Project Grant T5246762

PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - GOODWIN UNIVERSITY (GU), THROUGH ITS BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH (BSPH) PROGRAM IN THE SCHOOL OF NURSING AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS PROPOSES THE PROJECT - EDUCATING, BUILDING, AND DIVERSIFYING THE FUTURE GENERATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM GRANT OPPORTUNITY. FUNDING PREFERENCE: THIS PROJECT REQUESTS A FUNDING PREFERENCE AS THE APPLICANT MEETS THE CRITERIA OF BOTH: 1) SERVING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS (INCLUDING UNDERREPRESENTED RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES); AND 2) GRADUATING LARGE PROPORTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVE IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. DOCUMENTATION OF THE QUALIFICATION IS INCLUDED AS ATTACHMENT 12. GU SERVES A DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION; 67% ARE FIRST-GENERATION, 50% ARE STUDENTS OF COLOR, 82% ARE FEMALE, AND 94% RECEIVE SOME FORM OF FINANCIAL AID. THE PROJECT DIRECTOR, WHO IS THE BSPH PROGRAM DIRECTOR, AND THE CO-DIRECTOR, WHO IS THE DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF NURSING AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS, WILL OVERSEE THE ACTIVITIES OUTLINED BELOW. PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS: THE PROGRAM WILL BE UPDATED TO EXPLICITLY ALIGN WITH PRINCIPALS OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICES. TWO NEW COURSES WILL BE DEVELOPED: SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ISSUES OF DIVERSITY AND EQUITY IN PUBLIC HEALTH. AN EXPERT CONSULTANT IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH INFORMATICS WILL BE ENGAGED TO DEVELOP OF A NEW TRACK WITHIN THE BS IN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO DEVELOP A 4+1 TRACK FOR BSPH STUDENTS TO EFFICIENTLY AND COST-EFFECTIVELY ATTAIN THEIR MPH. A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS LIAISON (TBH) WILL CONDUCT OUTREACH TO PARTNERS TO EXPAND PRACTICUM SITES AND EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENTS FOR STUDENTS. A DATA ADMINISTRATOR (TBH) WILL DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A TRACKING SYSTEM FOR RECORDING STUDENT OUTCOMES INCLUDING PRACTICUM PLACEMENTS AND EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES. SCHOLARSHIPS AND STUDENT SUPPORTS: THE PROPOSED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM WILL A WARD $10,000 SCHOLARSHIPS TO APPROXIMATELY 45 STUDENTS PER YEAR IN GU'S BSPH PROGRAM FOR EACH OF THE 3 YEARS. THREE FULL SEMESTERS ARE OFFERED EACH YEAR, AS WELL AS FLEXIBLE ONLINE COURSES, TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO FINISH AT AN ACCELERATED PACE. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL UTILIZE SOCIAL MARKETING AND NETWORKING STRATEGIES TO RECRUIT STUDENTS OF COLOR AND FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS INTO THE BSPH PROGRAM. GU'S STUDENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH A RANGE OF RESOURCES TO SUPPORT PERSISTENCE; INCLUDING TUTORING, CAREER SERVICES, CASE MANAGEMENT, EMERGENCY HOUSING, HEALTH SERVICES, VETERANS' SERVICES, ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES, A FOOD PANTRY, A DIAPER BANK, AND LAPTOP LOANER, SUBSIDIZED CHILDCARE, AND EMERGENCY FUNDS PROGRAMS. IN 2017, GU FORMALLY ADOPTED UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING (UDL) AS ITS PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH. ACCORDING TO CAST (N.D.) UDL IS A "FRAMEWORK TO IMPROVE AND OPTIMIZE TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR ALL PEOPLE BASED ON SCIENTIFIC INSIGHTS INTO HOW HUMANS LEARN." UDL INVOLVES DEVELOPING CURRICULA AND IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT IN A WAY THAT GIVES EACH STUDENT EQUAL ACCESS TO LEARNING, WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT STUDENTS LEARN BEST WHEN GIVEN A VARIETY OF METHODS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS AND APPLY KNOWLEDGE. TO DATE, 68 GOODWIN FACULTY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN UDL METHODOLOGY. OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) ARE TEACHING, LEARNING, AND RESEARCH RESOURCES THAT RESIDE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN OR HAVE BEEN RELEASED UNDER AN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSE THAT PERMITS THEIR FREE USE AND RE-PURPOSING BY OTHERS. OER FITS GOODWIN'S APPROACH TO SERVE A DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION BY MAKING HIGHER EDUCATION AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. OER COMPLEMENTS UDL BY INCREASING ACCESS TO ENGAGING MATERIALS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT LOW OR NO COST. THE UNIVERSITY NOW OFFERS OVER 65 COURSES THAT UTILIZE OER.