RFC Fellows
Samantha (she/her) is a freshman at the University of California, Davis and studies Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems. She has lived in Ghana her whole life and wants to play a role in transforming food systems so that what we eat is safe, nutritious, sustainable and accessible. With a commitment to resilient food systems, she says her time with RFC has “been nothing but insightful and inspiring to see all these wonderful people come together and do their part to spread awareness and bring about change to the food industry, while also supporting sustainable food options."
Jess (she/her) is a senior at the University of New Hampshire where she majors in Hospitality Management and EcoGastronomy. As an RFC fellow, she is working to help create a community of people who care about the RFC mission at UNH. She founded the school’s official RFC student organization and recruited five other student leaders to help host informative meetings and fun taste-testing opportunities. In a nod to her favorite quote by Dr. Seuss, she credits her willingness to reach out to other clubs and departments on campus with sparking a collaborative effort on campus. "You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so... get on your way!"
Aisha Shafik (she/her) is a first year at San José State University studying Public Health with a concentration in Population Data Science. They believe the future of food will be a collective effort where “resources are allocated with purpose and dignity, ensuring every food system investment supports equitable and ethical standards.” Being involved with RFC has “illustrated how student-led activism and motivation can be transformed into institutional change.”
Maria Mayet (she/her) is a senior at the University of California, Los Angeles and is pursuing a degree in Public Health with a minor in Food Studies. She wants to help shift her university’s food spend towards more local and equitable food sources so that our “food system is more equitable and prioritizes people’s nutrition and health.” With a knack for making really good Biryani, she wants to make an impact on her campus' food choices because “healthy, sustainable food should be accessible for all.”
Rory Joslin (he/him) is a sophomore at Wesleyan University, along with his twin! He envisions a future where food systems prioritize supporting local economies and food producers over corporate profit. He says his time with RFC makes him “feel empowered to enact a real change within the university.”
Stella Cosgrove (she/her) is a senior at UC Santa Barbara and the Chair of the Real Food Challenge. Since stepping into the role, she’s focused on connecting the existing food community at UCSB to make sure what we eat on campus is accessible and fair. This year making it an official campus org, launching the Full Belly Full Mind Substack, and hosting potlucks to bring the local food scene together. Stella truly believes our health is just a reflection of the health of our land, and she treats good food as a right, not a privilege. As she gets ready to graduate, her main goal is mentoring the next wave of students to keep the movement alive. When she isn’t pushing for better food policy or leading with Surfrider or working on her degrees, she’s usually cooking for friends, dancing, traveling, or out in the field with her camera.
Andrew McFarland (he/him) is an accounting student at Fresno City College, and is a big fan of the Lord of the Rings! He works with RFC because he wants to help connect local food makers with his campus and help support his community. He can imagine a far more clear way to reach out to food providers on campus, and wants more choices for students.
