Croton Harmon High School Class of 2022

Working as an intern for Sustainable Westchester was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my senior year of high school. I hope to study environmental science in the future, so getting involved with a sustainability group in Westchester was both a great way to be involved with my community and to get experience before college. In addition, while interning for Sustainable Westchester, I found a new passion of mine! I was given the opportunity to edit testimonial videos for the Sustainable Westchester website and I quickly found that I enjoyed learning how to edit and I was able to cultivate a new skill. Not only was my work here rewarding, but all of the people I met during my internship were wonderful and always willing to help me out with my projects and I’m grateful I got to meet all of them!

Spring 2021
College: Northwestern University ’25
High School: John Jay High School ‘21

My time as an intern at Sustainable Westchester was a really valuable experience that allowed the interns the flexibility to explore their own interests. I mainly worked on interviewing and profiling homeowners who had made energy upgrades to their homes and created case studies about their experiences. There were many different aspects of the case study project and all of the interns were able to work on a different aspect of it that suited their interests and abilities the best. I was able to dive right in with interviewing, writing profiles, homeowner outreach, and even newsletter design, all of which prepared me really well to study journalism in college. I also learned a lot about the renewable energy industry in a very short amount of time. I feel confident that all of the skills I picked up at Sustainable Westchester will definitely serve me well in the future.

Fall 2021 Internship for College Credit

Working with Lauren and Sustainable Westchester, I was exposed to a grassroots collective of like-minded individuals and citizens looking to tackle the challenge of reducing energy consumption and living a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. The team at Sustainable Westchester approached the many citizens of the different towns and villages as friends and not just business projections. The project I got to work on, in particular, was setting up the bones of an automatic tracking and message system that would send relevant information to customers at different points of their home energy efficiency journeys. The biggest takeaway was the connections made between the different staff at Sustainable Westchester and working with other organizers and workers who I have come to rely on in other jobs and as a support system.

Spring 2021 Clean Energy Associate

I worked in business development on the GridRewards demand response program and a solar-plus-storage pilot. Sustainable Westchester opened my eyes to the universe of energy markets, utilities regulation, electricity rate structures, and incentives programs from behind the data. Their partnerships and programs are a course in moral and effective emissions reduction and have inspired my career in the energy sector.

Spring 2022 Clean Energy Associate

I worked at Sustainable Westchester for about 3 months between my junior and senior year of college at Columbia University. I worked on so many business development projects over that short span of time, and I am very proud of the direct impact my work had on the county. First, I helped to organize the first-ever Green Hydrogen Roundtable in New York State. Additionally, I helped further data analysis on enabling conditions for solar energy + battery storage in Con Edison territory, and provided organizational and promotional assistance associated with the launch of GridRewards, a residential and small commercial demand response program. I felt that these two projects had the potential to empower users to see sustainability as ethical as well as logical and financially sound. “Through this internship, I learned ways to help the average person see that making the world a cleaner place and acting in their best financial interest does exist.”

Winter 2020-2021 Internship
College: King’s College London, class of 2020

As an intern for Sustainable Westchester, I had the opportunity to get involved in many different jobs which I loved. Some days, I would be speaking to homeowners about clean energy technology and some days, I would be creating videos and content for our website. I liked how I gained exposure to sales and was able to shape the role myself and offer input on many decisions. It was great to be able to work with amazing people and know that the work I was doing was having a direct positive impact on the environment and my community. Even though the internship was largely remote due to the pandemic, I was still able to get out to events like the local farmer’s market, taking photos at a client’s (resident) home, and marketing Sustainable Westchester events around town. Moving forward, I find myself using a lot of the skills I picked up at SW. Not only was the work great, the people were also fantastic and I got a ton of exposure to amazing environmental resources and webinars which I learned a lot from. Overall, the internship was a really well rounded experience and I am definitely glad I had the opportunity.

Summer and Fall 2021 Internship
Binghamton University, Class of 2021

My time at Sustainable Westchester has been filled with interesting projects and working with an amazing team. As a clean energy associate, my role mainly focuses on supporting community campaigns, residential and municipal engagement, and researching potential collaborations and project funds. To support community campaigns, I help organize events and outreach initiatives that connect Westchester residents with resources to promote energy efficient solutions in their homes. I also support developing marketing materials and homeowner testimonials to help families better understand the benefits of home energy efficiency. The staff at Sustainable Westchester are sustainability experts and their leadership in clean energy has made my experience working here so rewarding!

Winter 2021 Clean Energy Associate

I enjoyed my internship with Sustainable Westchester tremendously. I valued getting to work with folks whose experience ranged from business development and marketing to community outreach and partnership to a more technical, “nitty-gritty” approach with sustainability. As such, I developed a variety of skills that were integral for me in helping to build and advance my own professional career. I highly recommend an internship with Sustainable Westchester for anyone aiming to learn new skills and make direct impacts on the sustainable initiatives going on in our own backyard!

Winter + Spring 2022 Clean Energy Associate
Manhattan College, Class of 2021

Sustainable Westchester cultivated an inclusive and growth driven environment where I was able to set the foundations for the next step in my career. As an associate, I was encouraged to become involved in different programs and was given the chance to contribute to these initiatives in a meaningful way. Paired with the technical skills acquired in college, the professional skills developed at Sustainable Westchester has prepared me to further my career in energy and sustainability.

