The HASI Foundation granted $200,000 to Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI) for its award-winning Climate Corps fellowship program, which provides professional development opportunities for emerging leaders through implementation of sustainability and resiliency projects. Strategic partnerships with local governments, non-profits, educational institutions, and for-profit organizations equip rising climate professionals with the skills and experience needed to drive positive change.
With support from the HASI Foundation, SEI attracts talented individuals passionate about combating climate change and promoting sustainable practices across a range of projects. Through hands-on experience and mentorship, fellows gain valuable skills, knowledge, and networks, positioning them as influential leaders in the climate protection field.
A key focus of this collaboration is capacity-building efforts at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other universities that serve communities historically underrepresented in the climate protection space. By advancing climate protection initiatives in these institutions, SEI aims to empower and uplift diverse voices, fostering equitable and inclusive solutions.
Since the HASI Foundation grant, the Climate Corps fellows are already producing remarkable impacts in the field of climate protection. Highlights of their outstanding achievements include:
- Bella Dastvan is developing a best practice plan for management of invasive species on UMBC’s 512-acre Campus.
- Aleena Oakley is focusing on food security, recycling and greenhouse gas reductions on JCSU’s campus, which now has two solar arrays and a wind turbine.
- Alexander Skoron is developing a sustainability data dashboard for UMB to track energy, waste and procurement data, in addition to fostering the integration of DEIJA metrics into sustainability planning.