Project Mentor
Dr. Maria Gombi Vaca
Department: Rudd Center for Food Health and Policy
Project Overview:
Farm to School (FTS) programs connect students with locally grown foods and hands‑on learning experiences such as school gardens, taste tests, and food education. These programs have been linked to better nutrition habits, academic performance, and improved school climate. However, FTS participation varies widely across Connecticut districts, and it is not yet clear which district characteristics or wellness policies support stronger engagement.
This project examines statewide data—from the USDA Farm to School Census, CT EdSight, district wellness policies, and school climate reports—to identify factors associated with higher FTS engagement and to explore whether stronger participation relates to positive student outcomes. The goal is to better understand how policies and district environments shape FTS implementation and to generate recommendations that help schools strengthen and expand these programs equitably across Connecticut.
Role of a SHARE Summer Apprentice:
The apprentice will support foundational data collection activities. Their responsibilities will include:
- Web-Based Data Collection
- Reviewing district websites to locate school climate survey results, improvement plans, and wellness-related documents.
- Searching Board of Education meeting minutes for posted climate data, farm-to-school references, or policy updates.
- Gathering data on district-level programs, food service features, and publicly posted farm-to-school activities.
- Data Extraction & Organization
- Extracting relevant indicators (e.g., sense of belonging, school climate, teacher-student relationships, absenteeism improvement efforts) and entering them into standardized spreadsheets.
- Recording district-level contextual information and verifying completeness.
- Assisting with basic descriptive summaries.
- Quality Assurance
- Participating in training to ensure consistency in data coding.
- Checking database entries for accuracy and resolving inconsistencies
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the apprenticeship, the student will gain:
- Research Skills
- Experience conducting systematic online data collection using public records and government datasets.
- Hands-on practice organizing real-world data for research use.
- Foundational Knowledge
- Understanding of Farm to School programs and how school nutrition, policy, and educational outcomes intersect.
- Insights into how district wellness policies shape implementation of health-related programs.
- Awareness of social-emotional climate metrics used in Connecticut schools.
- Professional Skills
- Ability to manage tasks independently while communicating progress effectively.
- Experience working in a research environment with a structured supervision and feedback model.
- Time‑management strategies related to remote research work.
Summer Schedule/Time Commitment:
The project is flexible and designed to accommodate students’ summer schedules.
- Total Hours: 90 hours over the summer.
- Preferred schedule:8–10 hours per week across 9–11 weeks, including attendance at required WebEx-based project and staff meetings.
- Flexible and student‑paced: work can be completed on any weekday
Meetings
- One weekly virtual meeting at a mutually agreed time.
- Students may also attend optional team meetings depending on their interest and availability.
Timeline
- Work may begin as soon as the spring semester has ended. End date is prior to the start of the fall semester
Meeting Expectations
- Weekly WebEx project meetings with the PI.
- Weekly brief summaries of completed tasks and accomplishments.
- Weekly WebEx meetings with staff at the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health.
Preferred Qualifications:
The project welcomes applicants with little or no experience. All essential skills will be taught. Preferred attributes include:
- Interest in public health, education, social sciences, policy, child development, food systems, or nutrition.
- Willingness to learn systematic data collection techniques.
- Attention to detail and comfort with online searching.
- Basic familiarity with Excel/Google Sheets (or willingness to learn).
To Apply:
The application opens on Monday, March 2, 2026. Click here to submit an online application for this SHARE apprenticeship through the Quest Portal. The application deadline is Monday, March 30, 2026, at 11:59pm.
Click here to view an outline of the general application questions. In addition to the general questions, applicants for this apprenticeship will be asked the following questions:
- Please describe your comfort level with web-based searching and reviewing public documents such as Board of Education minutes. (500 words max)
- If you have used Excel or Google Sheets before, briefly describe your experience. (500 words max)
- What interests you most about school food systems, health equity, or education policy? (750 words max)
Please note:
All students hired for a SHARE Summer apprenticeship must complete a federal I-9 form and present original documents in person to OUR staff as part of the hiring process. Visit this U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services page for more information about acceptable documents. You cannot begin working until this is complete. Students are encouraged to plan ahead for this. For example, if you are going home for spring break, consider bringing original documents back to campus with you.