2026 Environment and Policy Internships (EPIC): California State Lands Commission (SLC)
Job Title: California State Lands Commission Intern
Department/Team: California State Lands Commission (specific team determined based on student’s interests)
Location: The Commission’s office is located at 100 Howe Avenue in Sacramento, CA. The position can be hybrid (one – three days in the office) or remote.
Duration: 35-40 hours per week for ten weeks over the summer
Reports to: Sheri Pemberton (Chief of External Affairs & Legislative Director) and Yessica Ramirez (Environmental Justice and Tribal Liaison)
Areas of Interest: Environmental Justice, natural climate solutions, offshore wind development, offshore oil and gas decommissioning, community engagement, communications, legislative work on environmental bills
About the California State Lands Commission:
The Commission, comprised of California’s Lieutenant Governor, State Controller, and Governor’s Director of Finance, is an independent and dynamic public land management agency that manages over 4 million acres of tide and submerged lands and the beds of navigable rivers, streams, lakes, bays, estuaries, inlets, and straits. These lands, often referred to as sovereign or public trust lands, stretch from the Klamath River and Goose Lake in the north to the Tijuana Estuary in the south, the Colorado River in the east, and from the Pacific Coast 3 miles offshore to the world-famous Lake Tahoe, and includes California’s two longest rivers, the Sacramento and San Joaquin. The Commission protects and enhances these lands and their natural resources by issuing leases for use, development, and environmental preservation, championing public access, and resolving boundaries between public and private land. The Commission is also a leader in oil and gas decommissioning, administers an oil spill prevention program, and protects state waters from invasive species introductions.
About the Team:
The student is supervised by the Chief of the External Affairs Division and the Environmental Justice and Tribal Liaison. The student will also work with other staff in the External Affairs Division, environmental scientists in the Commission’s Division of Environmental Science, Planning, and Management, attorneys in the Commission’s legal division, the Executive Office, and staff in other divisions. The External Affairs Division manages the Commission’s legislative program, communications, and social media. This includes a lot of interaction with legislative staff, lobbyists, the press, and collaboration with staff in other natural resource agencies and the Governor’s Office.
Many of the staff on the science team previously served as fellows for the Commission, and have a terrific background and depth of experience on the environmental policy issues that the Commission is focused on. The team’s goals flow from the Commission’s Strategic Plan, with a focus on access to public lands, climate change and sea-level rise, environmental justice, tribal relations, sustainable economic development, and environmental protection.
Position Description/Scope of Work:
While we list potential projects below, we want to make the internship as mutually beneficial and rewarding as possible. We envision an onboarding process with the opportunity to meet and learn about each division and various projects and then, together with the intern hosts, develop a portfolio of projects that will be worthwhile and interesting. We envision a mix of smaller, day-to-day projects and one bigger, long-term project spanning the length of the internship.
List of Potential Projects:
- Assist Commission staff with issues where science and policy interface and learn how staff navigate complex and politically sensitive issues, including adaptation to climate change and sea-level rise; equity and environmental justice in public land management; offshore wind energy development; plastic pollution reduction; transitioning to a fossil-free future; and offshore oil and gas decommissioning.
- Conduct research, collaborate with Commission staff and sister agencies, and support efforts to implement the Commission’s Environmental Justice Policy.
- Learn about the legislative process and experience it firsthand. Conduct legislative research, assist with writing bill analyses, testimony for committee hearings at the State Capitol, and staff reports for the public and commissioners. Participate in legislative discussions with legislative staff and lobbyists.
- Assist staff in a variety of divisions with projects that may involve oil and gas decommissioning, offshore wind energy development, waterfront redevelopment. and other emerging environmental public policy.
- Assist with developing social media content and updating the Commission’s website.
- Assist with developing press/media strategies and content.
