Student Fellowship

Nutrition Policy Institute Student Fellowship

The Nutrition Policy Institute awards fellowships to undergraduate or graduate students who show potential in advancing our mission and vision. The Fellowship offers valuable professional experience through mentorship by NPI researchers.

We particularly encourage engagement from first-generation college students, those with lived experience with food insecurity or public health nutrition programs, and individuals underrepresented in research and dietetics.

Established in 2019, the NPI Student Fellowship honors our founding co-director, Patricia Crawford.

You can contribute to the NPI Student Fellowship fund by making an online donation.

In this video, NPI leadership shares the history and vision of the NPI student fellowship and four students share their experiences working with NPI. View this video in Spanish.

Discover firsthand experiences from our former students:

“I was the first recipient of NPI’s Student Fellowship. Thanks to the Fellowship, I was able to conduct an independent research project and share the findings with local, state, and national stakeholders to highlight the impacts of nutrition and health policies on the lives of immigrant communities. As a first-generation college student and as an immigrant myself, the NPI Fellowship was critical in providing me with the opportunity to learn from the process of linking research to policies. Most importantly, I discovered my passion for health policy and decided to pursue a career where I work to ensure that equity is centered in decisions and diverse perspectives are taken into consideration as policies are created.”

- Maria Isabel Rangel, health policy professional; University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health, MPH 2018

“Working with NPI not only provided me with access to high quality data for my dissertation but also invaluable support and mentorship by the research staff and faculty, who are all experts in their fields. The experience truly transformed my time as a student and has had a lasting impact on my career. Even years later, I still treasure the relationships I formed there and look forward to every opportunity to reconnect and collaborate with NPI colleagues.”

- May Lynn Tann, Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives, California Association of Food Banks; UC Berkeley, School of Public Health, DrPH 2017

“As a recipient of the NPI Student Fellowship in honor of Pat Crawford, I learned how research can lead to meaningful change in policy at local and national levels. This experience was key to my growth as a scientist and leader in my community.”

- Anna Rios, Harvard Medical School, Neuroscience, 2024; UC Berkeley, BS Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2022

“My time with NPI was very enriching and informative. I had the opportunity to work with amazing staff as I supported many projects and studies that NPI oversees. Overall, this experience broadened my interests and skills in clinical research and nutrition, which I plan to pursue further.”

- Sia'h Fanta Jimissa, undergraduate student; UC Berkeley, BS Public Health, 2024

“Working with NPI as a Communications Fellow has opened my eyes to the field of nutrition research. Observing how several staff members at NPI come together to work towards improving access to relevant nutrition information has made my passion for the field of nutrition grow and motivated me to pursue a future career within the field. The NPI Student Fellowship has been a pivotal part of my undergraduate studies and I am now better equipped to work towards my goal of fostering equitable healthcare.“

- Brianna Aguayo, undergraduate student; UC Berkeley, BS Nutritional Sciences, 2026

“This fellowship has allowed me to gain practical skills in a variety of areas related to nutrition research and policy development. These skills, in cooperation with the theoretical knowledge developed throughout my experiences in academia, will allow me to be a stronger, more well-rounded educator and public health professional in the future.”

- Maya Ezekiel, graduate student; UC Berkeley, School of Public Health, MPH in Food, Nutrition and Population Health and combined Dietetic Internship, 2025

“As a recipient of this fellowship, I had the privilege to engage in research that offered me profound insight into the full investigation process. My time at NPI has been such an invaluable experience and has cemented my passion for nutrition research and my career as a future Registered Dietitian.”

- Rebeca Oropeza, undergraduate student; Pepperdine University, BS Nutritional Science, 2025