This project is made possible with generous funding from The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)
For Students
Mentorship Project
The second year of BFI’s mentorship project is open to ALL UC Berkeley students interested in a career or studying food and farm systems. The project will run from September 2026 to May 2027. The project will support students using a peer mentorship model that matches graduate student mentors with undergraduate mentees. This program offers opportunities for professional development, field trips, and one-on-one support from alumni and affiliated faculty and staff.
Who can apply?
We hope to onboard 10 participating graduate students to be matched with 10 undergraduate students. ALL students at UC Berkeley can apply as long as they have an expressed interest or field of study in food and farm systems.
Check back in September 2026 to apply to be a BFI mentor or mentee.
Why apply to the mentorship project?
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- Learn peer mentoring skills
- Build community
- Take steps toward a career in food systems through experiential learning
- Build professional knowledge and networks
Want to learn more about this mentorship project? Join us for a Zoom Q&A call this September 2026, date/time TBD.
FAQ
Participating in this mentorship project offers opportunities for professional development, workshops with alumni, field trips, and asynchronous and synchronous guidance from staff and faculty, and experts in the field.
Mentorship time commitments will include 1:1 meetings, workshops and events.
We ask that you plan to attend all of the trainings and workshops. Exceptions can be made for extenuating circumstances that are clearly communicated to the BFI project lead. We expect that the mentors and mentees will meet at least one hour a month from September to May.
Graduate students who are approved for participation will be paid $26/hr for their work mentoring undergraduates for an estimated one hour per week for 40 weeks. Mentors can facilitate additional workshops or small group work for hourly pay if there is interest. See the duties description linked here.
We encourage undergraduate students working to complete a Food Systems Minor or taking courses in food and farm systems to apply.
The mentorship program application form for academic year 2026-27 will be open September 2026. Additional seats may be open after September, pending availability.
A required onboarding meeting will be held in-person this October 2026.
BFI Education Director, Jezra Thompson, is leading the mentorship project in collaboration with Dr. Carly Hyland, assistant professor of Cooperative Extension, along with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, Latinx for the Environment and BFI affiliated faculty and staff.
Contact jezrathompson@berkeley.edu with any questions.
