Social and Environmental Justice Cohort

Social and Environmental Justice Cohort

The Social & Environmental Justice Cohort provides an opportunity for Lawrentians to explore social and environmental justice impact careers, gain professional experience, and develop as leaders.  Students complete a full-time summer internship with an identified social and/or environmental justice impact organization in Milwaukee or Appleton, while participating in regular academic and career reflection with fellow students, Professor Jason Brozek, and other partners.

(Do not apply on individual partner websites; apply on Handshake.)

Internship sites for Summer 2025 include: 

  • Pillars – Appleton, WI
  • Milwaukee Riverkeeper – Milwaukee, WI
  • Legal Action – Milwaukee, WI
  • Urban Ecology Center – Milwaukee, WI
  • Wisconsin Bike Fed – Milwaukee, WI
  • TRUE Skool – Milwaukee, WI
  • Community Action for Healthy Living – Appleton, WI
  • Sixteenth Street Community Health – Milwaukee, WI
  • Groundwork MKE – Milwaukee, WI
  • World Relief Fox Valley – Appleton, WI
  • Bublr Bikes – Milwaukee, WI

Summer 2025 Program Details

Eligibility

Any first year, sophomore, junior or returning senior.  Students must be enrolled and planning to complete the Fall 2025 term at Lawrence.  (Some sites will have specific qualifications. Please read the internship descriptions thoroughly). 

Summer Dates

June 16, 2025 – August 22, 2025 (approx.) with a goal of 300 internship hours over the course of the summer. 

Application Process

All interested students must complete a two-part application process in order to be considered for the SEJ cohort:

Part 1

  • Before applying, you must meet with a Career Center staff member for a resume review, or your resume must achieve green status in VMOCK.  If your resume does not meet professional expectations, you may be asked to resubmit your resume.  Please make an appointment with the Career Center here.
  • Once your resume is approved, you will then apply directly to one or more of the designated SEJ Internship options in Handshake by February 14th, 2025 at 11:55 p.m. A separate application should be prepared for each position.

Part 2

  • Complete this form to indicate your transportation needs. The form only needs to be submitted once.

Selection Process

  • Internship sites will reach out to applicants to set up an interview and make selections by March 7, 2025. Please watch your email, spam folder, and voice messages during this time, as partners may be trying to contact you!
  • Site partners will notify Michelle Buchinger that they have made a selection.  
  • Students should also notify Michelle Buchinger in writing that they have accepted the position by March 14, 2025.
  • Students will be accepted into the SEJ cohort only after a formal offer has been made by a partner organization and accepted by the student.

Stipend and Housing

Students selected for SEJ internships will be provided a stipend and housing. Milwaukee-based interns will be housed at UW-Milwaukee’s Intern Center Housing at Cambridge Commons. Students interning in Appleton will be housed on Lawrence University’s campus over the summer. The cost of housing will be averaged between all members of the cohort – both those interning in Milwaukee and Appleton. The cost of housing, plus the stipend will not exceed $5000.

The first half of the awarded stipend will be issued upon receipt of a written confirmation of internship acceptance.  The second half will be issued mid-summer, upon completion of a short mid-summer survey and proof of continued participation in internship and weekly cohort sessions.  

Students will also have the option of purchasing a Milwaukee Bus Pass, which costs $72 for a 31-day pass. Parking is available at Cambridge Commons for $5/day, though please note that space is limited. If you choose either of these options, the cost of the bus pass or parking will be deducted from your stipend.

Please see the following table for a breakdown of how the stipend will be calculated:

$5000–Average cost of housing between all housed members of the cohort=$ Amount each intern will receive as stipend

Summer Programming

More details on summer programming for the cohort coming soon.

Questions? Contact Michelle Buchinger, experiential learning funding coordinator in the Career Center, or Jason Brozek, Stephen Edward Scarff Professor of International Affairs and Associate Professor of Government.   

Learning more about our SEJ partners for Summer 2025

Please do not apply directly to any of the internship sites. The information below is for research purposes so you can get to know the organizations better before you apply.