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The University of Alabama (UA) has recently learned the results of the annual student Fulbright competition. Three UA students have received Fulbright Student Research Awards for the 2020–2021 academic year and fourteen have won Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards.

Fulbright is the most prestigious U.S. international exchange program, offering opportunities for students, scholars and professionals. The Fulbright Award of the U.S. Department of State offers one-year grants for independent study and research and for English teaching assistantships overseas. The highly competitive program selects approximately 1,500 award recipients from more than 11,000 applicants each year. The University of Alabama has received national recognition as a Top Producing Institution for Fulbright U.S. Students for four of the last five years. “We applaud every Fulbright 2020–2021 student applicant for their interest in furthering the Fulbright mission of mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and the people of other countries,” said Dr. Teresa Wise, associate provost of international education and global outreach. “As the world unites in solving the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, that mission is more important than ever. We congratulate our awardees and know that they will represent UA and the U.S. with distinction in the coming year.”

Fulbright Student Research Award recipients:

Julia Coursey,of Washington, D.C., has received a Fulbright Award to Hungary to conduct research at the University of Debrecen and in Budapest for her novel, The Bathers. She holds the MFA in creative writing from UA and a BA in liberal arts from St. John’s College (Santa Fe).

Joshua Kirks, of Kennesaw, Georgia, received a Fulbright Award to research “Hollow Cathode Development and Testing” at Dresden University of Technology in Germany. He is a UA graduate student in aerospace engineering and mechanics who also holds a BS in aerospace engineering from UA and memberships in Sigma Gamma Tau honor society (aerospace engineering) and Delta Phi Alpha honor society (German).

Ashley Tickle Odebiyi,of Tuscaloosa, has received a Fulbright Award to Italy to research ”Gender, Authority, and Liminal Space: Roman Bizzoche, 1400–1500,” at LUMSA University and Sapienza University in Rome. She is a UA doctoral student in history with language study in Latin and Italian who also holds a BA from James Madison University and an MA in religious studies from the University of Iowa.

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award recipients:  

Christine Jane Allen of Auburn, a leader in Model United Nations, an experienced debate tutor, Chief Justice of the Academic Honor Council and a fellow of the Blackburn Institute, who is a 2019 summa cum laude Honors College graduate in political science and environmental policy with advanced competency in the Spanish language, to teach in Spain.

Austin Blair of Germantown, Tennessee, a Parker Adams Fellow and mentor of freshmen students, a Delta Phi Alpha German Honor Society member with study experience at The University of Mannheim and fluency in German, and a 2020 graduate in German with a minor in interdisciplinary linguistics, was chosen to teach in Germany.

Mason Olivia Blanke of Tuscaloosa, a UA Presidential Scholar and 2020 Honors College graduate in electrical engineering and physics with a certificate in teaching English as a foreign language, to teach in Poland.

Camille Constance Nealey Carr of Wake Forest, North Carolina, a fellow of the Blackburn Institute, a Blount Interdisciplinary Scholar in the liberal arts and 2019 summa cum laude Honors College graduate in Spanish and political science with fluency in the Spanish language, to teach in Colombia.

Caroline Smith Dean of Dothan, a Spanish Outreach mentor for the Tuscaloosa County Schools, an intern for Congresswoman Martha Roby, a fellow of the Blackburn Institute, president of the UA English Majors and Minors Association, executive committee Chair for the SGA Student Judiciary, staff journalist for The Crimson White, and a 2020 summa cum laude Honors College graduate in English and Spanish, with a minor in creative writing, advanced Spanish language ability, and overseas experience in Spain and South Korea, to teach in Spain.

Isabella Rose DeSheplo of Washington, D.C., a fellow of the Blackburn Institute, a member of the Carl A. Elliott Community Service Honor Society and a 2020 UA Honors College graduate with a BA and MA in political science and a minor in public policy studies, to teach in Bulgaria.

Lota Erinne of Peachtree City, Georgia, a poet, winner of the 2019 Greer Marechal Memorial Prize in Fiction, managing editor of The Marr’s Field Journal literary magazine and 2020 Honors College graduate in English and finance with fluency in Spanish, to teach in Spain.

Logan Fenhouse of Lombard, Illinois, a Blount Interdisciplinary Scholar in the liberal arts, former leader of Beyond Bama Alternative Breaks, Spanish interpreter at Maude Whatley Health Center, mentor with extensive experience tutoring all ages, and 2020 summa cum laude Honors College graduate with degrees in Spanish and Interdisciplinary Studies, and fluency in Spanish, to teach in Spain.

