Switzer Fellowship
Switzer Fellowship supports graduate students with funding, equity-centered leadership training, and lifelong professional connections to advance practical environmental improvement and social equity.
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Funder: Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation
Due Dates: December 14, 2026 (Application and recommendations) | November 16, 2026 (Alumni connection request) | September 17, 2026 and November 18, 2026 (Information sessions)
Funding Amounts: $18,000 unrestricted cash award for a one-year fellowship, plus leadership training and career support
Summary: Supports graduate students pursuing practical environmental improvement through funding, equity-centered leadership development, and a lifelong professional network.
Key Information: Fellows must attend two multi-day, in-person retreats in September and April of their fellowship year.
Description
The Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation selects twenty graduate students annually whose career goals focus on environmental improvement. The one-year fellowship supports students across science, policy, justice, health, economics, advocacy, planning, business, law, and other fields. It emphasizes applied results, interdisciplinary approaches, collaborative leadership, and social equity, including how environmental work affects human communities.
Alongside financial support, fellows receive equity-centered leadership training, career coaching, and professional development. They join the Switzer Network, a community of more than 800 fellows offering professional and personal support throughout their careers. The program welcomes established and emerging leaders, including applicants from non-environmental fields who can demonstrate how their transferable skills will advance environmental improvement.
