Monthly Newsletter

A newsletter published by the
Macalester Environmental Studies Department

February 28, 2024

Any upcoming events, job opportunities, conferences, or other environmental news received by the ES Department are included in this newsletter. More information on the items listed in This Just In! can be received by contacting the ES Department. Current and archived issues.

In This Issue….

1.  Call for Proposals for Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability Conference
2.  Farms and Ranches Hiring in Montana
3.  Humanities Futures Workshop
4.  Tree Grants
5.  Internship with Local Initiatives
6.  Job Openings with Mississippi Park Connection
7.  Internships with Friends of the Mississippi River
8.  Jobs and Internships Listed on Handshake

1.  Call for Proposals for Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability Conference

The Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability (UMACS) seeks proposals for conference sessions that will further their mission to “advance a more sustainable and just Upper Midwest”. They welcome proposals from anyone working to advance sustainability in higher education (including students, staff, faculty and community members). They are looking for 1 hour panel discussions, 5 minute lightning talks, 1 hour workshops, and posters. Proposals are due by April 1, 2024.  This year’s conference takes place on September 20-21, 2024, at Macalester College.

2.  Farms and Ranches Hiring in Montana

The 2024 farm and ranch season will be here before you know it! Get your hands dirty learning the ins-and-outs of farming or ranching and get exposure to a variety of local and sustainable food systems amid the rugged, breathtakingly beautiful landscape of Montana!

Farm Link Montana is a free, searchable database of current listings for jobs, internships, and land opportunities in Montana. It features a searchable map of farms and ranches across the state hiring for the upcoming season. Learn about each operation and apply to multiple jobs at once with just one application. Opportunities range from organic veggies, wheat, and pulses to hops, dairy, ranching and more!

3.  Humanities Futures Workshop – March 28-29

The Humanities Futures Workshop is a fully-funded intensive professional development workshop led by University of Minnesota – Twin Cities graduate students pursuing graduate and graduate professional degrees in the Humanities. This workshop is funded through the Mellon Foundation and is part of a larger Environmental Stewardship, Place, and Community Initiative that focuses on centering Indigenous and / or underrepresented ways of knowing to shape how we think about relationships with the planet and each other.

The goal of this multi-campus grant is to introduce Indigenous and other underrepresented undergraduates to the possibilities of graduate education in the humanities for advancing their own commitments and careers. This workshop is offered to students at all UMN campuses, students at tribal colleges, technical and community colleges, and all other post-secondary institutions across Minnesota.

The workshop this year will be held at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities campus on March 28-29, 2024. Lodging is provided for all out-of-town participants and transportation to and from the workshop is eligible for reimbursement.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until March 18, 2024.

4.  Tree Grants

If you are working at a nonprofit organization, this may be interest to them, so please pass it along:

Hennepin County’s healthy tree canopy grants will open for applications on Tuesday, February 27. Grant projects can include tree plantings, ash tree removals, tree inventories, outreach and more. Grants are available to nonprofit organizations, schools, cities, and affordable housing properties.

The grants aim to combat threats to trees from invasive insects and disease, educate the public on tree care and the importance of trees, and increase the diversity and resiliency of the tree canopy. Review the grant flyer (PDF).

Applications are due by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

5.  Internship with Local Initiatives

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies is looking for a Local Initiatives Intern to support the Local Initiatives & Opportunities Program Team with field research, sector scan, documentation,  planning, and grantee engagement activities. The final deliverables include (1) completion of research projects around grantee engagement and convening  and (2) a baseline analysis of Local Initiatives’ inclusive and equitable practices and operating principles. Oversight for this internship will be provided by the  Local Initiatives Program Officer .Mentorship will also be provided by the Program Officer as well as other team members of Local Initiatives, including the Program Director. This role will entail a commitment of approximately 36 hours per week for 12 weeks during the summer of 2024.

The internship will be in a hybrid format. The intern is required to work from MACP’s Eden Prairie, Minnesota, office three days per week in each five-day  work week. The remaining two days will be for remote work. Please note that complete relocation to the Minneapolis area is required for this internship.

6.  Job Openings with Mississippi Park Connection

The Mississippi Park Connection has two job openings:

Community Program Coordinator – The Community Program Coordinator is responsible for assisting the Community Program Manager in the overall strategy and execution of Mississippi Park Connection’s public programs. The Community Program Coordinator will advance MPC’s diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, build on MPC’s initiatives to engage BIPOC and other historically excluded communities, and develop long-term relationships and collaborations with local government and park leadership. The Community Program Coordinator will provide engaging and nurturing curriculum to guide the Mississippi River Fellows through and beyond their program providing guidance and resources on how to obtain national park service jobs. Apply by March 25, 2024.

Mississippi River Fellowship – This 10-week fellowship is a paid opportunity for BIPOC adults ages 18-25 to explore the different branches of the National Park Service including Visitor Services, Interpretation & Education, Natural & Cultural Resource Management, and the Volunteer Program. The fellows work directly with National Park Service Rangers, Mississippi Park Connection staff, and other park partners to facilitate educational programs, habitat restoration events, and wildlife monitoring on the Mississippi River. Apply by April 12, 2024.

7.  Internship with Friends of the Mississippi River

Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) is seeking 1-2 Field Ecology Interns for mid-May to late-August 2024 (start and end dates flexible) to assist with our Land Conservation Program.  FMR is a leading and growing nonprofit organization working to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region. Their goals are to: improve water quality; conserve important lands; engage people in learning about and taking action to protect and enhance the river; inspire widespread commitment to this natural wonder flowing through our community; and protect our river’s unique scenic, natural, cultural and recreational qualities.  Apply by March 29, 2024.