BEFORE STARTING YOUR APPLICATION, YOU NEED:

Current Resume or Professional Vitae
Transcript (Official or Unofficial) - Documentation of your participation in your academic or training program
Essay (see webpage for prompts)
One Letter of Recommendation

All documents are required to be considered for the Rising Solar Power Fellowship.

Please review the benefits and program details of the Rising Solar Power Fellowship here.

Rising Solar Power Fellowship Eligibility Requirements:

The Solar Power Fellowship is available to anyone meeting all of these requirements:

Aged 18 or older,
Identifying as a woman or marginalized gender,
Currently enrolled as a student OR a recent graduate of a college, university, or technical certificate program (including graduate degree programs and installer training programs), and is not yet working full time in the industry,
Must be located in the United States at the time of the fellowship,
Must be planning to pursue a renewable energy career in the United State and will benefit most if interested in the solar industry specifically.

Fellowship applicants may be interested in any sector of renewable energy, including academic, manufacturing, technical, consulting, engineering, finance, and more.

NOTE: Current GRID Alternatives SolarCorps Fellows are not eligible for this fellowship.

Schedule of Rising Solar Fellowship Cohort

The Rising Solar Fellowship will take place over the course of 2 months (8/17 - 10/5). Please be aware of fellowship meeting dates and times when you apply:

August 12 or 14, 2024, 12-1pm ET: Virtual Meeting
August 26 28, 2024, 12-1pm ET: Virtual Meeting
September 4, 2024, 12-1pm ET: Virtual Meeting

September 9-12, 2024: RE+ Conference, Anaheim, CA (In-Person)

September 25, 2024, 12-1pm ET: Virtual Meeting
October 9, 2024, 12-1pm ET: Virtual Meeting

Do you have any other commitments (academic, professional, personal) that may affect your availability for the fellowship?

Yes, I have other commitments that may affect my availability these day(s).No, I will be available these dates.

If yes, please describe your commitments and impacts on availability during the dates listed above.

Confirm Fellowship Eligibility

I have read the eligibility requirements for the Solar Power Fellowship. By checking this box, I confirm my eligibility.

*If at any point after you have submitted your application, you realize that you can no longer participate in the fellowship, please email us at fellowships@wrisenergy.org to let us know ASAP.

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First Name

Last Name

Email

Alternate Email

Phone

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

School/Training Program (Currently attending or most recently attended)

Highest level of education completed

Major or Program Focus

Graduation Date / Expected Graduation Date

Are you currently employed?

YesNo

Employer

Position Title/Role

Please provide a link to your LinkedIn profile (please type n/a if you don't have a LinkedIn)

Essay Question

Please choose ONE of the following essay topics and write a well-organized essay of 750 - 1750 words. Your essay should be reflective, insightful, and demonstrate your ability to think critically and express yourself effectively.

Option 1: In the ever-evolving renewable energy sector, particularly within Solar Energy, organizations are increasingly seeking innovative solutions to address pressing challenges. Could you identify a specific challenge or issue within the realm of solar energy that you are eager to tackle as you seek a career in Solar Energy?

Option 2: The solar energy sector offers immense potential to catalyze positive change and address pressing societal and environmental challenges. Reflecting on your aspirations and values, please articulate the impact you hope to achieve within your community or society through your involvement in the solar energy sector. How do you envision leveraging your skills, knowledge, and passion to contribute to a more sustainable future and empower others to embrace renewable energy solutions?

Option 3: Solar energy has emerged as a key player in the global transition to renewable energy sources. Describe a moment or experience that sparked your interest in solar energy and the renewable industry. How has this interest evolved over time, and what steps have you taken to deepen your understanding of solar technology, its benefits, and its challenges? Reflect on your vision for the future of solar energy and its potential to address environmental issues and reshape the energy landscape.

Application Documentation (all documents MUST be submitted as a PDF)

Note: if you have questions about what qualifies as documentation, please email fellowships@wrisenergy.org

Current resume or professional vitae (upload as a PDF)

Transcript (official or unofficial) Official transcripts or other documentation of your participation in your training program - participation certificate, etc. Upload as a PDF.

One Letter of Recommendation. Upload as a PDF

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

We want to ensure we’re as inclusive as possible when considering candidacy for this fellowship. If you would like to share your gender, pronouns, and race/ethnicity, as well as anything else about your identity that would help contribute to diversity in this field, please let us know below.

If you aren’t comfortable answering these questions, simply leave the fields blank. Declining to answer any of these questions will not impact your selection.

Gender Identity

Racial Identity:

Pronouns

Which of these communities/identities, if any, do you identify with? [Check all that apply]

Do you have any accessibility needs you'd like to share with us?

Please share any additional information you'd like us to know here:

Application Review & Next Steps

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Demonstrated interest in renewable energy;
Academic and/or vocational achievement;
Work and Volunteer Experience;
Potential for future contributions to the U.S. Renewable Energy Community;
Financial need

Next Steps:

Applications close June 15, 2024.
Selection Committee reviews applications.
Selection Committee schedules interviews with second round candidates.
Selection Committee makes final decisions and notifies candidates.

All candidates will be responded to by July 31, 2024.

2024 Rising Solar Fellowship Application