Louisiana Environmental Ambassadors Program (LEAP)

About LEAP

In 2024, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) launched the Louisiana Environmental Ambassadors Program (LEAP). Now more than ever, Louisiana needs dedicated environmental professionals. LEAP interns will gain knowledge beyond the classroom, skill development, opportunities to explore career paths, and the chance to contribute to a sustainable future.

LEAP internships allow students to experience real-world opportunities in environmental management, accounting, communications, environmental law, and more. This program provides exposure to encourage students to pursue environmental and related careers.

LEAP engages students at the graduate and undergraduate levels in their relevant studies. Provides them with challenging work experience and exposure to environmental regulatory processes and the business operations of a governmental entity.

Eligible Participants

LEAP is open to students at graduate and undergraduate levels in fields of study appropriate for their placement. These fields include:

• Science
• Engineering
• Communications
• Legal
• Business and others

A GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred and enrollment verification is required. The LEAP will last for 8-10 weeks with students working up to 40 hours/week. Compensation is provided. 

Internship Highlights

• Real-world work experience in environmental management: learn how to write a permit, how to perform a facility inspection, and how to deal with environmental emergencies
• Gain marketable skills valuable to public and private entities
• Facilities tours at refinery plants and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities
• Receive mentoring from agency professionals on existing projects
• Educational speaker seminar series with professors, industry leaders, and environmental professionals
• Collaborate and network with students from other universities

“It affirmed what I want to do in the future career wise and what I need to work on to get there.”

“I'll keep these friendships, lessons, and memories for the rest of my life. It gave me a better understanding of what work life looked like, and I was able to figure out what parts of a job I really value (like the culture, the challenges, and opportunity to learn). It was also interesting learning about the parts of life that go unseen, like who regulates pollution and how wastewater gets treated. It was valuable getting to see behind the scenes.”

I really enjoyed “Being an influence on a student that could be a potential DEQ employee and answering questions”

“Enjoyed working with youth interested in this field of work.”

LEAP Opportunities

LEAP students will have the opportunity to be placed in one of many areas within the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). Each area provides a unique perspective, allowing students to develop their skills and gain experience that is essential for a successful career in environmental science and management:

LEAP students may work in various divisions including but not limited to: