At the Campus Farm at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, the intersection of academic learning and community-driven agriculture is more than an idea, it’s a lived experience. The Urban Agriculture Internship Program offers students an opportunity to step beyond traditional classrooms and engage directly with the complexities of sustainable food systems, equity in food access, and urban farming.

A deep understanding of these issues requires more than textbooks and lectures. It demands hands-on experience such as working the land, collaborating with community leaders, and seeing firsthand the systemic challenges and opportunities within food production. Since its inception, the Urban Agriculture Internship Program has played a transformative role in the Campus Farm’s mission as a catalyst for change, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to create meaningful impact.

Emerging from the community partner co-led U-M Food Literacy for All course, this program is a collaboration between students, faculty, and local urban farms. Interns rotate through sites such as D-Town Farm, Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, and Cadillac Urban Gardens, gaining direct experience in different models of urban agriculture across Southeast Michigan. Whether planting and harvesting, leading educational workshops, or supporting produce distribution, students contribute in ways that align with the priorities of each community partner.

This living-learning lab not only deepens students’ technical farming skills but also fosters cross-community collaboration. Interns engage with a dynamic network of growers, activists, and educators, strengthening connections that support sustainable agriculture in Michigan. 

The program does more than teach students how to farm, it helps prepare them to become advocates for food sovereignty and equity. By working alongside local partners, interns develop a deeper understanding of the socio-economic and environmental factors shaping our food systems. They gain firsthand insight into the resilience of urban farming communities while also contributing to real solutions.

For many, this experience is transformative. It gives students a deeper understanding of how food is grown, shared, and accessed while connecting them with the people and places shaping local food systems. By turning academic learning into hands-on work, they gain skills and insight that leave a lasting impact - on the farm, in the communities they support, and in the future of urban agriculture.