An Interview with Andrea Cornelius
Food Studies Major
Class of May 2019
What is/was the focus of your interests in Food Studies? If you completed an internship, what did it entail?
My Internship was at the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry. My duties were reaching out to the community inside and outside the campus to better understand food insecurity on the campus and in the community.
What did/do you enjoy most about your experience?
I enjoyed interacting with the community and fostering a connection to both students and community members, along with informing the public about “Free Bread Day,” an event that occurs every Thursday in the basement of Hendricks Chapel where bread and pastries from Panera would be given out for free to students.
Talk about a challenging or new experience you faced during your internship, how you managed it, and what you learned as a result.
My biggest challenge was trying to set up an event to raise funds for the Pantry. As I had originally suspected, it took a lot of communication and understanding from both ends to try and make it work.
How did your Food Studies classes experiences/degree/internship prepare you to work in the broad field of Food Studies?
The internship provided me with a better sense of justice and understanding for communities and people who suffer from food insecurity. I learned that there will have to be more done to ensure that everyone can be fed other than having a food pantry available.
What’s next for you or what are you up to now?
After graduation, I’d like to see if I can get an occupation somewhere around Washington, DC, or really any major city doing something regarding sustainability, working with a non-governmental organization, working with a farm-to-fork organization, or teaching and spreading awareness about the food system and how it can better serve the citizens it’s supposed to serve.