An Inclusive Model for Developing Future Nutrition, Food, and Culinary Leaders (IMODEL)

AN INCLUSIVE MODEL FOR DEVELOPING FUTURE NUTRITION, FOOD, AND CULINARY LEADERS (IMODEL)

Sponsoring Institution

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Project Status

ACTIVE

Funding Source

AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT

Reporting Frequency

Annual

Accession No.

1030557

Grant No.

2023-68018-40314

Cumulative Award Amt.

$749,949.00

Proposal No.

2022-09077

Multistate No.

(N/A)

Project Start Date

Aug 1, 2023

Project End Date

Jul 31, 2028

Grant Year

2023

Program Code

[A7401]- Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
75 LOWER COLLEGE RD 110 CARLOTTI BLDG
KINGSTON,RI 028811966

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
"Inclusive Model for Developing Future Nutrition, Food, and Culinary Leaders" (IMODEL for short) is an innovative leadership development and mentored experiential learning program for underrepresented undergraduate students to address the AFRI Farm Bill Priority Area of Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health of the American Public. Nutrition-related inequalities in health status impact many chronic diseases and are serious public health concern. For instance, diet-related chronic diseases are leading causes of death in the United States, with underrepresented populations disproportionately affected. In addition, the food insecurity and food deserts faced by many vulnerable populations were made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to unfavorable health consequences. Well-trained nutrition, food, and culinary professionals from multiple backgrounds are needed to deal with these nutrition-related health inequalities and propose and develop testable solutions, interpret research into evidenced-based practice, and communicate findings to varying populations. Although food, agriculture, and related industries accounted for 11% of American jobs in 2018 and expected job growth is faster than numerous other fields, many individuals chose to leave these professions during the COVID-19. pandemic. Furthermore, national enrollment in these educational programs has decreased and the homogenous nature in the food, nutrition, and culinary profession has to be addressed. Inclusive Pedagogy framework uses active learning methods to fully engage the learners' perspectives, backgrounds and experiences in all learning environments, which promotes a sense of belonging. Using Inclusive Pedagogy as the framework, IMODEL will target underrepresented undergraduate students (defined in this proposal as people of color, economically disadvantaged groups, Veterans, LGBTQ individuals, first-generation college students, individuals with disabilities, and students at community colleges) for this innovative leadership development and mentored experiential learning program with the following objectives: 1) develop leadership skills, 2) prepare for post-graduate opportunities, 3) increase knowledge via mentored experiential learning, and 4) build a community of practice.IMODEL will complete formative virtual focus groups with current students, alumni, employers, and graduate program directors (n=40) during Year 1 that will inform IMODEL content and best practices, including IMODEL recruitment, retention, and activities. During Years 2-5, four IMODEL cohorts will complete intensive leadership development, summer internship followed by participation in a community of practice. Four Cohorts of IMODEL Fellows (n=63) will complete the three IMODEL components: Stepping into IMODEL (intensive leadership development), IMODEL Summer Internship and Reflection, and Stepping Out with IMODEL (participation in a community of practice). Stepping into IMODEL will be virtual-style seminar-style workshops based in Inclusive Pedagogy, incorporating the diverse backgrounds and learning styles of the Fellows while building a sense of belonging to IMODEL, their home and collaborating institutions, and disciplines. Use of videoconference technology will be used to allow the PDs and IMODEL Fellows from all three institutions to participate and provide robust networking opportunities. During the Summer Internship and Reflection, the IMODEL Fellows will complete a 10-week summer internship of 20 hours/week (18 hours with the internship and 2 hours in summer workshops/week). Fellows will receive a $3000 stipend and a $200 summer research/extension budget. Fellows will complete at least three written communication products for the internships. Reflection activities will be modified based on program participant feedback after each cohort. In Stepping Out with IMODEL, the Fellows will develop a poster and a public-facing sample to be presented at their institution's research/experience day. Fellows will also develop a presentation for their community of practice to be presented during the annual IMODEL virtual symposium. They will receive funding to attend a professional meeting ($1000), experiencing how research results are disseminated to professional peers and allowing them to further build their community of practice and network with nutrition, food, and culinary professionals. Upon return from the meeting, Fellows will write a reflection piece summarizing the program content, networking opportunities, and any professional gains achieved by attending the meeting.The short-term goal of IMODEL is to facilitate the growth and development of a diverse group of IMODEL graduates steeped in leadership skills who are competitive for post-graduate opportunities via mentored experiential learning and have cultivated a community of practice to rely on throughout their academic and professional careers. The societal benefit would be for our highly trained IMODEL graduates to seek leadership positions and become change makers in nutrition, food, and culinary careers of their choice. The long-term goal of IMODEL is that successful components will be scaled up at the three collaborating institutions and it will serve as a model for other programs to shape the next generation of leaders in the nutrition, food, and culinary fields.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

