Career Connections:

Environment & Sustainability

 
 

about the field

The field of environmental and sustainability recognizes that the health of our planet and the well-being of our communities are inextricably linked. Professionals in this field work to address the environmental challenges of our time—climate change, resource depletion, pollution, and biodiversity loss—while also promoting social equity, justice, and resilience within communities.

This field often embraces a holistic approach, understanding that sustainable development goes beyond environmental protection to include social and economic dimensions. It involves working with communities to design and implement solutions that meet their needs while safeguarding the planet for future generations. Whether through renewable energy projects, sustainable agriculture, conservation efforts, waste reduction initiatives, or climate adaptation strategies, environmental and sustainability professionals are driving meaningful change at local, regional, and global levels.

Collaboration is key in this field, as professionals engage with diverse stakeholders—including governments, businesses, nonprofits, and community groups—to co-create solutions that are not only environmentally sound but also socially inclusive. By centering marginalized communities in sustainability efforts and ensuring their voices are heard, this field fosters equitable access to resources, opportunities, and a healthier environment for all.

At its core, the field of environmental and sustainability is about creating a future where both people and the planet can thrive together. It challenges us to think beyond short-term gains and consider long-term impacts, ensuring that social justice and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.

internships & Opportunties

NATIONAL PARTNERS

The Bonner Foundation has partnerships with non-profit organizations and national agencies that provide opportunities such as internships, direct service, international experiences, summer placements, post-graduate fellowships, employment, and more to Bonner students, staff, and alumni in the Bonner Network. The following organizations have offerings in environment and sustainability:

Community Homestead is an innovative, non-profit, sustainable community based in Osceola, Wisconsin. Together, CH community members work in diverse teams to run an organic dairy farm, seventeen acres of CSA garden and orchard, a commercial canning kitchen, and a bakery. Community Homestead supports summer interns looking to develop team and leadership skills alongside people with diverse abilities and disabilities, and to learn farming, gardening, and homesteading skills. Interns join CH households, affording an immersive experience within a community life where everyone is an individual, and everyone is valued. Individualized Internships provide room and board, and a small social stipend is provided.

GRID Alternatives was founded with the vision that free, clean electricity from the sun should be available to everyone. The GRID Alternatives model makes solar PV technology practical and accessible for low-income communities that need the savings and jobs the most, yet have the least access. By taking a broader approach to solar as not just an environmental good but also a real-world solution to a real-world economic problem in these communities, GRID Alternatives is helping to set the stage for large-scale solar adoption nationwide. The national SolarCorps Fellowship Program is an opportunity for highly motivated and enthusiastic people to join GRID Alternatives for a one-year, paid term of service to their community. SolarCorps Fellows gain valuable experience in the solar and non-profit industries to help launch their renewable energy careers, while making significant contributions to GRID and the low-income communities we serve. The Corporation for National and Community Service has provided partial funding for the program through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA since 2006.

Each year, The Nature Conservancy hires undergraduate students, graduate students, or recent graduates to fill job opportunities and internship positions. These positions are available throughout the country and provide a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between academics and the real-world conservation work that contributes to the health and sustainability of our world. The Conservancy offers internships in a variety of career paths well beyond science and conservation, including marketing, communications, economics, legal, philanthropy, environmental studies, government relations, policy, business management, and information technology.

If you are 18-26 years old, you can gain experience while supporting environmental stewardship, building affordable housing, disaster response, and more. You can travel the country, all expenses paid, and earn money for college while serving on a team full-time. AmeriCorps NCCC is a team-based residential service program with program options including Traditional Corps, FEMA Corps, Summer of Service, and Forest Corps. AmeriCorps members serving in the NCCC program are assigned to one of four regional campuses and then placed into teams ranging between 8-12 members. The teams complete a variety of service projects, which are generally 3 to 13 weeks in duration, and respond to local communities’ needs throughout the United States and territories.

BONNER Graduate School PartnerS

The Bonner Foundation has partnerships with graduate schools and organizations that provide special benefits (e.g., partial- and full-tuition scholarships, application fee waivers) to Bonner students, staff, and alumni in the Bonner Network. The following graduate schools have offerings in environment and sustainability:

American University’s School of International Service (SIS) is a top ten school of international affairs, founded with a mission of waging peace and improving the human condition over 60 years ago. Current students report that the number one reason they chose SIS for their graduate study is our ethos of service. Students come to SIS to prepare themselves for careers that matter—whether by influencing environmental policy; developing creative approaches to alleviate poverty; analyzing foreign policy; interrupting cycles of conflict; or advocating for human rights protections, among other ways of making a positive impact on today’s pressing global issues. Students from the Bonner Program will find a strong community of colleagues who share their service mindset at SIS. The Bonner/SIS Partnership encourages current or former Bonner Scholars and Bonner Leaders interested in pursuing graduate education in international affairs to apply to any one of our 15 Master’s Degree programs. SIS offers an application fee waiver for all Bonner Program students. SIS will also award a $10,000 scholarship to up to five Bonner Scholars/Bonner Leaders who are accepted into eligible SIS residential Master’s programs.

The Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in Bloomington, offers professional, interdisciplinary graduate degree programs in public affairs, environmental science, arts administration, healthcare management, and environmental sustainability. Graduates leave ready for leadership positions spanning public, private and nonprofit sectors, and are prepared to address the most pressing public issues that confront us both home and abroad. Every program shares the same goal – to prepare graduates to make a difference and be ready for a meaningful career. Bonner Scholar or Bonner Leader program participants and alumni who have successfully met the requirements of their scholarship/service who apply for any of the O’Neill School’s master’s degrees or dual master’s degrees receive the following partnership benefits: 1) Application fee waiver and 2) Award of 25% tuition remission.

The Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) is a graduate school of Middlebury College and training ground for developing and implementing practical solutions. It is home to some of the world’s leading experts who will be your mentors, teaching you how to take your education and experience and make the difference you want in the world. Our students are emerging leaders capable of bridging cultural, organizational, and language divides to produce sustainable, equitable solutions to a variety of global challenges. As part of our close-knit and supportive international community of students and faculty, you will learn to make a meaningful impact in your chosen field through exciting and relevant degree programs with intentional focus on key skills. MIIS offers 12 master’s degrees, 3 joint master’s degrees, 3 joint BA/MA degrees, language programs for students and professionals, and certificate and professional development programs. In partnership with the Bonner Foundation, MIIS offers Bonner alumni admitted to onsite master’s degree programs a 20% scholarship each semester.

School for International Training offers accredited, experiential programs—including undergraduate study abroad programs on all seven continents through SIT Study Abroad and global and hybrid graduate degrees and certificates through SIT Graduate Institute—that address today’s most critical issues. This partnership will extend the opportunity for Bonner Scholar and Leader Alumni to be eligible for a tuition scholarship towards the graduate degree program(s). SIT will commit to providing the following scholarships for eligible Bonner alumni: 1) SIT will waive the admission application fee, 2) $7,500 scholarship for Part-Time Hybrid degree programs, and 3) $10,000 scholarship for Global Masters degree programs. This partnership will also extend the opportunity for current Bonner Staff (Bonner program/campus staff on campuses and Bonner Foundation staff) to be eligible for a tuition scholarship towards the graduate degree program(s). SIT will commit to providing the following scholarships for eligible Bonner staff: 1) SIT will waive the admission application fee, and 2) $7,500 scholarship for Part-Time Hybrid degree programs

The University of Virginia's School of Architecture’s educational mission is to shape a new generation of innovative leaders, thinkers, designers, and makers who are committed to being exemplary partners in creating the most just, compelling, and courageous of futures. The University of Virginia’s School of Architecture attracts students who are seeking to advance their educations in design and the built environment, while engaging with critical issues of spatial, environmental, and social justice. The UVA School of Architecture offers graduate degrees in and across its four departments: architecture, architectural history, landscape architecture, and urban and environmental planning. Bonner Scholar/Leaders, alumni or staff interested in pursuing a master’s degree are encouraged to apply for admission to any of the UVA School of Architecture’s master’s degree programs and will receive the following partnership benefits: 1) Application fee waiver and 2) A minimum annual scholarship of $5,000 (with further consideration for additional merit-based scholarship support).

bonner alumni in the field

Since 1990, the Bonner Program has graduated over 18,000 alumni who are continuing to make a social impact around the world.

Read Kelly’s full Bonner Alumni Profile and Job Profile as a Entrepreneur and Social Impact Strategist

Our 20th Anniversary survey (2010) indicates that about 65% of our alumni choose a career in government and non-profit sectors, often tied to their undergraduate service experiences. Nearly 80% still volunteer on a regular basis; over 90% voted in the last election. As Bonners take their service experiences into the professional world, they are leading social change through the lends of a service based education. 

Many Alumni remain engaged in the Bonner Network by working for organizations that partner with the Bonner Program. Other Bonner Alumni work for organizations that seek out current Bonner students as interns and future employees. Furthermore, Bonner Alumni remain active by attending Bonner national conferences and sharing their expertise and passion for service.

To connect with Bonner Alumni, join the Bonner Alumni Network LinkedIn Group to find these alumni and many more.