This application is closed. 2024 Program dates will be announced by August 1, 2023.
Residency Period: May 14 – June 10, 2023
The Summer 2023 Cohort
As an educational organization, we involve students in nearly every aspect of our operations. We are recruiting a summer cohort of student professionals in residence who will live together, work on individual professional projects, and build life skills through service in the kitchen, gardens, and building projects. The following student positions are available for the Summer 2023 cohort:
Artist-in-Residence
Biologist-in-Residence
Engineer-in-Residence
Graphic Designer-in-Residence
Marketer-in-Residence
Web Designer-in-Residence
The cohort will be no larger than 8 students. Depending on interest and quality of applications, the final group may be comprised of one of each of the above positions or a mix of multiple students in a few of these roles. If you’re a student studying a field that’s not listed here but believe you could build skills while contributing to our sustainability mission, you’re encouraged to apply.
Skills, strengths, and qualifications needed: All undergraduate and graduate college students are eligible. Tenderfoot is a place to experiment, fail, try again, and diversify your skill sets. Genuinely, prior experience is not necessary. Students who get the most from working with us will be generally curious and interested in developing skills relevant to environmental engineering. Students who contribute the most will have a spirit of experimentation and be willing to help as they’re most needed.
Accommodations: Living at Tenderfoot is a lot like going to camp as an adult, complete with warm beds in the main lodge, lots of time outside, hot showers, and group meals. Students in Residence share living space with fellow student staff, Work Awayers, and Tenderfoot’s Directors. Three ground-level bedrooms (a quad & two doubles) and a bathroom are available for summer guests. Meal prep and clean-up responsibilities are shared amongst all residents. Tenderfoot sits on 16 acres with ample outdoor recreation opportunities, including a pond for swimming, kayaking, and fishing, a campfire ring, hammocking, and hiking trails. We also encourage screen-free indoor entertainment with a collection of board games, card games, puzzles, craft supplies, and musical instruments. Given our rural location, cell phone service is spotty, but we have strong wifi. Romeo is our resident indoor cat, so those with allergies please be aware.
Costs & Compensation: The fee for summer residents is $150 per week to defray the cost of housing and food, most of which is purchased from local farms & businesses. Students will have a budget for implementation & prototyping of designs, and will receive a $50 book scholarship for the Fall 2023 academic term upon completion of the 4-week residency. Students seeking academic credit for this experience will need to register for summer coursework at their home college or university.
Tenderfoot seeks student representatives on our Board of Directors. Student employees whose work is exemplary and whose values are aligned with Tenderfoot’s may be invited to join the Board.
Interested? Submit an application.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the residency start date or until all positions are filled.
Artist-in-Residence Position
Similar to commissioned work, we seek an artist who will work within our space and mission to contribute something original. The ultimate project(s) will depend on the artist’s skills and interests. Options include but are not limited to a sculpture to honor donors, an outdoor mural that conveys our values, artwork about sustainability issues such as climate or water, and functional art such as walkways or furniture. We welcome other ideas that center social or environmental justice.
Biologist-in-Residence Position
Our summer biologist will establish and carry out survey protocols to identify the flora and fauna present on our 16-acre property, including water specimen in our pond. This information will be gathered into an identification guide for future guests to understand what’s native, what’s invasive, what may be harmful to humans, what is helpful to humans, and the role of each in the ecosystem.
Engineer-in-Residence Position
We seek assistance with the design and implementation of low-tech, environmentally conscientious infrastructure. Projects that students may be involved in throughout the summer include research, design, and prototyping/implementation of the following:
- rainwater catchment
- powerless irrigation system
- outdoor kitchen with biogas digester
- outdoor bath house with passive water heating
- solar implementation for pond aeration
- an accessibility garden
- minor design & construction projects such as a chicken coop, wood shed, fencing, and tent platforms
Graphic Designer-in-Residence Position
We seek a graphic designer to create digital and print artwork to advertise our 2023-2024 calendar of events. Other potential projects include art for a t-shirt fundraiser, designs for donor thank-you cards, and other needs or ideas the designer identifies.
Marketer-in-Residence Position
We seek a marketing major to develop and begin implementing a marketing campaign for Tenderfoot as an educational nonprofit in Appalachian Ohio. This will include general efforts to raise awareness for our organization as well as marketing efforts for partnership opportunities and specific events such as Eco Retreats, Community Campfires, and our Spring Break Experience.
Web Designer-in-Residence Position
Working within WordPress, the web designer will modernize Tenderfoot’s website, make recommendations for new content and plug-ins, and improve user-friendliness for students and donors. This may include a complete overhaul using a new template for the basic design or heavy editing to the existing theme.