CEFS Graduate Fellows Program at NC State University

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Program Summary

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) NC State Graduate Fellows Program supports graduate students working to advance sustainable and resilient food and farming systems. Fellows receive professional development, networking opportunities and recognition as emerging leaders in agriculture and food systems.

CEFS is expanding the program to include Climate Fellows, a subset of fellows whose research focuses on climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience in agricultural and food systems.

These fellows contribute to CEFS’ efforts to address one of the most pressing challenges facing agriculture today.

Each year, CEFS may select 1–2 Graduate Fellows whose research directly addresses climate-related challenges in food and farming systems.

Examples of relevant research areas include:

  • Climate-smart agriculture
  • Soil carbon and soil health
  • Water and extreme weather resilience
  • Climate policy and food systems
  • Climate change impacts on communities

Applications are due Friday, July 31, 2026 at 11:59pm.

APPLY

There is funding for 3 new Fellows in 2026. At least one Fellow must be a PhD student, one must be a MS student, and at least one Fellow will be a Climate Fellow.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply to be a CEFS NC State Graduate Fellow, the qualifications below must be met:

  • Must be enrolled as a full-time graduate student at NC State University (US citizens, permanent residents and international students are eligible to apply); and
  • Completed one semester of a Master’s Degree Program at NC State University; OR
  • Completed one semester of a Doctoral Program at NC State University.

Stipend and Fellowship Tenure

  • A Master’s Student will be eligible for a one (1) year, $5,000 stipend to be used at the student’s discretion.
  • A Doctoral student will be eligible for a two (2) year, $5,000/year (total of $10,000) stipend to be used at the student’s discretion.
  • Stipends are disbursed twice a year and Fellows receive $2,500 each semester.

Fellowship Requirements

If selected as a CEFS NC State Graduate Fellow you will be expected to complete the following activities or forfeit your stipend. 

  • Present a brief oral presentation or poster presentation at one regularly-scheduled meeting of the CEFS Board of Advisors. 
  • Present a brief oral presentation or poster presentation at one regularly scheduled All -CEFS Meeting 
  • Coordinate/participate in one education or extension experience (such as being a TA, guest lecturing at a school, etc.).
  • Participate in one educational program or event with CEFS interns and/or apprentices.
  • Work together with the cohort of CEFS NC State Graduate Fellows to organize and coordinate a recruitment event/mixer for new/future CEFS NC State Graduate Fellows.
  • *Participate in one trip, coordinated by CEFS, to Washington D.C. to be exposed to sustainable agriculture and the food system at the policy / federal level (*if this happens during the year you are a Fellow)
  • *Write one op-ed, blog, or article or develop an educational video pertaining to your research on sustainable agriculture and food systems. (*PhD only)
  • Climate Fellows must contribute an educational or extension resource related to climate resilience as identified by the CEFS Climate Hub.

Application

The deadline for submission is Friday, July 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM. Please submit your application through the google form linked here.

The application consists of three main parts, described below:

    1. A signed Certification Form.
      Your Academic Advisor of record must complete and sign off on the Certification Form. The signed Certification Form must be included in your application packet.
    2. Current Enrollment Verification Certificate.
      To print/ save a copy of a certificate, follow the instructions below:

      1. Enter MyPack Portal – For Students
      2. Under “Academic Records,” click on “Enrollment Verification”
      3. This will take you to a separate web page; click on the first bullet (a green hyperlink “Obtain an enrollment certificate”). Make sure you have the “All Enrollment” radio button highlighted.
      4.  Save the document and submit it with your completed application and essay.
    3. Essay
      The essay should be 2 pages, single-spaced using 12-pt Arial font.
      The first page of the essay should be a synopsis, in layman’s terms, of the applicant’s research and how it supports sustainable agriculture and/or local and regional food systems.
      The second page should describe why the applicant wants to be a CEFS fellow and their future goals. Strong essays will include how CEFS’ programs and/or mission align with the applicant’s long-term goals.

For general questions, please contact: Dr. Angel Cruz at (919) 513-0954 or aecruz@ncsu.edu.

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) strives to design educational experiences and events that are accessible to all applicants and participants. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, CEFS will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. If you experience or anticipate experiencing any barriers to learning or participating in any of our programs please contact Dr. Angel Cruz at aecruz@ncsu.edu to confidentially discuss accommodations.