Applications Open for 2010 Cohort of Kinship Conservation Fellows

 

CHICAGO, IL, November 2, 2009 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Kinship Conservation Fellows has announced that applications are now available for its ninth cohort of Fellows. Eighteen applicants will be selected to participate in the program to be held at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington from June 22nd through July 23rd, 2010.

To date, Kinship has honored 139 individuals representing 33 countries and 6 continents through its innovative fellowship. This elite program multiplies the impact of select mid-career conservation practitioners by infusing its participants with a deep understanding of business and economics principles, as well as an adaptive framework for leading through today’s tough challenges.

Unlike tuition-driven programs, Kinship Conservation Fellows awards each participant with a $6,000 stipend, as well as lodging and meals for one month. Kinship believes that investing in Fellows on this level adds value to individual capacities, which in turn strengthens organizations and the conservation community as a whole.

Evidence of this approach’s success can be seen in the achievements of Fellows such as M.D. Madhudsudan, a 2008 Kinship Conservation Fellow and 2009 recipient of the Whitley Award, or 2005 Fellows Nigel Asquith and Maria Teresa Vargas, featured in the BBC World News Earth Report.

Central to the Kinship Conservation Fellows application process, prospective candidates submit a project proposal for development over the month-long program in the Pacific Northwest. Kinship’s specialized coursework composed of interactive sessions, working groups, fieldtrips, and formal and informal mentoring with faculty from the frontlines brings these project proposals to life.

Armed with the insight acquired over the month-long residential immersion and guided by a community of peers and advisors, Fellows of the Kinship program reenter the field with fully formulated and fresh perspectives on their work and a strong global network of support.

“The Kinship experience is a unique combination of classroom learning and practical application, emphasizing both conservation and organizational management and leadership tools,” says faculty and advisory board member Ruth Norris. “But what makes it a life- and career-changing experience, Fellows have told us over the years, is that Fellows come together as a community to combine their diverse talents and support each other, to work out solutions to their immediate challenges, but also long beyond Bellingham. It’s inspiring to be a part of this, and to see the results.”

Kinship Conservation Fellows’ residential fellowship award focused on applied market-based principles traverses international and disciplinary boundaries unlike any other program available. To learn more and apply online, visit www.KinshipFellows.org. The application deadline is January 18, 2010.

ABOUT KINSHIP
In 2006, Kinship Conservation Fellows became the new name for the groundbreaking program that launched in 2001 as the Kinship Conservation Institute. Kinship’s mission is to develop a community of leaders dedicated to applying market-based principles to environmental issues.

For more information about Kinship Conservation Fellows contact Sarah Gildea Knobloch at (847) 714-1702, Sarah.Gildea@kinshiptrustco.com

For more information, please visit: http://www.KinshipFellows.org