Increasing Diversity in Environmental Careers

Durations

Multi-Year

Regions

Minnesota

Age Ranges

Varies (See qualifications)

Eligibility

Ethnic or racial minorities, women, or individuals with a disability (definition of Disability defined by MN Statute 363A.03 Subdivision 12)
Authorized to work in the United States
For 2022, second or third year student enrolled full-time at an accredited Minnesota state, community, private, or tribal college/university, with at least two years remaining to degree completion
Currently pursuing a STEM/Natural Resources degree with a desire to work in environmental/natural resources careers upon graduation.

Interest Areas

Communications/Marketing
Habitat Management & Improvement
Mapping & Data Collection
Parks

Find Open Positions

The Increasing Diversity in Environmental Careers (IDEC) program provides a unique college-to-careers pathway for underrepresented STEM college students, specifically, women, racial and ethnic minorities, or individuals with disabilities, who want to pursue a career in environmental and natural resources fields. Students receive a fellowship, mentorship, and paid internship during their academic journey.

IDEC is a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR), Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa (CCMI), the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), and the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR).

Program Components:

Fellowship: The IDEC fellowship provides students with a supportive community of peers, yearly academic scholarship, and professional development opportunities. Fellows work with the program manager who coordinates resources and helps students navigate challenges during their academic journey.
Mentorship: Fellows connect with professionals in the field who share their experiences and provide support. The mentorship aims to enhance college success, encourage personal and professional development, and promote career advancement by pairing fellows with employees at one of the participating state agencies.
Internship: Fellows learn more about environmental and natural resource career paths through paid full-time internship experiences with the MN DNR, MPCA, and BSWR. The IDEC program includes a first-year summer rotational at each of the three agencies and a second and third-year summer internship at one agency.

Go to Increasing Diversity in Environmental Careers

Benefits

The IDEC program provides opportunities for participants to:

Gain resources to support academic success
Receive a yearly academic stipend
Get hands-on experience through paid summer experiential learning and internships
Learn more about environmental or natural resources careers
Enhance personal and professional development
Become a more competitive job applicant after graduation

Program Expectations

Fellows in the program are expected to:

Attend an initial orientation before starting the program
Attend in-person or virtual cohort meetings every other month during the academic school year
Complete experiential learning and internships each summer between academic school years
Commit to participating in the full program (see program timeline) [link to logistics page]
Maintain an academic GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale

Testimonial

“To me, the most beneficial thing about the IDEC program is the safe space for which it provides. I can explore different career and education opportunities free of judgment, while making friends with the cohort. It’s a way to meet and learn from a diverse group of people who are, at times, experiencing the same excitement and stress that you may be about entering the professional world.”

Tasha Kurtz IDEC Fellow