Yale Conservation Scholars - Early Leadership Initiative
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Led by Dr. Dorceta Taylor, Program Director and Principal Investigator, the Yale Conservation Scholars – Early Leadership Initiative (YCS- ELI) [formerly the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at University of Michigan/Yale School of the Environment] is a summer opportunity for undergraduate students who are interested in careers in the environmental sector. YCS-ELI is a component of the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative (JEDSI) at Yale School of the Environment.
In 2026, internships will be primarily based in the northeast in states such as Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Internships have expanded to the Midwest and DMV including Michigan, North Carolina, and Washington D.C. At the end of summer, scholars make presentations about their summer experiences at the Annual Capstone Symposium. The program runs from May 26 - July 24, 2026.
YCS-ELI pays a stipend and discretionary funds of approximately $8,000 each year. In addition, the program provides up to a $2,500 supplement to cover the cost of travel, housing, and food. A discretionary fund of about $300 will be provided. Stipends are paid throughout the summer in biweekly installments.
A select few scholars will have the opportunity to return for a second year as a peer mentor. They will intern in a different organization, laboratory, or field site than in their first summer. Past internships have focused on conservation research, environmental policy, conservation finance, environmental education, environmental justice, energy justice, water pollution, food insecurity, community action, and much more!
If you are…
- An undergraduate student interested in conservation, nature, and the environment;
- Interested in internships in the environmental field;
- Keen to explore natural habitats and outdoor spaces in New England;
- Excited to bring new ways of looking at, understanding, and protecting the earth’s resources;
- Eager to become a part of a community of like-minded peers from across the country —