School of Communication Studies doctoral student, Lindsey Myers, has earned a mini-grant from the Kent State of Wellness committee to help aid the launch of her nutrition awareness and healthy eating campaign on the Kent State Ashtabula campus. Myers will receive her mini-grant worth $1,000 in January 2017 and will use the funds to purchase brochures on healthy eating topics, t-shirts and door prizes for several healthy eating workshops.
Myers designed this campaign as part of her doctoral work with help from School of Communication Studies’ assistant professor, Catherine Goodall, Ph.D. This fall, Myers conducted focus groups and surveys on the Ashtabula campus to assess nutritional concerns students may have. The results will help guide her campaign, which will launch in the spring. The campaign consists of healthy eating messages displayed around campus, three healthy eating workshops and informational materials.
“College is a very important time for students regarding nutrition education and food choices as many students are making food choices independent of their parents for the first time,” Myers said. “There is existing research on nutrition campaigns and college students, but almost all of the research focuses on students that live on campus. Regional campuses really need a campaign and program that addresses the limited food choices regional students have and provides sensible tips that meet their specific needs as commuters.”
Myers says the excellent professors from the doctoral program have taught her the significance of theory, media effects, interpersonal aspects and research methods in successful campaigns. She will use these ideas to lead her through this pilot campaign on the Ashtabula campus, and she hopes her efforts will eventually extend to the other 5X campuses.
“I feel honored that the Kent State of Wellness committee chose to fund my campaign,” Myers said. “Many of the students at the Ashtabula campus work and take care of their families in addition to going to school, so I really want to offer useful information that will help keep them and their families healthy. This grant is going to enable me to do that, and I’m really excited to have been given the opportunity.”