Progress 08/01/24 to 07/31/25
Outputs
Target Audience:Leveraging Interdisciplinary Nutritional Knowledge (LINK) Program target audience-specific outreach efforts were directed at prospective transfer students from partner community colleges, incoming undergraduate transfer students, and incoming first-year graduate students. LINK Goal #5 focuses on increasing awareness of nutrition and health sciences/public health majors and careers among prospective transfer students. During this time period, 8 virtual/in-person workshops and 2 awareness events were held during the fall and spring semesters in collaboration with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College. A total of 96 prospective transfer students participated in virtual/in-person workshops; 75 participated in awareness events such as the Fullerton College Public Health Expo Day or the Long Beach City College Career Fair. Additionally, LINK staff hosted 8 on-campus transfer orientations, reaching 403 students. The Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) Transfer Orientation and Experience Fullerton (Cal State Fullerton; CSUF) events were held in April 2025 as part of Admitted Students Day events. A total of 100 students and their families (8 at CSULB; 92 at CSUF) participated in the orientation. Additionally, 303 prospective students participated in one of 6 on-campus transfer orientations at CSUF in June 2025. LINK Goal #1 focuses on increasing the number of underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students graduating in nutrition, health sciences/public health, and kinesiology at CSUF and CSULB. Part of this goal is to recruit and train students as LINK Scholars, a one-year program consisting of training and orientation, bimonthly learning communities, monthly leadership workshops, research with and mentorship by faculty, and a summer experiential learning placement (externship). This goal was met by year 4 of the project. Between CSUF and CSULB, 27 students were interviewed and selected as LINK Scholars of which 25 were retained. Changes/Problems:None What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During this year of the project, no LINK Scholars participated in training or professional development activities beyond what is previously reported as the LINK Scholars Program concluded in July 2024. For the awareness activities at the community colleges, four (4) peer ambassadors were trained to assist with the implementation of the CC workshops. Two peer ambassadors were CSULB LINK Scholars (a first-year Master of Public Health student, and a B.S in health graduate) from cohort 1, and another peer ambassador was a The two CSUF peer ambassadors were past LINK Scholars (one from cohort 1, another from cohort 2), of which the cohort 1 Scholars was also the CSUF LINK Program Project Assistant. The students worked closely with LINK project staff and CC faculty liaisons to coordinate schedules and prepare and deliver presentations to CC students. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The LINK Program preliminary results have been disseminated through different presentations. During this project period, preliminary results on the LINK Scholars Training Program were presented at the American Public Health Association Conference in October 2024. See publications for details. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The next reporting period will address activities conducted during an approved no-cost extension year. First, we will continue to increase awareness of nutrition and health sciences/public health majors and careers among prospective transfer students. Faculty liaisons from partner community colleges and CSU peer ambassadors will conduct at least 3 workshops and/or participate in student events (e.g., college fairs) each semester. LINK staff will continue to participate in one-day admitted student days (e.g., CSUF's Fall in Love with Fullerton in Fall 2025) and transfer orientations. Second, funds are available for students who want additional research and training experiences, including travel to present findings. Third, activities to finalize program evaluation, analysis (including LINK Scholars with missing data), and reporting. Finally, dissemination activities will be conducted. The Project Directors are working on two manuscripts. The first manuscript on the LINK Program curricula will be submitted to Pedagogy in Health Promotion by December 2025. The second manuscript on the LINK Scholars Program outcomes will be submitted to the Journal of Health Education and Health Promotion by Spring 2025. An abstract on the LINK Program and establishing an academic pipeline across community colleges and undergraduate and graduate programming at 4-year universities was submitted to Society of Public Health Education's 2026 Annual Conference's call for abstracts. Abstracts may also be submitted to Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institution Educator's 18th Annual AHSIE Best Practices Conference and APHA's annual meeting.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1 Objective 1 was nearly met. A total of 15 transfer-level undergraduate students were recruited. Efforts were made to recruit additional transfer studentsbut were unsuccessful. Of these 15 students, one undergraduate was withdrawn because she was not fulfilling the programmatic requirements, leaving 14 undergraduate students who completed the LINK Scholars Program. Objective 2 has been met. Graduate students were overrecruited to compensate for the underenrollment of undergraduatess. Twelve incoming graduate students were recruited. One graduate student withdrew from both the academic program and the LINK Scholars Program due to health issues, leaving 11 graduate students who completed the LINK. Objective 3 has been met. All 25 LINK Scholars (93.8%) were on track to graduate based on degree checks. Objective 4 has been partially met. The program achieved an 87.5% (n=14/16) retention rate for cohort 2. One CSUF graduate student withdrew from both the LINK Scholars and graduate programs due to mental health reasons. One CSULB undergraduate student had to take a leave of absence to maternity leave which prevented her from meeting all the LINK Scholars Program requirements, she will graduate Fall 2025. Objective 5 has been met. All LINK Scholars were in good academic standing by the end of their academic careers with minimum GPAs of 3.00 for undergraduate students and 3.20 for graduate students. GPAs for CSUF undergraduate Scholars (CSUF plus transfer) ranged from 3.24 to 3.76 (mean = 3.47). GPAs for CSUF graduate Scholars ranged from 3.23 to 3.60 (mean = 3.49). Objective 6 has been met. Most LINK Scholars (23/25; 92%) have graduated. The