Amelia Wyant Gaither of Hickory, North Carolina, writing center tutor, UA English Language Institute instructor, a founder of UA Chinese Conversation Hour and a Global Café ESL conversation partner, with a BA in English from Davidson College and an MA in applied linguistics and TESOL from UA, to teach in Taiwan.

Robert “Chad” Hankins, of Mobile, a Blount Interdisciplinary Scholar in the liberal arts, member of The Mallet Assembly and The White Rose Society, certified teacher of English as a Foreign Language and a 2018 graduate in political science with a minor in German, advanced German language competency, and the Global Studies Certificate, to teach in Germany.

Asia Monet Hayes, of St. Augustine, Florida, a teacher with Breakthrough Collaborative of Central Texas and the Dream Alabama Mentor Program of the UA Honors College, a fellow of the Blackburn Institute, a member of the Carl A. Elliott Community Service Honor Society, recipient of the Harold Bishop Award, and a 2018 UA Honors College graduate in Interdisciplinary Studies, summa cum laude with fluency in Spanish assessed at Superior/Distinguished and experience in Argentina and Cuba, to teach in Spain.

Katherine Lightfoot of Northport, a discussion facilitator with the UA English Language Institute, an active leader in Model United Nations and German Club, a Delta Phi Alpha German Honor Society member and a 2019 Honors College graduate in international studies and foreign languages who is enrolled in graduate studies in German at UA, to teach in Germany.

Rebecca Paholski of Plano, Texas, an experienced teacher, tutor and mentor through Cottondale Elementary (Tuscaloosa, AL), Newman Elementary School (Frisco, TX), Breakthrough Atlanta, Tuscaloosa’s One Place, Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, READ Alabama, Horseshoe Farms Remote Tutoring Program, and Los Estudiantes de Alabama sin Fronteras, who has an MS in Human Environmental Sciences, a BA in Elementary Education, summa cum laude, and advanced competency in Spanish, to teach in Spain.

Ian Samlowski of Madison, a teaching assistant in the department of Modern Languages and Classics, a translator for the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center and a fluent German speaker, who holds BA and MA degrees in German from UA with membership in Delta Phi Alpha German Honor Society, to teach in Germany.

The University is also pleased to report that 6 students were awarded alternate status in this year’s national Fulbright competition. They will be invited to serve should more openings become available to the national Fulbright Program. They are Emily Adams (Bulgaria), Olivia Brick (Laos), Ekaterina (Katya) Khvatkova (Russia), Meredith Moore (Bulgaria), Austin Olivier (Germany), and Trey Sullivan (Bulgaria).

“Our campus is proud of these 23 exceptional student leaders in international engagement,” said Dr. Beverly Hawk, director of global and community engagement, “and we appreciate the dedicated faculty, staff and administrators who advised our students in application for these awards.”

A team of Fulbright advisors from UA’s Capstone International Center, Modern Languages and Classics Department and the Center for Community-Based Partnerships helps students polish applications for success in the Fulbright competition each year. Students interested in applying for next year’s Fulbright program can learn more at http://international.ua.edu and https://us.fulbrightonline.org, or by sending an email to UA’s Fulbright advisers, Megan Wagner megan.wagner@ua.edu, Dr. Matthew Feminella mfeminella@ua.edu, or Dr. Beverly Hawk beverly.hawk@ua.edu.

For the sixth consecutive year, The University of Alabama’s Saving Lives Initiative participated in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Tuscaloosa Heart Walk at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. The event was held Saturday, March 7. “This is one of the largest groups that has participated in the last past few years,” said Dr. Nicole Prewitt, director of programs and partnership for Community Engagement at UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships.

Saving Lives was one of many organizations present to support AHA by promoting heart disease awareness and stroke awareness. More than 100 members of the Saving Lives network participated in the event and the network donated more than $800 to the American Heart Association through the Tuscaloosa Heart Walk.

“Today, we developed stations that highlight health information and promotion, nutrition, and physical activity. We also engaged the community with UA student organizations providing credible health information and healthy snacks for participants,” said Prewitt.

During the AHA opening ceremony, Prewitt was recognized as the recipient of the 2020 Heart of the Community Award for the Saving Lives program’s impact.