Applied

100%

Developmental

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
703	6010	3020	40%
704	6099	3020	20%
724	6010	1010	20%
724	6099	3020	20%

Knowledge Area
703 - Nutrition Education and Behavior; 724 - Healthy Lifestyle; 704 - Nutrition and Hunger in the Population;

Subject Of Investigation
6010 - Individuals; 6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education; 1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;

Keywords

culinary

experiential learning

Goals / Objectives
IMODEL has four objectives.1) Develop leadership skills, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking. IMODEL Fellows will participate in structured workshops, mentored experiential learning, team meetings, and one-on-one mentoring that support personal growth and leadership development.2) Prepare for post-graduate opportunities. IMODEL Fellows will participate in workshops focused on navigating academic spaces, preparing graduate school applications, writing personal statements, locating scholarships and awards, building resumes, and asking for reference letters.3) Increase nutrition, food, and culinary knowledge via mentored experiential learning. IMODEL Fellows will work closely with their matched Internship Mentor assisting withi) Hypothesis-driven research examining public health burdens; ii) Community programs that provide resources and nutrition education to food insecure persons or; iii) Community agencies that distribute healthy meals and cooking information to chronically ill individuals.4) Build a community of practice. IMODEL Fellows will be provided opportunities to engage with other Fellows, the PDs, and the Internship Mentors. IMODEL graduates will be invited to the fall virtual symposium, building a community across cohort years. IMODEL Fellows may also network with students and faculty from other experiential programs, allowing them to build community outside their discipline

