A Summer of Food, Health and Hands-On Learning Across Arkansas

by Abby Gifford, Experiential Scholars Program (ESP) intern - July 9, 2026

I knew I would be spending the summer between my junior and senior year in a food science-related internship of some sort; however, I never pictured an experience quite like this. The past eight weeks have been such a phenomenal opportunity to get hands-on experience in a variety of fields, from food safety and preservation to learning about Arkansas health and vaccinations. Throughout this time, I have also traveled all around the state and developed a greater appreciation and understanding of the Arkansas community beyond northwest Arkansas.

I am a food science major and biology minor at the University of Arkansas on the pre-med track, and while searching for an internship, I was quite drawn to opportunities that would allow for the application of my science background and my passion for creativity with food. The Experiential Scholars Program (ESP) was a great blend of these two aspects and immediately captured my attention. Additionally, under the position I was applying to in Health, Nutrition and Food Safety, I was super excited about the intertwining of food and health and how this impacts Arkansans. Upon interviewing and talking with my potential mentors, I was super excited for the projects this internship entailed, including helping develop a recipe and involvement in the Arkansas extension work.

Going in, I was pretty excited; after all, I was getting the opportunity to be in a new city and meet lots of new people. I am so fortunate to say that the excitement hasn’t dwindled, and every day is something new. In a general simplification, my weeks typically took the structure of being out in the community and getting hands-on experience for half of the week and then spending the other half in the office. During my active involvement days, I did a variety of activities from attending food preservation trainings, spending time in the kitchen recipe testing, going on site visits, and attending various other agent trainings. In fact, I even learned how to use a sewing machine and made a tote bag that I am constantly using. During my days in the office, I am typically sending a plethora of emails, attending meetings, reflecting on my hands-on activities, and working on my two program projects.

For the past two months, my two main focus projects have been developing a recipe utilizing soy protein and constructing a Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) resource program manual for county agents. Regarding the recipe project, this process involved thinking about nutrient-dense ingredients, flavors that complemented BBQ well, and looked colorful. I wanted to create a salad that looked delicious, tasted even better, and was something that would hold up well in the fridge. I started off by drafting four different salad recipes and then thinking realistically about what flavors and textures would go best with the BBQ soy curls. Then, after revisions, recipe testing, and feedback, the final recipe was made.

On the other hand, my work on the resource manual is still in progress, and I will be wrapping up the final details in the last week. This project ended up teaching me so much in terms of organization, communication, and general technical skills. While admittedly it was quite an undertaking, it truly has been a rewarding experience and one that I hope will serve the FCS unit well. Through both projects, my active involvement in the community, and the encouragement of my fantastic mentors, I have learned so much more than I could have ever anticipated. All in all, the past two months have been truly unforgettable, and I am so grateful for this opportunity.