 “I started to participate in Saving Lives six years ago,” said Sheila Lee from Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa. “The program has just been phenomenal because it has made us aware of our bodies and health. In the church, we think about the health of our spiritual lives, but this program made us aware of our physical health too. It doesn’t only provide us with health information, but also makes us think outside the box about how we can get the information to our congregation and how to work together to promote healthier living.”

Annette Harris, a health advocate from Benville Baptist Church in Cottondale, agreed that this program had influenced her church. “I think it makes a great impact in this community as well as churches. I want to encourage more people to get involved with this work through these events.”

This year, three UA student organizations also joined the Tuscaloosa Heart Walk by partnering with Saving Lives: the National Black MBA Association, Hands in Health, and Alpha Epsilon Delta.

Andre Smithson, a second-year MBA student at The University of Alabama, joined the Heart Walk as a representative from the National Black MBA Association. “I’m here as a representative from National Black, supporting the Heart Walk. I’m here to greet people who are coming in and encourage them to keep having a good time, keep on walking, and stay as positive as they can,” Smithson said. The National Black MBA Association is about encouraging African Americans to get their masses into business and get African Americans in executive roles across multiple organizations. “I think the Heart Walk is a really good opportunity to encourage the black community to be more active and help them reduce heart disease.”

“We are here to talk about ‘MyPlate’ and different helpful nutrition facts,” said Morgan Renfroe, a senior student in Public Health at the table of Hands in Health. “We are also here to promote exercising and healthy eating. Our table is about telling people what types of foods and what proportions they should be eating. We have different plates and different serving sizes set up. We would ask people what they think the nutrition proportion for a healthy diet should be, and then tell them the real proportion. Some people actually asked ‘What is this?’ and when they saw how much the actual proportions should really be, they were sometimes shocked. I think this is a really cool way to connect knowledge with demonstrations.”

Leah Thomas, president of Alpha Epsilon Delta, also introduced their table. “At our table, we have some questions about physical activities and are giving people some knowledge about how much exercise they need to get. Then we let them try a few like doing five jumping jacks or holding a squat for five seconds, and they can win a healthy snack.” Alpha Epsilon Delta is a pre-health honor society that has many pre-med students. “We also have a lot of children coming, so we think it is important to make them see that it can be fun to exercise,” Thomas said.

“I’m really surprised with such a huge level of turnout from the community for the Heart Walk,” said Jamesia Stevenson, a second-year MBA student. Stevenson is also a graduate research assistant under Prewitt. “This is my first time being a part of the Heart Walk. I think that it is such an amazing experience to be involved in a local community event like this and to work with everybody here to promote heart health awareness.”

Saving Lives is under the direction of Dr. Nicole Prewitt, director of programs and partnerships for community engagement at UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships, which is an initiative of the Division of Community Affairs.

For more information about the program contact Prewitt at nbprewitt@ua.edu or at (205) 348-9819.

Saving Lives is a faith-based wellness program established by The University of Alabama’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships to advocate for healthy families and communities through faith.

Parents and teachers presented group projects in the final Parent Teacher Leadership Academy (PTLA) meeting of the academic year at the Bryant Conference Center on March 12.

“I want to thank all of you for making an investment of your time to support your school team. I know what that means to you,” said Andrea Ziegler, director for Community Education, Center for Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP). “Thank you all for the extra effort you made to come to these evening events.”

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the PTLA graduation ceremony has been moved online. The virtual graduation celebration will be on Facebook (UA Parent Teacher Leadership Academy page) Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m. The celebration will include prizes and PTLA grant winner announcements.

Parents and teachers joined together to present their group school projects. There were two rounds of presentations, giving each school the chance to their projects and explore other teams’ projects.

Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools–Elementary presented their project “Math in Motion,” which is a continuous project from last year. This project helps students learn math in a more practical way. Honors College students were invited to be paired with students from second to fifth grades to help them learn math through different activities. “We tried to get more parents and more UA students involved this year,” said Allyson Pitzel, a fourth grade teacher at TMS-Elementary. “We also added second grade this year.”

Rock Quarry Elementary displayed their project “Building the Future with STEAM.” (STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.) This project encourages students to get involved in the different fields of study and for schools to invite specialists from the different STEAM fields to visit so that students can have conservations with them.

Maxwell Elementary School displayed projects from its “Arts Night” program and University Place Elementary from its “Multicultural Party.”

