Spartan Geographer named Yale Environmental Fellow

March 25, 2025

The Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at Michigan State University is proud to announce that Angelique Willis, a doctoral student, has been named a 2025 Environmental Fellow by the Yale School of the Environment (YSE). The Environmental Fellows Program (EFP) at the Yale School of the Environment is a 12-week summer conservation leadership pathway fellowship that seeks to increase career accessibility within the environmental field by cultivating the skills and aspirations of master's and doctoral students by connecting them to work opportunities in environmental nonprofits, grantmakers, and government sectors. This program arose out of a collaboration between the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability, the Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA), and the C. S. Mott Foundation. 

As part of the program, Willis will receive a stipend of $15,000 plus additional support to complete a 12-week internship with a partnering organization. Fellows are placed across the nation at nationally recognized nonprofits, social justice organizations, philanthropic organizations, environmental media outlets, policy think tanks, governmental institutions, and grassroots environmental organizations. Willis will be placed with Freshwater Future, a nonprofit dedicated to community action that strengthens policies designed to safeguard the waters of the Great Lakes region.

“This opportunity means so much to me, and I’m incredibly grateful for the mentors, colleagues, and friends who have supported me along the way,” said Willis. “The chance to learn alongside brilliant scholars and practitioners at Yale will be an incredible experience, and I look forward to expanding my perspective, deepening my work, and engaging in meaningful conversations.”

Before coming to MSU, Willis earned a B.S. in Public Health as well as master’s degrees in public health and geography from Georgia State University. She is currently pursuing a dual-major Ph.D. program in Geography and Environmental Science and Policy at MSU, where she was named a University Distinguished Fellow and a Blake and Mary Krueger Distinguished Fellow. Willis is committed to leveraging her expertise in Geography, Public Health, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to improve drinking water quality and safeguard human health.

Congratulations, Angelique!