remaining undergraduate students (2) are on track to graduate within 3 years of transferring to CSUF and CSULB this Fall 2025. Goal 2: Objective 1 was nearly met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-tests (n=19; 6 missing), 74% (n=14) reported increased knowledge of Latino nutrition and chronic diseases. Three Scholars reported the highest possible knowledge score at pre-test, and three remained the same at post-test, highlighting a possible ceiling effect. Of those who had any room for increase, 88% reported increased knowledge. Objective 2 was met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=24), 87% (n=21) increased knowledge of culturally and linguistically relevant nutrition education and interventions. Four Scholars reported the highest possible knowledge score at pre-test (and remained the same at post-test). Of those who had any room for increase, 100% reported increased knowledge. Objective 3 was partially met. Among Scholars who completed one-year follow-up post-test (n=23), 73.9% either entered the workforce or pursued graduate studies immediately after graduation. Four Scholars (17.4%) were accepted to a graduate or professional program, and 13 Scholars (76.9%) entered the workforce. Goal 3: Objective 1 has been met. All 25 LINK Scholars completed their 8-week externship placement. Placement locations included local health departments, medical facilities including federally qualified health centers, academic institutions, and local non-profit organizations. All LINK Scholars received faculty mentorship and engaged in research with their faculty mentors fromhealth science/public health, nutrition, kinesiology, and physical therapy. Objective 3 was nearly met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-tests (n=19, 3 missing), 86% (n=16) reported increased research knowledge, skills, and ability. Objective 4 was not met for one outcome but met for the other outcome. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=22, 3 missing), 10 (45.4%) reported increased decision-making skills; 10 Scholars reported the highest score possible at pre-test, with 5 reporting no change at post-test (and two missing post-test). Of the 14 with pre- and post-test data and any room to increase, 10 (71%) showed an increase. Interestingly, 4 Scholars' scores decreased. Scholars may have realized their decision-making skills were not as strong after being exposed to the curriculum versus before starting the LINK Scholars Program. From pre-to-post timings (n=22, 3 missing), most Scholars (n=20; 91%) reported increased communication skills. Findings may be partially influenced by some missing data at post-test. Goal 4: Objective 1 has been accomplished. All 25 LINK Scholars participated in six Leadership Academy workshops and received a medal and Certificate of Completion. Objective 2 was partially met. Among Scholars with complete pre- and post-test data, 63.6% (n=14/22; 3 missing) reported increased critical thinking skills; 86.4% (n=19/22; 3 missing) reported an increase in professionalism over the course of the program whereas two Scholars (9%) reported no change; and 89.4% (n=17/19; 6 missing) reported increased knowledge of ethics. Goal 5: A total of 403 prospective students participated in a one-day transfer orientation at either CSUF (n=92) or CSULB (n=8) in April 2025 or a CSUF LINK staff presentation at 6 on-campus transfer orientations (n=303) in June 2025. A total of 8 virtual or in-person workshops were implemented in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025. Additionally, LINK staff participated in 2 awareness events. In collaboration with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College, a total of 171 prospective transfer students learned about undergraduate nutrition, public health/health sciences, and kinesiology degree options and student programming at California State Universities at Fullerton (CSUF) and Long Beach (CSULB). Additionally, 101 students viewed an online recorded presentation through Long Beach City College's YouTube station. Goal #6: Objective 1 has been accomplished. A CSU/Community College (CC) Consortium of ten (10) representatives of HSIs was reformed in the first quarter. Representatives included faculty and staff from CSU Fullerton (1), CSU Long Beach (3), Fullerton College (2), Long Beach City College (2), and Santa Ana College (2). Of note, the Director of one of the CC's Transfer Center became an active consortium member. Two meetings were held in year one of the project period to discuss program goals, priorities, and student success. Objective 2has been accomplished. A CSU/Community College (CC) Consortium of ten (10) representatives of HSIs was formed in the first quarter. Representatives include faculty and staff from CSU Fullerton (1), CSU Long Beach (3), Fullerton College (2), Long Beach City College (2), and Santa Ana College (2). Two meetings were held during the second year of the project. Meeting topics included program goals, priorities, and student success. Other topics discussed were current and future programs relevant to food and nutrition careers. The CSU/CC Consortium met twice during the fourth year of the project to discuss project progress and sustainability. Other topics included degree programs and changes at each university and community college. For example, at CSULB, the Beach Edge program was highlighted, this program will allow bachelor's level students to complete a BS in Health Science and Master of Public Degree in shortened period.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Espinoza, L., Garcia, M., Nguyen-Rodriguez, S.T., Gatdula, N., Tenorio, Y., Sifuentes, Y. (2024). Leveraging interdisciplinary nutritional knowledge (LINK) scholars training program: Preparing the public health workforce in Latino chronic disease prevention. Abstract and oral presentation at the 2024 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Pompa, M. & Garcia, M. (2025). �Salud a la Vida! Cheers to Life!: Social influences on binge-drinking among young Latino adults using the Social Cognitive Theory framework. Abstract and poster presentation at the CSULB Symposium at Week of Research and Scholarly Activity, Long Beach, CA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Ruiz, C. & Garcia, M. (2025). How does food insecurity influence dietary patterns and obesity among Hispanic mother-child dyads in Long Beach? Abstract and poster presentation at the CSULB Symposium at Week of Research and Scholarly Activity, Long Beach, CA
