The Practicum

For the practicum experience, students will work on climate change topics within local organizations, both within Whatcom County and the Methow Valley. Students who need internship credits for their degrees may enroll in up to 8 credits as part of these positions.

A person working in a vegetable garden, harvesting crops with greenhouses in the background on a sunny day.

The Positions and Their Locations

Local organizations will host positions in Whatcom County, and the Methow Valley. Please see below for organizations that have hosted in the past, and short summaries of what some of those positions looked like. Organizations and positions for Cohort 6 are still in development, so check back soon! The positions will focus on climate justice and the four pillars of sustainability (social justice, environmental vitality, economic equity, and health and well-being). Some projects students have worked on include, — energy and transportation solutions, sustainable food systems, climate action planning, and well-being.

Bellingham:

City of Bellingham: Researching program implementation related to the City’s Climate Action Plan
City Sprouts Farm : Hands-on work in small-scale sustainable agriculture, working to mitigate food desert effects
Common Threads Farm: Facilitating “seed to table” summer camps for kids
Kulshan Carbon Trust: Implementing and assessing the carbon drawdown value of a biochar pilot project
RE Sources: planning and executing a Whatcom County Youth Climate Summit for high schoolers
Sustainable Connections: Working with the Energy and Green Building program, and the Toward Zero Waste program
Whatcom County Department of Health and Community Services: Executing a food landscape assessment of East Whatcom County
York Community Farm: Learning regenerative organic farming practices through a community supported agriculture program

Methow Valley:

Classroom in Bloom : Facilitating experiential learning of food systems and environmental sciences for K-12 students
Foundation for Youth Resiliency and Engagement (FYRE) : Exploring community funding models for supporting local service programs
Home Range Wildlife Research: Field research to support climate change-threatened local wildlife
Methow Beaver Project: engaging in hands-on riparian habitat restoration and educational outreach
Methow Recycles : Creating and implementing a residential compost drop off program for Methow Valley residents
Methow Valley Trails Collaborative: Hands-on trail maintenance, educational and volunteer outreach for co-management and stewardship of the Methow Valley trail system
Mid-Valley Hospital : Identifying and developing models to address food insecurity in the Methow Valley community
Mountain Annex: research on feasibility, carbon and energy impact for an innovative sustainable housing project
Okanogan County Community Action Council: Researching the feasibility of the Sustainability Community Food Center project via a county wide food system assessment.
Okanogan County Electric Cooperative: developing a community energy efficiency program
Resilient Methow: Community-tailored educational outreach and creating a progress dashboard for the Methow Valley Climate Action Plan
Town of Twisp: researching and implementing efforts to increase tree canopy and improve community air quality in Twisp, in accordance with the Community Climate Action Pla
Town of Winthrop : Comprehensive Plan implementation around street connectivity, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and housing affordability

Timing

Most positions will align with the summer quarter schedule, beginning June 21^st and ending August 19th. Depending on the needs of the organization, these dates may shift, expand, or compress, slightly, but the number of total hours will remain the same. These details will be posted when the final position descriptions are published.

Pay

Each position is paid. It will be paid for 24 hours/week for 10 weeks, for a total of 220-240 hours. For reference, Summer 2025 compensation was $18.28 per hour. Summer 2026 compensation will be determined prior to the practicum.

Housing

For the positions based in Whatcom County, housing will not be provided.
For the positions based in the Methow Valley, modest housing will be provided.

Co-curricular Activities

Expense Paid Place-Based Orientation

A group of people sitting in a meadow, engaging in a discussion, with mountains and trees in the background on a cloudy day.

During winter 2026, students will participate in a weekend-long place-based orientation. The orientation will introduce key concepts and skills in leadership, climate change science, and sustainability principles. Transportation, meals, and any other programmatic costs will be covered during this orientation.
During summer 2026, students will complete 1-2 day practicum orientations in both Bellingham (during the week between spring and summer quarters) and the Methow Valley (in mid-summer). These orientations will provide a comparative understanding of localized sustainability and climate work in these regions. Exact dates and locations to be announced.

Summer community forums

Throughout the practicum period, students will meet weekly with their local cohort members (in either Whatcom County or the Methow Valley) to share experiences, reflect on professional growth, and visit a range of local sustainability-oriented organizations.