Project Methods
During Year 1, formative virtual focus groups will be conducted with students, alumni, graduate program directors, and employers (n=40). The insight and ideas generated will refine IMODEL content and best practices, including recruitment, retention, and activities. To recruit focus group participants, information will be distributed to undergraduate students during classes and through email listservs and to program faculty, advisors, and nutrition/food/culinary clubs during department meetings and via email. Recruitment for alumni, graduate program directors, and potential employers will be conducted by targeted listservs and emails. The focus groups will be separated by stakeholder group, use different moderator guides, and consist of 3-8 individuals per group. Current students will discuss participation facilitators and barriers, recruitment strategies, challenges to building a community of practice, and potential internship sites. Alumni will discuss the undergraduate activities and skills that best prepared them for post-graduate opportunities. Graduate program directors will discuss academic preparation of graduate applicants, including the skills and attributes that best lead to success. Potential employers will discuss the level of preparation for entry-level positions, identifying leadership skills and discipline knowledge. The focus groups will be conducted using Zoom and transcribed by Temi Transcription Services. The transcriptions will then be imported into NVivo for qualitative coding and analysis to identify recurring themes, opinions, and beliefs. The focus groups and early intervention measures will provide actionable information to drive program modifications to ensure continual improvement and help minimize attrition during Years 2-5.During the spring of Years 2-5, four IMODEL Fellow cohorts will be recruited. Recruitment materials including diverse representation and highlight objectives, eligibility criteria, application process, internship activities (in-person and remote options), and Internship Mentors will be distributed over department listservs, summarized on flyers, disseminated during classes and club meetings, and shared on the IMODEL website, which will link to a central USDA REEU network. Information sessions (virtual and in-person) will be held to allow interested applicants to attend and ask questions. Interested students will submit an online application consisting of: 1) a short essay (<500 words) that addresses reasons for applying and discusses a timely nutrition, food, or culinary topic (writing skill will not determine selection); 2) an unofficial transcript to verify required coursework completion; and 3) a resume. The selection committee (the PDs and two Internship Mentors that will rotate annually) will holistically evaluate each application for interest in IMODEL and commitment to learning and interview candidates to determine the finalists. Efforts will be made to ensure that >60% of the Fellows are from underrepresented groups. Selected students will sign an acceptance letter stating that they are committing to IMODEL.Inclusive Pedagogy will be used as IMODEL's theoretical framework to foster encouraging learning climates between all stakeholders, promote leadership skills, and build the sense of belonging that is associated with greater academic motivation and achievement. Workshops and internships will integrate active learning methods and campus resources will be leveraged so the Fellows connect with these services early and will be more likely to use them in the future. Using this theoretical framework, IMODEL Fellows will: 1) develop leadership skills, including communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking, 2) prepare for post-graduate academic and career opportunities, 3) increase nutrition, food, and culinary knowledge via mentored experiential learning, and 4) build communities of practice.Four cohorts (n=63) of Fellows will complete the three IMODEL components: Stepping into IMODEL, IMODEL Summer Internship and Reflection, and Stepping Out with IMODEL. Stepping into IMODEL: For 13 weeks in the spring, Fellows will participate in seminar-style, Inclusive Pedagogy-base, workshops, incorporating the diverse backgrounds and learning styles of the Fellows while building a sense of belonging to IMODEL, their home and collaborating institutions, and disciplines. Videoconference technology will be used to allow the PDs and Fellows from the three institutions to participate. The NYU Center for Multicultural Education and Programs (CMEP) will also provide workshops centered on identity development and impostor syndrome, topics of concern to underrepresented students. Per best practices, Fellows will be matched to Internship Mentors based upon research interests and goals. Learning contracts for the summer internships will be developed, finalized, and signed. Workshop activities will be assessed for impact as appropriate to the task, activity, or assignment and will be modified based on program participant feedback after each cohort.Summer Internship and Reflection: Fellows will complete a 10-week summer internship of 20 hours/week (18 hours with the internship and 2 hours in summer workshops). Fellows will receive a stipend ($3000) and a summer research/extension budget ($200). Fellows will complete at least three written communication products for the internships (e.g., overview of the internship site, a nutrition education handout, or a blog post). Internship Mentors will assess each Fellow via an electronic survey at weeks 5 and 10. Activities will be modified based on program participant feedback after each cohort.Stepping Out with IMODEL: Fellows will develop a poster and a public-facing sample to be presented at their institution's research/experience day. Fellows will also develop a presentation for their community of practice to be presented during the annual IMODEL virtual symposium. They will receive funding to attend a professional meeting ($1000), experiencing how research results are disseminated to professional peers and allowing them to further build their community of practice and network with nutrition, food, and culinary professionals. Upon return from the meeting, Fellows will write a reflection piece summarizing the program content, networking opportunities, and any professional gains achieved by attending the meeting.The assessment completed by the Fellows, PDs, and Internship Mentors within each year and across the life of IMODEL are part of the cycle of improvement that is critical for Inclusive Pedagogy. Fellows will complete validated surveys (Leadership Attitudes and Belief Scale Survey III, the Social Problem-Solving Inventory Revised, the Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment, and the Networking in Undergraduate Research Instrument). Communication and disciplinary knowledge will be assessed using the Communications Skills Rubric by the PDs (during the three IMODEL components) and Internship Mentors (during the internship). The Fellows will complete the University Belonging Scale at the same four time points as an assessment of Inclusive Pedagogy. The IMODEL external evaluator will determine the extent to which the PD's meet their deliverables, utilize the annual formative and final summative feedback from IMODEL Fellows, PD's, and Internship Mentors, adhere to Inclusive Pedagogy assessment, and determine implementation fidelity. The project management assessment will answer questions such as: 1) How did the PD's manage the project? 2) Did IMODEL work in the way it was intended? and 3) Did it meet its objectives? The goal of IMODEL is to determine if this structured pathway, informed by Inclusive Pedagogy, facilitated the development of nutrition, food, and culinary leaders who are prepared for post-graduate opportunities with disciplinary knowledge and strong communities of practice.

