The selection of Environmental Systems graduate student Selena Rowan as a 2024–25 fellow marks a significant achievement, making her the 13th Cal Poly Humboldt student to earn this prestigious honor since the program's inception in 1986. This remarkable accomplishment sets the University apart, with San Jose State following behind with eight fellows.
Awarded annually to graduate students in California and New England, the Switzer Fellowship includes a $17,000 grant, two intensive leadership retreats, and lifelong access to a vibrant network of over 750 environmental professionals. Fellows are chosen for their leadership potential, interdisciplinary work, and commitment to advancing environmental equity and justice.
“The real magic of the fellowship is the network,” Rowan says. “Fellows have helped me grow my work, and I’ve already been able to support others in return. It has connected me with scholars and professionals across the nation and the globe.”
Rowan is pursuing a Master of Science in Environmental Systems with a focus in Energy Technology & Policy (ETaP), where her studies include rural climate resilience, ecological restoration, and policy-informed land management. At the University’s Schatz Energy Research Center, she contributes research to the California Biomass Residue Emissions Characterization (C-BREC) model, which helps state agencies assess the carbon and air quality impacts of forest biomass residue utilization—a sticky question scientists need to answer as policymakers and forest managers craft California’s wildfire and climate strategy.
Outside of academia, Rowan works as the grants coordinator for Sun+Earth Certified, supporting regenerative agriculture and ecological stewardship on small farms. She’s also an educator and community herbalist, teaching plant medicine and peer-based mental health support. She was one of 20 picked nationwide from a pool of 251 applicants for the 2024-25 cohort.
“My cohort is an amazing group of people, and I'm incredibly honored to be counted among them,” Rowan says. “During our fellowship year, we gathered for retreats in Rowe, Massachusetts, and Rincón, Puerto Rico, where we were joined by 30 Switzer alumni. The experience was rich with connection, wisdom, and collaboration.”
In addition to her fellowship year, Rowan served as an application reader for the upcoming 2025 cohort and has been invited to serve as a campus ambassador, continuing to build the bridge between Humboldt and the Switzer Network.
She attributes her success to the strong community around her at Cal Poly Humboldt. “I am incredibly grateful to have been selected, and I owe so much to my professors, colleagues, and friends. Not just one or two, but four of my ETaP professors conducted mock interviews to prepare me for this fellowship. I felt deeply supported and held throughout the process. The magic of the fellowship is the network, and it took a network of people to help me get the fellowship.”
As Rowan prepares to graduate this spring, she carries with her not only the distinction of being a Switzer Fellow but the momentum of a powerful professional community committed to a more just and sustainable future.
To learn more about the Switzer Fellowship and explore the work of the 2024 Fellows, visit switzernetwork.org.