Holiday Greetings to Our Environmental Sciences Graduate Program Community
During the break, please stay connected with the ESGP community through our various platforms. Your participation enriches our collective experience and fosters a supportive environment for all. We look forward to your active engagement and wish you a joyful and relaxing holiday season and safe travels.
Hope to see you at McMenamin’s on Friday, December 5th at 5 pm for an interdisciplinary program end of term gathering!
Carolyn Fonyo, ESGP Director
1. Improve Your Access to Our Community
JOBS! Join the ESGP LinkedIn Group – to learn about opportunities and to make connections with our alumni.
Join the ESGP Discord – this is a space to share, have conversations, ask questions, meet others, and attend movie watch nights and other events!
Meet with the ESGP Director in person in Heckart Lodge – contact carolyn.fonyo@oregonstate.edu to schedule a meeting time, T/Th afternoons starting Winter term 2026.
Use our expansive student office space in Snell 323 – we are reorganizing and making it more functional. Please get your key from Renee and check it out, and also reach out to Emily Mohammadi to discuss ideas to better use the space, mohammae@oregonstate.edu
Attend the Weekly Friday Zooms –
Attend Defenses – check your inbox for announcements about your peers’ defenses or contact Renee Freeman for the meeting location and time or Zoom link. Please attend as many defenses as you can to get a preview of the process and to show your support for your peers. Let’s celebrate each other as we progress through the program!
Upcoming defenses:
- Abby Williams – 12/8/25
- Brian Bardellini – 12/9/25
- Zoe Vincent – 12/10/25
- Ashley Meyer – 12/15/25
Share research, stories, photos – for our newsletter and other outreach channels.
2. Important Resources for Graduate Students
Emergency and Wellness Resources
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): Support for stress, crisis, or any mental health concerns.
Website: CAPS Student Resources
Technical Support: Assistance with online learning tools and resources.
Website: https://technology.oregonstate.edu/help
Graduate Education Services: Academic support, workshops, and professional development opportunities.
Website: https://graduate.oregonstate.edu/current-students#resources
Academic Accommodations and Disability Access Services
Support for students with disabilities to ensure equal access to educational opportunities. Services include academic accommodations, assistive technologies, and alternative testing arrangements.
Website: Disability Access Services
Course Registration Assistance
For ENSC Courses: If you need an override for thesis, reading, project, or internship courses, email your name, student ID, course number, and term to esgp@oregonstate.edu.
Student Office Space
Location: Snell Hall, Room 323. Quiet study space, desk areas, and access to office resources. Email esgp@oregonstate.edu to request access.
Leave of Absence
If you will not be registering for a term, please submit your leave of absence form at least two weeks prior to the start of the term: https://graduate.oregonstate.edu/formlink/14711
3. Upcoming Events
Interdisciplinary End-of-Term Social!
We invite students and faculty from the Environmental Sciences Graduate Program (ESGP), Water Resources Graduate Program (WRGP), and Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) to gather for an informal end-of-term social hour:
- When: Friday, December 5, 5:00 PM
- Where: McMenamins on Monroe, Corvallis
- No RSVP required. Come celebrate the end of fall term with your interdisciplinary peers.
Weekly ESGP Zoom Meetings
When: Fridays, 1:00–2:00 PM PT (excluding holidays and term breaks)
What: Virtual gatherings for students to connect, network, and discuss various topics like research, coursework, and career advice.
Zoom:
Get Involved: Interested in leading a session? Sign up here
Contact: Carolyn Fonyo at carolyn.fonyo@oregonstate.edu
Please contact us if you would like us to share any events, seminars, or workshops of interest to our students.
4. Funding & Fellowship Opportunities
OSU Story Lab Fellowship
Stipend: $3,000 + academic credit (AJ 402)
Application Deadline: Rolling – placements begin Winter Term 2026
Application: Apply here
Info: https://storylab.oregonstate.edu/fellowship-application
The OSU Story Lab Fellowship invites students with a passion for storytelling and science to embed with research teams, labs, and startups across Oregon. Fellows produce multimedia stories—video, audio, prose, or photography—highlighting the human side of scientific discovery. The fellowship spans at least three terms (Winter, Spring, and Summer), with the option for a fourth. Fellows receive a $3,000 stipend, two credits of AJ 402 per term, and one-on-one mentorship from faculty and media professionals. Open to students from all disciplines.
Graduate Student Awards
More information: https://graduate.oregonstate.edu/awards
- Delson Bridge to the Future Fund — Winter 2026 Deadline: Mon, January 12, 2026. Up to three awards of $1,000 each.
- Jesse M. Bell Memorial Graduate Student Loan — Winter 2026 Deadline: Mon, January 12, 2026. Up to $5,000.
- Dissertation Completion Award (Doctoral) — Winter 2026 Deadline: Mon, December 1, 2025. Covers tuition and fees for 3 graduate credits.
- Thesis Completion Award (Master’s) — Winter 2026 Deadline: Mon, December 1, 2025. Covers tuition and fees for 3 graduate credits.
- Ecampus Degree Completion Award — Winter 2026 Deadline: Mon, December 1, 2025. Covers tuition for 3–6 graduate-level Ecampus credits.
- Financial Impact Hardship Award — Opens Mon, June 23, 2025 (rolling). Up to $1,000/term or $2,000/academic year.
5. Other Resources of Interest
The Wide-Open podcasts from NPR
https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1254361510/the-wide-open
“Explore the places where we come together and fall apart. Nuanced reporting on under-covered environmental issues — with plenty of adventure, wildlife and rich sound along the way.”
MU Holiday Marketplace
Handmade crafts, art, and artisanal food at one of Corvallis’s most beloved holiday markets!
When: 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Dec. 5–6 | Where: Memorial Union Ballroom
Winter Whale Watch Week at Hatfield Marine Science Center
Celebrate the wonders of whales this holiday season! Join the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport for games, films, and hands-on activities highlighting migrating gray whales. From mid-December through mid-January, more than 20,000 gray whales travel the Oregon coast on their journey south to the warm waters of Baja Mexico.