SHELFS-Spur’s health education and lifelong food solutions
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences
Denver
County
(Clear Creek)
- Food Systems
- Equal time spent on-campus and in the field
Primary Topic:
Food Systems
Other Topics:
Community & Economic Development, FCS, Nutrition, & Food Safety, Health & Wellbeing, DEI
Internship Overview:
The Spur’s health education and lifelong food solutions (SHELFS) Externship will be ideal for a student interested in food systems and one health, and for positive impact on all ages of people residing in the Globeville-Elyria-Swansea neighborhood surrounding CSU Spur campus. The student will work closely with Food System research scientists at CSU Spur and assist with outreach activities. There will be required weekly meetings with the SHELFS team to ensure communication on tasks/activities. Because science communication is an essential component for this internship, we will provide training in community surveys, human subjects research, and food-nutrition content alongside holding regular meetings and communications with key community partners. The overall focus is on assisting with the launch and build of SHELFS, a new program within the Food innovation Center at CSU Spur. The student will be involved in assisting food systems projects associated with our local partnerships that include, but are not limited to Food Bank of the Rockies meal delivery programs, Focus Points trainings in food preparation certifications, gardens, farmers markets, and with Tepeyac Community Health Center collaborations related to food and wellness for chronic disease prevention. There will also be opportunities for the student to create programming for 2nd Saturday open house events at CSU Spur related to SHELFS. Spanish language proficiency is also highly encouraged for this position.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
SHELFS is a new program in the CSU Spur Food Innovation Center and with collaboration to the CSU Food Systems Institute. SHELFS comprises of an interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff, and stands for- Spur’s Health Education & Lifelong Food Solutions. SHELFS will explore and implement the community readiness model (CRM) and assessments with diverse food systems and health-centered community stakeholders.
Some example activities may include
1. Establish sensory and tasting preferences for whole grains, legumes, microgreens, berries and colored potatoes in the community.
2. Examine dietary preferences and sensory perceptions of meals and snacks prepared with these foods.
3. Determine consumer acceptability and sensory perceptions in diverse populations across the lifespan. Findings will support effective approaches for future intervention research studies.
4. Investigate consumer acceptability and drivers/barriers to consumption while enhancing research on staple foods such as whole grain wheat, common dry beans and potatoes as agricultural commodities to Colorado and with respect to USDA dietary guidelines recently released for 2025-2030.
Some example activities may include
1. Establish sensory and tasting preferences for whole grains, legumes, microgreens, berries and colored potatoes in the community.
2. Examine dietary preferences and sensory perceptions of meals and snacks prepared with these foods.
3. Determine consumer acceptability and sensory perceptions in diverse populations across the lifespan. Findings will support effective approaches for future intervention research studies.
4. Investigate consumer acceptability and drivers/barriers to consumption while enhancing research on staple foods such as whole grain wheat, common dry beans and potatoes as agricultural commodities to Colorado and with respect to USDA dietary guidelines recently released for 2025-2030.
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
While being co-located at CSU Spur and with the CSU Denver County Extension Office, the intern will also be engaged with ongoing collaborations with Focus Points, Tepeyac Community Health Center, and the Food Bank of the Rockies. After the first few weeks, the intern will have the opportunity to select which specific collaboration under the SHELFS will be their focus as a project, while also maintaining connections in their Food Systems learning experience across projects.
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
Ability to communicate on Food Solutions for improved human and environmental health alongside an understanding of complex societal issues in areas described as food deserts.
Understand and measure how ready a community is to address a particular issue, and how to use that knowledge to stimulate community change.
Learn hands on about developing local meals and snacks with whole grains, legumes, microgreens, berries and colored potatoes for use in community-intervention studies and with opportunities for expansion into marketplace access.
SHELFS intern will experience engagement with broader community by leading in-person booths on Second Saturday’s at Spur for additional education and community outreach.
Understand and measure how ready a community is to address a particular issue, and how to use that knowledge to stimulate community change.
Learn hands on about developing local meals and snacks with whole grains, legumes, microgreens, berries and colored potatoes for use in community-intervention studies and with opportunities for expansion into marketplace access.
SHELFS intern will experience engagement with broader community by leading in-person booths on Second Saturday’s at Spur for additional education and community outreach.