Because these projects require financial support, CCBP Executive Director Dr. Jim McLean presented information on how schools can apply for funding. Following his remarks, teams spent time working on PTLA grant applications.

Vision Days, a program of the Center for Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP), expects 500 high school students to return to campus Feb. 20, 25 and 27.

Ninth grade students from both rural and urban high schools attended Vision Days in the fall. They not only learned about college majors but also about the requirements for admission and scholarship opportunities at The University of Alabama.

Harley Langford, a student at Berry High School who is interested in nursing, said the college tour was her favorite part of the program. “I liked the operating room and am interested in neurology. I’m a big Alabama fan and can see myself coming to UA.”

In 2019, Vision Days expanded from its inaugural format into a cohort model, providing visiting freshmen the opportunity to attend again during their sophomore, junior and senior years. Each time the high school cohort visits campus, Vision Days will have a different focus. The spring session will be the first Vision Days cohort to return as 10^th-grade students.

Tasha Brownlee, lead counselor at George W. Carver High School, brought her students to campus in the fall. “The students thoroughly enjoyed the program. Carver looks forward to this opportunity again next year,” she said.

The focus of Vision Days this spring will be on student life. High school students will have the opportunity to visit residence halls, the Robert E. Witt Student Activity Center and a table fair. In addition, they will hear from a panel of undergraduate students about class schedules, clubs, internships, study abroad and life in Tuscaloosa.

Daniela M. Susnara, CCBP’s program coordinator for community education, says, “We hope to provide high school students from rural and underrepresented communities an eye-opening experience here at Vision Days. We hope they feel welcomed and want to come back.”

This is the third gathering of Vision Days students on campus. Representatives of the New Faculty Community Engagement Tour, sponsored annually by the Division of Community Affairs in partnership with the Office of Academic Affairs, the Graduate School, the Center for Community-Based Partnerships and the Council on Community-Based Partnerships, came up with the idea to reach more in-state students from traditionally underserved areas in 2018. The resulting Vision Days program has expanded to reach 1,000 students since it began.

The Parent Leadership Academy and Teacher Leadership Academy conducted their third Parent Teacher Leadership Academy (PTLA) sessions of the fall semester at the UA Bryant Conference Center on Thursday, December 5. Both parent and teacher participants were divided into elementary school and middle school teams for a variety of presentations and other activities.

The elementary school teacher participants listened to a presentation conducted by Lynn Evers, Elementary Teacher Leadership Academy facilitator, and one by special guest facilitator Krista Snyder designed to help participants acquire communication skills to build bridges connecting parents, teachers and students. Participants also discussed their school team projects.

Middle school teacher participants attended a presentation by Dr. Liza Wilson, senior associate dean of the College of Education, designed to improve their communication competence. Kantrele King, a doctoral student in the College of Education, and Krista Snyder, a speech pathologist with Communication Advantage Inc., conducted a session on handling difficult conversations.

Dr. Lisa Matherson and Dr. James Hardin, College of Education clinical assistant professors, presented a session on establishing strong bonds between parents and children using digital tools, and Dr. Sara McDaniel, associate professor of special education and multiple abilities, conducted a session on the importance of establishing positive behavioral supports among teachers, students and parents.

Woodland Forrest Elementary School teacher participant Erin Howe observed that when teachers and parents communicate with younger children, “being with them at that moment is most important.” When the child/student wants to tell you something, “that is the moment when giving them that time and showing them their value goes a long way,” she said.

Both elementary and middle school parent participants attended a project presentation by Karen Lindsey and Laura Wood, who are former teachers at Big Sandy Elementary school. Their project “STEM Night at the Sandy” achieved huge success a year ago. Lindsey and Wood explained in detail how their team developed the idea and implemented the initiative. The presentation titled “Math Matters” by Woodland Forrest Elementary School teacher Rachel Hill showed participants strategies of how to help their child with math through life situations and playing board games. Hill encouraged parents to find situations like getting change at the store to have their child practice basic math skills. Participants also listened to presentations titled “Mindset Matters” by Lynn Evers’, “Dress Rehearsal for Life” by UA instructor Dr. Amanda Cassity, and “Family Literacy Strategies” by Tuscaloosa County School System Instructional Coach Carrie Jo Powell. After the presentations, participants gathered as school teams to work on their team projects.

