More Than Interns: Giving Students Agency to Shape Their Experience

Internships are a two-way street. While students gain valuable experience, we also gain invaluable feedback on how to make our program even better. That's why at the end of every internship, we hold an evaluation session. We don't just ask for opinions; we invite students to become active contributors, giving them the agency to make tangible recommendations for the future of the program.

Dr. Franca Roibal Fernandez, who currently serves as the Director of the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino/a/e/x Studies at New Jersey City University, introduced an insightful array of terminology that gave students the language to name and understand their everyday lived experiences.

Students were able to explore the wheel of power and examine the crucial concept of intersectionality—how various identities overlap and shape a person's experience. They also discussed concrete examples of successful equity projects in society, highlighting how these concepts are put into action to create change.

“Justice is the goal because it means we can abolish any barrier that prevents us from having access to equity and inclusion. I learned that the core principles behind these concepts are essential for a fair and justified society. It’s important to share the knowledge we know and to keep ourselves educated. Even actions like planting a garden are good and revolutionary because we don't have to enter the space of capitalism,”  Youth Food Justice Program Student Intern 2025

Next, we tasked the students with creating a zine (a small, self-published magazine). One of the core prompts was for them to visually depict their ideal Food System.

Here are a few examples of the incredible visions they shared:

We also had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Jesselly De la Cruz, Executive Director of Latino Action Network, who is a licensed clinical social worker whose expertise is in trauma-informed and culturally responsive care.

She led a deep and necessary discussion on the factors currently affecting the mental health of young people, with a special focus on the youth in our program. Crucially, she also shared how gardening can be a powerful tool, helping to create a vital connection to the world while providing a healthy way to cope with everyday lived experiences that impact overall well-being.

For the final segment of the youth program, students took a special tour of the Rutgers Food Innovation Center, located just down the road from the garden.

They learned all about the facility's history, mission, and heard firsthand about some of the incredibly innovative ideas that have been developed there. As a unique takeaway, each student even got to take home an exclusive sauce made right at the center using local cranberries and honey!

We are committed to continuing to provide these kinds of engaging opportunities, allowing students to connect their learning to other professional fields and see innovation in action.

Kathia Ramirez

Food Justice Co-Coordinator

856-575-5511