Ever wonder how Amherst students land such incredible internships? Dear Internship Diaries spotlights a recipient of the Charles Hamilton Houston Award from each of the career communities. In this edition, we follow James Belgrave ’26 through his summer working in environmental services at the Conservation Law Foundation. Here’s how he got there, what he learned from it, and what advice he has for others on the same path.
Each summer, the Charles Hamilton Houston Internship Program sponsors select students with low-paying or unpaid internships. We had the opportunity to hear from James Belgrave ’26, a Houston Internship summer funding recipient who interned in the environmental sector, to learn about how he landed his internship at Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), what he learned, and what advice he has for others. James is a double major in environmental studies and black studies.
Quotes are edited for clarity.
Before we dive in, what does the Conservation Law Foundation do?
A large part of their mission is to sue polluting companies and bring resources back into the communities that were directly harmed.
So tell us, what led you to pursue this internship?
I was really inspired to pursue this internship because it aligned with my interest in environmental justice. I have always wanted to advocate for the environmental rights of communities because in my eyes they are intertwined with issues of civil and human rights.
One thing that I have noticed is that the communities on the frontlines of environmental pollution and degradation are often not as well-equipped with the tools to enforce their civic rights and let their discontents be heard. I wanted to work somewhere that helps connect the voices of marginalized people to the institutions that can bring about change, like the legal system.
Can you walk us through the process of your internship search?
The process of finding the internship hinged a lot on the alumni network. I was looking at different alumni and where they worked, while also utilizing LinkedIn’s feature that allows you to see which employees attended the same school as you. This allowed me to find some alumni who worked at CLF, and after reaching out to one of them to learn more about her career path, she was gracious enough to inform me of a summer internship opportunity that I could apply to.
I also used Handshake to send my resume out to some jobs that sparked my interest, just to make sure I did not put all of my eggs in one basket.
What skills and career insights did you take from this experience?
I would not have learned half as much about the litigation process if they had not put trust in me to write documents and proofread motions that were actually being used in active cases. I became more independent because of the trust they put in me to finish my assignments by the court deadlines, rather than scheduling what work I should be doing and when.
A goal of mine was to pinpoint which parts of environmental justice I might like to work on, which I was able to do throughout the summer. In particular, because this organization has many programs that all work in close proximity, I was able to meet people from other programs who helped guide my thinking on what really matters in environmental discrimination.
Tell us about a highlight you are proud of!
One success that I am most proud of was my presentation during the intern symposium. I had to present on everything that I had done that summer, and although mine was not as robust as all of the other legal interns, I was still able to understand the nitty-gritty details of what I was doing and the larger implications that it had. Most of the legal interns went more in-depth with previous cases and saw what precedents were being held, but I talked about how my seemingly less skilled work served as the important bedrock to our current and developing cases.
Final advice for other students trying to land a similar internship?
- Explore alumni resources – We have many alumni resources, such as the alumni directory, that can help you find people in a specific profession.
- The alumni network is a powerful tool – Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone via email or Linkedin to hear about what they have to say. People are often very willing to talk to students at their former schools and share their life experiences or any career advice they may have.
- Seek potential opportunities – Speaking with alumni is often the best way to be up to date on the best potential job postings and opportunities.
