Washington Sea Grant Keystone Fellowship Program

Application Opens: APRIL 1, 2024

Application Deadline: MAY 17, 2024

2024-25 WSG Keystone Fellowship dates: August 1, 2024 – July 31, 2025

Questions?: Email Deborah Purce (sgfellow@uw.edu) or drop in for fellowship info office hours with the WSG Fellowships team: COMING SOON!

Overview

The goal of the Washington Sea Grant Keystone Fellowship program is to broaden participation in marine and coastal professions making them more inclusive of the full diversity of our communities and responsive to their needs and perspectives. The Fellowship recruits and engages early career professionals who are underrepresented in the marine science, policy, and industry workforce providing them with experience, training and mentorship in these fields.

This paid fellowship offers a unique educational opportunity by matching highly motivated and qualified individuals with host offices throughout Washington State.

  • Fellows are matched with hosts from state or local government, tribes, nonprofits and maritime industries.
  • Fellows work primarily on science, policy, and industry related projects with an additional emphasis on work related to the advancement of social justice, racial equity and inclusion in these professional spaces.
  • WSG Keystone fellows receive mentorship both through their host office and through participation in professional development activities with Washington Sea Grant.

The Fellowship offers first-hand experience working on projects that help us better understand, conserve and utilize Washington’s ocean and coastal resources while building pathways into marine related careers for individuals who are historically underrepresented in those fields.

Black, indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC) as well as representatives of the LGBTQ+ community, and allies are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.

 

2024 Keystone Fellowship Project:

Seattle Aquarium: Tribal and Community Engagement in Support of Pinto Abalone Conservation and Recovery 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to Washington Sea Grant in advance of the application deadline to receive application support and provide notification of their intent to apply: Deborah Purce at sgfellow@uw.edu

2024 Timeline

  • April 1: Fellowship Application Opens
  • May 17: Fellowship Application Due
  • Last week of May: Finalist Interviews and Fellow Selection
  • August 1: Fellowship Begins

Past Keystone Fellowship Projects:

2022 WSG Keystone Fellowship host: Port of Seattle – 2022 Fellowship Project Description

2021 WSG Keystone fellowship host: Seattle Aquarium – 2021 Fellowship Project Description

2020 WSG Keystone Fellowship Host: Puget Sound Partnership

2019 WSG Keystone Fellowship Host: Seattle Aquarium

Information for Prospective Fellows 

Eligibility

  • The WSG Keystone Fellowship currently is open to current and recent graduate students who have either recently graduated (January 2021 or later) from Washington universities or who will graduate before the fellowship begins. Some exception can be made for continuing graduate students who can commit to work full-time (40 hours per week) for the duration of the fellowship. 
  • Applicants should be pursuing or have a degree in a marine-related field, including policy, law, social sciences, oceanography, and fishery sciences and marine related technical degrees. 
  • DACA students are eligible to apply.

Black, indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC) as well as representatives of the LGBTQ+ community, and allies are encouraged to apply for this opportunity. All applicants regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, or other demographics should demonstrate awareness of diversity issues and a commitment to the advancement of equity and inclusion.

If you have any questions about this statement or the ability of the program to accommodate disabilities please contact the fellowship program coordinator at sgfellow@uw.edu. 

Award

Each fellow will receive a stipend of $65,000 (to cover living costs, health related benefits, and tax related expenses) plus a $3,500 professional development budget administered by Washington Sea Grant.

Application Requirements

All applications must include:

  1. Resume or curriculum vitae (not to exceed two pages; 12 pt. font)
  2. Statement of the applicant’s goals with emphasis on interest in, contribution to, and expectations from the fellowship (1,000 words or less; 12 pt. font) 
  3. Statement of the applicant’s experience and understanding of justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it influences the work they hope to do in the future (750 words or less; 12 pt. font)
  4. Two letters of recommendation, including one from the applicant’s major professor. If no major professor exists, the faculty member who is most familiar with the applicant’s academic work may be substituted
  5. Unofficial copies of all undergraduate and graduate student transcripts

Go To eSeaGrant

Finalist Selection

Applications will be reviewed by the Washington Sea Grant Fellowships Team. Qualified candidates will be interviewed by the Washington Sea Grant Keystone Fellowship Review Panel. The panel will be convened and facilitated by Washington Sea Grant and made up of demographically and institutionally diverse program partners which may include representatives from Washington institutions of higher education, federal, state, local, and tribal government, NGO’s, industry, faculty and former fellows. 

The Review Panel will select finalists who will sit for a second interview with the Washington Sea Grant Fellowship Coordinator and the host office mentor who together will select the WSG Keystone Fellow. 

Selection Criteria

Finalists are selected based on the following criteria:

  • Applicability of academic and professional background to the fellowship
  • Lived experiences that will help the applicant contribute to the host office project and to the equity and inclusion goals of the Keystone Fellowship 
  • Relevance of professional and education goals
  • Potential impact of the fellowship on future success, as well as personal characteristics such as initiative, leadership, adaptability, communication and analytical skills
  • Support from two letters of recommendation

How to Apply

Washington Sea Grant will be accepting all fellowship applications through our online submission portal, eSeaGrant. If you are new to eSeaGrant you must register for an account using the “Register” tab. Please give yourself plenty of time to complete your application and contact our office if you have questions.