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Tovar, S., Gatdula, N. & Garcia, M. (2025). Hispanic/Latino Adolescent comfortability in communicating about protective sexual behaviors. Abstract and poster presentation at the CSULB Symposium at Week of Research and Scholarly Activity, Long Beach, CA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Tovar, S., Trinidad, P., & Garcia, M. (2025). Sedentary Behaviors: How can Hispanic/Latinos parental practices influence their childs sedentary time. Abstract and poster presentation and University of Southern California 12th Annual research Symposium on Diabetes & Obesity, Los Angeles, CA
|
Progress 08/01/23 to 07/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Leveraging Interdisciplinary Nutritional Knowledge (LINK) Program target audience-specific outreach efforts were directed at prospective transfer students from partner community colleges, incoming undergraduate transfer students, and incoming first-year graduate students.. LINK Goal #5 focuses on increasing awareness of nutrition and health sciences/public health majors and careers among prospective transfer students. During this time period, 21 virtual/in-person workshops were held during the fall and spring semesters in collaboration with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College. A total of 410prospective transfer students learned about undergraduate nutrition and health science degree options at California State Universities at Fullerton (CSUF) and Long Beach (CSULB). Additionally, LINK staff hosted 2 oncampus transfer orientations, one at each campus. LINK Goal #1 focuses on increasing the number of underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students graduating in nutrition, health sciences/public health, and kinesiology at CSUF and CSULB. Part of this goal is to recruit and train students as LINK Scholars, a one-year program consisting of training and orientation, bimonthly learning communities, monthly leadership workshops, research with and mentorship by faculty, and a summer experiential learning placement (externship). Between CSUF and CSULB, 15studentswere offered and accepted the LINK Scholars cohort 2 appointment. All 15 LINK Scholars self-identify as first-generation students and as predominantly female (n=10), of low socioeconomic status (based on Pell eligibility; n=10), and as either Latinx or African American; n=13). Changes/Problems:None What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As part of the LINK Scholars Program, all 15 LINK Scholars from cohort 2 participated in and received training and professional development. Fifteen (15) LINK Scholars participated in a 5-day, 40-hour training and orientation prior to the start of the academic year. Scholars attended 26 workshops focused on 5 distinct themes: Latino nutrition and chronic disease prevention; community-based participatory research; research methods; culturally responsive nutrition education; and professional development. The 15 LINK Scholars from cohort 2 participated in six workshops of the Leadership Academy and received a medal and Certificate of Completion. Workshops focused on "My Leadership Self," "Congruency and Commitment," "Teamwork and Communication," "Understanding Conflict," "Ethical Decision-Making," and "Society, Advocacy, and Building Communities." The 15 LINK Scholars from cohort 2 also participated in 17 training and professional development workshops as part of 14 Learning Community workshops of the LINK Scholars Program. On average, two 3-hour workshops were conducted each month. Half of the workshops focused on research literacy (e.g., "Applied Quantitative Methods using SPSS," "Developing Nutrition Promotion Interventions," abstract and scientific poster presentations), and half of the workshops focused on professional development (e.g., creating elevator speech, resume, and cover letter; oral presentations and public speaking; interviewing skills and job negotiation). The 14 out of 15 LINK Scholars received 160 hours of faculty mentorship and engaged in research with their faculty mentor from various disciplines including health science/public health, nutrition, kinesiology, and physical therapy. Research topics included: food insecurity, nutrition, obesity prevention, sleep, energy expenditures, and cardiovascular disease prevention. All Scholars presented their findings at the LINK Scholars Poster Presentation Session on May 3, 2024. Posters are uploaded to the LINK Program's webpage. Six (6) CSULB LINK Scholars presented poster presentations at the CSULB Week of Research Student Research Symposium in April 2024. Additionally, 7 CSUF LINK Scholars presented at the CSUF's College of Health and Human Development's Student Research Showcase. Seven of 15 LINK Scholars completed an 8-week (160 hours) externship placement during the progress report period, by December 2024 all LINK Scholars will have completed externship hours. A total of 12 LINK Scholars conducted an oral presentation on their externship experience on August 16, 2024. Scholars presented the organization's mission, functions, and goals; their main responsibilities, projects, and contributions; new skills and/or knowledge that was learned or improved because of the externship experience; and their future goals. Some project highlights include participant recruitment and data collection for a research study on childhood obesity, literature reviews and landscape analysis of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease prevention and management; developing garden curriculum and social media posts; and health education and community outreach at farmer's markets. Students reported improving their communication, active listening, professionalism, and research, critical thinking and decision-making skills. Additionally, four (4) peer ambassadors were trained to assist with the implementation of the CC workshops. One peer ambassador was a CSULB LINK Scholar (first-year Master of Public Health student) from cohort 1, and another peer ambassador was a current student in the undergraduate program in Public Health at CSUF and the CSUF LINK Program Project Assistant. The students worked closely with the project staff to prepare and deliver presentations to CC students. