McKinney Climate Fellows develop career skills while supporting Hoosier communities
As a McKinney Climate Fellow, Caroline Pennington helped Newfields conduct a waste audit and manage invasive species on the 152-acre campus. Photo courtesy of Newfields
Working with businesses, nonprofits or local governments, each fellow contributed to projects that both supported local organizations and advanced their own professional goals.
Administered by IU’s Environmental Resilience Institute , McKinney Climate Fellows connects undergraduate and graduate students to full-time, paid summer positions to work on climate, energy and community resilience projects. IU students are encouraged to apply for the summer 2026 cohort now through Nov. 1.
Growing sustainability knowledge at Newfields
For Caroline Pennington, a Kelley School of Business student, becoming a McKinney Climate Fellow was a chance to align her interest in economic consulting with her commitment to sustainability. At Newfields — the 152-acre campus that includes the Indianapolis Museum of Art — Pennington spent her summer conducting a waste audit and working with staff to improve recycling and composting efforts.
“When applying for internships and professional development experiences, I knew that I wanted something more out of the ordinary for business students, but something that still meant a lot to me,” she said. “When one of my professors told me about McKinney Climate Fellows, I jumped at the chance to apply.”
In addition to the waste audit, Pennington worked with Newfields’ natural resources department to remove invasive plant species and plant more native species throughout the grounds. Each day, she relished walking the grounds, with forested paths, gardens and fountains.
“It’s just a beautiful place to be,” she said.
Supporting rural resilience through community engagement
IU Southeast junior Owen Harmon said the McKinney Climate Fellows opened his eyes to the role students can play in supporting rural communities.
Owen Harmon, a McKinney Climate Fellow and member of the Indiana Resilience Funding Hub team
“I believe that the most important thing I learned from my internship is that change starts on such a small scale, and that just one person or a small group can do so much to bring about positive change,” he said.
Harmon, who is majoring in geoscience with a minor in sustainability, said the program gave him his first taste of working in a professional environment and the confidence to pursue future career paths.
“It taught me that it’s not so scary working with professionals in the field, and that at the end of the day we’re all the same, just people,” he said.
Cutting food waste, boosting energy efficiency
At Second Helpings, an Indianapolis nonprofit that turns surplus food into thousands of meals each year, IU Bloomington student Sophie DeWael showcased a mix of technical and operational skills.
McKinney Climate Fellow Sophie DeWael created a sustainability dashboard and wrote a successful grant on behalf of Second Helpings. Photo courtesy of Second Helpings
“She fit right in with the culture here and really got to work,” said Nora Spitznogle, Second Helpings’ chief program officer.
DeWael’s dashboard now helps the nonprofit measure emissions reductions, track waste diversion and set future sustainability goals. The experience reaffirmed her interest in sustainable food systems and showed her the power of local action.
“There are so many ways to improve sustainability in the community around you,” she said.