Go To eSeaGrant

Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to Washington Sea Grant in advance of the application deadline to receive application support and provide notification of their intent to apply: Deborah Purce at sgfellow@uw.edu

Information for Prospective Host Offices

The Washington Sea Grant Keystone Fellowship program welcomes participation by state, tribal and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, maritime and aquaculture industries in Washington State with programs in coastal or marine research, policy, or management.  Hosts of a WSG Fellow are expected to supervise, mentor, and provide opportunities for involvement in substantive issues that contribute to the fellow’s professional accomplishments and goals. Prospective host offices must demonstrate a commitment to the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion both internally and in the execution of their missions. 

The fellow will be expected to participate at a full-time level within the host office and work on site and with other staff and/or agency leaders, as appropriate.

Representatives of organizations that are interested in hosting a Keystone Fellows should contact Deborah Purce (sgfellow@uw.edu) to discuss the opportunity.

Prospective host offices will submit a host application to WSG.

Host Applications

Host applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with accepted host opportunities advertised to prospective fellow in the next available fellowship cycle. 

Each host application must include the following:

  1. Host office location and contact information
  2. Name and position of the official fellowship mentor/supervisor
  3. Fellowship Position Description (not to exceed two pages, single spaced). If selected as a participating host, this description will be made available as submitted to prospective fellowship applicants.
  4. Keystone Alignment Statement (not to exceed one page, single spaced) Tell us about how your organization or program is addressing mission specific issues related to environmental justice, racial justice, equity and inclusion and how a WSG Keystone Fellow, in addition to their primary project work, might contribute to relevant systemic change as part of your team. Possible areas for discussion in this statement include:
    • Organizational Culture
    • Coalitions and Partnerships
    • Education and Outreach
    • Human Resources
    • If your organization has an official DEI statement please include it in your application package.
  5. Level of financial support. Hosts are asked to provide at least 50 percent of the entire cost of the 12-month fellowship ($75,000 which covers the fellow’s base, benefit, and tax stipends, professional development budget, and Sea Grant program support)

Acceptance of a host application will be based on the following criteria:

  • The perceived quality of the fellowship opportunity, including mentorship and supervision
  • The perceived existence of inclusive workplace environments that promote cultural competence and are welcoming to demographically diverse individuals. 
  • The level of educational benefit for the fellow
  • The level of financial commitment

Please contact Deborah Purce (sgfellow@uw.edu) to inquire about hosting a fellow.

Fellow Selection Criteria

Washington Sea Grant will promote fellowship positions and recruit prospective fellows specifically for each individual Keystone Fellowship opportunity. We conduct broad outreach to Washington institutions of higher education including a variety of departments, advisors, professors, as well as programs and affinity groups that serve diverse students. 

Finalists are selected based on the following criteria:

  • Applicability of academic and professional background to the fellowship
  • Lived experiences that will help the applicant contribute to the host office project and to the equity and inclusion goals of the Keystone Fellowship
  • Relevance of professional and education goals
  • Potential impact of the fellowship on future success, as well as personal characteristics such as initiative, leadership, adaptability, communication and analytical skills
  • Support from two letters of recommendation

Applications will be reviewed by the Washington Sea Grant Fellowships Team. Qualified candidates will be interviewed by the Washington Sea Grant Keystone Fellowship Review Panel. The panel will be convened and facilitated by Washington Sea Grant and made up of demographically and institutionally diverse program partners which may include representatives from Washington institutions of higher education, federal, state, local, and tribal government, NGO’s, industry, faculty and former fellows. 

The Review Panel will select finalists who will sit for a second interview with the Washington Sea Grant Fellowship Coordinator, the host office mentor who together will select the Keystone Fellow. 

Fellowship Expenses

The total cost of the fellowship is $75,000 and host offices are asked to cover as much of the full cost as possible. At a minimum each Keystone fellowship host office is expected to contribute at least $40,000 of the fellowship cost.

Costs for hosting a WSG Keystone Fellow are as follows:

Total Cost of Fellowship $75,000:

  • $55,000 base stipend
  • $10,000 benefits stipend (e.g. to purchase health and dental insurance, pay quarterly taxes, hire a tax advisor etc.)
  • $3,500 professional development budget
  • $6,500 Sea Grant program support

Host Cost Share: $40,000 – $75,000

WSG will administer the fellow stipend and professional development funds. Once placement is confirmed, the host is expected to work with Washington Sea Grant and the University of Washington Office of Sponsored Programs to put into place a cooperative or interagency agreement for the fellowship award prior to the start of the fellowship. Fellows may not start work until the funding agreement is completed.

Contact the Washington Sea Grant Fellowships Coordinator for information about hosting a WSG Keystone Fellow:

Deborah Purce
E-mail: sgfellow@uw.edu