Englewood Elementary School parent participant Liza Nicholson said, “PTLA provides really useful information” for teachers and parents. Particularly, she enjoyed the idea of turning math learning into family games. “I’m going to do that tonight,“ she said.

Westlawn Middle School parent participant Courtney Helfrecht said she believes middle school students need trust and autonomy “to make their own choices,” adding that PTLA helps parents and teachers support the students and gives them the right tools. She said parents and teachers are working together to help students see that school is a desirable place to be to fulfill their goals “and is exciting at the same time.”

Maxwell Elementary School parent participant Kelli Williamson said she particularly enjoyed Evers’ “mindset” lecture. “I believe people can grow,” said Williamson. “[We can] change the way we learn if we are given the opportunity, encouragement and support we need.” She also said she believes support at home is very important for children, especially in their early years. PTLA provides parents with specific lessons on how to do that, she said.

Andrea Ziegler, director for Community Education in the Center for Community-Based Partnerships, said “Our goal for this session was to provide teachers with the tools they need for productive communication and parents with the strategies they can use to support their child’s learning.”

As an initiative of the Center for Community Based-Partnerships, HomeFirst serves Greene, Hale and Tuscaloosa County individuals and families on their path toward first-time homeownership.

Dr. Nicole Prewitt, director of Programs and Partnerships for Community Engagement, leads a service-learning course to introduce students to effective strategies to promote financial and housing stability in the United States, emphasizing pathways to homeownership among low- to moderate-income populations. Susan Kasteler serves as the program coordinator responsible for service-learning. Students are trained to serve as financial coaches. Eleven student coaches and four student leaders joined the 2019 HomeFirst program and helped 75 participants with their financial plans.

The specially designed HomeFirst curriculum covers savings, money management, banking, credit building, debt reduction and homebuyer readiness. Student coaches met with participants over three months to guide them through the curriculum. The goal is to help participants identify the obstacles blocking their way to purchasing a home, and developing solutions.

Throughout the sessions, students connected with community partners willing to provide knowledge and resources for successful homeownership. Volunteer coaches not only gave assistance in Tuscaloosa, but they also traveled to Hale and Greene Counties. Residents in these smaller communities mentioned that they appreciated students reaching out and hoped the program would continue for years to come.

Anita Lewis, director of the Greene County Housing Authority, commented that smaller communities are often overlooked for potential homebuyers. “We see everyone around us growing. Our residents deserve a nice home. If we can help them step up, then we need to do everything we can.” The housing authority properties in Greene County give residents an opportunity to buy the house they are currently renting. The HomeFirst program helps these participants prepare for that process.

Participants in Hale County met at the Hale Empowerment Revitalization Organization (HERO) offices in Greensboro. Participant Deja Jackson stated the curriculum was “straight-forward and well-taught” and she has been able to track her spending due to her participation in the program. When asked about her experience working with a student, she stated, “It was a good experience.”

Student coach Arianne Esteve was able to help participants from all three counties. “It was cool to see different people at different stages. I worked with different participants weekly. This program shows that it is never too late to look at buying a house.”

HomeFirst coaches made efforts to help participants develop applicable savings plans, raise their credit scores and reduce debt. Participant Shikaishia Edwards said the most important thing she learned from HomeFirst is the importance of a credit score and how to raise it. “I didn’t know it was so important before,” said Edwards:” Since I came here, my credit score has jumped up 45 points.”

Ashley Adams, senior student in Human Resources Management, was a coach in last year’s HomeFirst program. “We [student coaches] are financially coaching people who haven’t been able to purchase a home step by step,” said Adams: “It [the program] has made a huge impact on me too.” Adams said she did not have an idea of how to make savings before but now, as she will start her job in a few months, she has a clear plan.

With the assistance of HomeFirst, coaches were trained to offer one-on-one support to their clients while developing a broad-based action plan for homebuying. Student coaches not only offered assistance for savings plans but were able to help participants at any step on their path toward housing stability.

At the conclusion of the semester, HomeFirst participants were awarded with certificates for their involvement in the fall 2019 cohort. Several student coaches mentioned that the program was a great learning experience for them to learn more about developing a financial plan. Ongoing coaching will be provided to participants during the spring and summer with plans for a new team of student coaches to begin coaching new participants next fall.

The Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) and the Parent Leadership Academy (PLA) held a joint meeting at the Bryant Conference Center on Thursday, October 24. It was the second meeting of this academic year.

