2026 RAY Fellowship Application

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Eligibility
Please note you will not be eligible for the RAY Fellowship Program if you meet any of the following items:
  • Undergraduate matriculation before Spring 2023
  • Start or completion of a graduate degree
  • Currently have or had a full-time role in the conservation or clean energy field
  • Are ineligible to work in the United States
Welcome to the essay portion of the application! Please submit the responses to each question in their respective submission boxes.

1. Dr. Roger Arliner Young, for whom the RAY Fellowship Program is named, was the first Black woman to earn a doctorate in zoology. Her path was shaped by pivotal life experiences and marked by perseverance as she balanced research, teaching, and the social and personal barriers she faced as a Black woman. Reflect on your own journey. What lived experiences have shaped your interest in conservation and clean energy? In what ways have these experiences prepared you for a career in the field, and how did they influence your decision to apply to the RAY Fellowship Program? (500 word limit)

2. Imagine the world seven generations from now, when humanity has solved our current environmental crises. What does your vision of this world look like? How is it different from our world today and what might be the same? What are some of the ways you contributed to these solutions, and how did the RAY Fellowship Program help to catalyze your leadership?


You may answer this prompt through any medium in which you express yourself best. Examples of submissions could be a painting, a photo diary, a poem or short story, an Instagram post, a X thread, a video essay, a 2-minute podcast, a visual portfolio, etc. There are no right or wrong answers, so be creative in how you show/tell your answer, and have fun!


Please submit your answer to this prompt via URL (shareable as a video, audio, or PDF file through Google Drive, YouTube, Vimeo, etc.).

  • For video or audio submissions, please limit to 2 minutes.
  • For non-video/audio or visual submissions, please limit any contextualizing description to 300 words.
  • For text-only submissions, please limit to 400 words.

3. Which RAY Fellowship position(s) are you most interested in? Why do you believe this position will help you grow professionally? How does this position align with your long term goals? Provide a short answer of no more than 250 words for each position you are interested in (up to three positions).

Thank you for being so interested in the RAY Fellowship Program. *Please note that your application will not be considered complete if you have not submitted a response to the above questions*

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