Experiential Education for Future Environmental Leaders
The Pavel Molchanov Scholars program makes experiential learning accessible to more students interested in critical environmental issues.

The Pavel Molchanov Scholars program makes experiential learning accessible to more students interested in critical environmental issues.
Carolina students receive one of the best public educations in the nation, thanks to visionary educators teaching in the classroom. But for students to enter careers as ambitious, adept and empathetic leaders, experiential learning outside of the classroom is also key.
The Pavel Molchanov Scholars program makes experiential learning accessible to more students interested in critical environmental issues. The program provides stipends and matches students to internships based on their interest and academic field of study.
“This generous gift allows us to invest in the next generation of leaders in the environmental realm by funding transformational professional experiences for Carolina undergraduates,” said Michael Piehler, director of the UNC Institute for the Environment. “We are grateful to Mr. Molchanov for his generosity and commitment to preparing students for environmental careers.”
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Pavel Molchanov made a $1 million gift to create an endowment that funds summer professional experiences in the environment for undergraduate students at UNC-Chapel Hill. The Pavel Molchanov Scholars program will provide 8-10 students per year a $5,000 stipend to pursue environmental-themed internships at regional small businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies. The first cohort of Pavel Molchanov Scholars was announced at the UNC Clean Tech Summit in February 2019.