In the spring of 2024, I assisted Dr. Jen Gaddis in conjunction with a class on the Human Ecology of Food & Sustainability to implement a pilot program of in-house meal programs at Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) elementary schools. We did research on voting totals from students to inform which new lunch menu items to implement. Additionally, we conducted another round of focus groups with fourth- and fifth-grade students and their caregivers to gather information about their feelings toward the pilot program.
The data we collected serves a greater purpose than just redesigning the menu for elementary students’ enjoyment. By encouraging children and families to eat more hot lunches in their elementary schools, the nutritional impact of the program redesign affects children for the rest of their lives.
In 2026, I worked with MMSD and Dr. Gaddis again to help create a strategic plan for the district’s nutritional program. This included four site visits to different schools, stakeholder interviews, and data analysis.
I am also an active member of UW-Madison’s chapter of Students Demand Action. In 2025, I attended Advocacy, the first hosted by UW-Madison, and collaborated with major stakeholders to lobby for common-sense gun laws in the state of Wisconsin.
In 2025, I helped assist Governer Tony Evers in his site visit to Chadbourne Residence Hall in order to approve a budget on a new dorm for campus, improving undergraduate student quality of life.
In 2025, I attended a luncheon with Chancellor Mnookin and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor. Here, I was able to speak with top leaders at the university about student concerns surrounding sustainability, civic dialogue, and student engagement on campus, leading to meaningful change in dorm rules and regulations for the upcoming year.
Sofia More 