EDUCATION
Master of Science in Food Policy, 2018 - 2019
I am completing an MSc at the Centre for Food Policy in London, learning directly from field experts such as Dr. Corinna Hawkes, Dr. Martin Caraher, Dr. Claire Marris and Dr. Tim Lang. My learning has been supplemented with interdisciplinary online modules through IFSTAL, an academic network connecting students across seven higher education institutions with an interest in food systems. My dissertation is analysing the concept of "food as a right" and interrogating its role in the London Food Strategy (2018). I expect to graduate with honours in August 2019.
Bachelor's of Arts in Public Relations, 2013 - 2017
I graduated Cum Laude in 2017 with a B.A. in Public Relations and minors in English and Sustainability. I also received Full Honors with World Language Studies through our Honors Program.
Study Abroad, 2015
During August of 2015, I traveled to Rome, Italy as part of the International Studies Abroad program. I spent six weeks taking classes, living in a local apartment in Trastevere, and traveling the country with program excursions on the weekends. My primary focus was to learn about the local food systems and policies. I traveled to the World Food Expo 2015 in Milan, and completed courses in Geography of Food and Archaeology of Rome at the university.
EXPERIENCE
AmeriCorps Development VISTA, August 2017 - August 2018
I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA in the Development Office of the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC). My three primary projects included coordinating and implementing the annual Vermont Holiday Auction, developing systems to track and reach out to program alumni, and fundraising for the Health Care Share food prescription program. I also assisted with general outreach, marketing, and development efforts though social media management, marketing material development, and website design. By the end of my service year, I coordinated three events, wrote four grants, filmed, produced, and edited two videos, developed an alumni database system, and raised more than $26,000 for the organization.
Sustainable Agriculture & Media Intern, January - April 2017
For my final semester of my undergraduate degree, I traveled to the Tres Brazos Valley in Panama and completed two internships at the Kalu Yala Institute. I studied agroecology, propagation techniques, soil management, composting methods, professional photography, photo editing, podcasting, and basic video skills. I created a photo series adapted from Thich Nhat Hanh's Five Mindfulness Trainings that documented food culture at Kalu Yala, developed an educational garden space, and designed a website for a local nonprofit, Pana-mama.
Public Relations Intern, April 2016 - August 2016
I was selected as one of six interns for Partridge Creek Farm during the summer of 2016. I was hired into a more permanent role that required me to to develop branding and business strategy in coordination with the Board of Directors, write radio advertisements and news releases, coordinate and plan fundraisers, and serve as the primary contact person for local media stations. I also worked in the field helping to plant crops, lead classes, and harvest plants.
Social Media Intern, January 2016 - May 2016
My duties as an intern included planning, assigning, editing, and formatting the online media posts submitted by staff members. I was also responsible for regularly updating the nonprofit's blog and completing additional small-scale projects for my supervisor.
Cashier Customer Service, December 2015 - August 2016
As a cashier, my primary role was to handle cash transactions and complete the shopping experience for customers. As a customer service person, it was my responsibility to make sure that all visitors felt at home in the store by answering questions, genuinely investing time in getting to know them, and being knowledgeable about the store's products and services. I also attended weekly committee meetings for a staff committee, or GROW Team, to develop and implement new marketing initiatives as part of the 2016 Strategic Plan.
Student Coordinator, August 2014 - October 2015
I supervised the Diversity Edge by reading student log submissions, providing feedback, reviewing final papers, conducting student interviews, and promoting qualifying events. In addition to these duties, I presented program orientations and "Get Involved" demonstrations to new students and planned, organized, and supervised campus events including Veteran's Day, Fall Fest, Winterfest, and Homecoming.
Classroom & Center Tutor, August 2013 - December 2014
My primary role was to tutor students one-on-one in order to better develop their writing skills. I developed lesson plans and led sessions in syntax, grammar, spelling, literary devices, and proper citation format including MLA, APA, and Chicago styles. As a classroom tutor, I also coordinated with professors and helped students implement these lessons into their course assignments.
