Farmers Market Manager Internship

Starting in the Spring 2012 semester, the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
developed a Farmers Market Manager Internship. This internship is an exciting opportunity
for a talented Sociology major to manage a real farmers market! The internship evolved
out of the great success of our university’s first farmers market on Oct. 24, 2011,
National Food Day. It was hosted by ‘Reconnect’, our environmental sustainability
student organization, with assistance from several graduate students in the Applied
Environmental Sociology course.

As the market manager intern the student applies their sociological skills in coordinating
and helping to host, along with Reconnect, the two farmers markets that occur each
semester. The student intern works with multiple stakeholders in producing a successful
market and gains invaluable experience. Some of the required duties of the intern
include:

• Maintaining continuous contact and coordination with the farmer vendors and with school
  officials to set up the market and make sure that all required University policies
  are met. 
• Work with the students in Reconnect to fulfill their needs and produce a successful
  market. 
• Work closely with our independent market consultant, Darlene Wolnik. 
• Marketing and promotion of the market. 
• Maintain and enhance plans for the market day events. 
• Planning and implementation of market research or evaluation. 
• Work with all market participants to build the educational component of the market
  which aims to help create a local, fair and sustainable food economy through educating
  our campus and the larger community about the social, economic and ecological benefits
  of such a system to all. 
• Act as the “public face” of the market representing yourself, the department, Reconnect,
  the university and the values of the farmers market and a sustainable regional food
  system in a positive manner. 

This is a wonderful opportunity for any Sociology major looking for experience in
applied environmental sociology and food systems. The internship is a three hour credit
course (SOC 400) for a full semester’s work of 90 hours in the Spring or Fall and
requires sophomore standing or higher and at least a 3.0 GPA. Any qualified student
who is interested in this internship opportunity can contact Dr. David Burley for more information on the internship.