STRIDE Researchers Expand Impact with Partners at Vanderbilt University
STRIDE researchers recently visited partners at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., who are also implementing the Pink and Dude Chefs program. This meeting was part of a year-long collaboration between STRIDE director Aydin Nazmi; nutrition graduate student Jessie Bierlich; Carol Nixon, senior research associate in the Vanderbilt's Department of Human and Organizational Development; and Sharon Shields, professor of the practice and associate dean for professional education at Peabody College.
Through this collaboration, Pink and Dude Chefs has been implemented and assessed in Nashville for the last year in conjunction with the YMCA of Middle Tennessee and the Nashville After Zone Alliance, “a nationally-recognized system of free, high-quality afterschool programs that provide academic support and new creative outlets for Metro Nashville Public Schools’ middle school students (grades five to eight) at safe and convenient locations, both at school and in the community.”
More recently, the Pink and Dude Chefs research team has expanded to include several students at Vanderbilt, including Amanda Fuller, a second-year graduate student and program leader at a Nashville YMCA. While in Nashville, STRIDE team members attended Fuller's master's project defense, titled Curriculum Expansion and Evaluating Organizational Fit. Bierlich said it was a great opportunity to compare notes and share experiences of Pink and Dude Chefs from a completely different perspective. “It’s amazing how many things our programs have in common, even though we’re on opposite sides of the country,” she said.
Other Vanderbilt students include Courtney Mullane, who leads a second program site; Atlee Tyree; Mara Weiner; Emily Fisher and Charrise Phillips. “The Vanderbilt team was so absolutely impressive. I just can’t believe how lucky we are to work with so many smart and talented people there,” Bierlich said.
Tory Gentry, a senior at Vanderbilt majoring in medicine, health and society found that middle school students sustained positive outcomes associated with program participation 12 weeks after the conclusion of the program. “I learned that the youth enjoyed the program and were able to sustain behavioral changes post intervention. Keeping the participants actively engaged and understanding the meaning of the program is really important in achieving positive outcomes,” said Gentry, “And I love the white bean mac and cheese recipe!”
Commenting on the trip, Nazmi said, “We were so impressed with what the Vanderbilt team has been doing with Pink and Dude Chefs, and we learned so much during this visit. The program is about to take a huge leap forward in its delivery and effectiveness.”