Once she took her first food studies course, she discovered there is so much to know about food. So when Falk College announced its newest undergraduate major in food studies, it was no surprise that Anna Delapaz ’17 signed on as the first official major in the program. A double major in nutrition, her career plans are focused on becoming a registered dietitian. She hopes to delve further into her interests in community gardens and improving food access. “I think having a background in both nutrition and food studies is a great way to fully grasp the complexity of food,” says Delapaz.
This semester, she is the first intern for My Lucky Tummy, a community organization that works to promote awareness of the refugee population in Syracuse through sharing different ethnic dishes at pop-up food courts. Earlier this year, she worked side-by-side with people from all over the world. “It was really amazing to see food’s ability to bring people together and share a passion and love for food through My Lucky Tummy. This has been a great way for me to connect to the Syracuse community and appreciate the diversity it has to offer.”
Her advice to students thinking about a major in food studies is simple: “Try it out! FST 102, Contemporary Food Issues, is a great introductory class. Talk to the professors. Everyone in the department is so eager to share their passion. There is such a range in classes, from understanding sustainable agriculture to learning about worker’s rights. I’ve never taken a Food Studies course that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. Each class has something new and unique to offer,” she says. The course, Urban Food Systems, with Professor Evan Weissman, centered around a semester-long project that involved working with community members. “This was a great opportunity to step outside of the classroom and apply what we learned in class. I really appreciated Professor Weissman’s interest in getting students to see the Syracuse community. It was awesome being a part of a class that felt like so much more than just a class,” she says.
“The food studies courses are all the more thought-provoking and impactful because of the faculty. I’m almost done with the major but I joke with my advisor, Dr. Rick Welsh, that I’m going to take every course. I’m only partly joking”