Desired Skills/Qualifications:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Enthusiasm, curiosity, and a desire to learn and contribute
- Ability to think critically
- Self-motivated, self-starter
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Familiarity with Outlook, Microsoft Word, and other basic office programs
Logistics:
- EPIC fellows are required to work full-time (35-40 hours per week) for 10 weeks over the summer, and will receive a stipend of $8,000 - $9,500, depending on financial need. This stipend is intended to help cover living and transportation expenses during the fellowship, which the student is expected to arrange and coordinate.
- Internship Location: Preferably hybrid (1 – 2 days in our Sacramento office located at 100 Howe Avenue) but will consider fully remote or fully in-person options.
- Preferred start date is in mid-June 2026 (exact date to be agreed upon by you and the supervisor).
2025 Stanford EPIC Fellow: Katie Baik
2024 Stanford EPIC Fellow: Amber Leung
2023 Stanford EPIC Fellow: Sydney Guthrie
Eligibility:
Stanford undergraduates from all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply, and applicants may vary in academic interests, public service involvement, and experience. Learn more about our previous EPIC cohorts! Students must be enrolled for winter and spring quarters of this year and be in good academic standing to be eligible for a fellowship. Students may not be serving a suspension and may not be on a Leave of Absence (LOA).
Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors, and Co-terms are eligible; Graduating seniors cannot apply for the February deadline, and are ineligible for additional financial aid beyond the base stipend. Graduating seniors may apply if there is a Round 2 deadline in the spring quarter. All students, including co-term students, must be in the undergraduate billing group in spring quarter (this is important!). Student athletes should confirm the impact of any awarded stipend on their athletic eligibility by contacting the Compliance Services Office prior to submitting their application. Please refer to the Haas Center for Public Service's website for additional Cardinal Quarter Undergraduate Fellowship Program Policies and Requirements.
Note: students are only eligible for one Stanford-funded full-time experiential learning opportunity during the summer, and are not permitted to engage in another full-time internship, job, coursework, or volunteer opportunity. Students are responsible for arranging and paying for their own housing and transportation during the fellowship.
Requirements:
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Spring Quarter:
- Commit to working full-time (35-40 hours week) for 10 consecutive weeks
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Complete an online program orientation through the Haas Center for Public Service
- This will include designing a personal learning plan that you will share with your site supervisor and academic mentor
- Complete the Engaging in Ethical and Effective Service in-person workshop or worksheet
- If you are working internationally, complete the International Academy Canvas course, and participate in pre-departure orientation with Stanford Global Risk
- Meet with your assigned Stanford academic mentor at least once prior to the start of the fellowship (more check-ins during and after your experience are encouraged)
- Attend EPIC cohort building events and activities in spring quarter, as your schedule allows
- Complete and submit all required forms and paperwork
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Summer Quarter:
- Engage in your full-time fellowship (starting no later than July 6, 2026; exact start date to be determined with your site supervisor)
- Attend EPIC cohort building events and activities in the summer, as your schedule allows
- Submit a mid-summer evaluation
- Submit a final project report, complete a program evaluation, and correspond with donor(s) as requested by program staff
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Fall Quarter:
- Debrief with your academic mentor at least once
- Attend a de-briefing meeting for the purpose of reflecting upon and evaluating summer experiences
- Participate in outreach activities to share your experiences and help publicize the program
*Failure to complete any of the requirements may result in the student's stipend being rescinded in part or in full.
Fundamental Standard:
Violations of Undergraduate Fellowships program policies are violations of the Fundamental Standard and may be referred to the Office of Community Standards. Students who fail to abide by the policies set forth by the Undergraduate Fellowships Program, the Haas Center for Public Service, and Stanford University will have low/no priority for future Haas Center funding opportunities and programs. The Haas Center reserves the right to rescind funding at any given point and time should they be apprised of any policy violations as outlined above.
More information about this fellowship opportunity is available through Cardinal Quarter. This program is one of more than 500 Cardinal Quarter opportunities through which Stanford students pursue a full-time summer or quarter-long public service experience with Stanford support. Check out Stanford University's Cardinal Service site.