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The LINK Program preliminary results have been disseminated through different presentations. The LINK Program implementation and results were presented at the USDA-HSI Project Director's Meeting at the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educator's Conference in March 2024. Preliminary results were presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in April 2024. The presentation was titled "Preparing Underrepresented Students for the Food and Human Sciences Workforce." What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The program will be implemented as planned. The PIs will continue to convene consortium and advisory board meetings to inform current and future student training initiatives in the CSUs. LINK Program evaluation activities will also continue as planned. Eight (8) students will complete all externship hours and will end their participation in LINK. Both LINK Scholar cohorts will complete follow-up questionnaires to assess long term impact of their participation in LINK. Goal 5 to increase awareness of nutrition and health majors and careers among prospective students is ongoing. The community college liaisons and peer ambassadors will continue efforts at the community colleges including awareness workshops. At the CSUs we will continue with the transfer student orientations. Lastly, dissemination efforts will be continued. The PIs will present the LINK program at a CSULB Center for Latino Health Research Talk in September 2024. Dr. Lilia Espinoza will also conduct an oral presentation on the LINK Scholars Program at the American Public Health Association Conference in October 2024. Further, the PIs and Evaluator will prepare a manuscript for peer-reviewed publication during the next reporting period.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1 progress: Objective 1 has been met. A total of eight (8) transfer-level undergraduate students enrolled in cohort 2. Seven (7) completed the LINK Scholars Program, and one (1) will complete the LINK Scholars Program requirements in Fall 2024. Objective 2 has been met. Eight (8) incoming graduate students were recruited for cohort 2. Five (5) completed the LINK Scholars program, and one (1) will complete the LINK Scholars Program requirements in Fall 2024. Objective 3 has been met. The majority of LINK Scholars (93.8%) who enrolled in cohort 2 are on track to graduate based on degree checks. Objective 4 has been partially met. The program achieved an 87.5% (n=14/16) retention rate for cohort 2. One CSUF graduate student withdrew from both the LINK Scholars and graduate programs due to mental health reasons. One CSULB graduate student had to be withdrawn due to personal issues which prevented her from meeting all the LINK Scholars Program requirements. The student was unable to complete the externship hours. Objective 5 has been met. Most LINK Scholars (87.5%) from cohort 2 are in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. GPAs for 3 CSUF undergraduate Scholars (CSUF plus transfer) range from 3.29 to 3.62 (mean = 3.45). GPAs for 3 CSUF graduate Scholars range from 2.77 to 3.56 (mean = 3.24). The CSUF graduate student with the 2.77 GPA had personal health issues but is on track to graduate this academic year. GPAs for CSULB alone range from 3.00 to 4.00 (mean = 3.54). GPAs for 2 CSULB graduate Scholars range from 3.75 to 4.00 (mean = 3.87). GPAs for CSULB undergraduates ranged from 3.00 to 4.00 (mean = 3.35). Objective 6 has been partially met. All 11 LINK Scholars from cohort 1 have graduated from their academic programs. One-year follow-up is scheduled to assess degree completion for the 14 LINK Scholars from cohort 2 who completed the LINK Scholars Program. Goal 2 progress: Objective 1 was partially met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=16), 75% (n=12) increased knowledge of Latino nutrition and chronic diseases. There was likely a ceiling effect as two Scholars reported highest possible knowledge score at pre-test (and remained the same at post-test). Objective 2 was met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=14), 93.8% (n=15) increased knowledge of culturally and linguistically relevant nutrition education and interventions. Objective 3 was partially met, based on Scholars' reported future plans. Among Scholars who completed post-test (n=8, 8 missing), 100% (n=4) of undergraduate students reported plans to pursue a master's or health professions degree. One-fourth (25%; n=1) of graduate students reported plans to pursue an advanced degree, and 25% (n=1) reported plans to enter the workforce; two graduate Scholars declined to state. Data will be available to evaluate actual workforce or graduate school entry after follow-up data are collected. Goal 3 progress: Objective 1 has been partially met. A total of 7 of 15 LINK Scholars from cohort 2 have completed their 8-week externship placement. Four (4) CSULB and four (4) CSUF students were delayed in start-up and will complete hours by December 2024. Placement locations included local health departments, medical facilities including federally qualified health centers, academic institutions, and local non-profit organizations. Objective 2 has been partially met. A total of 14 of 15 LINK Scholars from cohort 2 received faculty mentorship and engaged in research with their faculty mentor from various disciplines including health science/public health, nutrition, kinesiology, and physical therapy. Research topics included: food insecurity, nutrition, obesity prevention, sleep, energy expenditures, and cardiovascular disease prevention. Objective 3 was not met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=12, 4 missing), 75% (n=9) increased research knowledge, skills, and ability. Objective 4 was not met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=8, 8 missing), 25% (n=2) increased decision making skills and 75% (n=6) increased communication skills. Findings may be partially due to the large amount of missing data at post-test. Goal 4 progress: Objective 1 has been accomplished. A total of 15 Scholars from cohort 2 participated in six Leadership Academy workshops and received a medal and Certificate of Completion. Workshops focused on "My Leadership Self," "Congruency and Commitment," "Teamwork and Communication," "Understanding Conflict," "Ethical Decision-Making," and "Society, Advocacy, and Building Communities." Objective 2 was met for 2 of 3 outcomes. The first outcome was not met; among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=8, 8 missing), 50% (n=4) increased critical thinking skills. Among Scholars who completed post-test (n=12, 4 missing), 83.3% (n=10) reported an increase in professionalism from before to after the program. