#studentinterviews

Oh MAN do we get swamped with these very year. I suggest you send your teacher to this post and ask them to stop giving this assignment, it’s THE ABSOLUTE WORST. As the article says, a much better skill to teach students is to do internet research and develop their Google-Fu skills to find the information themselves. There’s so many podcasts out there where pros have been asked a ton of questions. Let me recommend the Drawn + Drafted ProjectCast and Sam Weber’s Your Dreams My Nightmares.

—Agent KillFee

Nolan Russell

Class of 2016

Omnivore

Nolan was one of many individuals who believed Duke Eateries got food “wherever they get food from.” He guessed that those directly related to Duke Dining probably had some involvement with local farms.  While he had no previous knowledge about fair foods, he was the only one to say something about the role of animal ethics and how animals are raised could have something to do with fair food. While unsure about fair food on campus, Nolan mentioned how he always hears about Duke Initiatives. These initiatives make him think Duke tries to support fair food practices one way or another.

Kenai McFadden

Class of 2015

Junior Class Vice President

Omnivore

Reading Eating Animals and taking a Writing 20 on the Science of Food Choice Freshmen year changed the way Kenai viewed food. Before Duke, he had never really taken much notice about the food he ate but now he has become more conscious about the food he eats and where it comes from. He has a little more knowledge about his food than some of the other individuals we interviewed.

Kenai was the first individual who adamantly believed Duke partook in fair food practices. He noted that the employees were well compensated and that Duke put the money into making sure we have good food.

Ani Rodriguez

Class of 2014

Greek- Affiliated

Food-conscious omnivore

Having volunteered at the Duke Campus Farm, Ani was able to tell us that at least some of Duke’s food is grown locally even if it’s only a small percentage that is supplied by the farm. Her initial response to fair food was food that was processed in healthy way if processed at all, and most importantly, provided a healthy balance for someone’s diet.

Jessica Huang

Class of 2014

Omnivore

It seems like Duke has done a good job making us believe that our food is locally grown. Jessica was another individual who believed a lot of her food was local due to the signs at the Marketplace and Great Hall.

As Jessica had already taken the survey before the interview, she had the upper hand when asked questions about fair food. She believed that while it was a basic thing to have, she wouldn't be too surprised if Duke did not partake in fair food practices. When asked if she would implement this in her daily life, Jessica was very honest. For her, it was about how food tasted regardless of the work that went into the process. 

David Blanchard

Class of 2014

ROTC

Greek-Affiliated

Omnivore

David’s knowledge embodies the lack of connection between the process of food production and those who consume it. From his answers, we know that David knows very little about the food he eats. Aside from the Marketplace and Penn Pavilion having local foods, he had no other knowledge about other eateries on campus. When asked about fair food at Duke, David stated he had never heard of the term.  He also believed that since Duke didn't make a big advertising deal about it, they probably did not partake in fair food practices.

Emily Richardson

Class of 2014

Omnivore

Emily has never considered where her food comes from; however, Duke’s advertising campaigns on local food have given her the impression that much of what she eats is local. On the topic of fair foods, Emily was much less informed. She had no idea what fair food was but she was quite adamant about how Duke did not implement fair food practices because of the expenses related.

On a surprising note, Emily openly stated that if people discussed fair food more, it would be seen as an upper class, white supremacy thing. This was the first time any of the individuals we interviewed had openly discussed the role race could have in fair food practices.

Drew Rotolo

Class of 2014

ROTC

Omnivore

While Drew tries to eat a balances diet, Drew was very open to the fact that was not well informed about the food he eats or where it comes from. Signs posted in the Great Hall about locally grown food gave him the most knowledge about his meals.  However, he assumed that most of the food on campus was not acquired locally unless the vendor was sourced by Bon Appetite.  

Drew had no preconceived notions about fair food on campus or in general. Once given the definition of fair food, Drew attached a strong relationship to fair food and organic food. Organic food was something he couldn't afford thus fair food was also probably something he couldn't incorporate into his daily diet.