Andrea Ziegler, CCBP director of Community Education, welcomed everyone, reviewed session one, and introduced guest speaker Marsha D. Greenfeld to the audience.

Greenfeld is senior program facilitator with the National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University. She provides professional development to help leaders in organizations throughout the nation implement and sustain goal-linked programs of family and community involvement. She also develops and conducts workshops and provides technical assistance on all aspects of partnership program development.

For teachers and parents in the PTLA October meeting, Greenfeld held an interactive session titled “Your Child Matters and What We Do Matters: Partnerships Help Make the Difference!”

To warm up and prepare teachers and parents, Greenfeld asked them to think about a leader they admired. From there, she encouraged them to be the kind of leader they would follow. She also encouraged them to think about the role they play in creating effective partnerships that matter to student success. Teachers, she said, can help students by sharing information with their parents, encouraging families to support, understanding students’ family backgrounds and celebrating students’ success.

Later Greenfeld asked the group to share their experience as a student. She reminded them that if children don’t think anyone cares, they often think what they are doing doesn’t matter, and don’t perform as well as they could. “If a dad just asks ‘how’s school today?’ the student does better,” Greenfeld said. Therefore, it is important to have parents and communities involved. In this way, students will have multiple sources of support to succeed in school and in other activities.

Greenfeld asked parents to discuss the best qualities about their children and the dreams for their children. Reynelda Huggins, a mother of a student in Davis-Emerson Middle School, told the group: “My child is caring, and he is very enthusiastic about learning. I desire for my child to dream big. I want him to be resilient and competent.” Greenfeld encouraged parents to be encouragers, role models, and supporters to help their children to achieve their dreams.

In the second half of the session, Greenfeld guided teachers and parents to plan their school projects for this year. Greenfeld provided the framework of six types of involvement offered by Dr. Joyce L. Epstein to help teachers and parents design their projects. Greenfeld suggested teachers and parents design the project with involvement from parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making and collaborating with the community.

Huggins, who is also a 7th-grade math teacher at Davis-Emerson Middle School, said, “I learned a lot from tonight’s session, and I am looking forward to seeing our project come out.”

University of Alabama students, faculty, staff and community partners attended a morning networking session and an afternoon workshop about working with vulnerable communities on Friday, Oct. 18, presented by Dr. Kellie Mayfield, assistant professor in nutrition at Georgia State University. The sessions were sponsored by the student organization SCOPE (Scholars for Community Outreach Partnership and Engagement), a program within the Center for Community-Based Partnerships.

Mayfield specializes in community-based mixed methods research, focusing on availability of healthy foods. Mayfield, whose Ph.D. is from Michigan State University, collected data on the differences in food availability and its effects on consumers. She partnered with a Flint, Mich. nonprofit that supports residents in growing and accessing healthy food.

Mayfield worked directly with a community group that addresses problems in the Flint food system by increasing information about consumption of healthy food. Her research examined quality and price of available items in local grocery stores.

Of 288 stores in Flint that sell food, 273 were included in Mayfield’s analysis of food access and control in smaller and larger stores. Areas within a three-mile radius were analyzed to present information on how many grocery stores were located in areas without public transportation.

In addition to scarce food resources, Flint residents also struggled with finding clean water. The Flint water crisis of 2014 caused Michigan to declare a state of emergency. Lead and other dangerous metals contaminated the water supply, and tap water in many homes was toxic.

In her study, Mayfield found that residents had little access to healthy food or clean water, leading her to propose a change framework based on women as nutritional gatekeepers in the food environment.

Mayfield’s experience working with African-American communities led to her investigations of “womanism” — as opposed to “feminism,” a term that suggests “white” women. In researching custodial African-American grandmothers, Mayfield found that women play an important role in providing for their families. As custodial grandparents increase and access to healthy food declines, she said, there is much less to share.

Audience members were given time to network with peers to discuss insights into Mayfield’s findings. Students thought of different ways they could apply her strategies to their own research. Mayfield reiterated the importance of critical thinking and reflection, especially when working with vulnerable communities.

One of the faculty members who felt especially motivated by the Mayfield presentation was Dr. Chapman Greer, who teaches business communications in the Culverhouse College of Commerce. “Dr. Mayfield’s presentation was very informative,” she said. “I learned a lot about how we can apply mixed methods to our research.” Greer and her students are researching the possibility of establishing a community hospital in Marion, Ala.