Every summer UVA’s Environmental Institute partners with the University Career Center to offer paid summer internships for UVA students interested in environmental, sustainability and resilience work. The 2024 cohort of interns is an impressive group engaging in summer projects in everything from environmental storytelling to decarbonization of the health system.

Building on the successful pilot program last summer, the Institute also once again partnered with the Darden School of Business and Jefferson Trust to offer “Decarbonization Internships.” Building on ideas generated during the 2022 Jefferson Innovation Summit, selected UVA students will spend time working with partner organizations on strategies and projects to find new ways to reduce or eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from UVA’s footprint and from society more broadly.

“It is important to the mission of the Environmental Institute to train the next generation of leaders to address environmental challenges, especially those related to climate change,” said Karen McGlathery, Director of the Environmental Institute. “We are grateful for strong community and University partners that we work with year after year to build a dynamic and successful internship program.”

Summer internships from the Institute offer a range of opportunities in different sectors and many organizations return to host interns consecutive summers. One company the Institute has partnered with on multiple occasions is Green Fin Studio.

Green Fin Studio is a creative marketing and communication firm specializing in supporting environmentally focused clients. They are scientists, writers, designers, communicators, strategic thinkers, and innovators, committed to environmental restoration, protection, and education. Their team bridges the gaps between science and broader understanding.

This summer, Green Fin Studio welcomes Jade Devriendt, an undergraduate in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Devriendt is working on a variety of projects that apply her dual interests and skills in environmental science and studio arts.

As part of her summer portfolio, Devriendt will help clients tell their environmental stories in several visual ways including supporting videography work for the James River Association’s Living Shoreline Collaborative, developing social media posts for Green Fin Studio’s platforms, helping to refresh a Countywide Action Plan booklet, and supporting the revisions of several public-facing StoryMaps on indigenous knowledge, traditions, and stories.

“I’m greatly enjoying being able to apply both my environmental and artistic passions at Green Fin Studio working in environmental communication,” said Devriendt, “especially to make promotional videos! But most of all, this internship means a lot to me as it will enable me to take part in meaningful storytelling, exploring the power of communication in advancing sustainability on both the individual and societal scale.”

Paula Jasinski, Green Fin Studio’s Founder and President said, “Green Fin Studio focuses on environmental communication, which is interdisciplinary by nature and something that many young professionals have not been exposed to as a career option. The Environmental Institute internships are tremendous in terms of bringing new faces and ideas to our office, and in giving work experience to students who want to learn more about this field. As an example of how well this works, we’re excited to announce that we just hired our January 2024 UVA extern for a full-time position!”

Due to the popularity and lasting impact of the new Decarbonization Corps and related projects, the EI is proud to partner with a local donor to launch internships that run the duration of the academic year. The 2024 Decarbonization Corps will announce new positions and projects in Fall 2024.

EI-Funded Internships Summer 2024

• Rho Impact, Emily Annemarie Barker (Environmental Sciences)
• Keystone Streams, Kate Marie Rasmussen (Environmental Sciences)
• Prime Coalition, Meghana Annamaneni (Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy)
• ClimateWorks, Emily K Anstett (Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy)
• World Bank, Omna Berhanu (Economics)
• Green Fin Studio, Jade Devriendt (Environmental Sciences)
• App Voices Lara Howell (Global Environments & Sustainability and Religious Studies)
• U.S. Green Building Council, Jackson Phillip Hoffman (Economics)
• The Nature Conservancy, Josh Roland Stein (Economics and Political Philosophy, Policy, and Law (PPL))

Decarbonization Interns Summer 2024

• Environmental Defense Fund, Yatra Karki (Environmental Thought and Practice)
• The Nature Conservancy Charlottesville, Alexander LaPlace (Environmental Sciences)
• Department of Forestry, Abigail Elizabeth van Eerden (Political Philosophy, Policy and Law (PPL) & Global Studies Sustainability and Environment)
• Seed Health, Jhanvi Kriti Patil (Darden School of Business)
• Calyx Global, Garrett Socas (Environmental Science)