Spring 2022 Internship
Oberlin College, Class of 2022

Becoming a part of the Sustainable Westchester team was a significant and valuable experience for me. As a recent college graduate, I was excited to enter the professional world of sustainability and begin to develop my skills and experience within clean energy advocacy and outreach work. As a Clean Energy Associate, I became well-versed in energy efficiency and clean heating and cooling technologies. I took on a variety of responsibilities involving and supporting community campaigns, marketing and outreach efforts, and residential and municipal engagement. The different projects and initiatives I focused on throughout the internship provided me with critical tools and exposure to sustainability work that I will be able to take with me as I continue with my career. Additionally, the staff members I collaborated with were extremely supportive and served as great models and mentors throughout the experience. Having grown up in Mount Vernon, I am particularly thankful to Sustainable Westchester for the opportunity to join this area’s sustainability efforts. I am looking forward to witnessing the ongoing work and positive impacts of the programs!

Summer 2022 Internship
Rising sophomore at Boston University

My time at Sustainable Westchester has been immensely educational and enriching for me as a developing professional. It was rewarding to have the opportunity to engage with municipalities and sustainability groups to further their clean energy goals, as well as assist with the internal operations of the organization. Moreover, educating homeowners on the benefits of clean energy technologies and energy efficiency was a valuable experience, as it allowed me to make a direct impact on the community. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work so closely with such passionate environmental advocates who are doing the necessary work to create a more sustainable future.

September 2022 – December 2022 (4 months)
University of Toronto, Class of 2022

I came out of university knowing that I wanted to jumpstart a career in clean energy, and firmly believe that Sustainable Westchester was one of the best places to do that. From the beginning, I was afforded countless opportunities to develop my interest in and knowledge of the clean energy world, and constantly supported in my professional development journey by both my supervisor and staff members in other departments. I am deeply appreciative of the encouragement and guidance that I received throughout my internship, and the manner in which it fostered a palpable sense of community among long-time staff members and incoming interns alike.
I also think that it’s important in an internship experience to feel fulfilled in the work that you’re doing, and this was definitely the case during my time as a Clean Energy Associate. It was always easy to recognize the value of the work being done – assisting homeowners trying to navigate clean energy technologies for their home, supporting community-led campaigns around clean heating and cooling, researching opportunities to make clean energy adoption more accessible and affordable, and so much more. I’m grateful to have had an internship experience that was not only engaging, but genuinely impactful, and coupled with genuine opportunities for personal growth – I think it’d would’ve been hard to find other environments where all that was achievable.

Spring 2023
St. John’s University 23

“Having majored in Global Development and Sustainability during my undergraduate years, I knew that I wanted my work to reflect all that I had learned in my classes. Sustainable Westchester was so amazing at introducing me to all of their sustainability efforts that occur in local communities. The world of sustainability is not fairly new but not everyone has access to it. My work in the Solar department was an amazing opportunity at introducing sustainability efforts with community solar to people who might not otherwise know or have access to it due to them being renters or living in apartments. Enrolling people in community solar projects felt really rewarding as it gave people a chance to benefit from solar panels without having to install them in their houses. The enthusiasm of the customers to be part of green energy efforts was so refreshing to see. It added to the enjoyment of my job, knowing that the people I’m talking to are just as excited about being part of green energy efforts as I am. I had the chance to collaborate with other departments as well, which gave me a holistic view at how this organization works. I am so grateful to my amazing co-workers and supervisors for making my time here so welcoming and enriching. I can’t wait to see the amazing things that Sustainable Westchester does in the future!”

Spring 2023
Fox Lane High School ’23
Macalester College ’27

I truly enjoyed my time interning at Sustainable Westchester. Not only did I learn more about sustainability, I was also able to expand my knowledge of environmental justice efforts in the community as well as the need for environmental justice and apply my knowledge of the Spanish language to projects related to environmental education. Over the course of my internship I learned so much about the ways in which we can increase our sustainability and help others do the same. I broadened my understanding of environmental problems in communities around me such as peaker power plants and how initiatives such as GridRewards can minimize and even eliminate the need for them. This internship was incredibly rewarding and I am very thankful for the opportunity to work with Sustainable Westchester.

Washington University in St. Louis, 2026
Time of Internship: 5/23/23 – 8/9/23

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.” —Abigail Adams
I learned a great deal about sustainability this summer and I realized had it not been for my genuine interest in the topic, I would not have enjoyed my stay with SW. Seeing the inner machinations of solar companies and how outreach is really done was of importance to me, and learning about community solar interested me greatly. I am grateful to have interned at SW this summer, thank you.

SUNY ESF ‘21
Spring & Fall 2023 NYSERDA Clean Energy Intern

“I worked with Sustainable Westchester throughout the majority of 2023 and I will say that it has been a very productive experience where I was able to learn a lot. Sustainable Westchester allowed me to begin building my knowledge in the sphere of community solar. I had a front seat to see the development of renewable energy in NYS. I aim to take my new experiences and knowledge and apply them to new avenues in the future to continue the fight for a sustainable future and for environmental justice.”