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=16), 93.8% (n=15) increased knowledge of ethics; there was likely a ceiling effect for one Scholar who reported highest possible score at pre-test. Goal 5 progress: A total of 410 (12 CSULB/398 CSUF) prospective students participated in a one-day transfer orientation at either CSUF or CSULB in April 2024 or a CSUF LINK staff presentation at 6 on-campus transfer orientations in June 2024. A total of 21 virtual or in-person workshops were implemented in Fall 2023 and Spring 2024. In collaboration with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College, a total of 365 prospective transfer students learned about undergraduate nutrition, public health/health sciences, and kinesiology degree options and student programming at California State Universities at Fullerton (CSUF) and Long Beach (CSULB). A total of 216 students participated in-person,101 students in virtual Zoom workshops, and 48 students viewed an online recorded presentation. Goal #6 progress: Objective 1 has been accomplished. A CSU/Community College (CC) Consortium of ten (10) representatives of HSIs was reformed in the first quarter. Representatives included faculty and staff from CSU Fullerton (1), CSU Long Beach (3), Fullerton College (2), Long Beach City College (2), and Santa Ana College (2). Of note, the Director of one of the CC's Transfer Center became an active consortium member. Two meetings were held in year two of the project period to discuss program goals, priorities, and student success. Objective 1 has been accomplished. A CSU/Community College (CC) Consortium of ten (10) representatives of HSIs was formed in the first quarter. Representatives include faculty and staff from CSU Fullerton (1), CSU Long Beach (3), Fullerton College (2), Long Beach City College (2), and Santa Ana College (2). Two meetings were held during this project period. Meeting topics included program goals, priorities, and student success. Other topics discussed were current and future programs relevant to food and nutrition careers. The CSU/CC Consortium met twice during the third year of the project to identify priority areas to be addressed to promote the success of UR community college students. Other topics included changes to training registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) at CULB including the development of a new Graduate Program in Applied Nutrition and Dietetics (GPAND). GPAND will allow students to earn an M.S. and be ready for the RD exam in 19 months. Students in the CSULB B.S. in Nutrition will be able to apply their junior year and final courses will be counted toward the GPAND program.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Garcia, M., Espinoza, L., Nguyen-Rodriguez, S.T., Gatdula, N., Sifuentes, Y. & Tenorio, Y. (2024) Preparing Underrepresented Students for the Food and Human Sciences Workforce
|
Progress 08/01/22 to 07/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Leveraging Interdisciplinary Nutritional Knowledge (LINK) Program target audience-specific outreach efforts were directed at prospective transfer students from partner community colleges, incoming undergraduate transfer students, and incoming first-year graduate students.. LINK Goal #5 focuses on increasing awareness of nutrition and health sciences/public health majors and careers among prospective transfer students. During this time period, 18virtualin-person workshops were held during the fall and spring semesters in collaboration with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College. A total of 187prospective transfer students learned about undergraduate nutrition and health science degree options at California State Universities at Fullerton (CSUF) and Long Beach (CSULB). Additionally, LINK staff hosted 2 on-campus transfer orientations, one at each campus totaling 78 students in attendance.LINK Goal #1 focuses on increasing the number of underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students graduating in nutrition, health sciences/public health, and kinesiology at CSUF and CSULB. Part of this goal is to recruit and train students as LINK Scholars, a one-year program consisting of training and orientation, bimonthly learning communities, monthly leadership workshops, research with and mentorship by faculty, and a summer experiential learning placement (externship).Between CSUF and CSULB, 30students applied, 25 were interviewed, and 16students (8undergraduate, 8graduate) were offered and accepted the LINK Scholars cohort 2 appointment. All 16LINK Scholars self-identify as first-generation students and as predominantly female (n=10), of low socioeconomic status (based on Pell eligibility; n=11), and as either Latinx or African American; n=14). Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? As part of the LINK Scholars Program, all 10 LINK Scholars from cohort 1 participated in and received training and professional development. Eleven (11) LINK Scholars (including one who eventually withdrew) participated in a 5-day, 40-hour training and orientation prior to the start of the academic year. Scholars attended 26 workshops focused on 5 distinct themes: Latino nutrition and chronic disease prevention; community-based participatory research; research methods; culturally responsive nutrition education; and professional development. The 10 LINK Scholars from cohort 1 participated in six workshops of the Leadership Academy and received a medal and Certificate of Completion. Workshops focused on "My Leadership Self," "Congruency and Commitment," "Teamwork and Communication," "Understanding Conflict," "Ethical Decision-Making," and "Society, Advocacy, and Building Communities." The 10 LINK Scholars from cohort 1 also participated in 17 training and professional development workshops as part of 14 Learning Community workshops of the LINK Scholars Program. On average, two 3-hour workshops were conducted each month. Half of the workshops focused on research literacy (e.g., "Applied Quantitative Methods using SPSS," "Developing Nutrition Promotion Interventions," abstract and scientific poster presentations), and half of the workshops focused on professional development (e.g., creating elevator speech, resume, and cover letter; oral presentations and public speaking; interviewing skills and job negotiation). The 10 LINK Scholars received 160 hours of faculty mentorship and engaged in research with their faculty mentor from various disciplines including health science/public health, nutrition, kinesiology, and physical therapy. Research topics included: food insecurity, nutrition, obesity prevention, sleep, energy expenditures, and cardiovascular disease prevention. All Scholars presented their findings at the LINK Scholars Poster Presentation Session on May 5, 2023. Posters are uploaded to the LINK Program's webpage. Additionally, one undergraduate Scholar presented her poster at CSUF's College of Health and Human Development's Student Research Showcase. Although 9 of 10 LINK Scholars completed an 8-week (160 hours) externship placement during the progress report period, all 10 LINK Scholars conducted an oral presentation on their externship experience on July 31, 2023. Scholars presented the organization's mission, functions, and goals; their main responsibilities, projects, and contributions; new skills and/or knowledge that was learned