Support for hands-on experiences in the environment and sustainability
The Wrigley Institute and our Environmental Studies Program (ENST) offer a limited number of competitive awards to support students’ summer professional development experiences. Applicants will be considered for the KCM Undergraduate Grant Program, the Cathy and George Huber Endowed Scholarship, and additional awards.
Applications for our 2026 Environmental Summer Awards are now open. The priority deadline is 11:59 p.m. PT on March 1, 2026. After March 1, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with decisions issued every 1-4 weeks.
Environmental Summer Awards are intended to:
- Offset the costs of summer co-curricular programs OR
- Enable participation in unpaid or underpaid internships and similar hands-on summer experiences
Students should independently identify specific opportunities in advance of applying to an award. Opportunities must focus on the environment or sustainability and on students’ professional development.
Eligible Opportunities
The following kinds of experiences are eligible for Environmental Summer Award applications:
- Environment- or sustainability-related research/internship positions with USC faculty (minimum 50 total work hours recommended)
- External internships – with government agencies, NGOs, companies, etc. – that provide professional development for environmental careers (minimum 50 total work hours recommended)
- Participation in summer research at the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island
- Travel or housing expenses required to attend training workshops or to present at professional or scientific meetings or conferences (costs may not exceed $1,000)
Award Amounts
The average award amount is $1,000, up to a maximum of $3,000.
Applicant Eligibility
These awards are open to USC Environmental Studies Program majors and minors, select graduate students, and students participating in Wrigley Institute programs.