Internships

Summer Interns with the Center for Environmental Farming Systems come from all over the country and world to work with faculty members on weekly classroom learning activities, hands-on farming experience, community projects and focused research projects conducted at CEFS' 2,000-acre research farm in Goldsboro, N.C.

2012 Summer Sustainable Agriculture Internship Program

(June 4 – July 27, 2012)

Internship Background

We are seeking highly-motivated undergraduate students from a variety of different backgrounds, with a strong interest in sustainable agriculture, to participate in a unique 8-week summer internship. CEFS summer interns will learn about the concepts and practices of various aspects of sustainable agriculture from expert faculty and staff at CEFS and through hands-on farm work, lectures and discussions, community engagement, and field trips to local farms and markets. Additionally, students work with a CEFS faculty mentor to learn about an aspect of sustainable agriculture research. A highlight of this program is that interns will gain hands-on sustainable ag research knowledge through working with a CEFS Faculty Mentor.

Goals

For a student completing the CEFS Sustainable Agriculture Internship Program, the goals are to

describe sustainable agriculture and community food systems from a broad systems perspective,
evaluate a variety of agricultural systems and practices for their sustainability,
improve professional development and collaborative learning interactions with farmers, extension agents, researchers, non-governmental organizations and the community,
communicate about how research is conducted, basic techniques, data collection and appreciation of challenges for a related aspect of sustainable ag,
identify the challenges, constraints and benefits of sustainable agriculture practices.

Background of CEFS

CEFS was established in 1994 by North Carolina State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to serve as a center dedicated to sustainable agriculture research, extension and education. CEFS is nationally and internationally recognized for its excellence in sustainable agriculture research and is looking forward to having the opportunity to share our knowledge and resource base with interns in 2012.