Lund Fellows Program for Regenerative Agriculture

Caroline Peddicord

Major: Global Development

My name is Caroline Peddicord, and I am a student in the class of 2026 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. While I began my studies at Cornell in the Hotel School, I transitioned to Global Development with a specific focus on food systems and agriculture. I have deep respect and passion for food across many disciplines and I am seeking to gain more knowledge about community food systems and diversified farming. My farm placement is at Eve’s Cidery where I will work in a non-hierarchical family-farm setting while engaging with my local Ithaca community. I am really looking forward to learning about cider-making and agroecological farming as an integrated process, especially as it connects to concepts of community and food.

Alexis Rapacioli

Major: Food Science

Hello! My name is Alexis Rapacioli, and I am a current sophomore Food Science major from Putnam County, NY. This upcoming summer, I will be working at Little Gem Farm to expand my agriculture knowledge and immerse myself in a root-to-consumer environment. The catalyst for my interest in agriculture is the present niche in food science that has yet to be filled. This niche is hands-on food system education. Through this opportunity, I hope to increase my understanding of the current food system and dive deeper into the nuanced intersection of local agriculture, food access, and food consumption.

Cecily Smith

Major: Global Development

I am a Global Development major with a concentration in food systems from Locust Valley, New York. I am excited to collaborate with Oko Farms, as I am extremely passionate and curious about the potential to advance food justice through the use of aquaponic systems in urban environments. I am thrilled to contribute to their mission of promoting access to healthy food in Brooklyn, New York, and to support a community-centric, sustainable food system.

Elinor Behlman

Major: Environment & Sustainability

My name is Elinor and I’m a sophomore majoring in Environment and Sustainability focusing on ecology and plant science. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to work at Dilmun Hill this summer thanks to the Lund Fellowship. Through this opportunity, I hope to bridge my interests in environmental education and sustainable agriculture while getting the chance to connect with other students and Ithaca residents. I’m especially looking forward to growing garlic – Dilmun’s signature crop – and to furthering the farm’s sustainability efforts and community relationships.

Jeffrey Xue

Major: Food Science

Hello! My name is Jeffrey Xue, and I am a first-year Food Science major in Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. I am from Brockport, NY and will be working at RISE’s (Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment) Syracuse Refugee Agricultural Program (SyRAP) this summer. I will be helping to plan and build a perennial garden in addition to working with the farmers at the farmers' market. The mission of SyRAP was something that drew me in, as I am particularly interested in the social side of Food Science, such as increasing food security and addressing issues related to food access. The latter half also includes providing the opportunity for people to obtain culturally relevant foods. I am also cannot wait to learn more from the new Americans at the farm, not just about the food, but also about their experiences.

Sachi Srivastava

Major: Environment and Sustainability with minors in Community Food Systems and Plant Sciences

My name is Sachi Srivastava, and I’m a rising senior at Cornell University from Nashville, Tennessee. I’m studying Environment and Sustainability with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and I have minors in Community Food Systems and Plant Sciences! I’ll be working with the Youth Farm Project to help facilitate their Teen Summer Program, which focuses on developing youths’ connections to land, their communities, and their local food systems through farm-based social justice work. I am passionate about employing traditional ecological knowledge to heal the extractive and unequal nature of our current food system, and I am looking forward to learning from the farmers and teens I will be working with.

Sophia Caporusso

Major: Environment & Sustainability

Hello! My name is Sophia Caporusso, a sophomore majoring in Environment & Sustainability, Concentrating in Policy and Governance, and minoring in American Indian and Indigenous Studies and International Relations. As a native New York City resident and avid forager, I am especially interested in urban agriculture and policy concerning growing food on public lands- so I am extremely excited to begin working at the Bronx River Foodway, which integrates these passions, this summer!

Sophia Ukeni

Major: Global Development with a minor in Business

My name is Sophia Ukeni and I am a first year student at Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. I am studying Global Development with a minor in Business and plan to graduate in 2027. I will be working on the Red Hook Farms in Brooklyn. I’m interested in agriculture because of my passion for development. I believe that the two go hand in hand with each other and would like to combat food insecurity using sustainable agricultural practices such as permaculture and agroforestry. I chose to participate in Red Hook Farms because of my interest in the application of sustainability within an urban setting. I also look forward to collaborating with the youth and contributing to their education on food justice. Additionally, I hope to get involved in the marketing and management aspect of the farm, which would prove beneficial to gaining experience in the workings of a non-profit organization.