Community Engaged Internship

Eligibility

Undergraduate student who is currently enrolled at a 2- to 4-year college or institution in Texas.

Program Overview

The goal of the Community Engaged Internship Program is to broaden the reach of participation in coastal and marine professions by providing training and mentorship to undergraduate students via an 8 – 10 week summer internship project that will be guided by a TXSG Extension Staff Mentor who will engage the TXSG-CEI intern in projects in field work, extension, outreach and/or public engagement. The National Sea Grant Program’s vision for the undergraduate Community Engaged Internship Program, is a future where all communities that Sea Grant serves can participate in and benefit from an environmentally sound and socially responsible local economy.

Details and requirements of internships vary by the specific TXSG-CEI Projects listed at the lower section of this webpage. There will be 4 projects with separate project links for applying. Application Project links are currently TBD and will be provided on this webpage below and in the funding opportunity release notification by February 2, 2026. Applications are due February 27, 2026 and results will be emailed to the applicant by April 15, 2026.

Link to funding opportunity: National Sea Grant’s Undergraduate Community Engaged Internship Funding Opportunity

Texas Sea Grant TXSG-CEI Stipend for 2026: $6,000.
The stipend is to be used by the intern based on their realistic needs and the project’s scope of work requirements and timeline, in coordination and advisement with the Texas Sea Grant Extension Program Mentor.

TXSG-CEI Project selection will be determined by the applicant’s interest by applying to a specific TXSG-CEI Project link, application quality, skills, interest and experience, coupled with the understanding of the location of the project and applicant’s ability to re-locate for the 8-10 week term. Housing arrangements will be made by TXSG on behalf of the intern prior to initiation of payment of balance of stipend, to be paid in 2-equal installments, by June 1 and by July 1, 2026. 

Application Content

ONE compiled PDF consisting of the following 3 elements compiled in the following order:

1. CV – (2-page limit) detailed education and work experience;
2. Goal Statement – (1-page-limit) emphasize your interest and how the internship opportunity will further your career goals; Required: state which project and location to which you have a specific interest; and
3. One Letter of Recommendation – (1-page-limit) from a previous employer, current academic mentor, or a professor/instructor. Letter must be on the referee’s letterhead stationery, dated, and signed.

Application Tips

• All application elements must be submitted in one combined PDF document in the exact sequential order as noted above;
• Format: recommend 12 point font; 1” margins on all documents;
• Ensure that the signature of the referee’s letter remains after converting to PDF; note that sometimes the signature disappears when converting a Word document to a PDF.
  • Best practice:  after the electronic signature is signed in a PDF, then “flatten” the document by printing to Adobe PDF (rather than to a printer), which saves the original letter and signature within the PDF;
  • Then, combine all documents together in the 1 PDF for submission in the above order.

More Info

• Expectation of intern: The TXSG-CEI Internship is a 10-week program based on a full-time 40-hour workweek.
• The stipend of $6,000 equates to $15/hour. Housing arrangements, if needed, will be administered by TXSG on behalf of the intern, prior to initiation of payment of balance of the stipend, to be paid in 2- equal installments, by June 1 and by July 1, 2026.

This summer’s interns will be working on the following projects; click on the project link to apply:

• 1 intern will work in the Corpus Christi area, assisting on the project ….
  Apply by clicking on this project link: _______________
• 1 intern will work in the Galveston area assisting on the project…
  Apply by clicking on this project link: _______________
• 1 intern will work in the _________ area assisting on the project…
  Apply by clicking on this project link: _______________

CEI: https://seagrant.noaa.gov/Community-Engaged-Internship

Sea Grant: https://seagrant.noaa.gov/

For more information specific to the TXSG-CEI program, please contact Mia Zwolinski, Texas Sea Grant Research Coordinator, at mzwolinski@tamu.edu.