Role with the Student Farm: Executive Director
Major: Environmental Resource Management, Minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, PA
Favorite Veggie: Onions
Least Favorite Veggie: Bitter melon
My involvement with the Student Farm started out by chance when I tagged along with a friend to the first meeting at the Creamery. At the first meeting, I really enjoyed the company of the people and stuck around to see what the club was about. I was highly intrigued by the internship program and saw this as a really cool opportunity that led me to become more involved. I started attending meetings and volunteering for events. The annual Harvest Festival was one of the first events I volunteered for and then throughout the years I became one of the leaders in planning it. From that first semester, my involvement grew and I started to take more initiative and leadership roles within the club. One of my first larger roles was planning the documentary screenings in the HUB and the State Theater. These screening events came with great success where we recruited farmers and professors to come and discuss the documentaries that were screened. It was truly was a proud moment. During spring of my sophomore year, I was elected to be on the executive board as Campus and Club Engagement Coordinator, Junior year as the Club Programming Director and now I’m graduating as the Executive Director of Student Farm Club. I interned starting the spring of my freshman year and really enjoyed my experience and learning process on the farm, so I have continued to work on and with the farm since then.
Farming and growing food is a labor of love. You have to spend a lot of time, attention and energy towards growing food, but the outcomes are always very rewarding. The production side of agriculture has become disconnected for most consumers, including me, and it has been an exciting journey for me to experience it and learn more about how it works. The Student Farm team, in general, has helped me learn from and be inspired by passionate and hard-working people. Being out on the farm has inspired me to do more good in the world and to be more hardworking while also giving me hope for the future.
What have you learned during your time with Student Farm Club?
My time with Student Farm Club has taught me a lot about how the food system is much more complex than we may realize just from our daily lives. I grew up in a fortunate situation where I didn’t have to worry about food insecurity or being unsure about the next meal, and the club made me realize and become more aware of these serious issues. With the opportunities and network system that the Student Farm has, I also was exposed to opportunities across the food system sector and was able to intern in Philadelphia through Penn State extension. A lot of our club programming is centered around these issues and it has led me to think more about this career path. Student Farm does a lot of work in educating people on these issues, which has helped me learn more about these issues, leading me to want to pursue a career with a nonprofit or other organization that combats food insecurity.
Lastly, I learned that teamwork is key! There is so much value in working with other people in an environment where you can share ideas and achieve your goals as a group, and its fun!
What’s something you’re proud of from your time with the farm?
One thing I’m proud of through my time with the farm is talking to people and offering them their first exposure to the food system, and getting people to think more about the complexity of the food system. For example, workers’ rights, produce that is grown with or without sustainable practices, how far produce is traveling and its impacts with the environment are all issues we don’t necessarily consider. When people express these thoughts, it makes me proud that we are creating change and an impact to get people inspired to take action and think more deeply about these issues because food is so vital for everyone.
