Student Resource Navigator Program

  • Date: June 2022 - August 2022
  • Location: CCE Tompkins County
  • Intern: Madeline Lei (Madeline's blog)
  • Field mentor/supervisor:  Grace Parker Zielinski
  • Stipend: $5,000
Sunflowers in the foreground of an urban green space
Three collaborative NYC-based projects designed to inspire cross-campus research partnerships have been awarded grant funding from CALS totaling approximately $500,000. Above, North Brooklyn Farms, an agricultural green space open to Brooklyn community. Photo by RJ Anderson

Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County is launching a new health equity project in partnership with Cayuga Health Partners that will build the capacity of health care providers to address patients' social needs. The Student Resource Navigator Program will deploy students as navigators in health care settings to initiate and track referrals to community resources that improve health and well-being.

The project goals are 1) to meet community members’ immediate needs by connecting them to appropriate resources, and 2) to gain a clearer understanding of facilitators and barriers to accessing public health resources in Tompkins County to determine what policy and program changes may be needed to improve accessibility.

The intern will focus on a) supporting the pilot of the program, b) adapting the Navigator role and position description based on learnings from the pilot, and c) designing recruitment and hiring strategy to maximize accessibility of this opportunity for a diverse population of Cornell students.

Roles and responsibilities 

The intern will be responsible for:

  • Supporting our pilot program with our first cohort of navigators and assisting with the analysis of program data and evaluation of the pilot
  • Researching barriers and facilitators to internship participation for diverse undergraduate students
  • Adapting the Navigator position description and developing outreach materials and recruitment and hiring protocols to maximize equity in our hiring process

Qualifications and previous coursework

This opportunity is available to non-graduating students enrolled in Cornell University's CAS, ILR, AAP, COE and JCB.

  • Passion for health equity and addressing disparities through social determinants of health
  • Experience working or volunteering in community settings
  • Collaborative attitude in working with navigators and community partners
  • Students who have completed ILRLR 4035 (Intersectional Disability Studies) are encouraged to apply

Learning outcomes 

  • Intercultural competence
  • Critical reflection 
  • Integrative learning
  • Ethical practice