Progress 08/01/24 to 07/31/25

Outputs
Target Audience:The United States (US) need well-prepared undergraduate students to address the AFRI Farm Bill Priority Area of Food Safety, Nutrition, and Heath of the American Public and tackle key nutrition-related conditions. The Inclusive Model for Developing Future Nutrition, Food, and Culinary Leaders (IMODEL for short) is an innovative leadership development and mentored experiential learning program for undergraduate students that develops leadership skills, prepares them for post-graduate opportunities, increases knowledge via mentored experiential learning, and builds a community of practice. IMODEL is piloting a scalable model of non-formal education across three institutions to more thoroughly prepare undergraduates, especially those from underrepresented populations, to become successful future nutrition, food, and culinary leaders. During this reporting period, we used information collected during Phase 1, focus groups. to finalize the three components of the year-long program for Cohort 1. We recruited 21 total students via a competitive application process to be the first cohort of IMODEL Fellows and take part in the leadership workshops and summer internship (8 from New York University, 7 from the University of Rhode Island, and 6 from LaGuardia Community College). All the IMODEL Fellows are students in good standing at one of the participating institutions, are at least 18 years of age and had at least two semesters left when starting the IMODEL program. The IMODEL Fellows have completed two of the three phases of their year-long involvement in IMODEL. Changes/Problems:A minor modification has been made to the IMODEL grant. Instead of the initial plan of four cohorts, the program now consists of three. However, we remain committed to, and on track to achieve, the initial target of 63 IMODEL Fellows as outlined in the original proposal. This will be accomplished by enrolling an additional 1 - 2 students from each of the participating institutions within each of the three cohorts. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This funding has supported mentorship and conference attendance for the IMODEL Fellows (cohort 1 of 21 students). These 21 IMODEL Fellows received mentorship from the three IMODEL project directors and from their summer internship mentors. During this project, Drs. Fernandes, Woolf, and Lofgren have obtained more knowledge about what nutrition, food, and culinary program directors and future employers want to see in curriculum so graduating students are ready and competitive for moving onto 4-year degrees (LaGCC IMODEL Fellows), graduate degrees (LaGCC, NYU, and URI IMODEL Fellows), and future jobs (LaGCC, NYU, and URI IMODEL Fellows). The IMODEL program also coordinated and hosted a training program to the Summer Mentors - 12 mentors attended this program that was presented by faculty and staff from NYU. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results from Phase 1 (focus groups) have been disseminated to the faculty at the three institutions by their respective project directors. One abstract and one manuscript are in progress. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue to analyze the focus group data and disseminate the findings via conferences and a publication. Complete the third component of the IMODEL Fellowship with the first cohort. Recruit the second cohort of IMODEL Fellows (20-24 more IMODEL Fellows with approximately 1/3 of the 20-24 Fellows from each of the three participating institutions). Complete the first two components of the IMODEL Fellowship with the second cohort. Submit a NIFA research grant application when the appropriate RFA is released to continue this work.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Activities of IMODEL during this time period include analyzing the data from the focus groups (Phase 1) that we conducted in the previous time period of IMODEL. We had focus groups with current students (n=21), recent alumni (n=12), undergraduate and graduate program directors for nutrition, food, and culinary programs (n=4), and employers of graduates from nutrition, food, and culinary programs (n=6). The data obtained from the focus groups were used to finalize the three components of the year-long IMODEL Fellowship. Additionally, a research abstract and scholarly manuscript from Phase 1 are currently in progress. Next, we recruited 21 IMODEL Fellows through a competitive application process (8 from NYU, 7 from URI, and 6 from LaGCC). We completed the first two components of the year-long IMODEL Fellowship with the first cohort of 21 IMODEL Fellows, consisting of 13 weekly workshops during the spring of 2025 and 5 bi-weekly workshops in the summer of 2025. The 21 IMODEL Fellows were also placed into mentored experiential learning opportunities (summer internships) at sites, such as a renal dialysis center, nutrition private practice, university research lab, food banks, and a meal delivery program that prepared medically tailored meals to individuals too sick to prepare meals. Approximately 75% of the IMODEL Fellows have completed their summer internship hours. To date, IMODEL fellows have completed online surveys at three points: baseline (pre-IMODEL activities), post-spring workshops, and at the end of the IMODEL Fellows' experiential learning opportunity. The online surveys assess numerous soft skills, including leadership, university sense-of-belonging, problem-solving, and networking. Preliminary analyses of these surveys have been analyzed with an abstract for presentation at a nutrition professional meeting currently in preparation. IMODEL Fellows are also funded to attend a conference that focuses on nutrition, food, and/or culinary issues. Seven of the 21 IMODEL Fellows have attended a professional conference and have increased their professional networks. The remaining IMODEL Fellows plan to attend nutrition, food, and culinary professional meetings during the fall of 2025. In addition to the crucial training provided to IMODEL Fellows, other students are gaining key critical research skills, including study