Reflection: The Organic Center’s 2025 Summer Fellowship
This summer, The Organic Center was proud to host an inspiring group of science fellows whose projects highlight the creativity of the next generation of organic professionals. The program, offered in partnership with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), allowed students and recent graduates to engage in meaningful work that expanded awareness and education around organic food production. With mentorship from The Organic Center’s manager of science programs, Dr. Elias Miller, each fellow worked on unique projects ranging from a community-based recipe collection to social media campaigns and resource guides for gardeners and educators.
As the Nutrition & Recipes Specialist, Jamari Turner brought experience in oral history and community storytelling to collect recipes and personal narratives from participating faith-based communities in the Lexington, KY area. She compiled these stories and recipes into a community-centered booklet, pairing dishes with clear explanations of the health and environmental benefits of choosing organic ingredients. Her final deliverable, a curated recipe collection, blended community memory with science to strengthen organic literacy in local food traditions.
Our Outreach & Marketing Specialist, Amelia Talluri, who has a background in scientific communication and nonprofit outreach, focused on amplifying organic education through digital content and strategic messaging. She developed multimedia materials for social media and websites and helped assemble a cohesive communications approach for The Organic Center’s outreach initiatives. Amelia’s signature project was a science-based social media toolkit designed to share consistent, engaging messages about the benefits of organic agriculture, with a special focus on content addressing misconceptions about organic farming and food.
As the Organic Production Specialist, Erika Everest applied her training in soil and crop science to support organic adoption in the same communities where Jamari gathered her stories. She compiled and synthesized science-backed resources on organic gardening, urban agriculture, value-added production, activities for families, and more. Erika’s primary deliverable, a comprehensive resource guide, incorporated best practices in integrated pest management, composting, and organic cultivation, to support community leaders in establishing and improving church gardens.
To wrap up their work, our fellows came together to create short videos describing their project journeys, the outcomes of their work, and how their efforts will continue to benefit the organic community.
Nutrition & Recipes Fellow — Jamari Turner
Outreach & Marketing Fellow — Amelia Talluri
Organic Production Fellow — Erika Everest
Their time with us provided a glimpse into what the future of organic can look like. You can explore their projects, along with future intern contributions, on The Organic Center’s Future of Organic microsite.
