications
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