Now Accepting Applications:
Summer 2023 Russell Brinsfield Agro-Ecology Internship Program
The Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, Inc. (Hughes Center) and the Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI) are seeking law and undergraduate student applicants interested in careers in agriculture, environmental conservation, forestry, and/or policy for the 2023 Russell Brinsfield Agro-Ecology Summer Internship program. Multiple students will be selected for this eight-week internship, which includes a competitive salary and the opportunity to interact with leaders from the agricultural and environmental communities as well as state agencies. The internship will begin with an orientation session at Wye Research Center and the interns will attend periodic meetings at Wye. The remainder of the time, the interns will work virtually or attend meetings offsite.
The internship will introduce you to a number of complex natural resource issues, including but not limited to, Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts, forestry, and local food production. During the course of the internship, you will meet diverse stakeholders and engage in the complex interaction between the agricultural and the environmental conservation and policy communities. You will be introduced to legislators and staff at state agencies as you work to resolve challenges. The internship is funded by organizations seeking to build leaders who are able to appreciate all sides of complex issues and develop solutions that consider the needs of industry, environment, economic, and policymakers.
Interns will:
- Work with Hughes Center and ALEI’s staff on research projects related to current agriculture, environmental, and forestry issues;
- Participate in the multidisciplinary activities of the Hughes Center;
- Attend regional leadership meetings for agriculture and natural resources;
- Have the opportunity to engage with researchers at the University of Maryland’s Wye Research Farm;
- Support ALEI’s staff in the creation and administration of legal education resources and programs; and
- Support Hughes Center and ALEI staff in developing proposals for future projects.
- Be a licensed driver with their own reliable transportation; and
- Be able to attend regional events throughout the summer. Some weekend or evening hours may be required.
To Apply: Send your resume, cover letter and at least one academic and professional letter of recommendation and reference.
- Undergraduate students should send their application to Nancy Nunn at nnunn@umd.edu.
- Law students should send their application to Sarah Everhart at severhart@law.umaryland.edu.
Deadline to Apply: January 31, 2023
Founded in 1999, the Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology’s mission is to provide leadership to promote environmentally sound and economically viable agriculture and forestry as Maryland’s preferred land use through research, outreach and collaboration. The Russell Brinsfield Internship Program is named for the Center’s founding executive director, Dr. Russell Brinsfield.
About the Agriculture Law Education Initiative:
ALEI provides legal education and resources to Maryland’s farm community to explain agricultural law as it evolves to keep pace with the changing realities of farmers and the agricultural industry in the 21st century. An important part of this education is the network of natural resource protection laws that intersect with agriculture, helping to strengthen both farming and environmental quality.
For more information, including a video presentation of former interns’ work, visit go.umd.edu/BrinsfieldInternship
Former interns are currently completing graduating programs as well as pursuing careers in the sciences, private legal practice, environmental and agriculture policy, and governmental relations law.
“Through the Brinsfield internship, I learned how Maryland agriculturists, environmentalists, and policymakers are working together to both provide agricultural products to the state and protect its natural resources. The internship was a great opportunity to meet stakeholders across the state, and I have been able to apply several of the things I learned since it ended. I highly recommend this internship for anyone interested in agricultural or environmental law or policy,” Codi Coulter, 2021 law intern.
“We would have never had an experience like this had it not been for being housed at the Wye Research and Education Center. We were surrounded by so many amazing experts in so many fields, that opened so many doors for us, and we couldn’t be more thankful.” Danielle Naundorf, 2018 undergraduate intern.
“The Hughes Center brings different stakeholders to the table to work together and accomplish shared goals. After meeting with policymakers, farmers, lawyers, citizens and environmental advocates, I have come out of this internship with a better appreciation for the effectiveness of bringing people together,” Michael Marinelli, 2019 undergraduate intern.
“I connected with the mission of the Hughes Center of using solid research to help farmers make environmentally sound uses of their land that are also economically viable. As someone who came from a science background, I felt that the internship would be a good job for helping me tie together my past experience with my new career,” Liz Johnson, 2020 law intern.
To download the announcement above, click here