About F2OCUS
The Future of Food: Opportunities and Careers for Undergraduate Student (F2OCUS) Fellowship Program aims to provide undergraduate students with experiential learning opportunities to increase their understanding of the future of food systems as it relates to enhancing the safety, quality, and security of our food supply through knowledge sharing, capacity building, and leadership development.
Food is essential to life and plays an important role in promotion of health and disease prevention. Importantly, both the sustainability and quality of the food supply are key to providing all Americans access to safe and nutritious foods. Thus, there is an increasing need for food professionals and scientists who are trained to address the challenges related to the safety and security of the food supply, have experience working with key stakeholder groups, and are well-equipped with effective leadership and communication skills. To help prepare undergraduate students for careers related to food systems, the F2OCUS Fellowship Program will provide a sustainable mentoring and training program focused on skills to enhance the safety, quality, and security of our food supply.
F2OCUS undergraduate student fellows will participate in experiential learning activities resulting in the
- development of technical skills in research related to food science
- creation of a novel food product with a team of F2OCUS fellows
- engagement in externships with food industry and cooperative extension partners
F2OCUS undergraduate student fellows will also develop leadership and communication skills by
- connecting with current food industry leaders
- cultivating professional leadership skills
- building communication skills to prepare for their future careers
The 2024 summer F2OCUS fellowship program runs for 10 weeks from May 20 through July 20, 2024. Applications are due on Thursday, February 29, 2024, and decisions will be made by Friday, March 8, 2024. Each student awarded the F2OCUS fellowship will receive a stipend of $5,150, in addition to room & board and additional financial support for necessary travel.
