Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the RI Agriculture and Food Systems Fellows Program (AFSFP)?
Learn more about the program.

What is an AFSFP mentor?
Mentors are the cornerstone of the AFS Fellows Program, supporting and supervising students working alongside them on food systems-related projects. Ideal mentors are employed at agencies, businesses and institutions working in community food system policy, innovative practices for food production and nutrition and food safety. Fellows work a minimum of 400 hours from May – September on mentor-supervised projects and are compensated by the AFSFP for their work.

What could an AFS Fellow do for you?
Undergraduate fellows may serve your organization as project assistants, data managers and analysts, market researchers, youth educators, outreach managers and more! Do you have a project or task you haven’t been able to dig into? The AFSFP team can provide project design assistance and monitoring throughout the year to ensure that your fellow is adding value to your team, learning themselves and strengthening our community food system!

How does URI support AFSFP mentors?
URI manages the entire student recruitment and interview process, and facilitates placement of students with mentors based on skills and interests. URI provides continuous support throughout the year via in-person meetings, student training in professional development topics, networking opportunities for mentors and students, and more!

What is an AFSFP educational partner?
Educational partners provide in-kind educational services during the summer industry training series organized for fellows by the AFSFP team. Examples of this support may include, but aren’t limited to micro-lectures about agricultural science and policy topics, site visits to their farms, professionals offices, food processing, distribution and/or waste management facilities, academic laboratories or demonstration gardens; and/or participation in panel discussions organized by the AFSFP team around topics including community food system education for youth and food justice and equity.