Do you have a project that engages with food and agriculture education for just and sustainable food systems or agricultural practices? This program will support students to pursue individual or small-group projects through on-farm or community garden internships, food-related apprenticeships, field studies, research, capstone work, community-based or service-learning projects. Whether on campus, downtown, across the country, or around the world, students should expect to link theory with practice, activism with reflection, and critical thinking with hands-on experience.
Students will develop their projects as in-program Individual Learning Contracts (ILCs), then document their projects using an ePortfolio to create websites that correspond with learning objectives, activities, and outcomes, including a weekly post of activities with image and text; a log of weekly and cumulative hours; a map of location(s); a bibliography of resources; and multi-media options for videos, podcasts, audio files, and photo galleries. Students will work with a field supervisor, subcontractor, or mentor with expertise regarding particular projects. For students on or near campus, credits may be earned through common work designed to build an intentional learning community, which may include a weekly check-in, lecture or film, a reading-based seminar, or events in collaboration with the Practice of Organic Farming program or other Food and Ag Path of Study programs or co-curricular activities (e.g., community gardening, food sovereignty). All students will be required to create mid-quarter and final self-evaluations as well as a final presentation.
Current opportunities exist for student experiential learning with the campus shellfish garden and the SW WA Food Hub, a local cooperative of 30+ farms --including Evergreen’s farm-- which offers a multi-farm CSA.This program is ideal for self-motivated students who have completed a food studies or agriculture-related program and have a passion for research or for combining research with experiential learning. For examples of Capstone Projects in Food and Ag, please see this link: https://sites.evergreen.edu/capfoodag/.
Anticipated Credit Equivalencies
Credits will be awarded in the area of each student's work.
Registration
Signature Required
Students must design an in-program ILC. Proposals shared with faculty before or at the Academic Fair prior to the start of the program will receive priority. Contact the faculty (williasa@evergreen.edu) for models of successful student projects, current opportunities, resource availability, and project guidelines.
Course Reference Numbers
Academic Details
food studies, agriculture; community development; working with nonprofit organizations focusing on food, land use, and agriculture; state and county extension offices; food and agricultural education