or improved because of the externship experience; and their future goals. Some project highlights include participant recruitment and data collection for a research study on African American women's heart health; literature reviews and landscape analysis of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease prevention and management; developing garden curriculum and social media posts; and health education and community outreach at farmer's markets. Students reported improving their communication, active listening, professionalism, and research, critical thinking and decision-making skills. Additionally, two (2) peer ambassadors were trained to assist with the implementation of the CC workshops. One peer ambassador was a CSULB LINK Scholar (first-year Master of Public Health student) from cohort 1, and another peer ambassador was a current student in the undergraduate program in Public Health at CSUF and the CSUF LINK Program Project Assistant. The students worked closely with the project staff to prepare and deliver presentations to CC students. 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?The program will be implemented as planned. The community college liaisons and peer ambassadors will continue efforts at the community colleges. The LINK Scholars Program at CSUF and CSULB is also ongoing. The second cohort of Scholars is in their first semester of activities and will continue to engage through spring and summer of 2024. Lastly, the efforts of the CSU/CC Consortium will continue with plans to meet to discuss transfer student success and support programs available to students.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1 progress: Objective 1 has been partially met. A total of seven (7) transfer-level undergraduate students enrolled in cohort 1, but six (6) completed the LINK Scholars Program. Eight (8) undergraduates were recruited for cohort 2. Objective 2 has been partially met. A total of four (4) graduate level students participated in cohort 1. Eight (8) graduates were recruited for cohort 2. Objective 3 has been partially met. All LINK Scholars (undergraduate and graduate; 100%) from cohort 1 are on track to graduate based on degree checks. Objective 4. The program achieved a 90.9% retention rate for cohort 1, which enrolled 11 students. One undergraduate student was withdrawn from the program due to mental health reasons after numerous attempts for accommodations, mentorship, and referrals to mental health counseling, leaving a final cohort of 10 LINK Scholars. Objective 5 has been partially met. All LINK Scholars (undergraduate and graduate; 100%) from cohort 1 are in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. GPAs for 3 CSUF undergraduate Scholars (CSUF plus transfer) range from 3.17 to 3.72 (mean = 3.47); CSUF GPAs alone range from 3.08 to 3.85 (mean = 3.58) with two Scholars being on the Dean's List for the academic year during which they were Scholars. GPAs for 2 CSUF graduate Scholars range from 3.44 to 3.50 (mean = 3.47). GPAs for CSULB alone range from 3.48 to 4.00 (mean 3.75). GPAs for 2 CSULB graduate Scholars range from 3.57 to 4.00 (mean 3.78). GPAs for CSULB undergraduates ranged from 3.48 to 4.00 (mean 3.72). Objective 6. No progress to report this period. One-year follow-up is scheduled to assess degree completion. Goal 2 progress: Objective 1 was met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=10, 1 missing), 70% (n=7) increased knowledge of Latino nutrition and chronic diseases. There was likely a ceiling effect as two Scholars reported highest possible knowledge score at pre-test. Objective 2 was partially met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=10, 1 missing), 80% (n=8) increased knowledge of culturally and linguistically relevant nutrition education and interventions. Objective 3 was met, based on Scholars' reported future plans. Among Scholars who completed post-test (n=9, 2 missing), 100% (n=6) of undergraduate students reported plans to pursue graduate school. One undergraduate student has applied to a graduate program, and another undergraduate student is currently enrolled in Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program and will apply to graduate programs in Fall 2024. One-third (33%; n=1) of graduate students reported plans to pursue an advanced degree, and 67% (n=2) reported plans to enter the workforce. Data will be available to evaluate actual workforce or graduate school entry after follow-up data are collected. Goal 3 progress: Objective 1 has been partially met. A total of 9 of 10 LINK Scholars from cohort 1 have completed their 8-week externship placement. One student was delayed in start-up and is currently finishing hours. Placement locations included local health departments, medical facilities including federally qualified health centers, academic institutions, and local non-profit organizations. Objective 2 has been partially met. A total of 10 LINK Scholars from cohort 1 received faculty mentorship and engaged in research with their faculty mentor from various disciplines including health science/public health, nutrition, kinesiology, and physical therapy. Research topics included: food insecurity, nutrition, obesity prevention, sleep, energy expenditures, and cardiovascular disease prevention. Objective 3 was met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=8, 3 missing), 87.5% (n=7) increased research knowledge, skills, and ability. Objective 4 was met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=9, 2 missing), 89% (n=8) increased communication skills. Goal 4 progress: Objective 1 has been partially met. The 10 LINK Scholars from cohort 1 participated in six workshops of the Leadership Academy and received a medal and Certificate of Completion. Workshops focused on "My Leadership Self," "Congruency and Commitment," "Teamwork and Communication," "Understanding Conflict," "Ethical Decision-Making," and "Society, Advocacy, and Building Communities." Objective 2 was met for 2 of 3 outcomes; the first outcome was partially met. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=9, 2 missing), 67% (n=6) increased critical thinking skills. It is possible a ceiling effect may have been present for one Scholar who reported highest possible score at pre-test. Among Scholars who completed post-test (n=8, 3 missing), 100% (n=8) reported an increase in professionalism from before to after the program. Among Scholars who completed pre- and post-test (n=10, 1 missing), 90% (n=9) increased knowledge of ethics. It is possible a ceiling effect may have been present for one Scholar who reported highest possible score at pre-test. Goal 5 progress: Objective 1. A total of 116 prospective students participated in a one-day transfer orientation at either CSUF or CSULB in April 2023 or a CSUF LINK staff presentation at 3 on-campus transfer orientations in June 2023. Objective 2. A total of 18 virtual workshops (2 of which were pre-recorded and uploaded to YouTube) were implemented in Fall 2022 and Spring 2023. In collaboration with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College, a total of 260 prospective transfer students (n=198 in workshops; n=62 online views) learned about undergraduate nutrition, public health/health sciences, and kinesiology degree options and student programming at California State Universities at Fullerton (CSUF) and Long Beach (CSULB). Objective 3. Among those who completed an evaluation (n=13), all prospective transfer students either strongly or somewhat agreed that their awareness increased after the workshops. Goal #6 progress: Objective 1 has been met. A CSU/Community College (CC) Consortium of ten (10) representatives of HSIs was reformed in the first quarter. Representatives included faculty and staff from CSU Fullerton (1), CSU Long Beach (3), Fullerton College (2), Long Beach City College (2), and Santa Ana College (2). Of note, the Director of one of the CC's Transfer Center became an active consortium member. Two meetings were held in year two of the project period to discuss program goals, priorities, and student success. Objective 2. The CSU/CC Consortium met twice during the second year of the project to identify priority areas to be addressed to promote the success of UR community college students. Areas of priority identified were: recommendations for engaging more?students in public health, nutrition, or kinesiology in CC?workshops (e.g., increasing social media presence; pre-recorded workshop to upload on YouTube or learning management system); recommendations for expanding LINK Scholars Program and making it sustainable; and facilitators and barriers to enrollment in CCs (e.g., increase dual enrollment at high school/CC level) and transfer to a 4-year university (e.g., California AB928 to create a single GE pathway to facilitate and increase the number of transfer students). New CSULB masters of nutritional science and dietetic internship program.
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Progress 08/01/21 to 07/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:During this time period, Leveraging Interdisciplinary Nutritional Knowledge (LINK) Program target audience-specific outreach efforts were directed at prospective transfer students from partner community colleges, incoming undergraduate transfer students, and incoming first-year graduate students. LINK Goal #5 focuses on increasing awareness of nutrition and health sciences/public health majors and careers among prospective transfer students. During this time period, 17 virtual workshops were held during the fall and spring semesters in collaboration with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College. A total of 132 prospective transfer students learned about undergraduate nutrition and health science degree options at California State Universities at Fullerton (CSUF) and Long Beach (CSULB). Additionally, LINK staff hosted 2 on-campus transfer orientations, one at each campus, and CSUF LINK staff presented on LINK at 3rd on-campus transfer orientation in summer 2022, reaching 118 prospective and incoming transfer students. LINK Goal #1 focuses on increasing the number of underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students graduating in nutrition, health sciences/public health, and kinesiology at CSUF and CSULB. Part of this goal is to recruit and train students as LINK Scholars, a one-year program consisting of training and orientation, bimonthly learning communities, monthly leadership workshops, research with and mentorship by faculty, and a summer experiential learning placement (externship). Tailored emails on the LINK Scholars Program were sent to 300 incoming transfer students and 69 incoming graduate students. Between CSUF and CSULB, 18 students were interviewed, and 11 students (7 undergraduate, 4 graduate) were offered and accepted the LINK Scholars appointment. All 11 LINK Scholars self-identify as first-generation students and as predominantly female (n=9), of low socioeconomic status (based on Pell eligibility; n=9), and as either Latinx or African American; n=8). Changes/Problems:During the proposal phase, Drs. Melawhy Garcia Vega (CSULB) and Lilia Espinoza (CSUF) met with several administrative officials and faculty from Cerritos College. They expressed interest in collaborating as a potential community college partner. However, during this funding period, several calls were made and emails were sent to our administrative contact, but there was never a return call or reply. After several attempts, LINK Principal Investigators Melawhy Garcia Vega (CSULB) and Lilia Espinoza (CSUF) decided to proceed collaborations with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College only. Additionally, CSUF only selected three (3) undergraduates instead of four (4) this project period due to eligibility issues related to financial aid. To correct for this change, CSUF will select an additional undergraduate for the second cohort of LINK Scholars. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A total of three (3) peer ambassadors were trained to assist with the implementation of the community college workshops. Two peer ambassadors are recent graduates of CSULB's Bachelors of Science in Health Science, and one peer ambassador is a current student in the undergraduate program in Public Health at CSUF. The students worked closely with the project staff to prepare and deliver presentations to community college students. To date, no staff have participated in external professional development opportunities such as conferences or seminars. 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?During the next reporting period the following we have progress to report on Goals 1-4, as the goals and objectives are related to student participation. By the next reporting period, we will have had our first year's cohort of LINK scholars go through the program which aims to increase graduation rates, knowledge related to nutrition, health sciences/public health, and kinesiology to prepare graduates entering the workforce or graduate school, as well as to increase the capacity of LINK Scholars to apply nutritional and behavioral science and promotion knowledge in professional settings. Lastly, LINK Scholars' will have improved in their leadership abilities, through a leadership academy experience.