Students Taking on Oil and Petrochemicals Fellowship

The Students Taking on Oil and Petrochemicals (STOP) Fellowship is a fully remote, paid, annual fellowship from October 2025 - April 2026 that supports students with taking action against the petrochemical industry in their communities. This is the 6th year of the STOP Fellowship — read more about last year's cohort here. Our goals include:

1. Support young people at critical petrochemical “site fight” locations (examples linked here) in organizing for a better future and finding their place in it.
2. Connect and align students with campus resources to the movement against petrochemicals and plastic.
3. Resource students to organize both on-campus & off-campus to disrupt the petrochemical & plastic industry.
4. Build long-lasting, mutually-beneficial relationships between student-led groups in campuses and grassroots organizations.
5. Uplift young people and their voices into the fight against petrochemicals and climate change.

During this fellowship, you will:

• Be paired with a movement leader for 1-on-1 mentorship and to collaborate on work related to your assigned site fight.
• Develop a narrative story of self related to this work.
• Train up on basic organizing skills, such as facilitation and team-building.
• Research and learn about petrochemical infrastructure in your region.
• Meet and build relationships with community leaders.
• Be in community with other students that attend schools near site fight locations and are passionate about disrupting the petrochemical industry.
• Complete a series of “quests” that align with the fellowship curriculum.

Payment

Students will be paid $20/hr for 6 hrs/week for 24 weeks, for a total payment of $2,880 pre-tax, dispersed at the beginning and end of each semester. Additionally, all fellows will have access to a $500 stipend (per person) to use for anything you might need to complete the fellowship, including tech, paid transportation, or other access-related needs.

Required Skills

• Fellows must be attending a continued-education institution such as: technical school, community college, OR 4-year college/university. The school must have a physical location nearby a petrochemical site fight, even if the student themselves is remote. We plan to assign you to a site fight location unless you already have a connection to one near you.
• Dedication to personal growth and unlearning oppressive systems and behaviors.
• Self-starter energy with the eagerness to learn and ability to self-manage.
• Willingness to collaborate with a variety of folks of different backgrounds, including: regional schools, community organizers, and other organizers.
• Familiarity with online organizing (using Zoom, Google Meet, or similar).

Preferred Skills

• Previous organizing experience on your campus (clubs, student gov’t, etc.).
• Relationships with your greater campus and/or regional community.
• Familiarity with social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter.
• Basic understanding of these topic areas: Linear Consumption Economy, Petrochemicals, Organizing Skills, and Environmental Justice.