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UF Gulf Scholars

Apply Today for New Gulf Scholars Experiential Learning Opportunities

Are you ready to make an impact in the Gulf region while advancing your academic and professional goals? This spring, UF Gulf Scholars Program is excited to offer several funded experiential learning opportunities that fulfill the Experiential Learning + Gulf Impact Project requirement for the Gulf Scholars medallion.

These competitive positions are open to all UF students, with preference given to those pursuing the medallion. If you haven’t yet enrolled in this new program, it’s not too late! Find out more info at UF Gulf Scholars Medallion. Don’t miss your chance to gain hands-on experience, contribute to meaningful projects, and connect with dedicated mentors.

Important Details 

  • Application Deadline (for all positions): Monday, January 20, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 
  • Start Date (for all positions): Monday, February 3, 2025 
  • Compensation: $1,200 stipend for 6–10 hours of work per week 
  • Academic Credit: Available upon request 

Below, you’ll find descriptions of each opportunity along with links to apply. 

TESI Environmental Leaders Fellowship – Florida Springs Outreach Internship 

Are you passionate about inspiring the UF community to protect Florida’s springs? Funded by the Gulf Scholars Program, this fellowship hosted by the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute (TESI) provides hands-on experience in outreach programming and environmental education. Two fellows will develop and implement projects focused on spring conservation.

Community Weatherization Coalition Gulf Scholars Internship 

Join a grassroots coalition focused on helping Alachua County residents save energy and water. The Gulf Scholars intern will assist with daily operations, manage the Home Energy Tune-Up Program, and assist partner organizations RTNCF and UF/IFAS in disaster recovery and coalition building work in the region.

CLEO Institute – Climate Communication Outreach Internship 

Make a difference in the fight against climate change with CLEO Institute’s Community Outreach Internship. This position offers hands-on experience in climate education, communication, and public engagement within the UF and Alachua County communities.

Operation TRAP Gulf Scholars Internship 

Support NOAA’s mission to mitigate marine debris impacts through the UF Operation TRAP project. Intern responsibilities include maintaining litter interception devices, collecting data, training volunteers, managing outreach efforts, and presenting findings.

  • Ideal For: Students interested in environmental science, data collection, and community engagement.
  • Gulf Stream: Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability
  • More Information & Application: Operation TRAP Gulf Scholars Internship

Rural AI Gulf Scholars Internship 

The Infrastructure for Communities, Ecology for Data (ICED) Hub at the College of Journalism and Communications is hosting the Rural x AI + Policy Fellowship where students can gain hands-on experience developing and implementing outreach programming related to this semester’s theme: Water & Data. Two (possibly three) fellows will be selected to participate in this fellowship program for the Spring 2025 semester. This fellowship is an excellent opportunity for UF undergraduates to gain experience in work related to the social and environmental impacts of technology and policy.

  • Ideal For: Students interested in technology, policy, and environmental sustainability.
  • Gulf Stream: Cultural Heritage, History & Storytelling
  • More Information & Application: Rural AI Gulf Scholars Internship

Health Disparities in the Gulf Coast: A Research Opportunity

This experiential learning project focuses on investigating health disparities in the Gulf Coast, with a specific emphasis on obesity and access to healthcare. Students will participate in hands-on data analysis, public health research, and manuscript preparation while examining how social and environmental factors influence health outcomes. The findings aim to inform public health policies and interventions to address inequities in the Gulf Coast region.

For questions or additional details, feel free to email Rebecca Burton, Gulf Scholars program coordinator at rlburton@ufl.edu. We can’t wait to see your impactful contributions this semester!