Sustainable Community Food Systems (SCFS) is a minor in Environmental Studies, an interdisciplinary program within the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources and the College of Liberal Arts & Science.

SCFS, is an innovative, immersive academic program with an emphasis on the intersections of food sustainability, environmentalism, and social justice.

● WHAT WILL YOU EXPERIENCE?

Sustainable Community Food Systems offers you a unique opportunity to connect theory and practice through classroom-based work with service learning and hands-on experiences in the local community. Focusing specifically on the issues of food sustainability, environmentalism, and social justice, you will gain vital skills that will enable you to become a leader in society's slow and contentious, but ongoing, shift to a more equitable, just and sustainable future.
At the heart of the Sustainable Community Food Systems minor is an intensive internship (16-20 hours per week) with a single community partner that is part of the food system. Over the course of the summer and fall, you will gain practical experience through over 450 hours of paid and credit-bearing internship.This experience is then critically analyzed through an intersectional lens on the complexities of the entire food system that will become a part of your written portfolio. This portfolio, plus your internship hours, will reflect the summation of your work.

● WHAT DO YOU GAIN?

Sustainable Community Food Systems minor will give you skills to help solve humanity's most pressing problems. This minor will allow you to learn how to be system thinkers looking at the big picture solutions of how transforming the food system is a platform for creating an equitable, humane and sustainable society.

You will discover how your actions can enable you to advocate for a more resilient and just food future. For example, you may choose to advocate for food security in just and culturally appropriate ways and/or learn how to innovate as a social entrepreneur towards a more sustainable food system.

• “Just as no student should leave here, degree in hand, without knowing something about literature and international relations and the natural world, no student should leave without a deep sense of responsibility for the protection of the planet. It is part of being a good citizen.”— President Susan Herbst, 2012

Requirements

The minor in Sustainable Community Food Systems requires the following courses:

1. One elective from SOCI 2705, ARE 3260, ARE 4438, NRE 3265, or NUSC 3230 (3 credits)
2. Capstone Sem./Thesis (e.g. GEOG 4000W)                        (3 credits)
3. Commun. Food Syst. Sem. (e.g. GEOG 4095) (3 credits, SL)
4. Internship in approved department (6 credits, SL)
5. One food production elective from SPSS 2100, 2500, 3610 (3 credits)

*Completion of a minor requires that a student earn a C (2.0) grade or better in each of the required courses for that minor.

SCFS_Minor Plan of Study

Sustainable Community Food Systems Minor Internship Application

Contact info

• Dr. Phoebe Godfrey: Phoebe.godfrey@uconn.edu

• Dr. Andy Ballantine <andy.ballantine@uconn.edu

• Sustainable Community Food Systems video
  https://youtu.be/nbL3qieHJHs

• https://dining.uconn.edu/spring-valley-farm/

Testimonials

• "For me, learning is the process of incorporating something new into my self… it demands that I am intimately involved with what I'm learning and SCFS will give me that opportunity. As a current Spring Valley farmer, I can say that almost all of my true learning happens here at the farm." - Jessica L.W.

• “By digging in, and getting involved, I developed not only new skills, but also connections to my fellow student farmers that offered new perspectives on local food systems and sustainability. We all learned from each other, not just from a lecture. If you’re interested in collaborative and hands on learning then SCFS is definitely the place for you.” - Alana D.

• “ Sustainable Community Food Systems offers students who are motivated  to get out of the ‘classroom box’ an innovative opportunity to learn creative critical thinking skills, as well as hands-on engagement with our local food system. Such an opportunity will give students a leg-up in terms of working in the emerging and ever-growing food and sustainability movements” – Phoebe Godfrey

• “Few issues illustrate the merging of sustainability, practical human needs, local action, and equity in the way food does. In this program, you will learn all aspects of sustainability, social, economic, and environmental, through hands-on experience and self-directed study. From food production to social action to sustainable technology, you will make a difference in the local community and develop social entrepreneurship skills that you can carry to any endeavor in your future career.” – Andy Jolly-Ballantine

Career Opportunities

Farming Programs

• Farm & Food Jobs ; Job postings that connect people, farms and food.
• NOFA MASS ; Farming jobs in Massachusetts
• WWOOF ; a worldwide movement linking volunteers with organic farmers and growers to promote cultural and educational experiences based on trust and non-monetary exchange, thereby helping to build a sustainable, global community.
• Young Farmers Coalition ; Envision a country where young people who are willing to work, get trained and take a little risk, can support themselves and their families in farming.

Federal Services

• AmeriCorps Vista ; Volunteers in Service to America build stronger communities and help eradicate poverty through their programs
  • ResiliencyCorps ; ( A sub of AmeriCorps) Increase the resiliency of communities for individuals and for the community as a whole
• FoodCorps ; Connects to kids to healthy school in food through service learning, so they can lead healthier lives.
• PeaceCorps ; Provides service opportunities to immerse oneself in a community abroad, working side by side with local leaders to tackle the most pressing challenges of our generation.

Organizations

• Civil Eats - A daily news source for critical thought about the American food system.
• Detroiters for Environmental Justice - Mission is local and national collaboration to advance environmental justice and sustainable redevelopment. They’re also a part of the Detroit Youth Climate Summit and have several local campaigns.
• Environmental Law & Policy Center ; Public advocacy & environmental progress
• Food & Water Watch ; Working closely with grassroots allies and national partners, we work to protect our food and water by standing up to corporations that put profits over people.
• GrowWindham ; Community garden program whose focus is on growing youth, growing food, growing community. Provides internships, volunteering & jobs
• Jobs with Justice ; Unions rights organization
• REAL School Gardens ; Programs empower teachers, in low income communities, to lead engaging experiential lessons outdoors. REAL-world hands-on lessons accelerate learning and help students build a strong foundation for long-term academic success.
• The Nature Conservancy ; Impact conservation in 72 countries and in all 50 states, with priorities in challenges facing lands, waters, oceans, cities and climate.

Job Posting Sites & Other Resources

• Environmental Career ;
• Good Food Jobs ; Designed to link people looking for meaningful food work with the businesses that need their energy, enthusiasm, and intellect.
• Green Collar Blog ; Provides news and resources on green collar jobs
• Grace News ; offers a guide for jobs in food sustainability on their EcoCentric blog site.
• Green Jobs ;
• Indeed ; Search uses keywords & possible location
• Idealist ; Search uses keywords. Connects idealists with opportunities for action and collaboration all over the world
• North American Association for Environmental Education ; The hub for environmental education professional development.
• Simply Hired ; Search uses keywords & possible location
• Sustainability Leads ; Full time job postings
• Third Sector New England ; Partners in social change.
• Net Impact ; Search uses keywords & possible location
• USA Jobs ; Search uses keywords & possible location

Want to learn more?

• Civil Eats - A daily news source for critical thought about the American food system.
• Grace Links ; Highlights the connections among food, water and energy, promoting a sustainable future. Educational articles.
• Mother Jones ; A daily news source
• Join a local food-coop!
  • WIllimantic Food Coop ; Willimantic, CT
  • Fiddleheads Food Coop ; New London, CT
• Support local food system and sustainability endeavors!
  • CLiCK Willimantic ; MIssion is to grow the vitality of our economy and community by offering shared use commercial kitchens to farmers and culinary entrepreneurs seeking to create food-based businesses; and to improve the health of our local community by teaching gardening, culinary arts, nutrition, and other food-related classes.
  • GrowWindham ; Community garden program whose focus is on growing youth, growing food, and growing community. Provides internships, volunteering & jobs