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Leveraging Interdisciplinary Nutritional Knowledge (LINK) Program is a comprehensive collaboration between five Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) in Southern California: two 4-year universities, California State University (CSU) Long Beach and CSU Fullerton, and three 2-year community colleges (CC) which are Fullerton, Long Beach City, and Santa Ana Colleges. LINK Program goals are to: 1) increase the number of underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students graduating in nutrition and nutrition-focused majors of health science/public health and kinesiology through active recruitment and engagement at CCs, CSUF, and CSULB; 2) increase knowledge to prepare LINK Scholar graduates for the workforce or graduate school through interdisciplinary learning communities, faculty-mentored research, and externship at a partnering organization; 3) increase awareness of nutrition-focused majors among at least 80 prospective transfer students and 4) align HSI efforts to support transfer student academic development and success through peer and faculty mentorship, advisement, and tailored workshops; 5) increase the capacity of LINK Scholars to apply knowledge in scientific and professional settings through research internships and externships; and 6) develop LINK Scholars' leadership abilities through a Leadership Academy. LINK Program goals 1-4 align with HSI Education Grants Program's Educational Need Areas focused on student recruitment and retention; goals 5-6 align with student experiential learning. LINK Program will promote the success of 26 underrepresented (UR) students (16 undergraduate, 10 graduate) in the food and human sciences professional and scientific workforce emphasizing Latino nutrition through outreach, mentoring, education, support services, research, and professional internships with community partners. The LINK Program has made progress on Goals 5 and 6. Goals 1 and 4 will be addressed in year 2 reporting. Goal 5 aims at increase awareness of nutrition and health sciences/public health majors and careers among prospective community college students. Objective 1: A total of 118 prospective students participated in a one-day transfer orientation at either CSUF or CSULB in July 2022 or a CSUF LINK staff presentation at 3 on-campus transfer orientations in summer 2022. Objective 2: A total of 17 virtual workshops were implemented in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022. In collaboration with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College. A total of 132 prospective transfer students learned about undergraduate programming at California State Universities at Fullerton (CSUF) and Long Beach (CSULB). To date, the LINK program has been successful at establishing a CSU/CC Consortium of faculty and staff (Goal 6) to work together to identify priority areas to improve transfers to CSUs in the areas on nutrition, public health/science and kinesiology. The CSU/CC has begun to address priority areas through LINK programming activities to raise awareness about course requirements, career options, and campus resources to assist students with career planning a timely completion of courses for transfer. Goal 1: Increase the number of UR undergraduate and graduate students graduating in nutrition, health sciences/public health, and kinesiology at CSULB and CSUF. Objectives 1 & 2: Undergraduate and graduate student recruitment began Spring 2022, a total of 7 undergraduates (3 CSUF/4 CSULB) and 4 graduates (2 CSUF/2 CSULB) were selected to participate as LINK Scholars for Year 2 of the project. Objective 3-6: No progress to report this report period as student began this participation August 2022. Goal #2: Increase the knowledge of LINK scholars in nutrition, health sciences/public health, and kinesiology to prepare graduates entering the workforce or graduate school. Objective 1-3: No progress to report this report period as student began this participation August 2022. Goal #3: Increase the capacity of LINK Scholars to apply nutritional and behavioral science and promotion knowledge in professional settings. Objectives 1-4: No progress to report this report period as student began this participation August 2022. Goal #4: Develop LINK Scholars' leadership abilities. Objectives 1-2: No progress to report this report period as student began this participation August 2022. Goal #5: Increase awareness of nutrition and health sciences/public health majors and careers among prospective transfer students. Objective 1: A total of 118 prospective students participated in a one-day transfer orientation at either CSUF or CSULB in July 2022 or a CSUF LINK staff presentation at 3 on-campus transfer orientations in summer 2022. Objective 2: A total of 17 virtual workshops were implemented in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022. In collaboration with Fullerton College, Long Beach City College, and Santa Ana College, a total of 132 prospective transfer students learned about undergraduate nutrition and health sciences degree options and student programming at California State Universities at Fullerton (CSUF) and Long Beach (CSULB). Goal #6: Align efforts of HSIs to support transfer student academic development and success. Objective 1: A CSU/Community College (CC) Consortium of fourteen (14) representatives of HSIs was formed in the first quarter. Representatives include faculty and staff from CSU Fullerton (2), Long Beach (3), Fullerton Community College (3), Long Beach City College (3), and Santa Ana Community College (3). Two meetings were held year one of the project period to discuss program goals, priorities, and student success. Objective 2: The CSU/CC Consortium met twice during the first year of the project to identify priority areas to be addressed to promote the success of UR community college students. Areas of priority identified during the first meeting were the following: 1) Associate Degree for Transfer requirements. Specifically, the need for CSU and CCs to be on the same page about courses that fall as part of ADT requirements; 2) Barriers to CC student success. The barriers identified were financial hardships, childcare issues, and COVID-19 virtual participation; 3) Ways to effectively recruit URM students to programming. Discussion centered around multi-modes of advertisement through counseling offices, class discussions, as well as social media platforms. Areas of priority during the second meeting were the following: 1) AB928 policy a general education pathway towards CSU transfer; 2) Changes in curriculum requirements. Specifically elimination of lifelong learning course and career exploration courses; 3) Dual enrollment at CSU/CC. As an opportunity to reach students who are in non-majors.
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