implementation, survey design, quantitative research methodology, qualitative research methodology, data analysis, and data summary. For example, undergraduate and graduate students built the online surveys used to collect data from focus group participants and IMODEL Fellows. Two Master's and two undergraduate students, with strong mentorship from Drs. Woolf and Lofgren, reviewed the transcripts from the focus groups for accuracy, which also provided formative data for the IMODEL workshops. An NYU undergraduate student developed the IMODEL marketing materials, including recruitment flyers and templates for the presentations for the workshops. The graduate students have built qualitative skills by participating in the data analysis and summary of the quantitative focus group data and the online surveys. Thus, student training on IMODEL has been in multiple aspects of the research process from protocol implementation, data collection, data management, data analysis, and data interpretation. During this project, Dr. Woolf has guided the qualitative analysis of the focus group data and helped Drs. Fernandes and Lofgren develop a more sophisticated grasp of qualitative research methodologies. Products of IMODEL this year include the outcome data generated from the IMODEL Fellows through the online surveys. The information from this first Cohort will inform all aspects of the three components for the second and third IMODEL Fellow Cohorts. Additional products are the materials that the IMODEL Fellows have developed for their summer internships. These include social media posts, nutrition education materials for patients and clients, and community engagement activities. Publications: For this year, one abstract and one manuscript originating from these studies are currently in progress. The primary purpose of this research is to build a more competitive nutrition, food, and culinary workforce that is equipped to address the AFRI Farm Bill Priority Area of Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health of the American Public. The major achievement will be the creation of components that can be embedded into undergraduate education that build their communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and leadership skills via formal education, mentored experiential learning, and networking within communities of practice. The short-term goals are to examine how to better prepare nutrition, food, and culinary undergraduate students for mentored experiential learning opportunities that will eventually make them more competitive for future education and/or job opportunities in nutrition, food, and culinary fields. The long-term goals are to incorporate successful components into our own academic programs and share the findings so other nutrition, food, and culinary programs can incorporate the same successful components. The milestones this year were to use the Phase 1 information from the stakeholder focus groups to finalize the programing for the undergraduates and begin the first cohort of IMODEL Fellows (21 of 63 IMODEL Fellows). This project's objectives are to: 1. Complete focus groups with various stakeholders to determine what knowledge, activities, and behaviors are important for nutrition, food, and culinary students to gain to be leaders in their fields. 2. Complete training for student IMODEL Fellows to be more competitive for future education and jobs in nutrition, food, and/or culinary a. TheIMODEL Fellows will participate in workshops to improve skills in communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and leadership. b.The IMODEL Fellows will complete a summer internship to get experiential learning in an area that interests them in the nutrition, food, and/or culinary field(s). c. The IMODEL Fellows will present their internship experience and the material s they developed. d. The IMODEL Fellows willtheir communities of practice through the IMODEL workshops, their internships, and finally by attending a professional conference. 3.Analyze the data from Phase 1 (focus groups) and Phase 2 (IMODEL Fellowships) to inform future research, instruction, and practice. 4.Share findings at professional conferences and in scientific journals. 5.Write an AFRI grant proposal based on the findings of this project. Phase 1 (focus groups) was completed and data are currently being analyzed from the sample of stakeholders (N=48). One research abstract and one manuscript are in progress. Phase 2 (IMODEL Fellow cohorts) was started. We recruited 21 students (8 from NYU, 7 from URI, and 6 from LaGCC). The first 21 IMODEL Fellows have completed 2 of 3 IMODEL Fellow components.

Publications

Progress 08/01/23 to 07/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:We have completed 8 focus groups with four stakeholder groups - we reached a total of 45 people. The four stakeholder groups are: 1) current students in food, nutrition, and/or culinary programs at the University of Rhode Island (URI), LaGuardia Community College (LaGCC), and New York University (NYU); 2) alumni from URI, LaGCC, and NYU; 3) graduate directors in food, nutrition, and/or culinary programs; and 4) potential employers of graduates from food, nutrition, and/or culinary programs. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The focus groups have been very imformative for the project directors. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will be analyzing the focus group data to determine what to add to the IMODEL Fellows curriculum. We will also be recruiting the first cohort of IMODEL Fellows.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The focus groups with the four stakeholder groups are being done to identify what the stakeholders feel are important to have in the workshops for the IMODEL Fellows. There is an IMODEL curriculum that incorporates best practices for increasing nutrition knowledge, improving leadership skills, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking. However, we will be using the feedback from the focus groups to determine what additional aspects/activities need to be incorporated in order to meet stakeholder needs.

Publications