Engage With Us
It’s how we approach everything we do, in research, teaching, advocacy, and action.
We welcome the interest and participation of students, scholars, activists, and educators across CUNY and beyond. We partner with advocates, volunteers, community organizations, businesses, and governments.
See our available employment and internship opportunities.
Interested in Our Work?
Then we’re interested in you. Reach out to learn about all the different ways you can engage with us: urbanfoodpolicy@sph.cuny.edu
Opportunities
Employment
CUNY CARES Evaluation Director
CUNY Comprehensive Access to Resources and Essential Services (CUNY CARES) is a pilot program designed to demonstrate a new approach to integrated, comprehensive, student-centered health and social services for the 24,000 students attending CUNY’s three Bronx campuses: Lehman, Bronx Community, and Hostos Community Colleges. CUNY CARES seeks to link students to health care, mental health, food security, housing, and other essential services to improve their health and academic success. Based on the results of this three-year pilot program, which began in September 2023, successful elements will be extended to other CUNY campuses.
The CUNY CARES Evaluation Director will provide overall oversight of the assessment and evaluation activities for CUNY CARES. Located within the CUNY Office of Transformation and co-sponsored by the three Bronx campuses and the CUNY School of Public Health, the Director will spend time at CUNY Central, the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, and the three Bronx campuses. In addition, the Evaluation Director will work closely with CUNY’s Office of Applied Research, Evaluation, and Data Analytics (OAREDA) to develop a yearly scope of work that includes data deliverables, survey administration, and other agreed tasks related to the CUNY CARES evaluation plan.
CUNY CARES is led by CUNY’s Chief Transformation Officer with additional technical support and guidance from the various Central Office and campus faculty and staff. The Director will report to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of the Office of Transformation for programmatic supervision, and, in the first year, to Professor Nicholas Freudenberg in the CUNY School of Public Health for scientific and technical oversight and support.
Other Duties
- Oversee and direct a systematic assessment of CUNY CARES Demonstration Project that documents its progress and problems in implementation; report on its impact on student well-being and academic success; and provide evidence to inform scaling and sustainability of the program across CUNY campuses.
- Collaborate with OAREDA in identifying potential data and metrics already collected by CUNY programs (e.g., food pantries, resource centers, counseling centers), consult on creating a centralized data resource for the CUNY CARES services, and use aggregated data to monitor project outcomes.
- Engage faculty researchers and data collection teams at the Bronx campuses and with the CUNY Central Office conducting the evaluation, identify solutions to problems encountered, and prepare reports to communicate data and evidence to relevant stakeholders that will improve and strengthen project implementation and improve outcomes.
- With guidance from CUNY CARES faculty researchers, analyze program and other data collected by CUNY CARES campus and community partners.
- Represent CUNY CARES in communicating evaluation findings to funders supporting CUNY CARES.
- Prepare written, oral, scientific, and other reports on CUNY CARES accomplishments for a broad audience including policy makers, CUNY leaders, faculty, staff, professional journals, CUNY CARES student advocates, and students.
- Serve as liaison and technical assistance support on evaluation for CUNY CARES community providers of health care, mental health, food security, and housing assistance.
- Supervise student research assistants working on evaluation tasks.
- Other duties as assigned.
Status: Full-time with options for flexible schedule. This is mostly an in-person job that will require regular visits and meetings at participating sites.
Closing Date: September 13 or until filled with review of applications to begin August 26. Please submit resume and a letter of interest no later than Aug 23 or until the position is filled. The letter should describe your qualifications and interest in this position.
Fellowship Programs
Our fellowship programs provide funding for CUNY faculty and students to spend one or two semesters at the Institute, during which senior faculty will assist them in developing research projects and proposals, or they can contribute to existing work of Institute faculty and staff.
Doctoral Student Fellowship Program
Our Doctoral Student Fellowship Program launched in Fall 2016. Students are invited to apply to receive a stipend to participate in Institute research projects or to develop a dissertation research project of their own, with the support of Institute faculty and staff.
Ongoing Fieldwork & Research
We welcome graduate students who wish to pursue fieldwork placements, capstone projects, Masters essays, or dissertation projects in food policy or food justice. Our institute can provide a home for food policy research conducted by CUNY students as well as students from institutions across the city and the world. Stipends are often available.
If you would like to learn more about conducting research with us, write to us at urbanfoodpolicy@sph.cuny.edu.
Internships
Submit your information, letters of intent (LOIs), and supporting documents through the link provided below. For inquiries, contact craig.willingham@sph.cuny.edu
https://forms.gle/8hzT61imywL3ddpM6
The CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, part of the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, is dedicated to informing food policies for cities and urban regions. Our focus is on ensuring equal access to nutritious and affordable food, connecting it with health, racial equity, community sustainability, and workforce value.
We are currently accepting LOIs from students for 2025 spring, summer, and fall internships. Your LOI should address one of our research areas. If you’re interested in a food policy topic not listed, include it in your LOI. The application deadline is March 3rd, 2025. We will evaluate applications in early March and notify selected candidates by April 1st, 2025.
INTERNSHIP TOPIC AREAS
Food Equity Data and Dashboards
We analyze food policy trends and regional food planning at various government levels. Learn more here.
Food Labor and Workforce Development
Our research includes food worker compensation and working conditions. Learn more here.
Food Security
Our research includes campus food security, and SNAP/WIC expansion. Learn more here.
Food Advocacy
We research participatory practices in food planning and policymaking. Learn more here.
Food Policy Communications
Our work includes disseminating food policy information via newsletters, forums, and social media. Learn more here.
Food Program Evaluation
Our work includes evaluating program implementation and the impact of food-focused organizations.
Food and Climate Justice
Our work investigates the intersection of food and climate justice explores how food systems and climate change affect each other.
Other
You can propose a different topic in your LOI.
How to apply
Fill out the form at the link below and use it to upload your LOI and resume. https://forms.gle/8hzT61imywL3ddpM6
LOI Guidelines:
Your LOI is limited to 500 words and should include:
· Your interest in interning with the Institute.
· Your chosen topic area and its interest to you.
· How the internship aligns with your academic and career objectives.
