This summer, 35 McKinney Climate Fellows — Indiana University undergraduate and graduate students interested in sustainability career experiences — embedded across the state to help Indiana and Midwest-based organizations advance climate and resilience goals.
Part of the IU Environmental Resilience Institute’s McKinney Midwest Climate Project, McKinney Climate Fellows (MCF) connects IU students with local governments, businesses, and nonprofits in need of sustainability support. From late May to early August, fellows contributed to a wide range of projects, including community outreach, waste audits, community tree planting plans, and more.
Check out the photos below to get a glimpse of how fellows spent the summer contributing to sustainability efforts.
(Left) Jamie Comerford-Barnett partnered with Solar United Neighbors to schedule and staff events across Indiana, sharing educational resources about solar energy. (Top right) Lucy Swenson worked with the City of Evansville and Evansville Climate Collaborative to showcase the benefits of energy-efficient heat pumps. (Bottom right) Caroline Pennington helped Newfields conduct a waste audit and manage invasive species on the 152-acre campus.
(Top) Sophie DeWael created a sustainability dashboard and wrote a successful grant on behalf of Second Helpings in Indianapolis. (Bottom left) Annika Swanson helped launch the Indiana Energy Independence Fund's residential loan program and conducted outreach. (Bottom right) Nisha Sarwar contributed to the the Indiana Toll Road's 2025 Global Real Estate Sustainability submission.
(Top left) Aparna Mathew (left) worked with the City of Terre Haute engineering department on a city-wide transit infrastructure improvement project. (Top right) Rahul Durai spent the summer gathering mayors' perspectives on public transit issues on behalf of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus in Chicago. (Bottom) Emerson Wells partnered with the Town of Culver this summer to develop a community tree planting plan, including along the Lake Maxinkuckee shoreline.
(Left) Members of the Community Resilience Hub Incubator and Indiana Resilience Funding Hub teams worked with rural communities to identify funding opportunities and develop resilience projects. (Top right) Bronwyn Meldrum spent her summer educating community members about the benefits of heat pumps in Indianapolis. (Bottom right) Bashir Salisu spent his summer with Cummins, a global leader in power solutions.
(Top) Ava Benvenutti contributed to the sustainabilty goals of the Indianapolis Public Library this summer. (Bottom left) Noel Baker partnered with the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments to work on a comprehensive climate action plan. (Bottom right) Grayce Klayer spent the summer in her home county of Dearborn, where she led development of a community tree planting plan.
(Top left) Cameron Schilling partnered with the City of South Bend to promote heat pumps as a viable heating and cooling solution for commercial and residential buildings. (Top right) Sunmoyee Das supported the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to strengthen local preparedness across the state. (Bottom) Prior to starting their placements, the 2025 McKinney Climate Fellows attended Climate Camp at the IU Bloomington campus.
Featured media of 2025 McKinney Climate Fellows
"ERI, Groundswell partnering to boost resilience of Hoosier communities to extreme weather, energy costs," with McKinney Climate Fellows, ERI News, July 10, 2025
"Business student’s sustainability knowledge blooms at Newfields," with Caroline Pennington, ERI News, July 15, 2025
"My Summer in South Bend," with Cameron Schilling, Sustainability in South Bend, July 24, 2025
"McKinney Climate Fellow's summer reflection," with Caroline Pennington, Newfields, Aug. 8, 2025
"DeWael boosts sustainability initiatives at Second Helpings," with Sophie DeWael, ERI News, Aug. 21, 2025
"From 'lights out' to lighting the way," with Anasthascia Boateng, Groundswell, Aug. 27, 2025
"IU Southeast junior’s summer fellowship a win for Indiana’s environment," with Owen Harmon, IU Southeast News, Aug. 27, 2025
"Climate fellows help Indiana communities warm up to heat pumps," with Lucy Swenson, Bronwyn Meldrum, Cooper Kleinmaier, and Cameron Schilling," ERI News, Sept. 9, 2025
"Benvenutti sparks climate conversations at Indianapolis Public Library," with Ava Benvenutti, ERI News, Sept. 26, 2025
The McKinney Climate Fellows program, administered by the IU Environmental Resilience Institute, is made possible by the McKinney Family Foundation, Energy Foundation, Rural Climate Partnership, Cummins, Inc., the Indianapolis Airport Authority, Interface, Broad Ripple Ice Cream Station, and ERI donors.
About the Environmental Resilience Institute
Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute connects a broad coalition of government, business, nonprofit, and community leaders to help Indiana and the Midwest better prepare for the challenges of environmental change. Together, we integrate research, education, and community to create environmental resilience and climate solutions—building a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. Learn more at eri.iu.edu.
