The Bren Environmental Leadership (BEL) Program is a graduate-led fellowship designed to provide student support, networking, and training opportunities through connection with learning communities, career skills workshops, and paired internships. By offering paid summer internships, BEL removes financial barriers while advancing hands-on, applied environmental problem-solving. In this model, Bren graduate students are paired with undergraduate fellows to collaborate with external partners on real-world sustainability challenges or advance academic research. Through structured one-on-one mentorship, weekly career skills workshops, and inclusive community-building events, BEL bridges academic training and professional practice. The program equips students with leadership skills and professional networks while delivering meaningful value to mission-driven organizations.
Program Details
- Undergraduate students receive direct support from a Bren graduate student mentor, and graduate students gain valuable mentoring and project management experience
- Summer program includes weekly professional development workshops and community building events during summer quarter
- Project teams prepare short, flash-talk style presentations to the BEL community at the end of the summer and are invited to participate in the Mantell Symposium in Environmental Justice and Conservation Innovation in Fall
Notify Me When 2026 Applications Open
Summer 2026 Opportunities
How to Apply
Applications should include:
- A brief statement (2-3 paragraphs) describing your interest in this project and how your experience and qualifications make you a good fit. We welcome insights into how your experiences or perspectives might shape your contribution to the BEL community.
- A resume or CV, including any relevant coursework and previous experience.
You can apply directly to the projects that interest you. Applicants must be full-time continuing UCSB undergraduate students with at least 2 quarters remaining before graduation at the time of application. The BEL program is open to students from all majors and backgrounds. Check back here for available positions, or keep an eye out on Handshake and campus listservs.
What past BEL Fellows are saying:
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a project that aims to uplift agricultural communities like my own while developing valuable skills for my future career. This fellowship also gave me the opportunity to connect with a great mentor and a community of passionate students I resonate with.”
Arantza Lira, Environmental Studies, '26
“Working with Arantza through this program has been an immense treat. As someone who is actually from the region my research takes place in, her voice and input has added important context and background to my project of quantifying the impact of biodiversity on pesticide use and human health in California, and it has made our research much stronger.”
Brian Lee, PhD Student: Quantifying Ecosystem Services in Managed Landscapes using Remote Sensing and Machine Learning
Contact:
For questions from students or organizations interested in joining the program, please contact gstephenson@ucsb.edu.