Thank you for your interest in the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program, also known as DDCSP.
More than ever, organizations and government agencies that work to conserve land, water and wildlife need to attract and employ individuals who fully reflect the racial and ethnic makeup of the U.S. to the conservation workforce. Launched by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in 2013, DDCSP responds to this need by increasing the number of undergraduate students of color who choose to pursue coursework and careers in conservation. The program also creates space for important conversations about diversity and inclusion as it pertains to the conservation and environmental fields.
In this highly selective multi-year undergraduate research program, students:
- Experience extraordinary places such as the Grand Canyon, the Cascade Mountains, the California coast, the Everglades and the Great Lakes;
- Conduct research with and be mentored by leading academics in the conservation field;
- Build valuable research and leadership skills;
- Gain in-depth knowledge of land, water, and wildlife conservation issues and challenges;
- Are exposed to exciting career options in the conservation field;
- Meet leading conservation thinkers and professionals of color;
- Gain a deeper understanding of the value of diversity;
- Form lifelong bonds with peers from across the country; and
- Become a part of a growing lifetime network of Scholars.
Whether you already have a passion for nature, or are driven to increase the diversity of students and professionals in the conservation field, we hope you will learn more and consider applying to be a Doris Duke Conservation Scholar.
DDCSP is administered by five partners: the DDCSP Collaborative, University of California at Santa Cruz, University of Michigan, University of Washington and Yale School of the Environment. With the exception of the program administered by the DDCSP Collaborative, all DDCSP sites recruit students nationwide to participate in DDCSP. The DDCSP Collaborative partners with North Carolina State University, University of Florida, University of Arizona, University of Idaho and University of Massachusetts at Amherst to serve students recruited from those five institutions.
We encourage potential applicants to take a look at all five programs, as offerings and activity locations differ across DDCSP sites. For more information about the offerings at each DDCSP site, and to apply, please click on the links below.
If you have questions, please contact the designated representatives listed on each university’s DDCSP webpage. Thanks again for your interest in DDCSP!
