By Lisa Sommer, Outreach Program Manager, Michigan Nonprofit Association

When Holly Anderson’s first-year service-learning seminar, “Commitments,” came to an end in the fall of 2005, she felt a strong investment to continue the progress she and her classmates had made with the education and promotion of local agriculture.  Her dedication led her to creating Farms to Kalamazoo College (Farms2K), a program connecting Kalamazoo students, faculty and staff with community organizations to promote the local food movement within the college cafeteria.  Through the help of the Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Institute for Service-Learning, Farms2K became a recognized student organization in the fall of 2006.

With assistance from community partners such as the Local Food Co-Op and Fair Food Matters, Anderson has led Farms2K through a series of educational events and regular meetings for organization members, the College dining service Sodexho manager, farmers and community members.  These educational events and meetings are creating a foundation and helping implement the necessary steps for local farms to eventually sell food in Kalamazoo College’s cafeteria and Kalamazoo Public Schools, while providing a support for the local food system.  One cook-off event brought more than 500 people in attendance and a panel discussion saw more than 200 people in attendance.

“The work our organization members and partners do to educate and build support from the campus and community is incredible,” said Anderson, Farms2K Student Leader.  “It is exciting to see our work pay off when I receive emails from classmates who are interested in learning more and connecting with their local farmers.”

Recently, Anderson, a sophomore at Kalamazoo College, was selected as one of five college students nationwide to receive the Howard R. Swearer Student Humanitarian Award from Campus Compact for her work outside the classroom and outstanding commitment to community service.  Anderson was selected to receive this award for her work with Farms2K (www.kzoo.edu/farmstok).

“Holly has demonstrated true passion for the local food movement not only by her involvement with Farms2K, but through her day to day life,” said Dr. Amelia Katanski, Farms2K Faculty Advisor and First-Year Experience Instructor.  “She has changed her personal eating habits and is convincing her parents to do the same.”  In September 2007, Anderson will travel to Scotland, where the local food movements originated, to study how its school restructured to involve local agriculture.

Both Anderson and Katanski are amazed to see how much the students, faculty and community want to be a part of the local food movement.  They initially expected to feel opposition when approaching the campus and community, but instead have been surprised by the immediate interest to get involved. 

“Farms2K also works to foster sustainable agricultural practices with safe and fair working conditions,” said Anderson.  “It is our hope that the information sharing between local food advocates will continue to grow, service-learning courses will continue to educate students about the importance of the local food movement with both national and international perspectives, and relationships between environmental advocates and the College will be sustained.” 

The five college student recipients of the 2007 Howard R. Swearer Student Humanitarian Award are: Jessica Allen of Maui Community College in Hawaii, Holly Anderson of Kalamazoo College in Michigan, Andrea Laidman of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, Stefanie Lynch of Emerson College in Massachusetts, and Bryan Mauk of John Carroll University in Ohio.

Campus Compact gives the Swearer Award annually to five students who have been nominated by their college presidents for creating an innovative approach to addressing a social, educational, environmental, health, economic, or legal issue within a community.  Made possible by a grant from Ariel Capital Management, LCC, each award includes a $1,500 prize - $250 to support a service program or organization the student has worked with and $1,250 for the student’s professional development.