Summer 2026 has come and gone, but the positive impact made by each student intern is here to stay at Shirley Heinze Land Trust. With the support of generous donors, foundations, and university partners, Shirley Heinze hosted 14 college students from 7 universities in its 2026 summer cohort. Over a 10-week period, these students worked on a variety of projects, offering valuable support to Shirley Heinze staff. Alongside staff mentors and volunteers, students honed their skills in conservation planning, stewardship of natural lands, community engagement, marketing, research, database management, and more.
The Student Experiences in Conservation Program has grown from seed to sapling, with this year’s students branching across several disciplines. The cohort made practical applications of their diverse areas of study, which span creative arts, applied and environmental sciences, engineering, business, and beyond. New roles this year included an Operations Assistant, an Environmental Communications & Program Development Assistant, a GIS Mapping Assistant, a Conservation Project Management & Community Impacts Assistant, and a Signage & Trail Maintenance Assistant. The Shirley Heinze team made remarkable strides in conservation this summer. The collaborative efforts of staff, volunteers, and interns have shown that great minds can accomplish amazing things in a short amount of time. Highlighted projects include renderings of parking lots and trail plans for up-and-coming preserves, plant surveys, student blog posts, invasive species removal, grant management, and the launch of our new Student Experiences in Conservation Alumni Program.
The Student Experiences in Conservation Program is made possible by the support of community organizations, local agencies, and individuals that help fund each internship. A special thanks to the Flora Richardson Foundation, whose valued support has helped to grow the Student Experiences in Conservation Program over the past three years, and to the James Martin Donor Advised Fund for sponsoring one of the internship positions this summer. In a similar vein, the AmeriCorps Program through the Michiana Council of Governments partnership brought a large number of students to the conservation field this year. Other partners include the Indiana Dunes National Park, University of Notre Dame’s Department of Biology, Valparaiso University’s Calling and Purpose in Society Fellowship Program, and Indiana University’s McKinney Climate Fellowship.
Thank you to all who make the Student Experiences in Conservation Program flourish, including special guest speakers at the field experiences this summer. Speakers ranged from Shirley Heinze board members to researchers and community leaders in higher education, along with government agencies and nonprofits. These experiences not only connected students to industry professionals but gave them a rare glimpse behind-the-scenes of careers in conservation. Positions for next season will be posted in early January 2027 with applications due in early March. We cannot wait to welcome our next summer cohort!
