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Maximizing the Value of Academic Contributions to the Food Industry

 

Over the years many of the nation’s colleges and universities have conducted research aimed at bringing knowledge and perspective to the food industry, provided industry executives with continuing education programs, and have supplied well-educated students to the industry in entry level positions.  Although several academic institutions have been individually recognized for their contributions, the potential value for leveraging their combined wealth of intellectual resources, independent thinking and third party status holds considerable promise to the food industry to find ways to overcome many of its more challenging issues. 

 

The University Food Industry Coalition was formed in 2004 when representatives from several university food and retail industry programs met for the purpose of identifying ways to collaborate in order to maximize the value of their combined academic and research programs to the food industry. 

 

Since then, the Coalition has met bi-annually at the N.G.A. Annual Convention in Las Vegas, and the N.G.A. Executive Management Conference in New Mexico.  Membership has grown to the following 12 institutions, including:

 

Arizona State University

California Polytechnic State University

Cornell University

Louisiana State University

Oklahoma State University

Portland State University

St. Joseph’s University

Texas Tech University

University of Alabama
University of Minnesota

Western Michigan University

 

Current initiatives being pursued by the University Food Industry Coalition include:

• Providing mentorship to both prospective job recruits and the industry for successful recruiting.

• Improving the diversity of the food industry workforce,

• Developing of a unified website to provide the industry with easy access to the Coalition.

• Gaining industry exposure for students.

• Identifying new research initiatives to address industry issues.

Anyone interested in more information on the University Food Industry Coalition can contact Dennis Degeneffe at The Food Industry Center.