UIC KN Advancing Equity and Inclusion
Introduction
The UIC Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive space for our students, faculty and staff. Through our curriculum and experiential learning opportunities, we prepare students with the skills and knowledge to work in underserved communities. This includes a focus on cultural humility, an understanding of the socioecological barriers to health and wellness that contribute to health disparities. Our faculty conduct research in underserved communities, focusing on understanding the etiology of health inequities and working towards solutions.
Curriculum
The Nutrition Science Program prepares students to work with a wide variety of populations and diverse cultures.
- Case study on older, unhoused veteran diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, who has difficulty accessing medication and healthy foods.
- Students research organizations or support groups that are available in the Chicagoland area for new moms that fall into one of the categories that have historically low rates of breastfeeding (i.e., African Americans, low economic status, low education, single moms, etc.).
- Case studies that include people of color with diabetes, costs associated with diabetes medication, and the wide range of coverage from zero to high-quality PPO plans. Lectures discuss medication options for people who have no coverage, Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance.
- Small group dialogue focused on questions such as: What does it mean for you to have the foods you need to be affordable and available? Describe the access you have to food in your community. What changes could improve that access? Considering the social determinants of health, what aspects of your neighborhood contribute to health equity? What barriers to health equity exist?
- Study abroad: Students explore local barriers to longevity while comparing them to lifestyle factors in a rural, low-income region of Costa Rica known as a Blue Zone. Blue Zones are areas around the world identified as having the highest concentrations of centenarians. During the program, students engage with native Costa Ricans to learn about their customs, culture, and best practices for living a healthy life. Upon returning, students critically examine how strategies used in the Blue Zone can be adapted to support healthy living and longevity in underserved communities in Chicago. The experience culminates in a student-led presentation open to local community members, offering insights on how to promote health and longevity in Chicago.
Community outreach
- Beyond Hunger – Nutrition interns work to engage participants at the food pantry and practice cultural humility when asking clients about their food preferences, dietary practices, and comfort levels with unfamiliar foods. They offer options or substitutions based on cultural preferences, when possible, to ensure nutritious and cultural relevance. Recipes are also provided that are from various regions around the world, and handouts are created to feature culturally diverse foods and health tips. Participants are also surveyed to ensure the staff were respectful, helpful, and understanding.
- iCook – Nutrition interns gathered information on the student population they were working with to develop appropriate recipes and nutrition education. They also created recipes that followed specific allergy policies and that were age-appropriate for the children they served.
- VeggieRx – Nutrition interns provided handouts, social media content, and videos in different languages to accommodate the participant population they served. Bilingual interns were also able to provide translational services and nutrition education to participants who spoke the same language, which they found really rewarding to be able to give back to their community.
- Kinesiology students actively co-lead and support participants in the UI Health Family Lifestyle Intervention Program (FLIP). This program provides nutrition, exercise, and behavioral education to primarily Latino/a and Black children in the local community who are living with co-morbidities related to obesity. Children and their families are invited to participate in the interactive program, which includes on-site exercise classes, hands-on cooking sessions, and guided grocery store shopping experiences. UIC students engage directly with participants and their families, gaining firsthand experience in promoting healthy lifestyle strategies within communities that have limited access to resources.
Mission and goals
- 50% of graduates will report participation in food or nutrition-related community engagement activities in an underserved area during their time as a Didactic Program in Dietetics student at UIC.
- 30% of alumni who received a dietetic internship participate or work in a community nutrition setting in an underserved setting within 2.5 years of graduation.
Other initiatives
Kinesiology and Nutrition Advancing Equity and Inclusion goals include:
- Conduct annual department meeting with an opportunity to share issues of inclusive climate and culture, and issues encouraging their engagement within K+N. What is going well, and what can improve? How does the department culture make you feel included? Where are opportunities to improve?
- Further strengthen and/or develop at least 1-2 internal community partnerships impacting the health and wellbeing of our underserved community by academic year (AY) 2027-2028.
- Goal for 80% of students to respond positively to feelings of inclusion and belonging on program-specific exit surveys. The survey includes quantitative and qualitative feedback for information on what we are doing well and what we can do better. Program directors will share information with faculty.