Student Union | Photo by Monica Brutto | The Wright State Guardian
On Nov. 13, Graduate Students in the Health Program Planning and Evaluation class at Wright State University planned and held a Nutrition Fair to educate their fellow students on proper nutrition and meal planning.
About the event
The students of the HPPE class set up booths in the Student Union Atrium, as part of a project for their class.
Amanda Hinson, an Associate Professor of Population and Public Health, led the class and gave her students instructions. Beyond that, it was up to each student to choose what they wanted their booth to be about.
“These students are all in the master’s program for public health and it is important for them to practice their skills in their own way,” Hinson said.
Each booth had a different topic. Some of these included how to prepare meals each week, information about emotional/disordered eating, recipes using food from the WSU food bank and more.
One student, Marissa Bergman, made her booth on how to meal prep for a full school week while on a budget.
“You can save money by using recipes with ingredients you already have in the house,” Bergman said.
Students who attended the event also had the opportunity to win prizes. Each student got a bingo card at the first booth they visited and as they went through the fair, they completed the card. At the end, they could be entered in a raffle.
Food assistance
There are several different resources available to students who need help getting access to food. One of these resources is the Raider Food Pantry, located at 055 Student Union.
All students are welcome to access the food pantry. It is preferred to schedule an appointment ahead of time through their website, but walk-ins are also accepted.
They will check student IDs and UIDs to make sure the person is truly a student. Then there are staff and student volunteers working in the food pantry to help assist people who need it.
Kristen Waters, a student in the master public health program, made her booth to inform students of the meals they can make with food from the food pantry.
“A lot of the food they have is canned so it can be saved longer. They have lots of common foods, the biggest variation is the produce,” Waters said.
Another resource for students is SNAP- the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This is a food stamp program for the state of Ohio. You can check your availability for the program through the Raider Food Pantry website.
Purpose of the event
Knowing how to prepare meals, what to eat and how to grocery shop on a budget is all important information for college students.
This event was a great way to educate students, while also allowing master students to practice their skills and lead the event.
“They did it all. They came up with the event layout and made it very creative. I hope they can strengthen their practical learning skills and intervention skills,” Hinson said.
If you are ever struggling and need food assistance, be sure to go to the Raider Food Pantry and exercise the resources available to you through WSU.