“We’re trying to encourage folks that are just getting out of graduate school that are in resource management programs to identify state and federal resource management jobs as potential career tracks because we feel like we need newer, younger folks to get into this field.”

– Tony Watkinson
Habitat Management Division Chief, VMRC

2024 Commonwealth Coastal & Marine Policy Fellowship

DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2024 BEFORE 5:00PM EST

INFORMATION FOR:

DESCRIPTION

Receive on-the-job training and hone your professional skills while improving the stewardship of the Commonwealth’s coastal and marine resources. This fellowship develops and supports post-graduates by partnering them with a state or local government host office mentor. The program also aims to increase the capacity of the host offices by supporting fellows who are working on mission-relevant programs, and leveraging the knowledge and capacity of Virginia’s academic institutions.

Past-participating offices include:

  • Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation
  • Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
  • Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
  • Virginia Marine Resource Commission

Past projects and assignments include:

  • Total maximum daily load and water pollution
  • Shoreline erosion
  • Coastal community resilience 
  • Coordinating environmental document reviews and comments
  •  Implementation of electronic permitting
  • Blue crab fisheries management
FOSTERING A SAFE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY

VASG is committed to building inclusive research, extension, communication, and education programs that serve people from diverse backgrounds, circumstances, needs, perspectives, and ways of thinking. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, age, disability and/or health status, ethnicity, gender identity, geographic origin, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and/or veteran status. 

VASG does not tolerate any form of misconduct, discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment, or sexual misconduct (e.g. sexual assault within its organization, at awardee organizations, field sites, meetings, or anywhere VASG-funded research, outreach and education are conducted).

2024 PARTICIPATING HOST OFFICES

Each office listed below has expressed interest in hosting a fellow during the 2024 fellowship year. Additional host offices and projects may be added before the fellowship application deadline. Click below to download a PDF of the full office and project descriptions.

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Department of Environmental Quality

Project: Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Assistance

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Department of Wildlife Resources

Project: Building Virginia's Voluntary Wetlands Restoration Workforce

Virginia Marine Resources Commission Logo

Virginia Marine Resources Commission

Project: Agency Scoping Comments Review Coordinator & Habitat Management Division Permit Tracking Database Fellow

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Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation

Project: Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan - Adaptive Management

Real experience, real professional growth opportunities

Commonwealth Fellows work alongside mentors in their host office to address pressing coastal and marine resource issues, while learning about the policy and management process occurring at the state level. This experience and knowledge have positioned past fellows to be highly competitive for opportunities at the conclusion of the fellowship year. The majority of our alumni have accepted full-time positions at Virginia agencies.

BEN N.
The Nature Conservancy

SHURUI Z.
Office of the Secretary of Natural Resources

LAUREN P.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission

CLAY F.
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

AWARD INFORMATION

Virginia Sea Grant and the Virginia Environmental Endowment anticipate supporting two to three post-graduate fellows for the 2024 Commonwealth Coastal & Marine Policy Fellowship.

Length: 12-month fellowship assignment

Start Date: October 1, 2024

Funding: $43,000 stipend, $5,000 for critical expenses and professional development activities

CONTACT
vasg@vaseagrant.org    804-684-7167

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