• Clean Mobility Student Ambassador Fellowship Program Application

    Academic Year 2026-2027

  • The Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC) is excited to offer community college students the opportunity to gain outreach experience and help California reach its climate and equity goals, especially in underserved, low-income, Tribal, and disadvantaged communities. This fall we are launching the Clean Mobility Student Ambassador Fellowship, a nine-month, cohort-based leadership and workforce development fellowship (mid-October 2026 – June 2027) that combines structured learning, professional development, and hands-on community engagement.

    Fellows will build knowledge and skills in clean mobility, air quality, and environmental justice while helping Californians learn about clean air vehicle incentives available to them. The fellowship will focus on the Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP), a resource designed to increase clean mobility access for low-income Californians, particularly those in underserved, Tribal, and disadvantaged communities. DCAP is funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and administered by the Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC).

    FoundationCCC and CHDC staff will provide fellows with training on the Driving Clean Assistance Program and how clean mobility incentives can benefit their friends, families, communities, and local economies. A highlight of the fellowship will be the Capstone Project, where students will work alongside a local community partner to identify a real clean mobility need or gap in their community and developing a meaningful, community-centered response to address it. Fellows will present their Capstone work at a culminating fellowship celebration in spring 2027.

    As a Clean Mobility Fellow, students will be eligible to receive a Fellowship Award of $5,000, distributed across four installments throughout the program year.

    This opportunity is open to current California Community College students, as well as those who have graduated or transferred within the past year. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the start of the fellowship term and available for the full nine months.

    Priority deadline: October 2. Applications received after that will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all spots are filled, so apply as soon as you can.

    To apply, please complete this application. Foundation staff will follow up with selected students about next steps. Questions can be directed to zevoutreach@foundationccc.org

    We are committed to making this program accessible to all interested students. If you require language accessibility support, including but not limited to ASL interpretation or interpretation in a language other than English. Please reach out to us as soon as possible so we can accommodate your needs throughout the program.

     

  • The Student Ambassador program is an open opportunity for all students, regardless of immigration status. We encourage all eligible students to apply.

    To be eligible for this program, you will be asked to submit a W-9 form, which asks for personal information such as a social security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN).

    An ITIN is a 9-digit number issued by the IRS if a U.S. taxpayer identification number is needed for federal tax purposes, and an individual is not eligible for a Social Security number (SSN). This ITIN Guide offers information on how to obtain an ITIN. If you would like to speak to an immigration attorney about how an ITIN might impact you, please visit FindYourAlly

     

  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • What gender best describes the way that you self-identify? (Options are listed in alphabetical order)*
  • When asked "what is your race?" how do you typically respond? (Options are listed in alphabetical order)*
  • Do you identify as "Hispanic or Latina/o/e"?*
  • This program requires monthly group meetings and one-on-one check-ins with Foundation staff. Can you commit to making time for these obligations?*
  • Are you available to attend a mandatory, virtual training session via Zoom on Friday, October 23rd from 11am - 1pm?*
  • To be eligible for this program, you must be 18 years of age or older by October 23,  2026. Please indicate whether you meet this requirement.*
  • Which of the following best describes your enrollment status with a California Community College?*
  • What are your primary mode(s) of transportation? Please select all that apply.*
  • How many credit hours are you taking at a community college this semester?*
  • How many hours do you spend per week at a job (paid or unpaid) and/or providing child/home care (paid or unpaid)?*
  • How did you hear about this opportunity?*

  • Please reply to the following prompts.

    It's okay if you do not have the perfect response. Be genuine in your response and share what is authentic for you. Your responses will be used to help us better understand who you are and your motivations for applying to this ambassadorship.


    Statement on Usage of Artificial Intelligence

    We recognize that generative AI tools can support applicants, particularly those navigating linguistic, structural, or access-related barriers, and we welcome their thoughtful use. However, our reviewers value authenticity, reflection, and a clear connection to the applicant's lived experience. Applications that appear to be primarily or fully generated by AI without meaningful human input may be deemed less competitive or ineligible.

  • Motivation (400 words max):

    The Clean Mobility Student Ambassador Fellowship is grounded in environmental justice and clean mobility and will prepare fellows to engage their communities, connect people to clean air and transportation resources, and contribute to a cleaner, more equitable California. Think about the communities, clubs, or spaces you're already part of.

     

    • What draws you to this work, and what motivates you to apply?
    • Where do you see opportunities to make an impact?
  • 0/400

  • Capacity (400 words max):

     The Clean Mobility Student Ambassador Fellowship is a nine-month commitment (October – June) that includes monthly group sessions, individual check-ins, community outreach activities, and a Capstone Project with a community partner.

     

    • How do you see this fellowship fitting into your academic and/or work life?
    • What, if anything, might make consistent participation challenging for you?
    • What support might you need to fully participate? 
  • 0/400

  • Long-term goals (300 words max):

    How do you see this fellowship fitting into where you're headed - academically, professionally, or in your community? Be as specific as you can. 

  • 0/300

  • Environmental Justice (400 words max):

    Low-income communities and communities of color in California face higher levels of pollution and fewer transportation options which is a form of environmental injustice. 

     

    • How does this show up in a community you're part of or connected to?
    • Why does it matter to you personally?
  • 0/400

  • This section consists of scale-based questions ranging from "Strongly disagree" to "Strongly agree". These questions will help us better gauge your outreach practices. There are no right or wrong responses; please respond as accurately as possible.

  • Most people who resist just need the facts explained better.
  • Good outreach is mostly about explaining things clearly.
  • I get frustrated with people who don't already see why this matters
  • When someone is skeptical, they usually have a reason worth understanding.
  • If someone stayed skeptical, I'd still count it as a good conversation.
  • If creating materials for a community I'm not part of, I'd find someone from it to help.
  • If community feedback meant redoing my work, I'd want to redo it.
  • I'd rather figure it out alone than admit I'm struggling.
  • If I fell behind, I'd tell staff before the deadline rather than after.
  • If I didn't know an answer at an event, I'd say so.
  • I'd rather bring up a problem directly than go around them.
  • This work connects to something I've experienced or seen in my own community.
  • I'd want to keep working on this after the fellowship ends.
  • I've already spent time on my own learning about these issues.
  • I'm mostly interested in what this adds to my resume.
  • Should be Empty: