Sprouting SA&FS

“The internship requirement sold this major to me, because it allows students to find both what they’re interested in doing and what vocations they want to steer clear from, and that’s really valuable. Internships give you the experience jobs are looking for, as well as many good friends.”

-Chyna Oyola, Track II

 

With a field as broad as sustainable agriculture and problems as complex as the issues in our food system, those who developed the major wanted to ensure that students had a well-rounded and in-depth look into the vocations available to them. Students must therefore complete 12 units, with 1 unit equaling 30 hours, of internship. Students are encouraged to develop their own personal interests by finding off-campus internships (of the 12 units needed, at least 8 must be found off-campus). Students often appreciate assistance in locating and approving their internships.

 

At the founding of the major in Fall 2012, an Internship Coordinator assisted students in this endeavor. When the major lost this position in Fall 2013, successful student completion of the internship requirement was not as efficient. Our capstone group has designed the position of Peer Internship Coordinator (an acronym—PIC—whose letters are a play on words for Partner in Crime) to support students while the administration finds funding to reinstitute a paid Internship Coordinator.

 

A PIC Pilot Program was designed with the overall goal of ensuring the success and sustainability of  the PIC position. We hope that this pilot program will provide valuable information that we can use to move forward in securing a permanment paid internship coordinator for the SA&FS major.

 

For more information on the role of the PIC, please click here.

 

For more information on the PIC Pilot Program, please click here.

 

For more information on SA&FS internships, click here.