Student-Run Indoor Farm Grows Fresh Produce, and Opportunity, at Rutgers
Agoraponic Farms blends sustainability, service, and entrepreneurship
The first thing you’ll notice is the layers of deliciously crispy shades of green.
Within Rutgers University–New Brunswick’s new Student Basic Needs Center, rows of bok choi, cilantro, kale, and more spread out from hydroponic shelves, fed from above with sun-mimicking LEDs and from below with nutrient-enhanced water.
This indoor garden is operated by Agoraponic Farms, a student-run nonprofit that plays a growing role in addressing food insecurity on campus by growing produce just steps away from where it will be distributed. In one month, the system produces about 10 pounds of fresh produce to serve about 100 students. It donated $4,000 worth of produce during the 2024-25 academic year.
Agoraponic Farms was founded in 2019 as a project of Rutgers Enactus, a social entrepreneurship club and incubator that helps students develop their ideas to serve the greater good. It addresses an issue of national importance: About one-third of college students nationwide have experienced food insecurity, a lack of reliable access to affordable, nutritious food.
Rutgers is a leader in addressing this issue, most recently through the Spring 2025 opening of the Student Basic Needs Center, which connects students with comprehensive support for food, housing, clothing, childcare, mental health, financial, and other resources.
With a hydroponic approach that, according to its student organizers, uses significantly less water than traditional agriculture, grows plants faster, and produces food year-round, Agoraponic Farms is one important component of the center. The 13 students at its core plan to expand their impact beyond campus by partnering with community centers and food pantries in New Brunswick.
“Our focus now is on expanding access,” said Luigi Aiello, a second-year Supply Chain Management and Data Science major who serves as Agoraponic Farms’ co-managing director. “With more partners willing to put in the effort,” he said, “this model can help more people get fresh produce.”
For Aiello and his fellow students, Agoraponic Farms is more than a service project. It is a hands-on learning experience that blends science, leadership, and business.
Marian Hollenbeck, the group’s hydroponics systems manager, called it an “incredibly interdisciplinary experience.” A Plant Science major, she joined Agoraponic Farms to learn about hydroponics—but soon became so skilled at management and entrepreneurship that she took on a minor in Business.
“The hands-on experience of running an organization, including leadership, sales, public speaking, grant-writing, has been transformative for all of us,” Hollenbeck said.
Because the organization operates like a professional venture, students gain experience in budgeting, logistics, public speaking, and strategic planning. They regularly present their work at regional and national competitions, where they pitch Agoraponic Farms to judges and industry professionals.
“You learn what matters to stakeholders and potential clients,” Aiello said. “You learn how to explain why your work has value.”
Those experiences have led to national recognition, including the Association of College Unions International’s (ACUI) 2026 Student-Driven Program of the Year award, that helps students build confidence and professional skills.
Raadha Garg, a chemical engineering major and co-managing director, joined after discovering Agoraponic Farms at the Rutgers–New Brunswick Involvement Fair. With prior experience in hydroponics, she was drawn to the organization’s mix of technical work and community impact.
“It’s been a great way to build leadership skills,” Garg said. “And it feels good knowing the work we do benefits the Rutgers community and beyond.”
That sense of purpose keeps the team motivated through the challenges of maintaining large-scale systems alongside demanding coursework.
“We know this work helps students meet their basic needs,” Aiello said. “That’s what keeps us going.”
