Application for the 2026 Fellow Program can be found HERE.
Application Description
We are pleased to announce four Island Campus Summer Research Fellowships for 2026. Island Campus Fellows will work a minimum of 350 hours over the summer at a level III wage. Students will live on Allen Island while conducting independent research half time. The other half of the job supports Island Campus programming by greeting island visitors, serving as an educational resource, and helping to maintain the islands.
Fellows must identify a specific research project in collaboration with a Colby faculty or staff mentor. Research must centrally incorporate elements of the islands’ place, history, or community. For example, research on island intertidal ecology, ornithology, climate, the lobster fishery, marine trash, sustainable gardening, energy systems, photography, sculpture, architecture, creative writing, historical preservation, art history, and Native American history would all be considered. Examples from summer 2025 can be found on the Colby Island Campus website.
Support of island programming will require working with the islands’ professional staff. Support tasks will include greeting and guiding island visitors, painting, mowing, trail maintenance, and other jobs as assigned. Summer Fellows must be comfortable working on and near the water. Having a clean driving record (and the ability to become Colby driver-certified) is strongly preferred.
Student Research Fellows will live full-time on the islands rent-free in comfortable accommodations and will be responsible for purchasing and cooking their own meals. Transport by boat to and from the islands is included in living expenses. Fellows will be able to work with island staff to access the mainland as needed (within reason) for personal appointments, grocery shopping, and time-off travel. Applicants should submit here a cover letter, resume, one page description of their proposed research project, and endorsement letter by their research mentor. The cover letter should address the applicant’s ability to do independent research work with low (or mostly remote) supervision, experience and/or willingness to perform physically demanding work, and ability to work collaboratively in small groups and/or in remote locations. Endorsement letters can be attached to the application or forwarded directly by the research mentor to Whitney King ([email protected]). Applications are due on March 14, 2025 at 11:59pm.
Students interested in learning more about this opportunity are encouraged to contact Whitney King, [email protected], in advance of the application deadline. Current students will have priority in the hiring process, although graduating seniors with particularly strong research proposals will be considered.