This summer, 35 McKinney Climate Fellows—Indiana University undergraduate and graduate students interested in sustainability career experiences—dispersed across the state to support the sustainability and resilience goals of Indiana and Midwest-based nonprofits, local governments, and businesses. In total, the fellows contributed more than 13,000 hours to Indiana's sustainability and resilience.
Administered by the IU Environmental Resilience Institute, the McKinney Climate Fellows (MCF) program 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, energy audits, community tree planting plans, grant writing, marketing, and more.
Check out the photos below to get a glimpse of how fellows spent their summers.
(Top, on right) Sandip Sarker partnered with the Indiana Energy Independence Fund to research Indiana solar tariffs and utility rate structures. (Bottom left) Bea Burton drafted an urban forest master plan with the City of Evansville. (Bottom right) Kyla Peter contributed to several projects at Cummins, Inc., including a pollution prevention solutions library, a guide on how to host events without single-use plastic, and emission factors research.
(Left) Anna Wagner worked with the Shirley Heinze Land Trust to create actionable strategies for nature-based solutions that address climate challenges in the Calumet region. (Top right) Rucha Deshmukh partnered with Dearborn County Planning & Zoning to advance the county's comprehensive plan, with a focus on climate and resilience. (Bottom right, far right) Ben Schweitzer spent his summer in Michigan City with Save the Dunes, where he worked on the Conservation Action Plan Database, researched environmental measures and gaps, and wrote a programmatic grant for a local community foundation.
(Top) Hannah Jones partnered with the City of Evansville, where she assembled 220 cooling kits to keep residents safe and comfortable during heat waves. (Bottom left) Priscilla Boateng spent her summer with the Lake Monroe Water Fund developing a communications strategy to promote financial assistance to replace or fix failed septic systems in the Lake Monroe watershed. (Bottom right, front) Joshua Pine worked alongside the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water where he created interactive career cards to promote opportunities in the water and wastewater sectors and developed an advanced Wellhead Protection Plan tool using ArcGIS Experience Builder.
(Left) Stefan Boes worked with Dearborn County to develop an urban forest master plan. (Right) Katie Koening (right) worked with the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments and Nahian Islam (left) spent the summer with the City of Indianapolis Office of Sustainability.
(Top, photo by Abra Richardson/Mirror Indy) Taylor Stout developed an urban forest master plan with the City of Lawrence. (Bottom left, center) Diana Zebroski partnered with the City of South Bend to turn raw data about the community's trees into an equitable tree planting plan. (Bottom right) Ellie Albin spent her summer with the Brown County Soil & Water Conservation District, developing a marketing package and educational materials.
(Top left, left) Alexandra Stellrecht worked to create an equitable tree planting plan for the City of Lafayette. (Top right) Anjani Dent conducted research to help the City of Carmel track energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions associated with city buildings and facilities. (Bottom) Katherine Melbert contributed to the Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District's Conservation Academy, an initiative designed to help local residents better understand conservation, natural resources, soil health, water quality, and local environmental issues.
(Top left, from left) Stephanie Smith, Lauren Maki,Carlos Santacruz Pantoja, ERI staff member Marie Renahan, and Lucca Stinchi Kohl spent the summer with the Indiana Resilience Funding Hub, collaborating with rural communities on grant opportunities. (Top right) Riley Welsh honed a mix of technical and policy skills to promote clean air, water, and energy policy on behalf of Indiana Conservation Voters. (Bottom) The 2026 cohort of McKinney Climate Fellows.
Featured media of 2026 McKinney Climate Fellows
The McKinney Climate Fellows program, administered by the IU Environmental Resilience Institute, is made possible by the McKinney Family Foundation, Broad Ripple Ice Cream Station, the U.S. Forest Service, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Community and Urban Forestry program, and ERI donors.
About the Environmental Resilience Institute
Indiana University's Environmental Resilience Institute bridges academia, applied research, and community resilience to deliver the science-informed, equity-centered solutions needed to flourish in a changing climate. Through community partnerships, transformative research, and immersive learning, ERI is creating a more sustainable and prosperous future. Learn more at eri.iu.edu.
