Serving With Intention, Together
Valerie Larsen '26 has built strong connections on campus and in the local community. She sees a strong community as "a safety net we build for each other."
Student Snapshot: Valerie Larsen ’27
Whether she’s studying food systems on the ground in the EU, helping to design a runoff-filtration system, pitching in at a food bank or getting her hands in the dirt, Valerie Larsen ’27 is focused on building strong communities rooted in empathy and dignity. One way she does this is through hands-on learning and research. She also forges connections in the local community. “There is power in local community, especially when community members work together toward a common goal,” she says.
Hometown:
Evanston, Ill.
High school:
Evanston Township High School (ETHS).
Majors:
Environmental science and food studies.
On choosing Dickinson:
I knew that I learn better in a small learning community. But when I visited the College Farm during my senior year of high school, I 100% knew that I wanted to go to Dickinson .
Best thing about my Dickinson experience so far:
Living in the Treehouse (Center for Sustainable Living)! My housemates are fantastic. I love getting to live with people who do what they can to give back to our environment.
Best thing about my major:
Being involved with the College Farm through a lot of my classes. I have especially enjoyed my agroecology class. We got to spend a lot of time outside digging up worms, collecting dirt samples, etc. It’s so fun! I also just love everyone in the major—it feels like a great community.
Favorite learning experience:
The Green Cuisine Mosaic. It was so rewarding to research how third spaces and social capital can build and support food security in the U.S. and in France, and it was great to travel to France with my classmates and professors. France has some innovative initiatives to tackle food insecurity, which gave me a lot of hope.
On studying abroad:
This past summer I had the opportunity to study food cultures and food sustainability in Italy. The highlight was going to the Parmigiano Reggiano factory and sampling all the different aged cheeses. It was a great time.
About my research:
I’m currently working on starting up research at Stonehouse Inn, an extension of Red Tomato Farm, owned by Professor Howard Rosen. I am working with Professor Kim Van-Fleet and with a local high school to create a runoff diversion and natural filtration system into the wetland of the property, utilizing natural materials like stones. I’m really excited to explore the science side of my major and get my hands in the dirt!
About my internship:
During the past two years, I’ve been interning at Project SHARE Farmstand through the Community Engagement Fellows (CEC) program at Dickinson’s Center for Civic Learning & Action (CCLA). I’ve had the opportunity to get to know clients who come in for supplemental groceries, and I've contributed to resource newsletters and data analysis.
One of the most impactful moments was getting to sit in on a community-partners meeting and seeing how different organizations work together to address food insecurity. The work can feel overwhelming, but Farmstand has shown me that there is power in local community, especially when community members work together toward a common goal. Farmstand is more than a space to get food. It’s a space for social connection. Volunteers and clients are friends—they look out for and support each other. The world can be so complex and overwhelming, but connection in these third spaces can be so powerful.
It feels necessary to me to engage in local organizations that provide resources for the community with empathy and dignity. Being a part of Farmstand and of a small town like Carlisle has taught me that change can be made if everyone opens their hearts and gives what they can, and that community can be the safety net we create for each other. I have already watched it happen. It gives me hope and keeps me going.
Also, [Director of Regional Partnerships and Programs] Sam Ha-DiMuzio has done an incredible job of building up the Community Engagement Fellows program. She encourages a strong emphasis on service learning, reflection and understanding the impact college students can have in their new community. It’s important to do service with intention and to be mindful of the larger social, historical and structural issues at play when working to address a community need.
Clubs and organizations:
Badminton Club (president), Environmental Majors Committee (treasurer), Eco-Rep, CCLA (service-trip leader), Department of Environmental Science teaching assistant, Project SHARE (intern)/Community Engagement Fellow.
Honors/scholarships/awards:
Dean’s List and Alpha Lambda Delta
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Published March 12, 2026