Cornell Climate Stewards Program

The Cornell Climate Stewards Program is a 12-week training program for adults who want to work with their communities on a local climate action project. Once completing the twelve weeks of training, volunteers agree to contribute 40 hours over 1-year to complete a local climate community project to help their municipality become a “Climate Smart Community” in New York State. The Cornell Climate Stewards Program provides New York residents with the tools and network to help increase adaptation at a local level and increase mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHGs). The Mission of the Cornell Climate Stewards Program provides cutting-edge and research-based training of volunteers who can support their communities to become “Climate Smart Communities” by planning and implementing climate change mitigation, adaptation, and education projects at the local level. The Vision of the Cornell Climate Stewards Program builds stakeholder capacity and works toward a future where communities are resilient in the face of a rapidly changing climate and have reduced their impacts on the climate system.

Roles and responsibilities 

The intern will collaborate directly with Climate Stewards volunteers to gather information on their projects and assist volunteers in their projects. Develop, with Climate Steward Volunteers, presentations for the public. Promote program on social media. Help to organize Climate Stewards Volunteer Database. Reach Climate Stewards to rural Monroe County Organize, with climate stewards, a fundraiser for the program to support volunteer projects. Participate in CCE Monroe Horticulture team meetings and all-staff meetings.

Qualifications and previous coursework

This opportunity was made available to non-graduating students enrolled in Cornell University's CAS, ILR, AAP, COE and JCB.

  • Organization 
  • IT/ Microsoft office skills
  • Coordination 
  • Knowledge on Climate Change Science and Impacts (will be trained more) 
  • Teamwork/ Problem solving. 
  • Leadership ability 
  • Willing to continue to learn
  • Working with diverse populations

Learning outcomes 

  • How to lead a group of volunteers
  • Solutions to climate change on the community level
  • Working with local municipalities
  • Running meetings
  • Will learn the climate steward's curriculum and receive climate steward's certificate
  • Organizing a fundraiser
  • Practice in climate mitigation and climate adaptation strategies.