AWARDS
This is a competitive academic scholarship that is awarded to the top 10 percent of applications. The full award pays for tuition and (most) fees, and room and board for four years at Northern Michigan University.
Anna and Richard Lundin Honors Summer Research Fellowship
A competitive $5,000 scholarship awarded to five honors students on an annual basis. The purpose of the award is to allow selected students to conduct summer research on an independent project with the help of a faculty mentor. My project became my senior thesis and led to the foundation of the NMU Sustainability Advisory Council. I designed and implemented a campus-wide survey of sustainability behaviors at NMU, analyzed the data, and co-authored a report that was presented to the President of the university, Fritz Erickson. We also hosted presentations informing the campus public about our research, and led two working groups to collaborate on institutional behavior change.
ORGANIZATIONS
Full Graduate; August 2013 - May 2017
Superior Edge is a student development program unique to Northern Michigan University that encompasses leadership development, diversity awareness, community engagement, and real-world career involvement through four different “edges” that each require one-hundred hours of logged experience. By graduation, I accumulated a total of 478 hours of volunteer and professional experience. By completing all four edges, I was one of thirty-seven students in my graduating class awarded blue Superior Edge cords and a full Superior Edge Certificate.
Committee Member; September 2014 - December 2016
This regional food hub is a collaborative effort between the Marquette Food Cooperative, the Michigan State University Extension Farm, and the Western U.P. Health Department whose goal is to provide access to local, healthy, and sustainable food across the entire upper peninsula. Meetings are monthly and are open to the public, but generally involve a core group of five to seven members. Ongoing projects and potential programs are discussed, examples of which include the Michigan Good Food Charter, the U.P Food & Farm Directory, an online marketplace, annual food summits, and ongoing community education and events. UPFE is also responsible for organizing the innovative Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Pilot Study with local farms in the Marquette area.
Due-paying Member; August 2015 - December 2016
PRSSA is a national pre-professional organization for students interested in public relations and communication studies. The local campus chapter is very active and sponsors events including the annual community Hometown Taste-Off and Relay for Life. Additionally, the NMU chapter is well-known for participating in the national conference and maintaining a student presence on the organization's national committee.
Ice Block; March 2014 - May 2016
This is a highly competitive two-year nationally-accredited leadership development program unique to Northern Michigan University. The program components include meetings with a community mentor, a two-credit course, fifteen skill-builder workshops, and a one-hundred-hour community service internship. I met with my mentor, Susan Morgan, on a monthly basis, and she was instrumental in developing my internship which was completed abroad.
Eta Chi Chapter Member; May 2016 - May 2017
GTU is an invitation-only international honors society in geography. Eta Chi is the local campus chapter, and members plan, organize, host, and volunteer at various campus events including the Eta Chi Induction Ceremony, the annual Career Fair, Professor Anderton's Earth Day, and Science Olympiad.
Hay Meadow Farm, Devon, U.K.; June 2015
WWOOF U.K. is an international organization that allows people interested in permaculture, sustainability, or farming the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in an affordable way. Hay Meadow Farm is a bed and breakfast that strives to teach the surrounding community and their guests about practical sustainable living. As an intern, I learned basic permaculture principles, researched native water filtration plants, and helped implement a closed-loop gray-water system with rain collection units. I was also responsible for room cleaning and maintenance in the bed and breakfast.
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Intercultural communication
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Event coordination
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Group facilitation
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Cultural awareness
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Community outreach
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Community organizing
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Local policy processes
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Event organizing
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Inter-agency coordination
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Facilitation
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Small-group communication
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Event planning & organization
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Networking
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Team-building
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Permaculture planning
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Small-scale agriculture
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Native plant research
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Intercultural communication
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Event coordination
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Community promotion
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Project management
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Event organizing
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Team facilitation
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Fundraising
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Bureaucratic processes