This summer, Barry University students are participating in 12 paid research internships through the USDA-funded Cultivating Resilience Through Agriculture and Food Training (CRAFT) Program, gaining hands-on experience with faculty mentors at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

The eight-week internships place students in cutting-edge laboratories and field research programs across a variety of disciplines, including food safety, microbiology, plant genomics, public health, coastal ecology, livestock genetics, and community wellness. One participant, Marine Biology major Hayley Boyle, is conducting research with Dr. Ashley Smyth at UF’s Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead.

The internship placements were coordinated through Barry’s partnership with Dr. Rose Koenig of UF/IFAS. Students traveled to Gainesville with Dr. Leticia Vega to move into residence halls and attend an orientation hosted by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

The group also connected with Barry alumni who are continuing their education at UF, including Grace Steffan and Thierry Taylor, the first graduate of Barry’s CRAFT Scholar Program, who will begin a funded master’s degree at UF.

By working alongside faculty researchers at a leading R1 institution, Barry students are gaining valuable professional experience and helping address real-world challenges in food systems, environmental sustainability, public health, and agriculture.

This opportunity is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture NEXTGEN Program through Award No. 2023-70440-40161.