Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
There is growing evidence of the importance of a healthcare workforce that is ethnically diverse and representative of the communities it serves. However, there is little diversity in the field of nutrition and food science, especially within higher paying occupations that require extensive education and training. Students from historically underrepresented communities have lower retention and graduation rates in nutrition and food science programs because they may not know about career pathways and/or may get discouraged by the lengthy time, cost, and science-heavy curriculum. The goals of the proposed project are to: (1) increase awareness among high school and community college students to careers and educational pathways in nutrition and food science; (2) increase recruitment and retention of high school and community college students within nutrition and food science programs; (3) improve transfer rates from community colleges to 4-year university nutrition and food science programs; and (4) improve retention and graduation rates for underrepresented CSUN nutrition and food science students.Project goals will be achieved through: (a) outreach at local high schools and Los Angeles Mission College; (b) development of a fellowship program for CSUN undergraduate and graduate nutrition and food science students; (c) incorporation of ServSafe® certification into CSUN's nutrition and food science curriculum; and (d) development and incorporation of culinary arts skills and competencies into CSUN's nutrition and food science curriculum. The fellowship program will provide participating students with financial assistance, experiential learning opportunities with community partners and USDA agencies, peer mentorship, and other supports. Over 4 years, a total of 3,500 high school students and 1,000 community college students will participate in outreach presentations; 40 CSUN Dietetics Interns will be recruited and trained as Peer Mentors; 10 CSUN nutrition and food science faculty will be recruited and trained as Faculty Mentors. Finally, 60 undergraduate and 40 graduate CSUN nutrition and food science students will be selected as Fellows, receiving scholarships, peer and faculty mentorship, research assistantship, career coaching and other student support services.
Animal Health Component
25%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
25%
Developmental
25%
Goals / Objectives
The goals of the proposed project are to: (1) increase awareness among high school and community college students to careers and educational pathways in nutrition and food science; (2) increase recruitment and retention of high school and community college students within nutrition and food science programs; (3) improve transfer rates from community colleges to 4-year university nutrition and food science programs; and (4) improve retention and graduation rates for underrepresented CSUN nutrition and food science students.HSI Education Grants Program ObjectivesCollaborative Pathways Performance ObjectivesObjective #1: Attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups to prepare them for careers related to food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH)Performance Objective 1.1. By 2027, increase enrollment of full-time underrepresented students in LAMC's nutrition and food science program by 30% (from a baseline of 9 to 12); and in LAMC's culinary arts program by 12% (from a baseline of 92 to 103).Performance Objective 1.2. By 2027, at least 55% of full-time underrepresented students in LAMC's nutrition and food science program or culinary arts program will be retained from freshman to sophomore year.Performance Objective 1.3: By 2027, achieve a 50% increase in the transfer rate of full-time underrepresented nutrition science or culinary arts students from LAMC to a four-year university (from baseline of 10 to 15 students)Performance Objective 1.4: By 2027, increase by 50% enrollment of underrepresented students in CSUN's undergraduate nutrition, dietetics, and food science program, from baseline of 36 to 54 within 4 years.Performance Objective 1.5 By 2027, at least 80% of undergraduate students supported by this project will graduate within 3 years.Performance Objective 1.6: By 2027, increase by 50% enrollment of underrepresented students in CSUN's graduate nutrition, dietetics, and food science program (from a baseline of 12 to 18).HSI Education Grants Program Objective #2: Enhance the quality of postsecondary instruction within FANHPerformance Objective 2.1: By 2027, at least 60 CSUN nutrition, dietetics and food science undergraduate students will receive ServSafe® Food Manager certification.Performance Objective 2.2: By 2027, at least 40 CSUN nutrition, dietetics and food science undergraduate students will receive new culinary arts competency and skills certification.
