Freshwater Collaborative:

High School Freshwater Summer Scholars Internship Program

120 hours over the course of the summer

The High School Freshwater Summer Scholars internship program provides students with opportunities for exploration and engagement with water science through participation in UW-Green Bay research projects with stipend support. Students are matched through an application and interview process with a UW-Green Bay mentor engaged in freshwater-centered research. Mentors may be faculty/staff, graduate students, or a qualified undergraduate under the supervision of a faculty/staff member. Specific projects and activities will be determined by the mentorship team, and may take place in the field and/or laboratory settings on any of the four UWGB campuses or a partnering organization.

In addition to the research project, students will have enhanced opportunities to explore water science careers and research through field trips and presentations. Participating students will be invited to present a poster of their work at the annual Lakeshore Water Summit, held on the Manitowoc campus in October 2025.

Students selected for the program will receive a stipend of $1500, paid in three installments, to participate in 120 hours of active research over the course of the program. Student/mentor teams may choose to include hours spent outside of the summer as part of the 120 hours—for example, preparing and giving presentations of the work.

Transportation to research sites will be provided but students will need to have or arrange their own transportation to campus or partnering site to meet their mentor. A campus parking pass will be provided. Housing is not provided.

Many of our experiences include laboratory and outdoor work. Applicants should comfortable working outdoors and willing to work in all safe weather conditions and occasional long/irregular hours. 

Eligibility
Students currently enrolled in high school, including seniors who are graduating in Spring 2024, are eligible for this program. For Spring 2025 graduates, students enrolling in a UW-System school will be given priority, however, all are encouraged to apply. Students completing their freshman through junior years this spring will be considered equally regardless of current postsecondary plans. Students with any academic interest in any discipline and from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply
The online application is closed. Please check back around March 2025 when the next cycle will open

Applicants will be reviewed and interviewed by the UW-Green Bay Freshwater Collaborative Pre-College Experience panel with the collaboration of potential mentors. Accepted students will be placed into programs based on their rankings and availability of positions. Applications should be submitted by April 15, 2025 for guaranteed consideration. Someone from the team will be in contact with applicants by early May.

Freshwater Educator Network

A network of educators to facilitate programming within communities in the 16 county UW-Green Bay footprint and connect water-related work in high schools to UW-Green Bay/UW System campuses. Field experiences will immerse students and/or teachers in water science to get them on the water and out on the landscape in their own communities. For example, a workshop might have participants follow a “drop of water” from agricultural land (e.g., high inputs of nonpoint pollutants) to the urban environment (e.g., high impervious surface challenges) to the bay of Green Bay.

Become a Part of the Network

Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin

Partnering to train the next generation of water professionals to meet the challenges of the future.

Wisconsinites are blessed with an abundance of rivers, streams and lakes that provide us with safe drinking water, access to recreational activities and thousands of jobs. We must ensure Wisconsin’s water resources are reliable for generations to come.  

The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, a partnership of Wisconsin’s 13 public universities, is working to:

• Provide UW System-wide programs, internships and research opportunities that teach students real-world skills
• Create a workforce of talented water professionals trained to meet the water challenges of the future
• Fund innovative, collaborative research to solve Wisconsin’s 10 Grand Water Challenges
• Engage industry partners, local communities, policymakers and advocacy groups in the effort to support career opportunities in fresh water

UW-Green Bay is a member of the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, a partnership that provides students with opportunities for water-related coursework, hands-on experiences, internships and research opportunities at campuses throughout the UW-System. Learn more at freshwater.wisconsin.edu

Contact Us

For general questions about the Freshwater Collaborative, please contact Emily Tyner at tynere@uwgb.edu.

For questions about the Summer Scholar program or Educator Network, please contact Samantha Betancur at betancus@uwgb.edu.