Educational Resources

NAFWS is dedicated to disseminating information to Native youth and early professionals that is directly related to natural resources and the STEM fields.

Scholarships & FundingProfessional & Youth OrganizationsNatural Resource Related ProgramsExternal Opportunities: Internships, Fellowships, Entry-Level Job Openings

If you have an opportunity and/or resources related to natural resources for Native youth (ages 5 – 25) and/or early professionals (1 – 5 years into career) and would like to share on our website. Please submit the form below, we will do our best to post and update frequently.

Submit an Opportunity/Resource

Scholarships & Funding

  • Terra Preta do Indio Tribal Faculty Fellowship Program
    • This Faculty Fellowship program seeks to strengthen tribal college and university research capacity, and introduce TCU faculty and staff to USDA programs and services. (excerpt from https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/montana/news/usda-announces-2024-tribal-scholarship-and?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery)
    • Deadline: December 1, 2023
  • USDA 1994 Tribal Scholars Program
    • The USDA 1994 Tribal Scholars Program provides full tuition, fees, books, a housing stipend, and paid workforce training to any interested and eligible student pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines at a tribal college or university. New this year, the tuition coverage can follow the student from a two-year associate program at a tribal college or university (TCU) to a four-year bachelor’s degree program (at a TCU or another land-grant institution). When the student has completed the scholarship requirements, including a paid internship, USDA may convert the student to a permanent USDA employee without further competition. Eligible applicants include graduating high school seniors, full-time students currently enrolled at a 1994 land-grant tribal college or university, or recent TCU associate degree graduates. For FY 2024, 27 scholarship slots are available at: Agriculture Research Service, Farm Service Agency, Farm Production and Conservation, Forest Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
    • Deadline: December 1, 2023
  • ITC Research Scholarship Announcement
    • The ITC Research Scholarship is designed to support tribally relevant, natural resource-based research being conducted by Native American scholars enrolled in a graduate program.
    • Deadline: December 1, 2023
  • American Indian College Fund
    • AICF invests in Native students and Tribal college education to transform lives and communities. The College Fund and its supporters uphold the promise and importance of educational success for Native people and all of our futures. (excerpt from collegefund.org)
  • Cobell Scholarship
    • Cobell Scholarships offers are merit-based following a lengthy application and referral process. Cobell Scholarship awards are disbursed according to US Federal Student Aid standards and the policies of the individual colleges and universities. The Cobell Scholarship is annual, non-renewable, and available to any post-secondary (after high school) student who is: an enrolled member of a US Federally-recognized Tribe, enrolled in or plans to enroll in full-time study and is degree-seeking while attending any nationally, regionally and industry accredited non-profit, public and private, institution. (excerpt from cobellscholasr.org)

Programs

  • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Directorate Fellows Program
    DFP is a Direct Hire Authority Program that includes an 11-week Fellowship project for current students at the rising senior undergraduate or graduate school level. Upon successful completion of the Fellowship program, along with degree, participants may be directly hired or appointed to full-time, permanent positions without competition.

  • National Conservation Leadership Institute
    The Institute is designed to be a meta-program into which graduates of various internal organizational leadership programs could pursue expanding their leadership capacity. But the Institute is by no measure only a training program; it is a unique comprehensive learning experience designed to challenge assumptions, teach skills, facilitate networking, and strengthen confidence, preparing extraordinary leadership for the future.
  • Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program
    Is to effect a systemic change in the hiring patterns of Indigenous Americans in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by increasing the number of individuals on a career path to leadership within STEM fields.

Professional & Youth Organizations

  • American Indian Science & Engineering Society
    The AISES mission is to increase substantially the representation of American Indian and Alaskan Natives in engineering, science and other related technology disciplines.
  • SACNAS
    The SACNAS mission is to celebrate and cultivate diversity in STEM Education and Fields.
  • Center for Native American Youth
    The Center for Native American Youth is dedicated to improving the health, safety and overall well-being of Native American youth through communication, policy development and advocacy.
  • United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY)
    UNITY’s Mission is to foster the spiritual, mental, physical, and social development of American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native youth, and to help build a strong, unified, and self-reliant Native America through greater youth involvement.
  • Environmental Career
  • The Environmental Career Center provides employers and job seekers with comprehensive career, and staffing services in the environmental, sustainability, natural resources, energy, and green jobs sectors.
  • Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education
    As a professional organization for environmental educators, the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) facilitates communication, cooperation, collaboration, and coordination among the varied environmental education programs in the state.
External Announcements & Opportunities

Position Details:

The global climate is changing rapidly, already impacting both human and natural systems. Over the next few decades, changes in temperature, precipitation, and climatic variability are expected to drive even more change. To face these future challenges, we aim to recruit, train, and promote the advancement of undergraduate students who represent the nation’s diversity and demonstrate keen interest in climate change and advanced study in STEM.
The USGS Climate Adaptation Science Centers established the Climate Adaptation Scientists of Tomorrow (CAST) Program to provide undergraduate research experiences to advance climate science and cultivate the next generation of climate scientists. That’s you!

Eligibility:

  • Rising Sophomore or Junior (expected graduation in
    2026 or 2027)
  • Enrolled full time at an accredited academic institution
    In good academic standing (GPA of 3.0 or higher)
  • You have a strong interest in climate adaptation
    science.
  • You are a member of a group historically and presently
    underrepresented in the sciences.
  • You want to work in a highly productive research
    environment

 Application period is November 6, 2023- December 31, 2023.

Position Details:

Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards) provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting ecosystem health. Stewards in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Office of Communications are seeking an intern who will help elevate Indigenous voices as part of a communications campaign (#AllTheFish). Components of the campaign include a podcast “Fish of the Week!”, written stories, and a cookbook (to be both online and hardcopy). The intern will also be supported to interact with FWS staff working on co-stewardship fish habitat restoration projects with staff, as well as our Alaska Native Liaisons and other Indigenous Knowledge Liaisons. This position is open until filled

 

Internship: Fish Health Biological Technician

Position Details: Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards) provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting ecosystem health. Stewards in partnership with the Warm Springs Fish Health Center are seeking an intern who will work at the Fish Health Center located in Warm Springs, GA. The individual would work with fish health staff to conduct hatchery inspections, diagnostic testing, and complete day to day tasks in the laboratory. The intern will have the opportunity to travel to multiple Federal, State and Tribal fish hatcheries within the southeast region to preform annual hatchery inspections. Daily work would include becoming familiar with cell culture/virology, bacteriology, parasite identification/isolation, sampling/wild fish survey, triploid grass carp certifications, and ploidy testing.

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In Recognition of Their Support

The Native American Fish and Wildlife Society would like to thank those organizations that provided us with support over the years. With them we grew an effective national communications network for the exchange of information and management techniques related to self-determined tribal fish and wildlife management.

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