Project Methods
Methodology: (a) outreach at local high schools and Los Angeles Mission College; (b) development of a fellowship program for CSUN undergraduate and graduate nutrition and food science students; (c) incorporation of ServSafe® certification into CSUN's nutrition and food science curriculum; and (d) development and incorporation of culinary arts skills and competencies into CSUN's nutrition and food science curriculum.The fellowship program will provide participating students with financial assistance, experiential learning opportunities with community partners and USDA agencies, peer mentorship, and other supports.MethodsTo increase enrollments, we will implement comprehensive outreach to LAUSD Linked Learning, high school C-CAP students, and freshman and sophomore level students at LAMC. CSUN and the Magaram Center have longstanding relationships with these local high schools and community colleges and have conducted outreach and recruitment events before with sizeable turnout. Presentations to students - along with additional supports - will lead to more underrepresented students applying to CSUN's NDFS program.Collaborative Pathways project will also facilitate career workshops featuring guest speakers from USDA's FSIS and WIC to discuss emerging issues and strategies to obtain USDA internships and jobs. To further networking opportunities, the grant will also fund annual memberships in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).Fellows will receive ServSafe® Food Manager Certificate. The one-day training workshop will cover the dangers of foodborne illness, keeping food safe during all stages of preparation and storage, cleaning and sanitation practices, and employee training methods to promote safe food practices. Several curricula exist providing food safety trainings, educational materials, and certifications.The Collaborative Pathways project proposes to add food safety/ sanitation and culinary arts education and training to CSUN's existing nutrition science curriculum. Students will also be able to receive the ServSafe® Food Manager certification as well as a newly created culinary arts certificate (developed in collaboration with ACF). This would improve and strengthen CSUN's existing nutrition science curriculum by augmenting students' competencies and skills, thereby enhancing their future employment opportunities. Similarly, providing food safety/ inspection and culinary experiential learning to our nutrition students at collaborating organizations will offer students a unique opportunity to gain valuable food service industry experience.(e) well as a newly created culinary arts certificate (developed in collaboration with ACF). This would improve and strengthen CSUN's existing nutrition science curriculum by augmenting students' competencies and skills, thereby enhancing their future employment opportunities. Similarly, providing food safety/ inspection and culinary experiential learning to our nutrition students at collaborating organizations will offer students a unique opportunity to gain valuable food service industry experience.MethodsTo increase enrollments, we will implement comprehensive outreach to LAUSD Linked Learning, high school C-CAP students, and freshman and sophomore level students at LAMC. CSUN and the Magaram Center have longstanding relationships with these local high schools and community colleges and have conducted outreach and recruitment events before with sizeable turnout. Presentations to students - along with additional supports - will lead to more underrepresented students applying to CSUN's NDFS program.Collaborative Pathways project will also facilitate career workshops featuring guest speakers from USDA's FSIS and WIC to discuss emerging issues and strategies to obtain USDA internships and jobs. To further networking opportunities, the grant will also fund annual memberships in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).Fellows will receive ServSafe® Food Manager Certificate. The one-day training workshop will cover the dangers of foodborne illness, keeping food safe during all stages of preparation and storage, cleaning and sanitation practices, and employee training methods to promote safe food practices. Several curricula exist providing food safety trainings, educational materials, and certifications.The Collaborative Pathways project proposes to add food safety/ sanitation and culinary arts education and training to CSUN's existing nutrition science curriculum. Students will also be able to receive the ServSafe® Food Manager certification as well as a newly created culinary arts certificate (developed in collaboration with ACF). This would improve and strengthen CSUN's existing nutrition science curriculum by augmenting students' competencies and skills, thereby enhancing their future employment opportunities. Similarly, providing food safety/ inspection and culinary experiential learning to our nutrition students at collaborating organizations will offer students a unique opportunity to gain valuable food service industry experience, well as a newly created culinary arts certificate (developed in collaboration with ACF). This would improve and strengthen CSUN's existing nutrition science curriculum by augmenting students' competencies and skills, thereby enhancing their future employment opportunities. Similarly, providing food safety/ inspection and culinary experiential learning to our nutrition students at collaborating organizations will offer students a unique opportunity to gain valuable food service industry experience.